Se7enth Heaven: Oakwood Premier's Burger And Dine-In Hits The Right Spot, Baby

Now, we had heard of Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore. That it is quite swanky as a full-fledged luxury hotel and serviced apartment in the Central Business District. ATAS. (rich.) But I’ve never been there before, and I finally did in order to try the legendary burger in SE7ENTH, the in-house restaurant in Oakwood Premier. The second you get out onto the 7th floor of this really tall building to head over to SE7ENTH, you would pass by and be greeted by marbled floors, glittering chandeliers, designer light and sculptural features. And of course the lavishly furnished reception area. Immediately a grandiose tinkling will overlap, and you feel like a Champion. It’s amazing. Now, when we entered SE7ENTH to dine-in on a Sunday evening, it was near empty except for a family occupying the front dining seats. How lucky we are, we were let into a spacious table surrounded by peace and quiet.

. . . And on to the food. (Yeah Babyyyyyy)

Oakwood “SE7ENTH” Beef Burger, S$30. Now, I should think this is their signature dish because it is SOOOO juicy burger excellent. Move over Shake Shack! Beef patty is thick and rather moist layered by melted cheese. Eggs with cheddar are like Heaven made on Earth. Done rather gourmet-style. Both sides of the crisp fresh salad with sesame dressing and plump french fries are wonderful additions. Generous, hearty portion served on a farmhouse rustic chop board. Awesome!

Seafood Aglio Olio Linguine, S$28 (choice of spaghetti, penne, linguine). Not quite spicy as expected, but still packs good salty flavour from the ample fresh seafood items - mussels, prawns, and scallops thrown in. Also got two pieces of little sotong, not bad. LOL. Portion may be small for some heavy eaters though. Well, I liked that it is beautifully presented since they arranged the mussels standing upright, lol.

Chilli Crab Spaghetti, S$26 (choice of spaghetti, penne, linguine). Wow, this one is a local spin. Spicy and shioky. Although the crab is not the actual crab flesh but fried soft-shell crab (sad). The homemade sauce taste a little different from the ordinary chilli crab base, but after awhile it works. You still relish it’s savoury side, and I believe there are fresh chillies used.

Salted Egg Cod Fish and Chips, S$32. I adore everything salted egg these days. A very crunchy and somewhat oily cod with salted egg sauce spilled over it included with french fries, bowl of mixed salad in sesame dressing (same as the burger’s), considerate tomato and tartar sauces on the board. Fish has a good batter bite. Remember to drizzle the lemon over fish. Only wished that they would have more of the salted egg sauce over because it is addicting.

Caesar Salad, S$13. Why did we even order this? Huh. Anyway, people wanted more veggies and so this happened. Here, I really must applaud the freshness and appetising appeal of these vegetables on the plate, they seem to invite any kids cringey on veg to enjoy them with a smile. Veg doesn’t taste bad at all. Boiled eggs, croutons, bacon bits, parmesan cheese, anchovies in ranch dressing are included in the salad. You can choose to add a protein (chicken, prawns or salmon) too.

Cosmopolitan Cocktail, S$12. Exciting color and refreshing, tartness drenched in good martini. Bit of lime in there. What’s not to love? Best paired with the burgers.

Homemade Waffle With Gelato, S$14. Please don’t mind the candle, it was someone’s birthday. Choice of two scoops of gelato available - bitter sweet chocolate, tahitian vanilla or avocado. Sprinkles of nuts and berries on chocolate sauce paintbrush strokes. We picked the choco and avocado gelato, which was delicious. It was smooth, indulgent and creamy. Think Haagen Daz. I couldn’t tell if the waffles were homemade. But with the waffles delightfully dipped into the ice cream, we ended this wonderful dinner session with a blast. Sigh, if only I had booked a staycation in the Oakwood Premier!

LIFEBLY RATINGS -

Service: Attentive and professional 10/10

Food: Very good 8/10, although could be improved

Value for money: Probably yes and no for some dishes 6/10

All prices do not include GST and Service Charge. P.S. Check for deals before going!

The Affordable Minimalist Cafe To Dine In Peace And Chill

The front entrance of Kara Cafe & Dessert Bar. Very cool place to chill, eat, and hang out with friends. Good for loners too.

I found the best place to escape from it all. This Kara Cafe & Dessert minimalist cafe. Because I got so stricken and tired from overcoming crowds in the densely populated tiny island of Singapore (where you can find people downtown and everywhere else these days, yikes), I had to run off somewhere. Especially when the monthly pimple zits had maximised my pores on my face and my hormones are spiralling out of control, that it is time to go into relax mode.

