Gangnam (Running Man) Korean BBQ Restaurant

안녕하세요!! 

Gangnam (Running Man) Korean BBQ Restaurant is located at Chinatown along Temple Street. Some people refer to it as the Running Man restaurant because they have the Running Man logo on their signboard!

Met up with yl, joa and jordan on Friday to satisfy my Korean food craving. I think we arrived at around 720pm. However, there weren't any available tables, so we waited for roughly 10min for a couple to finish up their dinner. We were served by the shop owners who are both Koreans, so I suppose the dishes are pretty authentic!

Other than their signboard, there are a couple of running man related decor inside the restaurant, and a typical korean restaurant staple-tv screen displaying MVs/concerts of korean pop idols.

The restaurant was heavily short-handed that day. I'm pretty sure there were only 2 people running the entire restaurant. Our food finally came after about 30-40min wait, and we were all starving by then-.-

We ordered a 2-pax portion of marinated spicy chicken and spicy pork ($35). I don't think they serve  individual portions, have to get at least 2-person portion. Good thing is they allowed us to mix the meat!

The meat came with some vegetables and rice cake, and the side dishes were complementary (love the anchovies and kimchi!). Oh and they serve free mineral water! The waiter helped us to mix all the meat and veg together.

The main selling point of this dish has to be the SAUCE. Somehow it just complements and tastes yummy with everything. Damn it, I'm craving for it now :(
The pork was pretty good, juicy and thin (I like my meat to be sliced into thin pieces). The rice cake was softer and less chewy than some others that I've tried, but like I said, anything with the sauce just taste delightful. I'm not too crazy about the chicken though, it was pretty tough and dry, plus it came in quite big chunks. 

We also ordered the Kimchi pancake ($12). It was quite a generous portion, there were 6 pieces in total if I'm not wrong. Didn't manage to capture the entire pancake cos we were too hungry.

I think the kimchi flavor was rather subtle, I would prefer it to have a stronger taste. Nonetheless, the batter was good and it was cooked to perfection-crispy and slightly chewy.
<salivating> omg, such a bad idea to write this in the middle of the night.

From what I heard, usually Koreans will order either ramen or rice to mix in with the leftover sauce after they're done with the meat. We wanted to add in rice, but the lady boss suggested that we have ramen first. They literally just boiled the ramen and mix it in with our leftover sauce, veg and meat.

It was only when we settled our bill did we realized 1 portion of ramen costs $6 -.-



BUT! The $6 was soooo worth it. I know, it sounds very dumb to pay $6 for plain ramen. Let me tell you, it was THAT GOOD. Once I again, I think it's the sauce working its magic. If they sell the sauce individually, I will definitely buy some and spam it for my meals.

As I said before, the restaurant's quite short-handed, so in between dishes, there was always time for us to digest our food, and we never really felt full enough. So we decided to add in 2 portion of rice ($3 each) to our pan. By then, we had ran out of sauce, so they added in more sauce for us!




The rice came with some seaweed, veg and seasoning. It was still flavorful because of the seasoning and sauce, but somehow it was just lacking something. Therefore I would recommend getting the expensive ramen instead of the rice!

Our empty pan.



The menu at Gangnam Restaurant is quite extensive. In fact, there's a couple of things that I wanted to try, but didn't get a chance this time (e.g their kimchi soup!). I'll definitely revisit them again, perhaps during an ulu weekday night like Tuesday where there's less people. But I think they really need to hire more staff, it was pretty obvious that they're having a bottleneck.

P.S I just realized our receipt has 'Running Man Korean BBQ Restaurant' printed on it. So I'm guessing that's the official name now.

Gangnam (Running Man) Korean BBQ Restaurant
3 Temple Street
Spore 058556

Shu Uemura Face Architect Illuminating Moisture Fluid Foundation

I think the only makeup item that I'll be willing to spend quite a fortune on is a good base/foundation. I've been on the hunt for a good illuminating foundation for awhile now. The Face Architect Illuminating Moisture Fluid Foundation by Shu Uemura was on my list, but I kept procrastinating the purchase because it's quite pricey and honestly, 27ml of foundation is quite a big commitment. 

