SATS Premier Lounge @ Changi Airport Terminal 3 [Singapore]

I don't really splurge when I travel and to me, paying for airport lounges in Changi International Airport is a waste of money as there are already nice seating in the departure hall and plenty of things to see, eat and do in the renowned airport, given the limited time we are there. 

But when my credit card (Citibank PremierMiles) gave me two lounge access every calendar year, I am not going to reject their kind offer and therefore, here's my first visit to an airport lounge; SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 3! 

Registration at the counter using my boarding pass, passport and membership (via the Priority Pass app which you have to download, install and register beforehand). You can bring non members in, at a charge of US$32.

Stepping in, you would see a lot of plush, classy sofa chairs made of luxurious looking leather. As one of the best airports in the world, Changi International Airport prides on delivering comfort for travelers; hence, the chairs in the lounge didn't wow me. 

However, there were sections reserved for those who would love to catch up on some sleep, with dim lights and slightly better privacy. I envy those who can sleep anywhere as I am those who need a bed to have a restful sleep; that's why I can't stand long flights (and I can't afford to upgrade too). 🤷‍♂️

Those hoping to relax their tired body can get the massage chairs to help them! I think there were two sets and I forgot to check out the brand. My focus that day was fixated on the key advantage for airport lounge access.

Yes, the food and beverage section! This would be the greatest motivation personally, especially when F&B outlets within the airport attached a premium to their pricing and I frequently fly with budget airlines, where meals are not provided as part of the basic ticket sale.

Get ready your plate and prepare to indulge! You have the warm food section, where I found ayam bakar balado (spicy chicken), baked cream snapper, kaiser vegetables, roasted chicken thigh, cheese mashed potato etc.

There were also cereals, bread, with lurpak butter and jam. You may use the mini toaster nearby to toast and warm your bread, if need be. 

Salad, ham, fruits, and even sandwiches! 

You see correctly; there is also a live station! More on that later as I want to talk about the drinks. Aside from fruit juices and canned drinks, there were also cans of Tiger beer! 

More alcohol but do drink sparingly. Unless you can really hold your liquor. You know you can be thrown off the plane if you misbehave. 

Need snacks to go with your tiger beer or liquor? 

Help yourself to the bar snacks! 

I am happier with the selection of hot beverages like espresso, cappuccino, latte and dilmah tea! As it can be a hassle going to the washroom on the plane, I must be mindful not to drink too much! 

Now, the live station.

It's a self-serviced live station and the dish is signature for SATS; laksa! Instructions were quite straightforward although I am unsure how long should I blanch the noodle? 10 seconds, 1 minute? 

I think I made a pretty decent bowl of laksa!

p.s. I would prefer lesser of the thick bee hoon though.

Cutleries tray.

Quite a lot of food, if you ask me! The laksa was so rich and tasty; definitely deserving its signature tag! The other dishes were quite average except for the spicy chicken which was flavorful. Sandwich cannot make it. 

Doing some work on the laptop and having some fruits to end the meal. The cut fruits would have been better if they were chilled. Before I left, I had to check out one last place. 

The shower rooms! Many people actually sign up for lounge access for three reasons; the ability to rest peacefully, the provision for food and access to the shower room to refresh your mind and body! 

Rainfall shower, with body soap, dryer and disposable combs. I forgot to ask the staff if they provide towels; I assume they would. It wasn't well maintained with a musty smell.

Since the toilets were opposite; might as well check it out. For a moment, my heart skipped a beat. Is that an electronic bidet control? Sadly, it wasn't working. =_=

Oriental Kopi (华阳) - Malaysia's Thickest Egg Tart @The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey in Johore Bahru [Malaysia]

Oriental Kopi - a coffee chain in Malaysia, famous for its egg tarts, that I didn't know of until my sister posted about it on her Facebook for her drive up north, and I noted the crowd at its original Puchong outlet! 

There's a branch nearer to us at Mid Valley Southkey; I didn't manage to check it out on my first day trip to Johore Bahru after more than two years but I finally did on my recent, second visit. 

There was a line of customers in front of us yet we didn't have to wait as a few groups of customers started to clear their tables. Nevertheless, it was still strangely busy at 5.00pm on a Monday!

The Oriental Signatures! Tempting me in such a way means I would order all three, so long they are not exorbitantly priced! To me, classifying a dish as a signature signifies a high level of confidence; with that comes higher expectations, and correspondingly, a bigger disappointment if food fails to impress.

Egg tart was recorded as the thickest egg tart in Malaysia's Book of Records! Well, I am not that big on physical achievements when it comes to food; taste has the heaviest weightage in my review.

Oriental Kopi (L) - loving the nice aroma coupled with the rich taste of coffee, said to be the usage of high quality Arabica, Robusta and Liberica coffee beans, I must say this was great tasting and I was glad I went with the larger serving.

