No Frills Crispy Fried Chicken Buffet - Dallas Fried Chicken & Ribs PMPO

To usher the first day of New Year 2010 is very simple for me, I just manage to book 2 prime seats for Avatar 3D at Cathay Cineplex at the last minute quite a impossible feat I would say. After the movie, we wander aimlessly along Orchard until we settle at PoMo aka ex-Paradiz Centre that got a face-lift and we chanced upon Dallas Fried Chicken & Ribs, a UK Fried Chicken Franchise with a Fried Chicken Buffet $11 per pax from 3pm to 6pm.

We decide to give it a "GO" as we were very famish and avid fried chicken lovers. Before that, I had read several mix reviews on Dallas. But I decide I should try Dallas with an open mind to see how they scale against leading Fried Chicken Franchise like Popeye & KFC. At buffet price of $11, it is a steal consider KFC family feast of 8 pieces chicken easily cost $25 and Popeye 3 pieces can easily reach $9.90.

The $11.00 buffet covers all the items in Dallas menu from Fried Chicken Wings, Nugget, Fish or Chicken Burger and Rolo (which is a chicken prata wrap) and 1 can of soft drink of your choice. We decide to go for the main highlight of the buffet and order 6 pieces of Dallas Fried Chicken. It took about 10 minutes or so and piping hot fried chicken was served to us on a tray layered with . The freshly fried Dallas Chickens were so fresh it literally "cooked" our fingers when we attempt to handle it. Adverse hunger had reinforced our fingers to withstand the heat and we managed to take a bite into the freshly fried chicken.

My first bite instantly conclude (freshly fried) Dallas chicken can easily KO Popeye & KFC off the fried chicken crown as the chicken is so succulent and juicy with crispy skin. In the flavour department, Dallas resemble KFC's original fried chicken. If you expecting the crispy outer crust like KFC's crispy or Popeye's, you will be disappointed. As I prefer the KFC's original flavour fried chicken (as compared to those crispy crust fried chicken) make Dallas's an ideal KFC replacement as you can never get this level of crispiness with KFC's original.

After having our 9th piece of fried chicken, I decide to order a fish burger as I hitting my limit and decide to give their fish burger a try while my friend settle for Rolo to end our buffet spree. Don't expect a MCD fillet`o'fish here as the fish fillet is those normal cheap fish fillet you can get at supermart. As for the Rolo, the prata wasn't fried crispy enough. Overall, the Rolo is still pliable if you not that fussy.

To objectively conclude my review, I would say Dallas is a no frills fried chicken restaurant that offer above average fried chicken (if you're avid KFC original fried chicken fan) with strength in price and freshness. Do note, Sometimes, you might be serve with those pre-fried chicken that was kept in the warmer. (For Buffet Only) You can tried ask the Dallas staff to fried a fresh batch and they will kindly oblige to your request (if they do not have too much fried chicken on the warmer). But be prepare to wait for 30 minutes, if you want your fried chicken to freshly fried.

Wagyu Hotpot Waterloo - Shabuya Vivo City

We chance upon Shabuya a newly open Shabu Shabu restaurant during a jalan jalan session at Vivo City during pre christmas period. The main highlight of Shabuya is that they are offering premium quality cut of meats (Kurobuta pork & Wagyu beef) to satisfy your fussy epicurean tastebuds.

Best of all, Shabuya is offering weekend brunch that include all this premium quality meat for shabu shabu from 11:30am to 4:00pm at $29.90 exclude GST/Service Charge. I had my skepticism that whether Shabuya is really offering real Wagyu beef for shabu shabu as I have my fair share of false claims.

On one eventful saturday, I gathered my makan kaki to give Shabuya a run for our money. I was late for the brunch as I was suffering burnout from my new job as "great power comes with great responsibilities". I was informed by my friend who was already chowing down to succulent Wagyu that the Shabuya brunch buffet have a 90 minutes grace period. I manage to "websling" to Shabuya with only 60 minutes left on the clock.

Luckily, my makan kaki have pre-order a few trays of succulent Wagyu Beef, Angus Rib-eye Beef & Kurobuta to temporary satisfy my insatiable craving for premium meat that can easily cost $20 per 100gram in Mediya or Isetan Supermart at Shaw House. The wagyu serve in Shabuya is a real deal from the as you can see the marbling of fats distribute across the beef. I wouldn't say it is a high grade as the marbling is not very consistent across the beef to warrant a high grade.

It is cut thinly so you do not really need to cook it too long. Simply run it through the hotpot 3 times and it ready for consumption. The Wagyu beef is really tender and so rich with beefy goodness it put other types of beef slice to shame. But the richness might be too overwhelm for those new to eating beef. Fear not, the Angus ribeye beef slice is there to address this issue. For those who couldn't take beef, there is Kurobuta pork loin and pork belly which is equally as good as Wagyu.

Shabuya is a real deal restaurant as they deliver what their buffet promise and do not skimp when customer request for more Wagyu or Kurobuta. I can substantiate this point further as this is the hotpot buffet I ever suffered "Waterloo" like Napoleon for failing to consume the amount I ordered. LOL. Therefore, for those kiasu buffet buff do take note.