PUTIEN’s seafood fare was, in a word, memorable. The fish and prawns, especially the stewed and pan-fried yellow croaker, tasted fresh and heavenly.

We were also giddy, as we were able to dig in with gusto, knowing that fish is a healthy alternative to meat. (Be cautious if you have allergies, though!)

It’s also great that the restaurant had a decent serving size, ideal for customers like us who came in a bit hungry after roaming the mall. 

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Furthermore, we enjoyed sampling PUTIEN’s tea. The Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao was refreshing!

That said, we had a small issue with the braised bean curd, as we thought the Chinese cabbage was overcooked.

We also needed to wait a bit long for our orders, as the resto was busy—though, we loved that our attendant was friendly and proactive.

Just looking at Poulet’s extensive French menu was enough to make my mouth water. 

I loved that the restaurant served set meals priced at about $55, inclusive of a starter, main, and dessert. I was eating with a friend and we were stuffed!

The roast chicken itself was normal (as far as my taste buds were concerned), but we had a blast with its mushroom cream sauce. It was so savory, I had to make a mental note to try their other sauces when I return here.

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We had a hitch with finding seats, though. 

It was a bit weird, as we spotted several empty tables, but our attendant didn’t seem to find us one until a few minutes later. It didn’t help that the wait staff didn’t clearly communicate to us what was wrong.

That said, the resto made up for it, as they served our food fast.

Also, we didn’t experience it, but know that Poulet can be too busy that customers have to queue to get a table. 

Penang cuisine will always have a special place in our hearts for its aromatic, flavorful, and chilly dishes. 

Thankfully, these qualities were skillfully captured in many of Penang Culture’s signature dishes.

The bestseller Penang side dish platter, for instance, lived up to its reputation. The Belakan chicken wings and lor bak were particularly lip-smacking and tasty! 

The Assam curry fish head, meanwhile, was stimulating and filling. It was our favorite dish from the menu, not only for the phenomenal curry sauce but also for the lightly cooked, slightly crunchy veggies.

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We also tried the chef-recommended sambal kang kong. But although the special sauce was exciting to the taste buds, we thought the kang kong was a bit bland.

Serving sizes here were decent, with many of the signature dishes enough to feed (and satisfy) two adults. That said, we think a few of them were too pricey for the portions served. 

This restaurant can be so busy at times, too, and our visit was no exception. While we secured seats without fuss, the waiting time for the food was slightly longer at 30 minutes (which can be a deal-breaker if you came in starving).  

I rarely pick specialty restaurants for our lists, but when I do, it’s often a Japanese one. 

And understandably so, as Tempura Makino elevated my expectations for tempura and Japanese fare in general.

I loved that I was able to watch how my food was prepped (yes, I tried the Tsudoage service because why not). 

The feature helped build my anticipation and, dare I say, was more effective in whetting my appetite than the usual starters. 

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The actual tempura, meanwhile, was heavenly. I ordered prawn and anago (sea eel) as well as Japanese eggplant and butternut pumpkin. I thought I could have more sauce, though. 

My companion, meanwhile, settled with a Makino Special Tendon. He described the party of flavors and Grade A rice as memorable.

That said, he thought the price for a single order of the special rice bowl was expensive considering the portion size. 

Grilled fish in the Szechuan style never fails to excite our taste buds, and Riverside wasn’t any different.

Its selection of fish (seabass, patin, golden pomfret, and Qing Jiang) and sauce options ranging from savory to spicy made for an exciting after-shopping meal. 

The portion was generous enough to fill our tummies, too!

Aside from the signature grilled fish, we heard from customers that the resto’s lunch sets were also delectable and provided the best value for money. We were convinced, and we thought we’d try the set meals if we return here.

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Some of the families we’ve interviewed raved about the roast chicken with fried rice, too, saying that their kids loved it.

We had no complaints about the taste but did have an issue with the waiting time. Our grilled fish was served after over half an hour, and the only respite was that it was so flavorful.

Also, we didn’t think the grilled fish presentation was aesthetic enough (though it would boil down to individual tastes).