Nanyang Curry Chicken Toast - the curry flavor was strong but it wasn't as creamy as I thought it would be; there was also a bit of sourness that disagreed with my taste buds. Having said that, I liked the chicken. 

Oriental Polo Bun - I detest deconstructed food. I pay money to eat in a restaurant and you should give me the combination that you feel would be the best for your customers. Don't do it for the sake of plating as I could easily do the same thing at home.

Said to be baked fresh daily, it surprisingly didn't have the familiar flavor of polo bun! That aside, a greater disaster came in the form of the crust that's iconic for any polo bun; the taste was like stale bread crust! 

Signature Egg Tart - in Singapore, these would likely be known as an upgraded, sumo version of Portuguese egg tart with their flaky base and lightly burnt egg top. 

At about S$1.50 each (before service charge and tax), I must say this was darn worth it as the egg filling was, well, filling! The base was indeed flaky, crusty and crispy but I can't help feeling it wasn't buttery enough. Filling was wobbly and tasted not bad; just not the kind that would blow you away. 

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To be frank, I am not likely to revisit unless there wasn't a queue and I could go in and enjoy a cup of their aromatic kopi (large), and maybe try their kaya butter toast. 

Address

No 1, LG-054, The Mall, Mid Valley, 

Persiaran Southkey 1, Southkey, 

80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia 

Map

As above. 

Pricing

Oriental Kopi (L) - RM 9.50

Nanyang Curry Chicken Toast - RM 12.90

Oriental Polo Bun - RM 6.90

Signature Egg Tart - RM 29.60 for 7

(Subject to Service Charge and Tax)

Milkfish - Collagen Soup with No MSG, Dairy and Preservatives @ Millenia Walk [Singapore]

June to August are known as the summer months but in Singapore, said to be the country with the worst weather in the world, there were days when unexpected thunderstorms crashed through and temperature dropped a few notches down; the time most suitable for a bowl of piping hot soup.

Soup shall henceforth be the topic today and my review this evening focused on Milkfish at Millenia Walk! Milkfish is a species and I wonder how this brand is going to trademark itself in the future, should it decide to expand internationally. 

Anyway, that's not for me to worry; I was merely there as a customer who was introduced to Milkfish by a friend. Honestly, I don't even know what milkfish was although I do know its Chinese name had a pronunciation similar to missing (as in missing someone) sight fish.

Menu was relatively limited in the eatery, with the soup being the signature, plus options for grilled fishes, sides, sharing plates and combos for two and four persons. As there were three of us, we went with the combo for two and one signature soup. 

Condiments for each person; I regretted not touching the chilli earlier as it was fiery with a flavor that was like chicken rice garlic chilli, and might have been a nice touch for the soup. 

So cute right?

The ends of the chopsticks look like fish! 

Combo for Two - let's start with this oriental salad in special vinegar dressing. Looks familiar? It's quite a common appetizer for Taiwanese cuisine and I bet some of you love the original version from Din Tai Feng. This one from milkfish was spicier with more beancurd skin! 

Marinated chilled tomatoes -  I would usually leave this alone but my friend kept insisting I gave it a try. I popped one and I think you can literally see my irises expanding as I chewed through. OMG, it had a sour sweetness identical to sour plum! If all tomatoes taste like this, I bet I can eat baskets of them! 

Deep fried prawn roll - not many can beat my mom's version; these were not bad but many would likely love them better with the accompanying sweet sauce.

Grilled whole milkfish belly - my well travelled friend commented that milkfish had a lot of bones and this was a major deterrent to enjoying the fish. Here at milkfish, the staff would painstakingly remove the over 200 bones so that customers can wholesomely enjoy the fish!  Texture was mushy but the taste was uniquely delicious; having the belly part means you get a lot of collagen too! My mom would be so fond of this! 

The combo for two included two bowls of the soup too.

And choice of either rice or noodle. 

Signature Soup - Mine was just the soup since I am not into rice / noodle. No milk was added to the soup which was made from the belly fat of milkfish, pork bones and chicken and its creaminess came about due to the long hours of "boiling, skimming and reducing"! 

Said to be free of MSG, dairy and preservatives, the soup was bursting with the sweet freshness of fish yet without the associated fishiness. Ingredients included slices of red snapper, prawn, clam, tofu, minced pork patty said to be house-made and nai bai. 

No complaint about the ingredients, which I devoured with joy! The pork patty was nice but not extraordinary. I would love to have more than just one miserable prawn, given the soup was priced at S$13.80. Oh well, inflation, and the prawn was at least decently sized.

Despite its high price, I would have to be back at Milkfish as I believe my mom will definitely take a liking for the comfy soup and the grilled milkfish! 

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Address

9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-106, 

Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596

Map

As above.

Website

https://www.milkfish.sg/

Menu

As above.

Pricing

Combo for Two - S$44.00

Signature Soup Only - S$13.80

(Subject to Service Charge and GST)