ABBEY: Next thing we knew, Chateraise shops are popping up. We headed to their cafe at Compass One and enjoyed their decadent Double Fantasy and Dorayaki. The cream is smooth and not to sweet as well as the read bean. And we washed them all down with a cup of velvety coffee and matcha.
Chateraise Japanese Confectionery Cafe in Singapore
WILL: Some Chateraise offers a seat down cafe. I saw some of it at Punggol Waterway and CompossOne. Since it offers my favourite Doroyaki and Double Fantasy, I definitely asked Abbey for us to try their hot drinks.
My go-to is their hot Matcha. If you already went to Japan, you can tell that ingredients is definitely a Japanese standard. Hot drinks + cream puff + non-stop throwing ideas with husband = perfect date!
If you are pretty bored of other cafes? Visit Chateraise Cafe, cheap pastries and drinks but with a quality!
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Chateraise Singapore
(W) https://chateraisesg.getz.co/
(H) 10.00am - 10.00pm
(A) No.1 Sengkang Square, Compass One #03-39/40/41 Singapore 545078
At last we set our feet to the Land of the Rising Sun. It is not without its navigation challenges as you explore but fret not. The technology, through internet and apps, will help you towards an enjoyable vacation.
We had Google Maps and Japan Travel Apps installed in our phone and we also got the pocket wifi for the duration of our trip. The apps are helpful specially with the train timings. They even show the platform where you supposed to wait for your train.
Our Japan Rail Pass is with the Green Car but you still have to book a seat reservation.
We opted to book the either ends of the coach to place our luggages and still have extra legroom.
Always check if reservation is required in trains else you take the local train which takes more travel time.
We ask hotel staff for directions to confirm where we’re going.
Signs in Japan are written in their language along with English, and sometimes Korean and Chinese.
Favorite Food
Hard to say which one is my favorite but their pork bone broth ramen, omakase and rice balls stood out.
This is the first time I got a coffee in can which served hot. Perfect for cold weather.
Favorite Accommodation
Takaragawa Onsen Ousenkaku is the place I liked the most. It was an onsen alongside a river and mountains. Hot and cold in one place. Our accommodation includes breakfast and dinner as well as shuttle to and from the train station. Worry free and total relaxation.
Favorite Train Ride
All our train rides are unique but what I enjoyed the most are the ones in Shinkansen (bullet train). We booked for the Green Car and it was awesome; fast, spacious, clean, and quiet. And best thing is you can eat inside the train.
Best Experience
Overall the Japan stay is best experience. We got to know a little bit more about the country; their infrastructure, culture, and food.
Ultimate Japan Adventure Exploring Fukuoka, Kyoto, Gunma, and Tokyo - Laregst Onsen in Japan Itinerary
Ultimate Japan Adventure Exploring Fukuoka, Kyoto, Gunma, and Tokyo - Tallest Gundam in Japan Itinerary
WILL:
How to Enter Japan without Missing Connecting Flight
We had a connecting flight from Tokyo to Hakata and we missed our flight. Our flight ETA in Narita Japan is 2:35, and our more than 3 hours layover is not enough to transfer from Narita to Haneda. Why? There’s a long wait in the immigration that time and a heaby traffic everywhere. The 1 hour bus travel to became more than 2. Luckily ANA re-booked our ticket to yhe next flight without questions asked. Literally no questions. Haha. From there, I fell in love with ANA. So what is the lesson? Since Narita and Haneda is pretty far from each other you need to alot a 2 hours travel time by bus/train, 2 hours to clear immigration and 1hour for the automated check-in. More ore less 6 hours is pretty safe for a transfer.
Favorite Accommodation
Who beats to our Takaragawa Onsen Stay? We experienced the old and traditional side of Japan. But I know not everyone do not like ro stay in suburbs so my next suggestion is look for Montan Hostel. We stayed at montan Hakata. The staffs are lively and helpful, the room is huge, clean and most specially it is affordable! Indeed a value for your money! You won’t regret staying in this hostel. Wink-wink.
Favorite Food
Although we had a fun experience dining in Takaragawa’s dishes, omakase at Sushi Tokyo Ten and the most expensive coffee we had in LV Cafe what I really enjoyed is eating food from the groceries. Haha! It feels so local. The unforgettable rice balls, bentos, chips and LOVE chocolate. The best part is, it is veryyy cheap! I love the food and booze in Tokyo Bay Cruise Symphony. If they say booze it is indeed booze. Undilutedand unoverwhelmed with ice! A MUST when you visit the capital of Japan. Ohh, before I forgot, the Hojicha Tea of Starbucks Japan is a thing not to forget in your travel.
