Heirs Ep 7 (Lee Min Ho) & Episode 8 preview

Hahaha... I just finished watching it (raw).  Found it and started watching it about 1.5 hrs after it finished broadcasting in Korea (11.30pm my time, which is 12.30 am Korean time. The drama is supposed to start at 10pm, I'm guessing it airs for an hour).

Ever since seeing his necklace, I have been quite piqued by it. Interesting paper clip necklace. Tonight, Ep 7, I was intrigued enough to search online for it. Turns out to be a designer necklace by (etc etc etc...).  The Koreans are so rich. Able to borrow this necklace for the show (and film in California).

It's supposed to be a panda necklace but I don't see any panda. It looks like a round ball. At first when I first saw it on Min Ho, I thought it was a diamond set in a pendant. But now, they say it's a panda necklace.

Click pics to enlarge (though it still won't be quite visible).  I do love the paperclip design. Very stylish in a simple and expensive way. Very class.  So how much is it?

 

 

Here's Min Ho hugging a man!! ^___^ Hurhurhur...!!  Well, not quite. He looks a little uncomfortable hugging another man. It's a no-touch hug. An awkward hug. Or rather,  a sideways hug. -.-  Why can't he just hug frontal in a grab hug? Y'know, like Americans.   (I guess it's coz it's a formal hug from Kim Tan with respect to his brother. The fact that he hugged is already amazing coz it's not something Koreans/Asians would do and especially not in such a situation. And he is able to hug is only coz Kim Tan had stayed in the US.  He's an expressive person.).

Min Ho entered surprisingly, wearing a sweet pink fuzzy sweater.... suddenly, he is in the female role (uke)?  Soft and huggy?  The last pic: his sweater makes him look a little auntish.

But, it has to be noted that his step-brother didn't push him away. So, that's good.

 

 

The start of this episode, Min Ho actually looks very worn out.  He is looking much older in this drama due to lack of rest/sleep, I think.  Even the make up can't hide the lines under his eyes. Also, the make-up artist/s for this drama is/are bad.  Maybe the make up artist/s from City Hunter or Faith should come over to Heirs?

Who did the make up for Heirs?

Another one from earlier:

The bad make up that makes both guys look bad. I notice the guy playing Young Do has 2 blemish marks on the right side of his jaw. This couldn't be covered with make up?  Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge. Young Do has dark eye bags. And Min Ho has blemish/freckles (?) on his nose and cheek (acne scar?).  The coloring of the make up for the cast is also bad. Their faces look too oily with an unhealthy/pasty tone that's different from their neck color. The shade/color tone difference between face and neck is quite obvious for both the men and women.

 

(below) Cute ^_^ He says: OO! And slumps his head on her shoulder.

I am actually liking Young Do more and more. ^_^ He is quite sexy as you get to know him. At first, I thought he was unattractive and hateful-looking. But.. somehow... from when he smiled that sideways mischievous smile... and him loving his dog... I just kinda ... liked him. ^_^   

I think that class girl was right when she said she felt he was better-looking when he stood against Kim Tan (Min Ho).  The way Young Do looked at the girl in the middle of them.... it was sexy. ^_^

I think he likes the girl but is getting her his own way... which isn't working well.


Hmm.. I really hate looking at that woman playing Min Ho's first mother. Why did they get her to play the part? She looks like a witch. Her eyes hang up like dead fish.


And here's the preview for Episode 8 ^__^ Whooo hoo!! SExy scene for tomorrow! Look at him eagerly leaning his hips forwards while closing the door. SExxyy... Min Ho can be very notty and sexy when he turns it on. 

He grabs her wrist... 

 

I like that both Kim Tan (Min Ho) and Young Do are very forceful characters. Very sexy direct moves with regards to women. The girl has become an object to have between them.

This writer (for Heirs) has very interesting, unexpected and innovative ways that she makes her male characters do.  For instance, in A Gentleman's Dignity, there is the scene where the guy's camera case catches a thread and pulls out the woman's knitted skirt... and the way he tries to shield her with his body in a very suggestive way is very unique and amusing and cute. ^_^

In this Heirs Ep 7, Min Ho unexpectedly pulls off the girl's hair band while walking past her, since he prefers her hair loose.