Thanks to Lemin and my Tangs vouchers, I finally took a leap of faith and bought Shu's illuminating foundation. I got matched to Light beige (774) which has a warm undertone. Side note, I went to Shu's counter at Tangs and received quite good service. The BA was a guy!

From the company's website: 

This liquid foundation is designed to achieve an illuminating glow finish. with its pleasantly rich texture, this foundation spreads to conceal skin imperfections flawlessly while maintaining a natural complexion that glows as from within. 
The formula is enriched with high concentrations of naturally derived ingredients including Macadamia Seed Oil to support the glowing finish as well as the moisturizing benefits. provides a high-comfort wear to the skin that lasts all day.
Coverage: buildable medium to high 
Finish: illuminating glow effect 
Tested under dermatological control 
Non-comedogenic

Price:

Retailing at SS72, this is quite a pricey high-end foundation. I was lucky enough to have some tangs voucher (courtesy of my mum) and I basically got this for free!!(: 

Texture:

Quite a creamy texture, but doesn't feel too heavy on the skin.

Swatch:

I used less than a pump (with Sigma F82 brush) for my entire face, and that gave me a medium finish which I usually go for.  The foundation is capable of covering up redness and hyper-pigmentation. I also find that it smooths out the surface of my skin and minimizes the appearance of pores. You can still see a teeny little bit of my old pimple scar, but it covers imperfections pretty well. If I wanted a higher coverage, I would go for slightly more than 1 pump, and I find that amount to be perfect for a flawless airbrush finish.

Packaging:

Sturdy glass bottle with a pump! I like that it's transparent so I know when it's running out, but the glass material makes it quite a challenge to travel with.

Scent:

Usually high-end foundations either smell really good, or are relatively scentless. This one however, just smells weird? It has a powdery, chemical smell and it reminds me of the scent when you open an old wooden cupboard. The good thing is the odd scent disappears quite fast.

What I like:

• Feels comfortable on the skin. Even though this is a med-high coverage foundation, it doesn't feel heavy at all. 
• A little goes a long way. This foundation stretches quite well, so just half a pump could pretty much cover my entire face to give me a light-med coverage.
• Buildable coverage. Does not look cakey with additional layers.
• Illuminating glow. I adore the subtle glow that the foundation gives. It's not super shimmery or over the top, perfect for the glowy korean look.
• Long wearing. Aside from slight shininess at the T-zone area, it looks pretty much the same at the end of the day. If I wanted it to last even longer, I'll simply add on some loose powder.
• Most importantly, it looks natural and it blends into the skin really well. 

What can be improved:

• The scent. I'm really not a fan of it ><.
• It's quite creamy so it take awhile for it to set
• Not transfer resistant. This foundation does not claim to be transfer resistant, but I thought it would be lovely if it is.

My overall thoughts: 

Hands down one of the best foundation I've ever tried (yet). Personally, I prefer foundations with high coverage because they are more versatile. I can wear it sheerly or opt for higher coverage without packing on too much product. I think foundation is really very subjective and most of the time it's trial and error (or tons of research). Brands should definitely be more generous with samples (esp high end brands!). Foundations are not cheap! 

P.S Since this is quite a moisturizing illuminating foundation, people with oily skin should avoid this and perhaps try out their smooth fluid foundation which is made for combi/oily skin types.

Ingredients: 

Soap & Glory SEXY MOTHER PUCKER™ GLOSS STICK in Fuchsia-Ristic

Soap & Glory is a British beauty brand known for their quality products and cheeky names (Glowjob, sexymotherpucker). If you've been in Sephora, you couldn't possibly miss the girly, pinky counter with 50s-inspired packaging. I wanted to try out their gloss stick for awhile now after watching all the beauty gurus rave about it on YouTube. Couldn't contain my excitement when I spotted it along the check-out line at Sephora!

The gloss stick is Soap & Glory's take on Clinique's chubby stick. Seems like every brand is bringing out their own version of the lip crayon nowadays.

Soap & Glory SEXY MOTHER PUCKER™ GLOSS STICK

Super Moisturizing lip gloss crayon.