Favourite Train Ride
Do you know that our train ride total cost is JPY240,044 and we bought the Japan Rail Pass for only SGD791.30(Klook). We saved SGD1,476.27! We really do maximised our Japan Rain Pass. Haha! My favourite train ride is from Hakata to Osaka, Sakura 550. The views outside is majestic and you’ll wonder how Japan sticks to its culture and agriculture while being one of the advanced and developed countries in Asia. This idea truly baffling and amazed me at the same time.
Best Experience
Everything!!! We had a great time! We enjoyed the food, the tranquility, bullet train ride is unforgettable experience. One tip I will give to you! STAY AWAY on tourist flooded sites. If you can’t and want to experience what you’ve seen in your feeds, go there early as 6AM. Japan is the Rising Sun of the east so expect that 5AM the sun is already grazing its rays. Enjoy your Japan Planning. Hope this blog will help you in your itinerary!
ABBEY: Suzuki Cafe became the talk of the town almost overnight. The beans are already being sold long before the cafe opened. But the strategy is brilliant: they open their coffee shop on the same venue as their warehouse at Chin Bee Ave (nearest MRT is Boon Lay).
No facility yet for booking that you need to go there and register your mobile number and they will send a message once the seat is ready. We had a 15-minute wait time during our visit.
I had a cappuccino with a not-so-usual latte art as like with the other cafes. The coffee is smooth and not too bitter. Each drink came with a biscuit. The staff are also helpful enough to advise on which beans I need to purchase for my cold brew and moka pot.
I’ll be trying the ones from Kenya and Papua New Guinea but a bit pricey.
WILL: This coffeeshop created a buzz and Abbey was so hooked up that we decided to travel from northeast to west of Singapore to check out their Japanese inspired cafe.
It buzz so what do you expect? There’s a queue. And due to COVID-19 restrictions, you can’t wait outside their premises. We waited our turn at the nearest bus stop. Ahm, yeah bus stop. Chin Bee is an industrial location thus no mall nor cafe near the area. So..bus stop it is. Haha.
They require to get your phone a number, you will received a sms, we walk through their noren (Japanese Door Curtain) and surprise-surprise another queue. Haha!
On our turn, we went to their second floor. The cafe is located there and their design is zen. Even I have experienced inconveniences, you will feel relax once you reached the cafe. There’s a very light background music, a hush crowd in their talking and a display of their roasted coffee.
I ordered a matcha latte. My verdict? Taste like ordinary. Taste like an instant matcha? Check it out, see, taste and experience for you to judge.
ABBEY: Dinner at Keyaki is our last hurrah for our 10th wedding anniversary. It is one of the top Japanese restaurants in Singapore and we booked for their 6-course dinner.
The ambiance of the place is like on the movies set in Japan and the music is low almost quiet and then you will just wait for the samurais to come in for action to begin :)
All the items are carefully crafted and the presentation is superb. You’ll get excited when the next item will arrive and how will it arrive. I really like the teapot soup, wagyu beef shank and the sashimi (good wasabi).
A great way to wrap up our milestone.
WILL: 10th year celebration isn’t over! We are thankful for Citibank’s 1-for-1 deal and we got the chance to tick off Keyaki out of our must to eat list.
So what is rave about this Keyaki Restaurant located at Pan Pacific Hotel? Since the travel restriction implemented people are looking on ways to feel that they are somewhat outside the country. And behold! Keyaki has this minka (traditional Japanese house) and before you reached the restaurant, you will be welcomed by torii gate, zen garden, and koi pond. Once you entered the restaurant you will be amazed on the woodworks inside. Indeed! It is like traveling to Japan minus the weather. Hehe.
On food! Yes! I am delighted of their appetizer! It is fresh and hello there firefly squid! What really notable is their soup! Soup is presented in a pot and it quite uncommon for me(sorry) haha. It reminds me playing this kind of claypot when I am at age of 5. And on this 3rd course.. I am already full. Haha!
Beef shank is tender and there is a momentous amount egg yolk sauce on the grilled sea food. Yummmy!
No contest.. Keyaki is one of the top notch Japanese restaurant here in Singapore! They will make you really feel, see and taste that you are in Japan!
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Keyaki Japanese Restaurant at Pan Pacific | Top Japanese Restaurant Singapore