By the way, I have noticed that this actress is tall. Taller than the other women he has worked with. She is almost his height just by wearing sneakers.   Good for him: He doesn't need to bend down much when talking to her, or kissing her. ^_^

I like that Chan Young helped Eun Sang pick up her stuff into her backpack rather than helping his girlfriend after Young Do pours out the girls' stuff onto the floor. ^_^ It's been obvious at the start that Chan Young loves Eun Sang more than his girlfriend. Friend of 10 years to Eun Sang? Sure? ^_^ Or secretly in love with her?

31 Oct around 2 something am. End of post.

Heirs Ep 3 & 4 (Lee Min Ho Korean Drama)

I want Lee Min Ho.

First however, the bloopers in this episode.  Seems Min ho's action dramas can't do without bloopers.

Notice the Caucasian guy's hand. Min Ho's left hand isn't pinning him but that guy is doing it to himself:

Blooper #2:  Min ho and that girl are in the middle of a sprinkler shower but they are not wet. Min ho has a little damp hair but his suit and face are dry when he should be dripping. That girl's hair is completely dry.

I love Jay's natural acting. :) Very refreshing every time he appears. Blond, natural, young and cute.

I love this scene where Min ho is very decisive and just grabs her suitcase into his house when she insists on leaving.  Here on, he keeps showing a very decisive and sharp intelligence reminiscent of City Hunter. 

 

 

There is 1 scene in ep2 where he takes the girl to his house and he does that footwork closing in on her that makes her keep stepping back, which is very much like the City Hunter scene where he was in the girl's house doing that exact same thing. I didn't quite like that since the scenes are too much alike that it looks fake.

At this scene below, I found myself thinking: Min Ho makes me hungry. (I love the waves of his hair).

 

Min Ho driving her in his car... while she examines his face.

The moment he turned to look at her, I instantly thought: OMG!! So HANDSOME!!! Seems he hasn't lost his touch/looks. If he looked at me like that, I will instantly MELT.

(below) However... here he does look tired. The lines near his mouth are beginning to show. Click to enlarge. In fact in many scenes, he looks quite worn out with a line under each eye. Must be all those ads he has been doing prior to filming of this drama.

This scene where he is driving the girl along the long and winding road... looks like one of his Camry ads.

Min Ho is always doing this (below). :)  Very scary (but very Sexy) behind girls. Remember, I mentioned his intimidating figure in a scene in Faith where he was all in black and stood behind the woman. The focus on him was blurred but it only made it all the more intimidating as he stood behind there.

Incidentally, this scene (of him unbuttoning his shirt and scaring the girl) is also the same thing he did at the beach in Boys over Flowers (see my right bar pic on this website).

 

 

 

Yeah, right. How can we not dream of it when you take off your shirt like that?  Those damn gay guys will love him for this. Crap.  (I notice however that his face loses its handsomeness when he turns with his mouth to talk like that.  I think he was embarrassed taking off his shirt on the set.  He certainly looks like he worked out.).

In this scene below, I love his eyes in the sunlight. The way he looks at her with sexy sulking, accusing eyes without even needing to say anything. ^__^ His eyes are positively sulking at her for wanting to leave him.  Click to enlarge.

 

He has very expressive eyes.  If not for him, I wouldn't continue watching this drama coz it's so long-winded, boring and messy with unattractive older women squabbling and unattractive male heirs.

Why don't Min Ho just quit the inheritance, get disowned and walk out? (Oh, because he loves his brother).

Frankly, I skipped watching it after ep1. Didn't even know they had 4 episodes out already (twice a week?).  For a moment, while watching ep2, I forgot what the drama was called. It should be called The Rich & Idle.

I skip all the parts/scenes where the women are squabbling and the squabbling semi (whatever)-siblings. The drama started off poorly and so far, is very messy with no clear explanation of who is who.


(below) When I saw Min ho dump himself on the bed directly after his baseball cap scene... I thought: Let me massage you...

(below) How can she not call this sexy man? was my thought and is the name I saved this pic under, seeing Min ho wait so exasperatedly for the girl's phone call.  The infinity (?) pool so nice and scene so beautiful, so many deck-chairs empty, ---empty to a lonely heart.

(below) He's so damn confident in his looks. ^__^ Isn't he even shy? ^__^  Wahahaha! Indeed "At least I'm good-looking". Indeed you are.

 

(P/S: Why don't Korean men wear socks with their shoes?) In Ep 4, that rich guy Kim Won (playing Min ho's bro), doesn't wear socks even in his full suit at an expensive jewellery store.