This super-light, ultra-hydrating lip crayon glides effortlessly onto lips, leaving behind an umissably pretty sweep of creamy, moisture-rich colour & shine, thanks to the GLOSS-FIX™ FINISH and ULTIMELT™ Lip Shine & Shaping Technology in 3 juicy shades.

Price:
S$23 at Sephora. I think the Chubby sticks are retailing at S$26.

Texture:
Non-sticky, balmy texture. It feels like you're applying a normal lip balm. 

Scent: 
A light vanilla scent.

Swatch:
Fuchsia-Ristic appears to be a bright neon orange in the tube. On a hand swatch, it looks like a pretty coral pink, which is why I bought it in the first place! However, on the lips, it is a juicy pinky fuchsia.

Packaging:
The gloss stick is housed in a fuss-free sleek black pencil. There's no need to sharpen because you can just twist up more product. Given the nature of the brand, I would expect the packaging to be more...i don't know...flamboyant and girly?



What I like:

• The gloss stick feels really moisturizing and balmy, but non-sticky at the same time.
• I love how the gloss stick adds a juicy, slightly watery effect to the lips. Sometimes lip gloss can be too reflective/shiny, but the gloss stick is just nice!
• Buildable colour.
• Multi-tasker. It is basically a 3-in-1 product. Lip balm + gloss + colour!

What can be improved:
Not to lie, I was slightly disappointed that the actual lip swatch wasn't the pretty coral that I expected! Currently there're only 3 colours- nude, plum and fuchsia, so I definitely hope they'll bring out more colours!

Personally, I would classify the gloss stick as a glossy balm stain. It serves as a lip colour, but is also hydrating enough such that you can go without a lip balm, and the best of it all, it has a juicy glossy shine. The gloss and hydration last about 45min to an hour, but the colour is pretty pigmented and long lasting. I think I reach for the gloss stick more often than my other lip products because it's so easy and fuss-free, I don't even need a mirror to apply it. Hope Sephora starts bringing in a wider range of S&G products!

On my lips:
Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Fuchsia-Ristic

Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner Review

Dollywink's liquid liner has been my go-to eyeliner for awhile now. I like the thin brush, phenomenal colour payoff and the fact that it does not smudge on me. Pencil liners are not my favorite because they tend to smudge easily (Stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner, I'm looking at you -.-), leaving me with raccoon eyes and they are not as long-lasting as liquid liners.

As I was browsing through Qoo.sg one day, I noticed that they were having a sale on Clio's eyeliners. It was a lot cheaper compared to retail price, and I was intrigued by the fact that it's a gel liner but in pencil form! Furthermore, Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner is advertised to be waterproof, long lasting and non-smudging. Big claims in my opinion.

I got 2 shade- Beige Shine (glittery champagne shade) and dark choco (chocolate brown with gold shimmers).

Price:

It's retailing at $18.95 in Watsons, but I got it at $10.40 on Qoo.sg. It took about 2 weeks to arrive since the seller had to send it over from Korea.

Texture:

Creamy texture, glides on easily.

Swatch:

Eye swatch with Dark Choco at upper lash line and Beige Shine at the inner corner.

Packaging:
The liners are housed in one of those twist up pencils, so it's pretty convenient. They also provided a small sharpener at the end of the pencil.

What I like:

-Glides on easily
-Fuss-free
-Relatively smudge-proof. I have to say Clio's eyeliners smudge the least on me as compared to other pencil liners I've tried (both high-end and drugstore). It still smudges a little, but nothing too drastic.

What can be improved:

-Colour could be more intense. I usually have to go over 2-3 times to get the intensity I want.
-Lasting power is not amazing. I would definitely opt for a liquid liner if I'm going to be out all day. But I think it's fine for a short meet-up over a meal.

Personally I find that I get more use out of Dark Choco than Beige Shine. I think Stila'a kitten is still my favorite for inner corner highlight and it lasts longer than Beige Shine. For the price I paid, I think it was worth the money. It is good for days where I just want to rock a softer eye look, and it's also nice to switch up products once in awhile for a different look!