Singapore Food Blog - Chili's Grill and Bar @ Clarke Quay

Location: Clarke Quay, Central Business District (CBD), Singapore

Note: This post is written base on the dining experience in The Central branch. Experience may vary from that of other outlets.

I had enjoyed my experience in Chili's in the few opportunities which arose. Their food is delicious and addictive, prodding me to revisit whenever possible. With my last visit to the branch in Clarke Quay, I decided that its food deserves to be immortalized in my blog with a post. I am not one for high decibel ambient but my wife and I both enjoyed its food so much so that we braved the noisy environment just to get to their dishes.

The restaurant chain originated from the US, its first operation occurred in 1975 in Texas, serving American food and Tex-Mex cuisine. Interestingly, certain food referred to as Mexican food in USA is, much to the chagrin of the originals, not Mexican, Rather this is a regional cuisine of the American Southwest, blending food products available in United States with the culinary creations influenced by Mexicans, originally invented by the Mexican-Americans who missed their food but could not get the ingredients in the States. The term Tex-Mex lent its name to such a blend, differentiating them from the originals. So bear in mind that despite being served Spanish named Fajitas, you are in fact dining American dishes, not Mexican.

Its name as 'Chili's' may not resonate with what we have in mind, with fire-invoking spicy chillies in the dishes. One of the iconic Tex-Mex cuisine is chili con carne, which is known usually just as 'chili', hence lending the restaurant its name. Too bad this is not served in the local branches of the same restaurant.

Chili's

2014 Germany Trip - Neumünster Church (Kolegiatstift Neumünster)

Location: Würzburg, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | All Würzburg attractions

I mistakenly thought that this was Würzburg Cathedral, and toured around with that in mind. It wasn't until I was back and checked the photos online that I realized my humbling error. Yet to me it wasn't surprising, even in hindsight, to have made such a mistake. Its façade looked authentically medieval compared to the recently renovated cathedral next door. Even more convincing was the trove of frescoes and artwork adorning the halls of the church, cementing my faith that I was in the cathedral when I was in reality standing within the halls of Neumünster Church.

Curvature

Wedged between two contrastingly unappealing buildings, the Baroque front of the church is much more recent, built in the 18th century, compared to the Romanesque cathedral which dated back to 11th century. Its ornate and curved façade is immediately recognizable.

2013 Hanoi Trip - Lý Thái Tổ Garden (Vườn hoa Lý Thái Tổ)

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Full experience of my visit to Hanoi can be accessed through the list below:

Attractions:   St Joseph's Cathedral | One Pillar Pagoda | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | Thang Long Water Puppet Theater

Dining:          New Day Restaurant | Sketch Coffee | Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền | Dương Hoa Kem Caramen | Thu Nga Kem Xôi & Chè Thái Lan

More about Hanoi can be read through the list below:
Vietnamese Dong

It has been a hiatus from my last entry of our Hanoi trip, but I still vividly recall the little park lying off to a side in the vicinity of Hoan Kiem lake, the famous lake in Hanoi. We were visited by a heavy downpour on our first day of arrival, but fortune was on our side with the rain cut short to just an hour's drench.

Walking around the lake in the evening after the rain was refreshing despite the fact that exhausts spewing from all varieties of vehicles polluted the air as happened in any major cities. On our tour around the lake, we spotted this park tucked across the street facing the lake, a square with a majestic statue. Crossing the infamously unruly traffic of Vietnam, we reached Lý Thái Tổ garden, the focus of this entry.

Life after rain

2014 Germany Trip - Würzburg's Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke)

Location: Würzburg, Germany

German: Brücke is German for bridge; here Mainbrücke is so called because it is a bridge over River Main

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | All Würzburg attractions

It was noon when I arrived at the Old Bridge over Main River (Main is the name of the river, not an adjective), and I was ready to cross to the other part of Würzburg, its other half across the river. Upon leaving the cluster of buildings in the Old Quarters, I was dazzled by the sight which greeted me, a clear and unobstructed view across the river. It seemed that the sight of the bridge was just as mesmerizing as the various architectures across Würzburg.

Where ever I went in Germany, as long as there is a bridge and a place to hold a lock, I would find love locks.