I really like that woman who used to be the court lady in-charge in Faith. She can't speak but she's darn smart. It's funny watching her write her notes and outsmart even her employer who isn't that bad after all.

(below) Heyy.... this is a damn cool pic!!! And damn cool entrance into the scene with him! How did they do that? The same way to do magazine covers with your face on it?

(The scenes between the dumb mother and the girl tears me up. It reminds me of my mom. In ep3, when that Caucasian lecturer asked the class what non-English speakers considered the most beautiful word in the English language, I thought it should be "love". When he said "mother"... I felt kinda sad. It's kinda true that it's the most beautiful word.)

End of Ep 4... Oooo... looks like it's gonna get interesting/exciting. 2 friends loving the girl. And how about that cold bro of his?

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de - Maihitoyo (movie)

http://www.gogoanime.com/harukanaru-toki-no-naka-de-maihitoyo-movie/2
(in 3 parts after each other).

Crap, I cried.  (spoiler alert => it's better not to know the below and watch the anime first.).


Why seal/exorcise such a handsome spirit. Frankly, I don't care if he's a demon or whatever. So handsome, so tragic. He can roam all he wants, all over me. Oh crap... *weeps*  So sad. *sniffs, eyes water all over again*

Soo handsome. Seems impossible they could draw an even more handsome man than the other guardians (who aren't particularly handsome but looks like they tried), yet here he is. Handsomer than all the rest.  Oh heavens... I stare at heaven looking at him. Did they save their best drawing skills for this last guy?

Japanese anime endings are always unfair. I don't know why they have this awful idea of punishing the victim (thinking of Code breaker). What's wrong with not sealing/exorcising him? He's at peace already, let him roam.

If I were her, after sealing away a love like that at the end, I ain't talking to anyone anymore. You can all go to hell. So handsome and a normal comfortable man she can be with, compared to the rest. I would rather have Tenma-kun and this guy.

Oo no Suefumi. Such a handsome man...  voiced by of all persons (surprise surprise...I thought it was Ishida Akira but was incorrect)... Takahiro Sakurai (voice of Claude Faustus in Black Butler).  He can have such a sexy voice when he puts himself to it. 

Note the beautiful height difference between them.

If only real men were this handsome.... ARghhh... ARRghhhh...

Looks a bit like Taki (Takizawa Hideaki)...

So handsome...

Noooo.... *weeps* ...

The details of the historical setting are quite amazing and interesting, I think because it's a movie. (This is a movie I wouldn't mind paying for. Better than any live action.).

They made the effort of an almost Miyazaki-like attention to details. The buildings inside and outside, the scenery and flowers (less so).  The wooden structures, corridors of the interiors, the room decorations and morning utilities (face washing vessel), the green moss covered shelter and pond where Akane and Suefumi hid from the rain.

I felt this (below) was especially unique and lovely at the end with the credits, although this scene was not in the anime. It could however, be the side of the moss covered shelter viewed at this angle (coz Akane and Suefumi sat at its front outside).  I can't bring myself to call them "characters" since my heart is still so tied to them. *eyes start watering again*

Here's anime news info as usual (I always check any anime here first to see who are the seiyuus before deciding whether to watch).  http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6705

One rainy day, Akane crosses path with a kind young man who tacitly offers to her his coat. On their second encounter, he confesses that he has no recollection of who he is, his name or his past, but feels contented by just being with her. Besotted, Akane sets out to find his name....

Besotted? At first, I didn't think she was besotted. But now... at the end, indeed, I am "besotted".  And more than just besotted, she loves him, even more than he loves her.

Meidi-ya Supermarket Disappointment (Spoiled Meat & Fish & Bad Information Counter Service)

Meidi-ya Supermarket  シンガポール明治屋  @ Liang Court.

It gives me no pleasure to post this, since I have been buying from this supermarket so often for so long.

I would have kept quiet about the matter if the Information Counter service staff today had not made me angry.

Usually, I go there at least two or three times a week to buy meat, fish and other items. Quite a lot of money spent there, plus taxi fare to and fro.

As everyone knows, it's expensive to shop at that supermarket.  Their cuts of meat and fish appear the best, so the prices seem justified.

However, buyers beware:  Their meat and fish are not always reliable. You must smell the meat/fish before you cook even on the same day you buy.  If a sour smell is detected, it means the meat/fish has spoiled.  Just looking at the meat/fish, you can't tell the difference.