Found this soothing dining spot on the Entertainer App, which let me tell you, is a messiah to money-saving couples. It was on the 1-for-1 deal. I ADORE the 1-for-1 and dearly pledge my alliance towards it. Anytime I see 1-for-1 on any fine printed banner, my body reflexes would zoom in with full on dilated pupils faster than my head could think. However, even if it was a non-deal at this cafe, prices are still reasonably cheaper than many standard dining establishments in Singapore.

This serene Minimalist Cafe has one side wall pink/white pastel-painted and the other side of the wall in calming foliage wallpapers, furnished with wooden tables, chairs, and earthy booth benches. Bonus with the cool overhanging lamps casting over your heads. Its pretty much insta-worthy, MUJI-Scandi vibes the minute you enter (see below). Inside, it is quiet and remarkably laid-back not only because not much people are in there on the day I went, but the placid interiors settle you down right away and sets you at liberty.

Img from Kara Cafe & Dessert Bar. Thank you for letting me dine here in bliss while chatting with goldfish memory boyfriend.

If you cannot get a seat at the MUJI cafes in town or some other snobby overrated Minimalist trending bistros right now, please do make a stop here. I paid for it using the Entertainer and ate with my annoying boyfriend. As I am the ultimate nobody, no one ever gives me a shit or sponsors me to eat for free. Sobs.

This particular pineapple on my table is way too cute to ignore. Possible plant housed in embroidered pineapple bottom. Can I bring home?

Modus Operandi of Ordering: Self-Service (YAH go to the counter to pick and purchase your food, then wait for pretty waitresses to deliver them over to your tables.) There is no service charge. Of course.

the ordered food (what i ate.)

This mouthwatering Aburi Mentaiko Salmon on Japanese Rice Grain Bowl, S$16. (Option to choose Quinoa instead of Japanese Rice). This is like having loads of blowtorched salmon sushis altogether in one bowl topped with a slippery egg yolk goodness and some buttery corns underneath the heap. Not to mention drizzles and sprinkles of seaweed. GIVE IT TO ME AGAIN

This oriental rendition of an Asian-spiced Seafood Pasta, S$19. Warning: Spicy level > Quite high. Tonnes of chilli. Very flavourful dish in a fusion mashup and heartily portioned as well for peckish diners. Prawns are lavishly big and succulent, goes with overall tanginess really well like Aglio Olio.

Comfort food for the worst of all days, Truffle Cheese Tater Tots, S$11. Quite a large serving. I was already too full to have much of the tots, so the foodie boyfriend of mine helped me with this. It had a really cheesy, voluptuous taste and can get cloying. Still, it had truffles and I was more than happy to pick up a few extra spoonfuls. Best had on a rainy day when you need to study and have slow bites somewhere cozy and quiet.

This beautiful pot of Blueberry Merlot Tea, S$7. Seriously, $7 for a more than 3/4 filled pot. Can’t do no wrong. Ordered this because boyfriend wanted it (he’s a blueberry fanboy). Pungently zesty, can’t tell if there is any Merlot as in the Merlot wine but there is certainly berries in it, though not quite blueberry. Very good to let it simmer and watch the condensation in this clear teapot occurring (always fascinated by trivial things). Such a cute accompanying wood tray with the teapot and cup.

the ensemble of all good stuff

Yay to this affordable MUJI-Inspired Minimalist Cafe. I WILL BE BACK.

Please do be informed that at my time of ordering (as at April 2019), the 1-for-1 on the Entertainer App usage only applies to Grain Bowls and Snacks so other items on the menu are excluded from it. Even without the offer, this place is still absolutely such a steal. Great hangout nook to chill, relax and forget that your problematic life exists. You can check out the full menu at their web.

The Avocavolution Is So Divine Its Smashin’

I haven’t seen humans devour Avocadoes so much when I was a kid in the 90s. I did not know that it was a delish back then. I had thought it was probably a mutated lime. It had a scaly, rough exterior. Sure didn’t look too friendly. Yet now, the superfood avocado has taken the world by storm and is the staple fruit all health aficionados swear by. Avocadoes aren’t going anywhere any time soon. Not a day has gone by do I not see Millennial Youtubers, Instagrammers, and social media influencers picking them up by the dozens.. spreading photobombs of Avocado toasts, Avocado smoothies, and Avocado salsa bowls by absolutely viral forms.

