Ramen Champion's Clarke Quay restaurant introduces pink ramen for photo win

For some of us who have visited the other Ramen Champion outlets before, you'd know that it's pretty much a self service restaurant.

With its newest restaurant which opened in Clarke Quay, that's going to change. Introducing their very first full-service restaurant, where you just sit back and relax as the wait staff serves you all the way. This new outlet houses popular Japanese ramen brands, including Tonkotsu Ikkyu, Menya Ryu, Buta Goh and Joshoken.

This restaurant sits up to 110 people at any one time and also serves other dishes from rice bowls, sashimi, sushi to grilled items and desserts!

This outlet also offers a free-flow salad bar, offering more than 20 salad starters. To enjoy this unlimited offering, just top up $4 with every main course order!

The view here is also pretty nice as diners get to enjoy the Singapore River view along with their dinner.

We got to try some interesting dishes like the Special Tonkotsu Pink Ramen ($15.80), Salmon Tower Maki ($21.80), Fisherman Don ($21.80), Mentai Gyoza ($6.80), Magma Ramen ($14.80)'s level 5 and level 20 versions.

The pink ramen is so insta pretty! But don't you mistake that for fake colouring, as all ingredients used are natural. The colouring is derived from a mixture of blueberries and beetroot, and some of you might be cringing like I did when I heard blueberries, but it's actually pretty palatable!

One of our favourites for the night is the Salmon Tower Maki, which is overloaded with fresh salmon sashimi cubes, ikura, ebiko, crabstick, cucumber and chopped shiso leaf. We loved this!

As for the Magma Ramen, I can't say it's my favourite because I'm not much of a spice eater. However, level 20 gets extremely spicy for me (levels go up in multiples of 5). I spoke to a blogger who is super into spicy stuff and she says level 20 was a little spicy for her, level 5 was still okay. I can just look on as she slurps it up.

The Fisherman Don featured a blanket of various sashimi mix which are air-flown from Japan's Tsukiji Market. To enjoy this fisherman don, just add blended sauce of miso, sesame, wasabi and soy sauce to the bowl. Once you are done with half the bowl, mix in the hot dashi soup made of bonito and kombu and slurp it up!

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Ramen Champion Singapore (Clarke Quay Branch)

Location: 6 Eu Tong Sen Street, #03-89, The Central, Singapore 059817
Tel: +65-6221-2156
Website: www.ramenchampion.com.sg

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CCA (까) Hair Salon opens at Holland Village!

 Congratulations CCA (까) Hair Salon on your new salon opening!

I'm back at CCA Hair Salon again, only this time, it's at a new branch which was just opened earlier this month! Yes, they performed so well that a second branch is now open. Can I also say that the second branch has this really awesome decor that you must definitely check out?

The super Korean hipster styled colour light signage!

A very interesting Korean phrase (filled with Korean slangs)

The washing station has a really dapper feel to it! I really love it.

They also have a smaller station where they sell various popular Korean items from various brands. They will be expanding the services of this branch to also include a nails service (not ready yet, but soon!)

They even have this mini Korean game station that is really traditional (and great for bored boyfriends).

Their salon is located on the second level along Holland village, directly opposite this restaurant.

To ensure their customer have a totally comfortable experience, they also provide back massagers for their customers! Another feature I loved.

 They also serve coffee and tea on the house, so go ahead and order it!

My hair is super damaged so I decided to do an intensive treatment service (I did the Tokio hair treatment this time). (T_T)

Thanks to my stylists for the day, Ria and Doyeon, for the great hair treatment service and fantastic hosting, as usual! I love that the stylists there are always genuinely concerned for you and won't ask you to do what they think doesn't work for your features or hair condition.

Some new key features found only at the Holland Village branch include:
- Nail Services (coming soon)
- Korean beauty product purchase services (coming soon)
- Massage services (via equipment)
- Korean old school video games for bored boyfriends
- a great view and a mini 'cafe' where bored boyfriends or girlfriends can chill out at while waiting for you to finish your hair services

Usually, I feel that what's most important is the AFTER of the hair service, and how well the hair would hold. So a few days later, here's how it looks.

As you can see, my hair is more nourished and easier to maintain, while I still have my stray hairs but it's much less frizzy.

Of course, it's no miracle and you definitely have to be consistent about keeping up your hair treatments to maintain your hair quality!

I find my hair easier to manage now and as usual, I am totally satisfied with the service!

If you liked this post, please show some support here by showing some love here, click 'Like' for my FB Page!: 

CCA (까) Hair Salon (Holland Village Branch)
Location: 29A Lorong Mambong, Singapore 277687
Tel: (+65) 6463-1471
Website: www.cca7.com.sg

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Ah Mah Homemade Cake (阿嬷老字號): Traditional Fluffy Castella Cakes Arrive in Singapore

So yesterday, I journeyed to the west to try another up and coming castella cake shop, which will be officially launched from tomorrow onwards, at Bukit Panjang Plaza (14 July 2017). First launched in Malaysia, their cakes have already sold 100,000 boxes over 14 outlets within a span of 3months. Come August, Ah Mah will also open stores in China, Thailand and Australia.

But, Singapore first. :)

Before I start gushing about the cakes, if Bukit Panjang is too far, you guys don't have to worry that you mayn't get a chance to taste Ah Mah's cakes.

With a Castella cake trend that's not going to die down anytime soon, another Ah Mah branch is set to open doors in Harbourfront's Vivocity from 20 July. Yes, just next week, it'll be much closer to the central crowd!

So some of you might ask: why are castella cakes so popular now ah? Here's my own reasoning.

For me, I seriously admire shops who dare to go all traditional, especially in an age that's all about creativity, attractiveness and colours. But beyond that superficiality, people are still looking for the true #goodvibes. That's why traditional foods like these are tenacious in nature. When you eat them, you're filled with good memories of the good old days. Even if you don't have memories of the 'good old days' per se, you'll get a glimpse into the 'good ol' past and what it used to taste like back in those days'.

And that's why one reason why I thought the cakes here tasted good was because of its gu zao wei taste (lit. filled with traditional taste / taste of sentiment (古早味 = 怀念的味道)).

A taste of sentiment - now, it's really hard to beat that touch of romance and depth of character, right?

Another reason I like their cakes is because the simpler the food looks, the harder it is to actually perfect it. And I thought they did their cakes extremely well; due to the extreme fluffiness and softness of Ah Mah's version of the castella cake.

(You think you can remake at home? You try. haha!)

Castella cakes (Kasutera in Japanese) are said to have originated in Japan. It actually has a supposedly longer history than that, and it was also said that the cake was initially from Portugal, who calls it the Pao De Lo (a.k.a sponge cake). I don't know why it sounds so Singaporean, though.

'Uncle, give me a Pao De Lo, tabao!'

Lol.  Okay, never mind. Not funny. Let's look at some pictures.

Similar as Le Castella (which caused a recent uproar and snaking queues at Tampines One), Ah Mah Homemade Cake offer two flavours (Original and Cheese) in-store now.

All their cakes are baked and sliced on-site. The Original and Cheese costs $8 and $11 respectively.

Made purely with milk, eggs and quality flour, there is no added water, preservatives and colourings. The taste is an absolutely healthy one, especially the Original cake. I love the savory one better, because it offers a little more punch without the guilt, but not to the extent of it feeling jelat (Singaporean slang for flavour overdose). So, cheese it is for me.

And I also got a chance to see how Ah Mah's head chef - Jim Wong - actually prepare the batter for the cake.

Each batch, filled with more than 10 years baking experience and peppered with his tender loving care as key ingredients, is baked for 80 minutes.

To ensure absolute freshness and maintenance of quality, Ah Mah Homemade Cake bakes its cakes daily and discards all cakes after 12 hours if they are not consumed.

Here's Head Chef Jim Wong bringing out the freshly baked cake from the oven.

Chef Andrew Tay, in earlier prep of readying the baked cakes.

Making sure each cake is sliced to accuracy and the perfect size to fit into the boxes.

Branding tool used on the readied cakes for takeaway.

The cheese one is my favourite!

To provide more variety to the crowd, another 1 new flavour (Chicken floss) is on the way, to be launched in stores sometime late August, next month!

So do keep a lookout for that too!

If you liked this post, please show some support here by showing some love here, click 'Like' for my FB Page!: 

Ah Mah HomeMade Cake (阿嬷老字號)
Website / Facebook: www.facebook.com/iloveahmahsg

Bukit Panjang Plaza Branch (open from 14 July 2017)
Location: 1 Jelebu Road, #01-18, Singapore 677743
Hours: 10am to 10pm daily

Vivocity Branch (open from 20 July 2017)
Location: 1 Harbourfront Walk, #B2-K7 Singapore 098585
Hours: 10am to 10pm daily

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