Family Time at Plaza Singapura

Growing up, one of the favorite haunts for my family is Plaza Singapura. Located in Orchard Road, “PS” of Plaza Singapura had a magnetic draw for us, as it was of the earliest and largest shopping centers of that era. During the school holidays, Plaza Singapura had the same magical hold on me, as this was the mall, where I got my first job as a retail assistant in “Yaohan”.

Plaza Singapura turns 40 this year, and I am happy to report that “PS” is still growing strong. This is despite the competition from bigger and shinier shopping centres along Orchard Road. Recently, we were invited to visit Plaza Singapura, and experience how Plaza Singapura continues to be a shopping mall that caters to not just singles, but families as well.

Here are a few of the interesting outlets that welcomed us for a tour around Plaza Singapura.

First up, we have Fast Salon for Slow Life! (FaSS) (#03-64)

Hailing from Japan, FaSS is a cut-and-style concept salon that offers great hospitality services, alongside their sophisticated yet casual styles of haircuts and styling. Boasting of 3 branches in Japan, the Plaza Singapura outlet is the first of its kind in Singapore.

Not wanting to steal too much time away from the customers, hair cuts do not involve any wash. Emphasizing on the classic basic cut, which sets the shape and structure of the hairdo, these cuts set the frame from which more complicated styles can be trimmed. Customers can therefore expect a quick efficient cut, which will keep them looking sharp for the workplace.

As with all Japanese saloons, expect great attention paid to hygiene. All scissors and shavers are sterilized and wiped down after every cut. Customers can therefore expect a “clean” cut, no matter what time they secure an appointment with FaSS.

Besides hair cuts, stylists can also perform professional styling for functions and events. For this they use an extremely popular brand of hair styling product known as the Arimino Spice Tube Series, which is imported from Japan.

We enjoyed our time getting our hair trimmed at FaSS, and we were excited as we headed for our next pit-stop!

2) BioAesthetic (#04-56)

Next up was a time of body recuperation as we headed for a facial at BioAesthetic.

BioAesthetic is a wellness and aesthetic centre formed from the marriage of natural formulae and advanced Western methodologies. Through the use of technology, the strength of natural recipes are unleashed to achieve excellent beauty and wellness results.

Having not had a facial for some time, we were excited to experience what BioAesthetic had to offer. Providing revolutionary, all-natural programmes that are designed through rigorous research, we were privileged to experience the Power Hyaluronic Dynamic Treatment.

Reading up on their treatment, we found out that it is:

• A cutting-edge, professional-only treatment which uses the latest biotechnology to offer cosmeceutical-grade solutions second to none.
• Clinically formulated to target specific skin conditions including fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture, clogged or enlarged pores, sun damage and hyperpigmentation
• Maintains optimum degree of hydration (balances skin hydrodynamics)
• Guarantees the renovation process and normalizes skin micro relief
• Continuous hydration that lasts 24 hours (time release mechanism for continuous moisturizing)
• 90% improvement in wrinkles caused by dehydration

The facial that I went through was relaxing, and I can say that I really needed it. The last facial that I went to, was eonss ago, and the therapist was remarking about the number of blackheads that I had. Although I had to go through the necessary pain of removing them, it felt good to see my skin much clearer after the treatment.

And lastly, it was time for a good dinner and we were invited to:

3) Nana’s Green Tea #03-80/82

Located in the new wing, Nana’s Green Tea is one of the most popular cafes in Plaza Singapura and for good reason. Its roots go all the way back 20 years ago, when a Japanese man wanted to advocate Japanese homegrown tea and good to people all around the world. He started the first Nana’s Green Tea then at Jiyugaoka, Japan, and it became a huge hit due to the authenticity of its Japanese green tea. Today, Nana’s Green Tea allows people to experience Japanese food culture and tradition through its offerings, along with providing high quality of service to its customers.

We were excited the moment we entered the restaurant, as the ambience was pleasing and inviting. Just in case you are wondering what to order, you can check out the dishes at the front of the restaurant. The Japanese always seem to be able to market their dishes so well, and the plastic molds of their menu looked so appertizing. The realistic depiction of every dish only made us hungry for more, and we couldn’t wait to get started on dinner! 🙂

The thing about Nana’s Green Tea is that it uses selected quality ingredients from various parts of Japan, including Uji tea, and this has a direct impact on the taste of the food.

As we love salmon, we made a bee-line for the salmon filled dishes, and we had no regrets! 🙂 One of the first dishes that we tried was the Salmon and Maguro Chirashi Don. With so much raw fish on the platter, we felt like dinner was Japan’s version of fish and chips. With all the fish cut in generous slices, we enjoyed sinking out teeth into this dish!

We tried other dishes like Chicken Namban Don (Left) , Salmon Carpaccio (Right Top). I loved the chicken as it was moist and succulent. Definitely not like those dry chicken nuggets that you find at fast food restaurants. The Salmon Carpaccio was also delicious and a dish worth trying

The Salmon and Cream Sushi Roll was another highlight. The Sushi was bigger than normal, and I had to take 2 Big bites to finish off the sushi that was coated with Salmon. It is a great side dish to add to your main meal, and I would strongly recommend it.

One of the highlights of Nana’s Green Tea are the Green Tea desserts. Personally we are not the biggest fans of Green tea desserts, but the desserts were very well presented and well-balanced in terms of tastes. We personally preferred the red bean desserts, as it seemed to suit our taste buds more.

We enjoyed our meal at Nana’s Green Tea, and we can see why it’s such a big hit with the dinner crowd at Plaza Singapura. If you are looking for something different, do check out Nana’s Green Tea. We will definitely be back again!

One Stop Shopping Mall 

There are just so many things to do at Plaza Singapura, and as we walked around, we saw many other shops that offered something not just for singles but for families as well. It is truly a one-stop family destination mall which is conveniently located just above a major MRT interchange. Looks like another decade of families can build more fond memories here.