Tag Archives: Changi Recommends

Navigate Singapore and the world easier with Changi Recommends

February 24, 2015 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

Ah Singapura. Satu dari berbagai kota tujuan wisata menarik di sekitar Asia Tenggara yang kerap menjadi tujuan berlibur warga Indonesia.

Bagi pengunjung berpengalaman, ada kalanya tujuan menjadi terlalu spesifik setiap waktu. Misalkan saja seorang teman saya yang sengaja berkunjung khusus ketika ada konser musik tertentu, atau rekan saya yang lain menghampiri kota ini untuk sekadar bertandang ke Universal Studio. Sedangkan bagi para pemula, bisa jadi banyak yang belum diketahui dari kota ini.

Terkadang kita lupa bahwasanya Singapura memiliki banyak pesona selain hal-hal tertentu yang kita bisa nikmati. Apalagi kita semua tahu bahwa warga Singapura sendiri begitu bangga dengan kotanya serta pemerintahnya tidak pernah berhenti untuk membangun fasilitas menarik.

Itulah sebabnya sesekali datanglah bermain ke Singapura dengan tujuan untuk menjelajahi kota ke berbagai penjurunya.

Ternyata caranya mudah!

Changi Recommends dengan berbagai booth-nya yang beroperasi dari jam 7 pagi hingga 10 malam, dan berlokasi di Arrival Hall Terminal 1, 2, dan 3, siap untuk membantu kebutuhan para pendatang di Kota Singa ini.

Dari Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Night Safari, S.E.A Aquarium, hingga Universal Studio dan banyak lagi, Changi Recommends menawarkan berbagai paket yang disesuaikan untuk kebutuhan keluarga atau pasangan dengan harga yang sangat bersaing.

Sebagai tambahan, kebutuhan mendasar dari SIM card, titipan extra luggage, hingga berbagai penawaran tempat menginap di berbagai penjuru dunia dapat diakses dengan mudah melalui layanan spesial dari Changi Recommends.

Namun pada kunjungan terakhir saya ke Singapura, ternyata satu layanan yang sangat menarik dari Changi Recommends adalah tersedianya penyewaan portable wi-fi router yang sangat membantu untuk kebutuhan komunikasi pribadi serta menjaga keeksisan saya di dunia social media The Gastronomy Aficionado!

Hanya dengan SGD 10 per hari, modem Huawei yang sangat praktis ini ternyata memiliki kecepatan koneksi yang sangat mumpuni hingga 4G, unlimited quota, serta dapat mengkoneksikan hingga 8 devices sekaligus!

Yang cukup Anda lakukan adalah reservasi secara online, jemput router-nya di counter Changi Recommends setibanya di Singapura, nikmati fasiliatasnya, serta pembayaran hanya perlu dilakukan di hari akhir pemakaian sebelum pulang.

Informasi lebih lengkap:
http://www.changirecommends.com/wifi.aspx
Reservasi:
https://www.changirecommends.com/wifi_form.aspx

Salah satu fitur yang menarik dari portable wi-fi router ini juga adalah jangkauannya yang tidak hanya meliputi Singapura saja, namun berbagai negara lain di dunia. Sayangnya saat ini Changi Recommends belum memiliki counter di dalam area Departure untuk mengakomodir pengunjung connecting flights.

Namun pastinya bila satu waktu saya mampir di Changi dan Changi Recommends telah membuka gerainya di area Departure. Maka dapat dipastikan sebelum melanjutkan perjalanan ke negara lain, saya akan menyewanya!

Thank you for the router, Changi Recommends and see you again Singapore!

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CHANGI RECOMMENDS
Website
Hotline: +65.6546.7683

Location: Changi International Airport – Terminal 1, 2, and 3

Singapore

Halal Eat Out: Yellow Submarines

February 19, 2015 Rian Farisa 3 Comments

The result for my inability (or lacking in opportunity) to reach Singaporean shores for the past three years brought me revelation on how to make my next visit worthwhile.

Undertaking the task to make my blog promoting more on halal food from time to time gave me a homework to research Singaporean food scene beforehand. I have to say that it gave me so much pleasure that Singapore is more halal-minded than Indonesia and halal certification is even applied in five-starred hotels, which I will share to you in another post.

So, long story short, I was looking for good subs other than the usual Subway – which at times became an irreplaceable choice whenever Indonesians visit other countries because we got none here!

Luckily, Singapore has their own subway chain and already halal-certified by MUIS. Yup, that’s why I decided to visit Yellow Submarines.

Not only that Yellow Submarines came with a neat concept but also tempting choices of subs to try. Immediately I tried the Classic version first but only as ala carte. The Meal version is equipped with fries and soda but I had to skip that part for now. Well, there were other places that I had to try aside from this that day. Haha..

Yellow Submarines 1 — Photo courtesy of poachedmag.com

The sub came in awfully uninviting, I had to be honest with that and that’s why I’m bringing you the good looking picture instead. But try to dig in and you will see that what people say about “don’t judge a book by its cover” means a lot here!

