Sunday, October 26, 2008

Carousel

Many hotels in Singapore have restaurants that offer international buffets for their equally international clientele. With peak-hour prices for these buffets usually in the S$30-S$40 range per pax, international buffets that offer a bit of everything have long been a staple for both visitors as well as locals looking for that special splurge.

Despite similar price ranges and selections, however, different hotel restaurants often have drastically different standards in both food and service, with some garnering rave reviews while others being a complete waste of hard-earned dough. Priced slightly higher than some of its peers, Carousel is one of the former, justifying its cost and giving a bang for the buck.

Located at the lobby level of Royal Plaza On Scotts (on swanky Orchard Road, opposite Far East Plaza), Carousel is a elegantly designed restaurant where the food looks as good as the decor. The last time I was there for dinner (which had set me back almost S$50), I was pretty impressed by their quality of food as well as the friendly service. A second visit today, this time for high tea, proved no different.

Admittedly, the range of foods available isn’t groundbreaking, with a mixture of some buffet standards like sushi, sashimi and local delights as well as some creative new dishes like durian prata and kebabs, which isn’t oft seen at international buffets. Still, as the old adage goes, it isn’t the quantity that counts, but the quality, and here’s where Carousel shines.

The salmon sashimi, despite it being mid-afternoon, were fresh and tasty, the fried shrimps were chewy and thick, the laksa was fragrant and overwhelmingly fantastic, the pizza slices were crispy and jam-packed with ingredients, and the afore-mentioned durian prata was just divine, a blending of two local favourites where the durian, surprisingly, didn’t overwhelm the prata.

True, there were the occasional misses (the fried chicken wings were pretty iffy while the kueh pie tee, making a rare appearance at local buffets, were decidedly underwhelming and slightly odd tasting) but overall the food were terrific, earning praise all around from my table.

The true stars of Carousel’s menu, however, are the pastries and desserts.

Ranging from British favourites like muffins and scones, to French tarts and little random slices of cakes, to an impressive chocolate fountain to fondue mush mallows and fruits with, to local favourites like ice-cream and ice kachang (with the most subdued red and green colourings and also the softest, most fantastic ice shavings I have ever seen), the dessert section had something for any and everyone.

While the muffins and scones were slightly flour-ish and heavy for my tastes, the French delights were simply lip-smacking. All of these little bite-sized pastries (none of them had signs so I have no idea what some of them are) were rich in taste and yet light on the palate. Despite having had lunch just a few hours before and already having wolfed down several courses of buffet food, I was still devouring these little gastronomic wonders by the mouthful. In fact, there was this particular thin-slice of cake with a Danish cookie base that had me so enamoured I forced myself to finish an additional slice.

Another recommendation is the bread and butter pudding which, combined with a generous helping of vanilla sauce, is cloyingly sweet and a definite treat for the taste buds.

With its price (even for a high tea session which lasts two hours, my meal cost me over S$30), Carousel might seem a tad too expensive for some. Still, for those willing to fork out the spare cash, a definite treat awaits. Just remember to save lots of space for dessert!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Creation Cafe

Everyone knows that the swankiest (and arguably the best) eating joints are the ones in town, serving great food made from fresh premium ingredients along with fantastic service and ambience. Of course, these gastronomical delights always come at equally astronomical prices and let’s face it - as young servicemen drawing minimal monthly salaries, we can’t really head down to one of these restaurants everytime we want to throw a get-together right?

That’s when we need to step out of town area to find decent food joints that offer good food and, more importantly, good prices. Located in the first floor of slightly off-the-road Shaw Towers at Beach Road, Creation Cafe is one of those.

Hidden in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it corner of the Shaw Leisure Gallery, Creation Cafe has an unassuming shopfront that belies an enjoyable dining experience.

While I was there for a birthday party and was seated outside the actual cafe, peeks inside as well as customer feedback from online sources indicate that, while the decor is simple, the ambience is cosy and unobtrusive, which is perfect for small groups of friends who just want a place to chillout and grab some grub.

The food, too, is decent. While the marinara fusilli pasta I had was pretty standard fare (prawns were pretty chewy but the dish could have had more pasta sauce), my friend couldn’t stop praising her linguine carbonara, which apparently is one of the cafe’s signature dishes. The wedges that came along with another friend’s chicken cutlet, too, were pretty good. While the food, just like the cafe itself, looks unassuming and perfunctory, it does provide a bang for the buck.

Speaking of buck, the food at Creation Cafe comes pretty cheap, with set meals offering competitive packages. The set lunch that I had, for instance, costs around S$10 (and without any pluses) and came with a soup starter and a slice of garlic bread (both of which were pretty good), the main course as well as a large drink. Pretty good deal, especially for those strapped for cash.

While Shaw Towers might not be the most accessible nor happening outlet around, it does provide a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of town (not to mention the price of everything there) and is great for those who want to try a novel dining experience. Just be warned, though: the cafe is rather small and I heard it can get really crowded at peak hours!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

The House Bunny

I love Anna Faris.

Though it can be said that she only has those few facial expressions which she uses to full effect (the doe-in-headlights wide-eyed look of shock/horror/surprise being the most commonly seen one) in all the roles she plays, I always find that she brings a sort of endearing charm to the movies she’s in, most notably the Scary Movie series, which I love too.

In her first headlining role outside of the Scary Movie series, Faris not only continues shining with that odd lovable quality but also brings it to the movie in general.