When shopping at the supermarket, I always bring along my own fridge bag to keep the cold items cold/frozen until I reach home in about 20 minutes or less.  When I buy raw prawns in their frozen state and put them in my fridge bag, they are still frozen when I get back.

Previously, I bought a big slice of salmon from their fish section beside the back doors. As usual, I put it in my fridge right after I got home.

The same evening when I wanted to cook it for dinner,  I detected a sour smell from the salmon. I had no choice but to throw it away.

Assuming it was just a one-off incident, I didn't inform the supermarket or ask for a refund, especially since the supermarket is quite far away and I didn't want the hassle of taking it back. 

Soon after, on 4 Oct, I bought a packet of Empress chicken breast at about 4pm. Returned home and put it in the fridge. When I wanted to cook it for dinner, a sour smell was again detected from the meat. Again, I threw it away.

Not just these dinners were ruined but my trust in the quality of the meat and fish was ruined as well.

One time may be a random incident. But twice?  Can I still buy a third time then? And what if buying again, I have to throw away again? It shouldn't even have happened at all.

This time, I e-mailed the supermarket through their online feedback form. Their store manager Mr. Kagoshima replied.

I explained to him and we communicated politely over a few e-mails. He said he personally told the staff to be careful in future and would like to refund and apologize.

He offered to come to my place or I could drop by the supermarket again so he could apologize "directly".  If I dropped by, I was to go to the Information Counter and ask for him (Kagoshima) or Ishikawa (the customer service/information counter staff).

I was thinking he might get someone to visit my place rather than himself. Since I didn't prefer anyone visiting my place and wasn't keen on returning soon to the supermarket, I wanted to request that the refund be transferred to my bank a/c which would be rude since it would deprive him of a direct apology.

I thought it mattered very much to the Japanese to be able to apologize personally in such a matter  (Bro joked that if he didn't get the chance to apologize directly, he would go crazy. To me, just getting a refund and that such a matter never happens again, are good enough).

So,  I agreed to visit the supermarket again.

A few days later, today Fri 11 Oct,  I reluctantly went back to the supermarket for the refund and perhaps buy some meat and prawns for dinner.  It wasn't about the refund amount, but the inconvenience of having to meet up over the matter etc... (I didn't have a good feeling about it and the feeling is always accurate.).

At about 4.30pm, I stood at the Information Counter.  Two staff were standing in there: Ishikawa (who turned out to be a woman) and a dark-complexioned woman.

Ishikawa was on the phone. Both ignored me, even though the dark-complexioned woman was free.

Shouldn't one of them at least ask, if they might be of service/help? A customer is standing there right in front of them.

When I asked politely if Mr. Kagoshima was here, the dark-complexioned woman said he was at a meeting. I said "Ok, I'll wait for Ishikawa then.".  (There should be a "san" behind the name for politeness, but these 2 aren't even being polite by ignoring the customer.).

When Ishikawa put down the phone, I said "Hi" and informed her of my name,  mentioned Mr. Kagoshima and the e-mail.

She and the dark complexioned woman immediately knew what I meant, but instead of greeting me or attending to me, they proceeded to look down and talk about another matter for another extended amount of time.

I felt that was very surprising and strange.  So, it means the customer standing there regarding the refund is not important? Apologizing for their mistake is not important? The fact that they sold spoiled meat and fish is not important?

I stood there until I walked away to where bro was standing. I told him that I would e-mail the manager about it and began walking away.

Bro said one of the staff was calling me, so I turned back. Ishikawa had come out of her counter to ask me back.

She wanted my full name. I only gave her my English name and surname. She asked me to sign.

She said next time, if it happens again, come to the Information Counter with the receipt.  (I was thinking, there's going to be a next time?  If it happens again, I won't ever come here again).

After taking the money out, she put it on the counter top. Because there were coins, I had to pick them up.  Shouldn't she put the refund in the customer's hand? In Japan, they always present money on a plastic plate to the customer.

As I picked my refund, she tried catching my eye and said, "We are very sorry.".

Yeah, right. You are so sorry that you ignore the customer standing there without so much as a polite greeting or acknowledgement. If you are so busy, you should politely inform the customer to wait a while. This is basic courtesy.

I am surprised a Japanese woman would behave like this.  (Somehow, I feel that if it had been the store manager,  it would have turned out better/well since we had communicated well via e-mail. Maybe.).

2 mistakes + 1.  Instead of appeasing the customer with the refund, Meidi-ya made the customer more displeased.

