Dinner and Drinks at Arab Street

Heh, I realised that my blog consists of little else but 'eat-n-drink'. If I had stumbled upon me blog, I would have thought me is a socialite who does nothing but these all d-time. Truth is, I guess these are the only interesting parts of my life (for now, I hope).

Anyway, last night was an interesting night. After spending some time researching on the net, Alice and I came to decide on feasting at Nadezhda, which is supposedly an authentic Russian restaurant at Arab Street. Authentic it was. It was cosy-as if you were dining at someone's home, or eating at a high-end hostel run by the family.

So cosy that we were served by the young 'waiter' like unwelcomed relatives who were tolerated cos we were going to pay anyway. This young cocky waiter-not-wannabe hesitates not to chide you for pointing instead of pronouncing the dishes on the menu, and to proceed to embarrass you (if you allow it) into pronouncing it yourself. I wonder if he treats us like this as we (or specifically I) are tiny Asians.

Anyhow, the ambience and food is really good, and it does taste like homecooking. Ignoring the gruff service (by the female chef) and the cocky one (by the male waiter), one can stoically purse one's lip and proceed to the delightful green tables by the window on the second floor and defensively order a Borsch, mushroom sald, bun with beef and Beef Stragonoff. Oh yeah, remember to grab the menu for yourself on the way up to save a trip down the stairs. This is how the interior looks like:

As you can see, it was so cosy that we have helped ourselves to a Jenga set together with National Geographic magazines. Let me show you pictures of the appetizer that our group fed on.

You can see how our Jenga set got desecrated as slowly and surely like the Mayan empire. Anyhow, it was great fun, and it whet our appetite adequately for the meal later on, which, of course, I forgot to take photos of. So let's skip the chronology of the meal and go on to the group photo.

Overall, I like the food and the place. There are good and bad reviews of the place, though mostly the latter. If you're the type who expects to be treated with extreme politeness as a prelude to the meal, then don't go to this restaurant. But if you do not mind stepping into a place where you will be somehow left alone as if you were at home or at an aunt's, and if you can laugh at yourself and at the waiter for his 'jokes' on you, then go for it. You will not be treated like a Singaporean at a restaurant there. They will treat you like how they wish to. But the food is great, the price is good, and the humor, well, amusing. I will definitely go back.

Following this, and an extremely delightful birthday pancake with well wishes uttered by everyone as dictated by Mike (though the one made by Zhaoli is dubious-may I have kids! Ha!*shudders*), a few of us went to a lounge/restaurant called Eleven which was located deep in the Arab enclave.

Album of the Dead

My Guy =)

This is a nice conclusion to an evening out rambling along Haji Lane and the caveats of Kampong Glam. Oh yes, and I recommend shopping along Haji Lane, not so much for the expensive avant-garde boutiques that they have there but to view the interesting home-made aquariums they set up in their shop i.e. in wash basins and bath tubs. Some of the shops' layout and concept are very catchy as well. And remember to check out the 2nd hand dusty shops they have there, including one that specializes in kimonos. Delightful.

Thanks guys, for the night!