The sub was fluffy and lovable. The sliced sirloin was just perfect and you would really ask for more and more. It’s a feeling when you experience a really good pastrami sandwich and that you can’t stop digging in. Unfortunately, there’s no all-you-can-eat restaurant for good steak and pastrami, at least here.

Meanwhile, the melting cheese kicked in and blended well with the caramelized onions as well. You might feel that the cheese may be overpowering at times but oh my God, that was highly addictive for me! Honestly, it was a dangerous choice to give in to such earthly pleasure but for a halal food, it’s even too good to be true, and I’m more than thankful for it!

Despite the slow service, the submarine’s way of saying sorry was just irresistible. I will definitely take my lovely wife to try this one on her first trip ever to Singapore some other time. I hope the standard will be sustained well and I believe Singaporeans are good at that.

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YELLOW SUBMARINES
Halal-certified
Unsuitable for vegetarians

Address:
Toa Payoh Central, Singapore
Bugis Junction, Singapore

T: +65.6352.7890 (Toa Payoh), +65.6337.1314 (Bugis)

Opening hours:
Everyday, mall opening hours

Website

Singapore

Kahvehane: Ronin

February 18, 2015 Rian Farisa 1 Comment

The masterless samurai is a coffee shop without a name on the signboard.
I welcome you to meet the our blademaster, Ronin.

Yes, that would pretty much sums up what Ronin was designated to be. Singaporeans say that it gives away a darkly, mysterious aura for a coffee shop and your only bet is to find the number 17 upon this the buildings of Hongkong Street.

Lucky, everything in Singapore is relatively easy to be found. All I need to do was to reach Clarke Quay and the street can be found across the mall.

As the company name on the signboard suggest something with to do with “Chye”, that clearly gave away the clue that the proprietor is among the owners of Chye Seng Huat Hardware (or at least that’s what I found from Google).

Anyway, the dark tone that Ronin possesses was immaculately balanced with great service, fantastic coffee, and a spectacular sandwich. I really fancy its darkly presentation with the chill out, contemporary indie tunes as the ambiance. Very European, if you don’t mind.

But mind you that most of the sandwiches are not halal, and that’s why I chose the the roast beef one that consists of juicy striploin, pickled daikon, dijon mustard, brie, and rockets.

For a hefty SGD 13, the sandwich was probably the best I ever had in my entire life! It’s a fantastic combo between Western-style protein and sauces but has takuan cleverly put inside. That makes the sandwich more than just perfect.

Also in the menu lineup; Ronin presents curry rice, homemade granola, scrambled eggs, and also toast. It’s more than you can ask from a coffee shop!

Even though I didn’t pay too much attention for the coffee machine and the beans that day, perhaps it’s because I was a bit shy or too lazy, I decided to order from my table instead. The espresso has a sustained crema, a sign that it came from fresh beans, and has a distinct characteristics. Acidic but strong and lingering on the finish line. I was thoroughly pleased.

For a more friendly choice, try their Wicked, Ronin’s signature minted mocha. Ask for the iced version and you may want to ask for seconds.

Despite the fact that Singaporean coffee shops close early and that’s also the case for Ronin, it’s a hidden gem waiting to be discovered for traveling coffee lovers. Find it, quick! 😉

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RONIN
Some menu are suitable for vegetarians

Address:
17 Hongkong Street, Singapore

Opening hours:
Everyday, 8am – 6pm (weekdays), 8am – 7.30pm (weekends)

Singapore

Dish That I Crave: Chicken Rice at Staff Canteen – T2 Changi, Singapore

Quote January 29, 2015 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

There were times that Singapore may be too much to handle if you plan everything on your own for short visits. I’ve never been to Singapore only for leisure and it has been all about my job back then as a banker and now as a journo/blogger.

Of course, legwork is what you should expect when scouring this city but a little bit of advice here and there would be so priceless so that you can make use of your time even better.

That’s why I was excited, like a lot, when the Alphard brought us back to the airport way earlier after we all finished our trip and that we can have an early dinner together among bloggers and a good friend of mine from Changi Recommends.

The Staff Canteen at Terminal 2 of Changi Airport may be well-known to the locals but to actually reach here may be not for everyone. It is advisable for you to check in your heavy luggage first before heading here because you will need to climb the emergency staircase right beside the parking lot.

So clear your burden, empty your stomach, and prepared to be pampered with Singaporean treats.

The staff canteen itself has a lot to offer but since I had been craving for months for chicken rice (which I found it a bit expensive and not fulfilling in Indonesia), to find a recommended booth that sells it was such a huge blessing.

For a highly affordable SGD 3, you can have a plate full of nasi Hainam topped with big slices of chicken and a refreshing cucumber. Also you should not miss the soup and the sambal as well.

In terms of taste, I find it pretty decent and I was very whimsical back then when I finally encountered chicken rice! I would vote this place for a wholesome experience of enjoying what Singaporeans are really fond of having for lunch.

I was thoroughly fulfilled and the memory of having it was engraved deep inside my mind. I’d be sure to take anyone here from time to time in the future, plus to try something else from this canteen.

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PS: I forgot the exact name of the booth that sells this chicken rice, but it’s really nearby the entrance of the staff canteen. You will know where once you’re there. 😉