After the refund, I was really unhappy. I chose a packet of pork ribs but put it back after deciding to go to Isetan instead (which was nearby at Orchard).

(I avoid pork whenever possible, but I really need the nutrients. We do love pigs, cows and chickens...)

Bro already had a few things in the shopping basket.   I told him I want to pay as little as possible to Meidi-ya. Don't let them earn so much of our money.

He said "Ok, then let's put everything back.". I agreed to put some back.

While paying for the few items that were needed (since we were there), I told the cashier what happened.  Most of the cashiers know us since we are such regulars there. She was surprised it even happened twice. I said, "Yeah, once was salmon. Another time was chicken.".

She said I should have called up and scolded them for a refund. I said they contacted me to refund but when I came down, they totally ignored me and made me wait.

I told her we were going to Isetan right then.

At Isetan supermarket, I got the meat and prawns and other ingredients needed for dinner tonight. Cheaper than Meidi-ya.  Even the organic eggs are cheaper.

We just finished our dinner and the meat was excellent, softer than Meidi-ya's. The prawns were very fresh and large compared to Meidi-ya's.

Since it's the start of the weekend, Isetan supermarket always has these interesting stalls selling Japanese food items by Japanese people who are friendly.

I sampled the dried ginger pieces from Japan, sold by a nice Singaporean lady. It tasted pretty good and I called bro over to try it. He usually buys those sugar ginger cubes from the UK at Meidi-ya. This time, he was tempted enough to actually buy this small $15 per packet of ginger pieces.

The Ginger powder drink was pretty good too! 

I reached for the Yuzu rind samples, and it was so good, I said he had to try it. After sampling the Yuzu, he was also grabbed by it!

The lady was so nice. Even though it's buy 2 get 1 free, she said she would give us the Yuzu for $10 (instead of $15).  Bro refused to buy 3 packets even though she said he could mix and match. ($15x2 would be $30. No no.).

We bought the 2 packets for $25.  (Ginger pieces and Yuzu rind)

The dried blueberries are nice too....  (bro wouldn't hear of it. While walking to the cashier with our basket, he said the 2 packets already $25).

The dried blueberries taste very different from western types. Very natural taste and flavor as though real fresh blueberries.

As Bro said about the Yuzu rind, the Japanese managed to preserve the original flavor and taste. 

Quite amazing. If you don't mind to part with your cash, you can buy everything from that lady at that stall. She said she'll be there until the 17th.

After the supermarket, we only had to get a taxi from across the road. Previously, I didn't know there was a taxi stand there, so we avoided buying cold items from the supermarket (since it would be a hassle getting back quickly whereas Meidi-ya's taxi stand is just outside.). 

But some time back, when I collected a computer screen from a woman at Far East Shopping Center, she told me about that taxi stand beside it. Pretty convenient.

The wait was 15 mins. Within 30 minutes, we were home.

It's unlikely we would be buying from Meidi-ya again.               

The Heirs Lee Min Ho Drama

Update Fri 12:16am: After watching the Eng subs, turns out Min Ho does appear in the later part. But somehow, since first seeing him in the raw version and also in the subbed version... It makes me miss seeing him in his ancient costume in Faith. He just looks cooler in Faith than in Heirs.  In my mind, I see him in the part where he was cloaked to the head in the rain, which was at the start.

In Heirs, he still looks handsome but somehow not so cool. I think his hair is too short.

Me: Arhhh... he still looks handsome, Hin (my bro).
Bro: Amby ah? (Amby is my great handsome actor love).
Me: No, Min Min.

Look at these pics.

Oh, yes! Please!! 

--------------------------------------------

Thurs past midnight:

Uhh... Do we really need to see all the other  unattractive boring characters in the First episode after waiting sooo long to see Lee Min Ho again after his last one (Faith)?

How come he only appears at the start and that's it??  Although I just watched (skipped) the raw version, it's so disappointing it's so boring. I had to fast forward to see where he would turn up. Turns out, he's not turning up.  I doubt it would be interesting even with subs.

By the way, the actress who played the palace aunt in Faith is in there.

Singapore Filmmakers in North Korea

Update: Thurs 19 Sept 2013:  UN probe exposes shocking NKorea rights abuses

----------------------

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-filmmakers-reveal-unknown-side-of-north-korea-085830108.html

Actually, what is the purpose of going there? To help North Korea bring out their propaganda to show the rest of the world? Why are you helping North Korea film their propaganda?