It’s no longer just breakfast food – you can totally upsize it for a hearty lunch or dinner. I saw a Korean Youtuber on her channel routinely mashing Avocado with hard-boiled egg chunks, spreading the mash onto bread and cutting it into a glorious 2 triangle sandwich. Before mixing, she sliced a hard-boiled egg into bits with a boiled egg cutter. I couldn’t stop myself drooling from watching her preparing and enjoying the delicacy so religiously in the evening. I could literally feel the creamy, buttery texture of it from her videos. I could imagine the fruit coming alive.

In fact, the iconic avocado toast is definitely pure bliss - just avocadoes on toasts with lightly sprinkled pepper is a godsend. The varieties of avocado toasts are amazingly wide range to think about, you can add them to meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables and nuts to create a simply beautiful delicious plate. The options are limitless. You could do so many things with an avocado or two.

Look at my Avocado Chicken Nugget salad I made for dinner. Not quite glamorous, but it tastes pretty awesome.

Oh, did I not mention all the Avocado paraphernalia clearing out retail shelves yet? There are Avocado power banks, Avocado bluetooth speakers, Avocado pool floats, Avocado salt and pepper shakers, Avocado kitchen ceramics and handmade Avocado earrings kitschy to the finest taste. Then there are screaming kids in shopping malls clasping Avocado plushies embroidered with cartoony eyes and lips, running around fatigued mommies. What about cool Avocado lattes and coffee art in Avocado shells replacing coffee cups? Ridiculously, all of these Avo-consumerism seem rather cloying. Nauseating. Nuff said. Often though, most of us are well aware how awesome the fruit is. The fruit alone is all I need. I’m riding on the Avo-wave too by having one in a week with eggs. (Forgive me I wanted to have dozens everyday). 

Avocado toast sneakers… it is. a shoe of avocado toast. (you can’t eat)

From Saucony

(Above) Not sure if any one would hop on.

(At the supermarket) So how much does it cost now?

Nobody has (well maybe some) predicted the formidable rise of the Avocado. We are chomping Avocadoes maybe more than we should. It is a dangerously worrying trend, to think that it can get expensive and erm, obese. Well if you compared the price per bag of Avocadoes to apples and oranges, I would budget myself. Some nations and communities are also out of reach of Avocadoes due to circumstances. Mind the weight, these good fatty acids are still fats if accumulated too much at one go. Unless you are a strength athlete, then by all means.

In this decade, should we be truly glad that Hollywood celebrities helmed the Avocado back into its full glory, and lesser known public figures are doing the same by consuming and publicizing them? The word Avocado is derived from the Spanish word “Aguacate” in Aztec relation to “Ahuacatl”, the testicle. Historically, Avocadoes have been part of the Mexican diet, grown in Central Mexico, identified natively as “the testicle fruit” (sure looks like one, *ahem*). Gone way back, the indigenous Mesoamericans consumed Avocadoes outdoors as they gathered and feasted in the wild. Later, Spanish Explorers in the 16th Century started spreading the demand across Europe like the plague. Famous for being the alligator pear, Hans Sloane derived the name “Avocado” in 1696 in an index of Jamaican plants. Behold! The Avocado boom had begun.

Letting history take its course.. Now circles of the rich and glamorous, hipsters, kids, moms and pops are indulging in the mighty green fatty flesh.

So how do we make sense of this epic Avocavolution, Post-modern Avocado Invasion sending us flying into supermarkets? We eat the damn avocado.

Here are some recipes to incorporate Avocado into your meals or diet. I’ve personally tried some myself, yum! I wouldn’t recommend them if you are conscious of healthy fats. Moderation is key.

5 of My Favourite Avocado Recipes (Tried and Tested)

Note: You can always improvise and swap out ingredients.

1.   Avocado Egg Salad Bagel – Still the best IMHO

A breakfast or brunch favourite. Very appetising and just filling! Click here for the full recipe you can’t miss.

2. Avocado Salsa – When you feel like Dancing!

Great and convenient for parties, one of the original recipes to remember! Click here for the full recipe you can’t miss.

3. Shrimp Stuffed Avocadoes – For that Seafood Flair

Almost too divine, the shrimp gets too creamy in the avocado. Click here for the full recipe you can’t miss.

4. Lovely Avocado Pasta – Because Pasta is Married to Avocadoes

So easy to make but delicious! Click here for the full recipe you can’t miss.

5. Chilled Avocado Soup with Tortilla Chips – For the Summer

Probably the best cold soup on Earth, during those hot summer months. You could have them at any time though. Click here for the full recipe you can’t miss.