Good bargains

There are still good bargains to be had if you look hard enough or if Lady Luck is smiling at you. Bought a pair of Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) cargo pants for 180,000vnd (US$9). Compare this with the same pair on EMS website for US$55. Bought it at the Russian Market.

Paradise Hotpot Restaurant & Pho 2000

Bought 4 discount coupons for a buffet hotpot lunch at Paradise Hotpot Restaurant - from a Groupon-like VN website. Usual price : 199,000vnd; coupon price : 99,000vnd. It's popular with the locals but doesn't suit our Singaporean taste buds. Not worth the 99k/pax for me but the Vietnamese seem to love it. It's also quite a small restaurant and you have to squeeze to get to your spot at your table.

Address : 41, Ky Dong Street, District 3

The Pho 2000 restaurant at Ben Thanh Market is very popular with tourists. However, the prices are becoming quite ridiculous; it's gone up almost 100% since 2-3 years ago. I remembered when the beef ragout was about 38-40,000vnd a few years back - it's now 70,000vnd. Rice with a chicken thigh was about 30k then, it's 55k now. I don't know about other countries but prices do not go up like that back home in Singapore. I'll be giving it a miss from now on unless absolutely necessary. I think it's a rip-off.

Mum & Dad's first visit in 2012

Mum and Dad came by for a short visit over the weekend. Wanted to go to Dai Nam Park but Dad had just had a minor surgery on his calf and couldn't walk long distances. So we ended up wandering around town, visiting the new First Hotel's casino and our good old Ace@Ramana.

Checking out the penthouse and being escorted out by the guard ... lol















Making more spectacles with Ms Loan & Ms Ngoc















Shopping at Taka Plaza


































Buffet hotpot lunch @ Paradise Hotpot















Buying shoes at Toni's















Happiness is getting free rolls!!

Kichi-Kichi Rotary Express Hotpot Restaurant

We thought of making Valentine's Day a simple affair of a home-cooked dinner. Then we thought again and decided to try out Kichi-Kichi (http://www.kichi.com.vn). There are several branches in HCMC and we went to the one at 197 Nguyen Van Troi, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan Dist.

The restaurant has done extremely well in catering to the Vietnamese taste buds - many had to be turned away at the door. The place is clean and hygienic. There is a section of cooked food (sushi and some others) where you help yourself. Unfortunately for us, we didn't find anything spectacular about the food or the hotpot. The variety of hotpot items seems limited after a while. Cannot understand why it's so appealing to Vietnamese. The bill came up to 478,000vnd for a buffet hotpot dinner for two plus one drink (drinks are extras) - I think the money is better spent at MK Hotpot Restaurant.

Kumho Link is opened

Photo : http://www.ngoisau.net

The 10 Feb 12 issue of Vietnam News reported that Kumho Link has just opened. Located at the junction of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan in District 1 (next to Intercontinental Asiana Saigon Hotel), this was the previous Kumho Asiana Plaza that closed due to poor traffic and business. It now boast "14 interesting international restaurants" - Brotzeit (a German restaurant), Subway, Bobby Chinn, Lion City (yes, Singapore food but I've never been impressed with this chain), Sushi Bar, Dae Jang Gum, Sejong, Lau Xe Lua (Train hotpot), MOF, Hard Rock Cafe, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf etc.

Well ... at least there's another place to explore on Sunday.

PS : Found the website : http://kumholink.com.vn/en/

CNY 2012

This is the only long break that we have each year. Came back home 19 Jan to 1 Feb 2012. Met and caught up with many old friends.

CNY at Mum's place














Dinner at Tuan's place with PS Class of 86

Dinner at Fong's new home with Angie and Hwei Leng, and the guys!!

Annual CNY dinner with Mr Chow & Co

Lunch with Elizabeth Poey

Breakfast with Raj, Chee Meng & Clarence