No wonder people got angry with the filmmakers.

"Some people have hated it because it doesn't make a strong overt statement about how horrible the place is," said Lee, in an interview the couple had with Yahoo Singapore last week. "But we don't do that, and we have actually got people who are very angry that we don't do that."

If you can only film things that make the country look good, isn't that propaganda?  How can it be a documentary?  What's more, filming propaganda for another country. -.- How about doing it for your own? Jack Neo does that and earns money.

It premiered in Dubai at a documentary film festival last year

If you want to consider the fate of the guides and stuff, then don't make this documentary. What filmmaker are you?  Or rather, how much did North Korea pay you to have this "documentary" done?

Leong explains that the trend of foreign-made documentaries about North Korea has been that filmmakers who emerge with shocking, scandalising or horrific information or stories about the way the regime is conducted are lauded with international acclaim. These filmmakers, he feels, do not consider the fate of their guides or hosts, who inevitably end up in trouble.

Of course, they want you back.  Because you are so good at it, they want you to make more of their propaganda to show the world.

"Actually, Mr Kim (their guide) still emails me regularly. In fact, he sent me an email two days ago, asking us whether we wanted to go back and make another film!" said Lee.

Knowing that it's propaganda and you still film.

Leong noted also that having grown up in Pyongyang, with privileged lives, the young students whom they interviewed and followed had an easier time believing what they were told.

"If you handpick very privileged North Koreans to make propaganda about how wonderful life is in North Korea, they would have no conflict at all making that propaganda because to them, it's the truth," he said.

"And how human is that? It applies to everyone," he continued. "As Singaporeans, a lot of people would say (the system) works because my life is good… It's like you can say life is great here because it's great for you, but you don't see that it's not so great for other people and it's the same all over the world. It's exactly the same."

I would rather see the situation through the lenses of Ang Moh bloggers who went there and took pics of dirty white buildings surrounded by weeds, public buses with men in plain brown rumpled shirts, the eyes in men that look on with curiosity, resigned poverty and tiredness.

Think "Jeans". I think the creator/s of the jeans took down the pics from their website since they can't be found anymore. 

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/dictatorship-denim-the-real-story-behind-north-korean-jeans-a-670826.html

Check this out: http://mydestinationtheworld.com/index.php/travel-stories/north-korea-what-i-saw-and-what-i-didnt-see/

Thinking of going to North Korea. Will I get detained? I love the wide open spaces. No overpopulation. No foreigners. Everything is wide and nice and empty with just a few buildings.

Would love to cycle down this track without brakes: (photo from the above link)

Heyy!! This is same as Singapore: Folks apply to the government (agency) to get a place to live. Until recently, only married couples could own a public housing flat. There were restrictions against singles from buying apartments that are meant for "families".  The result is that the majority of singles live with their families.

Folks must apply to the local government to get a place to live. Only married couples can do so however as single people are not allowed their own home, and have to remain with their families.

HAHAHA!! Silly Funny Japanese Youtube Candid

Serves him right. Look at his stupid wig.  Here, here!! Take your damn wig! HAhahaha~!
Too bad there's no sound. Nase (why)??



Part 1 is also funny. Silly office guy works in office too much. Can't even see there're legs between the T-rex. And the Rex is so rubbery it can't even run properly! How to be scared of that?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I think he watch too much Ultra man. Thought the T-rex is real and invaded the office. Look at his eyes, his brows, his dishevelled hair at the end. HAHAHahahahaha!!!

Lucky Japan

Me: Japan is so lucky.  They are homogenous. Already 1 problem solved. One problem don't even need to think about. No foreigners.

Bro:  Means they are all gay, is it?

I look at him who is standing at my door and smiling. Me not smiling, wondering what the hell he's talking about.

Bro still smiling: Homogenous.

Me: Tsk. *ignores him, pulls up my chair cloth, flicks it to straighten and put back on chair*

Hoshino Coffee @ Plaza Singapura PS Cafe Review 星乃珈琲店 オフィシャルサイト

To Hoshino: Tell your Indian staff. Do Not use the customer's napkins to pick up food bits and wipe the customer's table while the customer is still sitting there!

1) Customer's napkins and cutlery are for the customers to use! Not for the staff to take and use!
2) Don't your staff have a proper cloth to wipe the table?
3) Why is your staff wiping the table in such a bad way while the customer is still sitting there?