The House Bunny tells the story of Shelley (played by Faris, of course), a Playboy mansion bunny who wakes up one day, having just turned 27 years old, to find a letter from Hef (as in Hugh Hefner, owner of the real Playboy mansion, who cameos as himself in this movie) telling her that she has been evicted from the mansion and has two hours to pack and leave.

Thrown into the real world with no life experience to speak of (having been brought up in an orphanage before being chosen for the mansion at a young age), Shelley stumbles upon a nearby college, where she finds the perfect for her to stay in and find her making - college sorority houses. Taking on the role of Sorority Mother for the Zetas -a bunch of misfits and outcasts-, Shelley not only has to take on the formidable task of transforming the girls and saving the house from being closed down, but also befriends an affable nursing home volunteer, played here by Colin Hanks (son of Tom Hanks), along the way.

Will she be successful in saving the house? Will she eventually, after several awkward encounters, make it good with the man of her dreams? Does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?

While the plot of the movie, never a pressing factor for brain fluff movies like this, isn’t exactly classic literature gold, it adequately moves the show along. The scripting, while generic, predictable and, at times, terribly slapstick (and not very funny), does have its moments, with a scene featuring Shelley standing over a manhole a la Monroe standing out the most. The pacing, as befitting most light-hearted romps, is fast and never draggy, feeling much shorter than its 97 minutes length.

The acting, for a comedic movie like this, is actually pretty good. While the supporting cast (which includes American Idol alum Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce and Demi) is perfunctory though not outstanding (although their rather one-dimensional characters and lack of screen time might have played a factor), the two leads are great. Faris, as mentioned, displays her widest range of acting chops yet (which, again, isn’t really that much but is perfect for the dimwitted, naive Shelley) and Colin Hanks proves that talent does run in the family as he brings an endearing, boy-next-door “aw shucks” charm to his character that will have the girls swooning despite his lack of matinee-idol looks.

Despite the overall averageness of its parts, as a whole, The House Bunny has a sort of mysterious, likable charm (just like its star) and, while it won’t be bagging many awards or even warrant a weekend cinema price, is a decent watch for those wanting to take a brain holiday.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Monday, October 06, 2008

Battle Royale (The Book)

A few years ago, I had the chance to catch a movie many consider to be one of the finer entries in the Japanese cinematic experience. Based upon a popular (and initially banned) novel of the same title, Battle Royale was a movie that sparked much controversy thanks to its excessive violence (and bloodshed) as well as its entire “Lord Of The Flies” vibe. Despite the dark tone (or perhaps because of it), I enjoyed the movie immensely, viewing it as an accurate social commentary and an insightful look into the basic, primal human psyche.

In the past week, I’ve finally had the chance to read the original novel, translated into English. Written by Koushun Takami, Battle Royale tells of a bleak, alternate universe Japan, a country under the tyrannical, fascist regime of its government. Every year, a “Program” would be held all over the island, with random classes of junior high school students kidnapped into secret locations where they will have to kill each other until only one survives.

The novel follows three students who have been selected, together with their class, to take part in their year’s Program – Shuya Nanahara, an idealistic if rash stereotypical Japanese hero; Noriko Nakagawa, a sweet caring girl whom Shuya’s best friend had a crush on; and Shogo Kawada, the cool, able stranger who helps them both survive. While the story primarily focuses on these three and their struggle to survive without having to kill each other, every other character in their 42-strong class is also introduced, each with their own little chapter, backstory and (in most cases) the details of the interactions (and subsequent deaths) with the other classmates during the Program.

As I mentioned, Battle Royale gives a detailed, insightful, if somewhat violent, look into the human psyche as we see all the characters in their most primeval survivalistic states and, in this kind of extreme life-or-death situation, their mindsets and subsequent actions. Reading the book will definitely lead to long session of self-reflection as the reader ponders what would happen if he or she had to participate in the story themselves.

Despite a hefty 600+ page count, at no part of the book does the story feel belaboured or struggling. Takami (and perhaps the translator as well) has excellent pacing and his descriptions are both vivid and comprehensive (although having watched the movie prior to reading the novel might have played a part in it). He also manages to set a dark yet not overwhelmingly sombre tone for most of the book.

Also, despite the fact that there are over 40 characters in the story, he manages to flesh each one out sufficiently and prevent them from becoming one-dimensional caricatures, even if you do end up forgetting most of the multi-syllabic names. Takami is also proficient at portraying teenage interactions, with the thought processes and speech patterns of most of the characters surprisingly lifelike. His narrations and linguistic style too, sometimes digressing into almost mindless rambling and meandering, is akin to the unfocussed mind of a junior high teen.

Of course, as mentioned, Battle Royale is a book famous for its depictions of violence, much more so than its spiritual predecessor, William Golding’s Lord Of The Flies, which had its dark moments but none so detailed and graphic as this book’s. Thus, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart or stomach. Still, for those who can stomach the gore (which would be an increasing number, in this age of Kill Bill and the Saw movies), the book rarely goes into OTT sadistic gore, rather using the sordid details to paint a clearer picture for the reader.

At the end of the day, this book, with its intimidating length and subject matter, is definitely not for everyone. However, for those willing to look beyond the violence and gore, one would find an intelligent study of the teenage mind as well as an entertaining, if rather stomach-curdling, read.