MilesBuzz

The walk to the SQ gate was quite enjoyable as I passed by several high-end boutiques like Cartier and Burberry. The low Yen has indeed increased the attractiveness of buying some stuffs there. I will probably return to Tokyo again for our 5th anniversary gifts in the near future

During the check-in for my flight to Singapore on SQ11, I was told that there would only be 2 passengers in Suites (unless there's last minute changes) and this meant that I could have the double-bed on my first Suites experience!

After the check-in process, it's time to visit the NRT Suites Lounge just above the SQ check-in counter.







Newspapers:



Drinks:



Snacks, sushi rolls, and soup:





Signature dishes:





Dining area:



Personal work-space:

MilesBuzz

After checking my e-mails and having a drink to quench my thirst from the long walk from Gate 59 to the Lounge, I decided to have a shower. I noticed that there was a massage area and asked the lounge agent about the availability of massage. Unfortunately, it wasn't available today and that's why the area was closed! Anybody have tried this service before in the NRT Suites Lounge?



An amenity kit by Thann was provided:



Shower area:





I felt totally refreshed! After the shower, I went back to check my emails and had some more drinks.

Soon enough, it was time to proceed to Gate 46 for SQ11.

MilesBuzz

I was so excited as I entered the plane. It was going to be my first Suites experience! I was greeted by the Chief Steward and he offered to wheel my luggage as I made my way to Suite 3F.



The crew on that day was fantastic, especially the stewardess who was serving me! She was so friendly and offered to give me amenities (SQ bears) for my daughter later on. The overall experience was certainly one of the best (if not the best) inflight experience I ever had!

The elegantly designed leather seat:





The door when opened and closed:





The wide TV screen:



Bose noise-cancelling headset and the menu for the day:



Givenchy PJ and a new amenity kit by Sothys:



The various functions of the seat:





Posing on the SQ Suite seat:



And what better way to start off the experience in Suite than a glass of Krug Grande Cuvee:

MilesBuzz

It's time for the meal service as I watched Zero Dark Thirty on the big screen.

CANAPES
Satay
With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauce



The chicken and lamb satay was absolutely delicious and I decided to have another round!

APPETIZERS
Chilled malossol caviar
With melba toast and condiments



Despite the stewardess offering me another serving, I decided to just have one to conserve my stomach for the rest of the meal service.

SOUPS
Pea puree soup with cold white onion custard, cress and bacon



Not really my cup of tea, so, I decided to order the other choice, which tasted better!

Cantonese style chicken soup with lotus root and red dates



I skipped the salad and ordered the Beef Sukiyaki from Book-The-Cook. It turned out to be a good choice as I enjoyed this dish more than the Kaiseki.



By then, I was already quite full but I still ordered the Kyo-kaiseki and my request was duly obliged by the stewardess. It turned out to be a mistake as I had basically lost my appetite by the time it was served and I only had a little bite of each.

Surprisingly, the Kyo Kaiseki menu on SQ11 turned out to be the same as the one from BTC that I would have on my next flight (SQ2 to HKG). So, I will describe the Kaiseki in a subsequent post. Only one serving was missing from the BTC version:

FUTAMONO
Braised Wagyu Beef fillet Yamato style, potato puree, bamboo shoot, butterbur, Japanese leek julienne, kinome leaf.



For the FINALE, I ordered:
Milk chocolate mousse with vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sauce and fresh raspberry



With 3.5 hrs left, I requested for my double-beds to be readied as I changed to my PJ. Soon enough, I settled myself into the bed and slept for the next 3 hrs!

spikyone

Wait.. No more kiehls?? When did that happen?

Food looks great!! Looking forward to the meal on SQ 2!

MilesBuzz

Thanks for the comments Yes....no more Kiehls and I did specifically ask the stewardess about this. SQ changed to the new brand only recently.

BA5E

OMG this TR is fantastic, together with the running commentary and all the great photos, sitting at my desk i was feeling extremely hungry throught both of the flights, the food looked absolutely amazing, and so beautifully presented each time and for each course, wow will definately have to travel on both airlines, have only done QF F and BA F, how lucky for you to get the double seats on SQ and to be able to have both beds made up. Cannot wait for the next episode, hurry up please^

MilesBuzz

Thanks BASE for the comments Indeed, the food on both CX and SQ are excellent....fine dining quality. In contrast, I have yet to try both QF and BA F.

I will post the next installment over the weekend Stay tuned....

spizzy

Love SQ Suites TR. Fantastic product. Hey where is the photo of the SQ bear sitting in Suites? Shame about no Kiehls kit anymore.

MilesBuzz

Thanks spizzy for the comments Yes, I also love the SQ Suites....especially with the double beds.

Aaahhh....I forgot to take a pic of the SQ bear sitting in the Suites

MilesBuzz

The plane arrived in SIN around 3:00am....the first time I arrived in Changi Airport so early. To avoid the 50% taxi-surcharge, I proceeded to the SKL Lounge and asked whether I could enter and have some drinks+rest for the next 3 hours or so. After some deliberation and requesting for the Boarding Pass from NRT, the lounge agent finally relented and let me in.