Your staff need to be better trained. Very unprofessional and slow service.

I was there on 6 August at 5.30 pm, intending to try all the dishes that have been positively reviewed online.

Bro and I were seated quickly as the dinner crowd was not out yet.

Menu was limited as Bro complained (to him, small morsels like that wasn't real food), but I came to try what they had.  Some time back, I was first attracted to their lovely replicas of desserts at the front of the cafe. I'm sure the replicas are what attracted many ladies as well.

Ready to order their spaghetti,  the waitress unfortunately had to inform us that all their spaghetti dishes are made with beef stock.

What about their omu rice? Also beef stock. Pot-baked curry?  Souffle? All beef stock.

In fact, only 1 dish wasn't made with beef stock, and that was the unattractive Eggplant and Tomato Spaghetti, supposedly vegetarian.  I didn't want Toast and Sandwiches for dinner.

Frankly, why did the waitress have to tell us the dishes were made of beef stock? Don't Hoshino want money and happy customers? What the customer don't know,  the customer will be happy.

Now, at that table, knowing that I couldn't eat any of the delicious stuff that others had reviewed about,  made me unhappy.

Fine. I decided since we were already there, I had to order at least their dessert.

Bro by that time was really displeased that I chose Hoshino to have our dinner.  He had said he wanted Swensens, but I had wanted Hoshino.

We had to agree then, that we would eat a real dinner at Swensens, while he would share with me the Hoshino desserts.

I ordered the Matcha Ogura Bean Paste Pancake Souffle and French Toast. 

The waitress informed it would take half hour.

Half hour for dessert? My first thoughts: They only have 1 cook?  They bake the thing? 

When the waitress walked away, Bro gave me a totally disgusted and displeased look, "Half hour leh. You can wait half hour meh?".

I consoled him. "Nevermind. When we no longer want to wait,  we'll just get up and leave. After all, we didn't pay for anything yet.  I didn't eat anything, didn't steal anything. We can just walk out the side.  It's open there. Their fault for being so slow.". 

He was appeased.

When the Matcha Pancake came first, and while sharing with bro,  I accidentally dropped the chestnut near my table edge.

The pancake was fluffy but otherwise nothing special. The Matcha ice cream was slightly bitter, and didn't go quite well with the pancake. It was passable only because I was hungry.

After finishing, the same waitress came over to take away our plates. But she reached for the napkin on our table and started slowly wiping the table, slowly smearing the remnants on the table as she picked up and wiped while we watched.

After that, she said cheerily, "Thank you!" and walked away.

There is something very perverse and wrong with that.

The table was fine. We didn't require the table to be wiped. Just bring the next damn dessert that we ordered so we can get going.

I think staff should not wipe the table while the customer is sitting there unless something spilled. This is not a hawker center. This is a cafe in a mall.  By wiping the table in such a manner, the staff is embarrassing the customer for having been "messy".  Never wipe the table while the customer is still sitting there!!!

A few minutes later, the French Toast arrived.

Unexpectedly, the "ice-cream" at the top, which we found out later was some kind of cheese cream, fell off the pile of toast and onto the table right after the waitress served it.

I called another waitress.  She took one of the cutlery from our table and used it to push the "ice cream" back onto the side of the dish.

Why didn't she take a separate plate and scoop the fallen ice-cream up onto it instead of putting it back onto our dish (which I don't doubt will be served to us again)?  Why didn't the cook ensure that the scoop was properly and well placed before it was served?

Watching the waitress push the ice-cream back onto our dish... I really felt I was watching very amateurish and unprofessional behavior.

Another few minutes, the pile of French Toast returned with a new (I assume) topping of the cream cheese.

At the end, the Indian cook who made our desserts, doubled up as the cashier. He asked Bro how was the pancake.  Due to the man's rabbit front teeth, Bro didn't get what he said at first. Upon a repeat of the question, Bro replied that it was Ok. 

I had gone to the ladies at the time, but when bro explained and mimicked the man's teeth and accent, I laughed and laughed out loud at Swensens. I said too bad I wasn't there to see it. But agreed that he was right to say that the pancake was Ok.  As I said, it was passable.

The total cost with GST was just $27.42. A reasonable price for 2 desserts.

Incidentally,  I feel it's pretty sad that a Japanese cafe/restaurant has an Indian cook. Shouldn't a Japanese cafe/restaurant have Japanese cooks at least?