Still feeling tired (even though I did manage to get 3 hrs of sleep) and with a full day schedule ahead of me, I decided to just relax in the lounge and used the next 2 hrs or so to check my emails and catch up on the news. Time flied quickly and it was already 6 plus in the morning when I left the lounge to get into my aunt's place in the city.

One of the other purpose of this trip was to survey for flats as I will be relocating (back) to Singapore in July (having spent 14 years there until 2002). So, I had arranged for a few viewings with a housing agent over the weekend.

Here are some pictures of the estates that I had viewed:

The first two are actually nice...it's just that the closest MRT line will only be ready by 2015.









This one has a large shopping mall and MRT located within walking distance, but as you can see, the maintenance is very poor and we will not consider this one.







The last one I viewed is probably the most convenient as it's located next to MRT and there's a decent shopping mall (with supermarket, hawker center, and shops providing other basic amenities) located just downstair.









Obviously, I had not made up my mind by the end of the viewings, but I will come back to have another viewings next month, together with my family. Hopefully, by then we will settle on a place

flatlander

Nice trip report, thanks! mmm, CX F.... I'm going to try to enjoy as much of the panoramic view from the 744 nose as I can while it is still available (eventually the 744s will be pensioned off )

To be more precise, the orange bits are orange zest, not peel - only the outer edge of the skin, where the aromatic oils are, not the bitter pith.

If you want to make one of these yourself, it's not hard - and the experimentation is fun!

About 1 teaspoon of Drambuie, fill with good quality Champagne, preferably something on the dryer end of the spectrum or the result is too sweet. Use a zester to make two or three long strips of orange or lemon zest and add to glass.

MilesBuzz

Thanks for the comments and correction flatlander

I will also try to make full use of the opportunity of the availability of CX's B744. I can foresee myself taking at least 1 more trip to either HND or NRT within the next few months.

MilesBuzz

It was a productive weekend for me as I settled some administrative matters for my impending job in Singapore (which starts in July 2013). As I wrote in the previous post, I also did some surveying for my accommodation and will continue to do so as I am scheduled to fly back to SIN in early May with my wife and daughter. I also met up with a few old friends (one of whom also decided to relocate back to SIN from Swiss early this year).

Things I discovered over the weekend in SG:
1. Waiting for taxi can take forever I was still in West Mall (in Bukit Batok area) around 1:15pm on Sunday (my flight was at 5:50pm) and the queue in front of me was quite long (at least 5-6 before me). It took me about half an hour to get the cab to Newton (my aunt's place).

2. Now, I began to share the frustration faced by Singaporeans on the issues related to public transport. I purposely took the MRT from Yew Tee (one of the estate I viewed is located just next to the MRT station) to Novena (near my aunt's place). The journey took more than 45 mins and I just felt that it was slower than my regular ride on the MTR in Hong Kong! That will be one important issue I need to consider before deciding on my future accommodation in SIN as my work place will be in Orchard area.

3. The 1-star Michellin Dim Sum eatery (Tim Ho Wa n) based in HKG has opened in Plaza Singapura! So, I will still have the chance to savor its famous Baked Bun with BBQ Pork even after I move! Their Singapore website is provided below:
http://www.timhowan.com

4. My favorite chicken-rice stall is still Boon Tong Kee (http://www.boontongkee.com.sg) After several years of craving, I finally managed to taste it yet again! I actually ordered 4 bowls (the serving was quite small actually) of rice to accompany the chicken and not to forget the chilly sauce! The auntie was quite surprised that one customer could actually gobble up 4 bowls of rice....hehehe

Soon enough, it was time to return to HKG and I purposely booked the evening flight SQ2 (which departs SIN at 17:50) on Sunday so that I have plenty of time in the morning and afternoon to catch up with old friends. Upon reaching my aunt's place to pick up my luggage, my uncle offered to give me a ride to the Airport and obviously I wouldn't decline The ride was relatively smooth with no traffic jam and I reached Changi Airport in less than half an hour!

I proceeded to SQ's First-Class Departure zone:



The check-in process was smooth and I was offered a cold drink while the check-in agent took down my particulars. She informed me that it would be quite a full flight (in fact the load would be 8 out of 9). While she was doing her job, I snapped a few more pics of the lounge.





After getting my boarding pass and clearing the immigration, it's time to visit the SKL Lounge and in particular, the Private Room.

MilesBuzz

My last visit to the TPR was around 3.5 years ago (September 2009) and from my impression, it hasn't really changed a lot. It wasn't crowded too, with at most 2-3 passengers inside on a Sunday late afternoon.





Computer zone:



One thing which I found interesting is this nursery room, complete with Bear and Angry Bird soft toys for kids It's only after you become a Dad that you will try to look for a nursery room almost anywhere you go :P



The most important is of course the Dining Area:





I didn't really order much food while at the TPR...I only had the Le Grande Dame and the Foie Gras Burger.



Before making my way out to the Gate, I took a few snaps of the SKL F Lounge: