By Kit Tng
On a lazy weekend, when the heavy rains of the night before had washed away the haze, there was nothing better than a drive to the sun-kissed beaches of Sentosa.
We went topless … literally, yes! Four of us went on a joyride to the beach in Oppa Peugeot style!
Getting into the new 308CC, we were pretty impressed with the interior of this car. The piano black finishes at the centre console, the chrome lining around the aircon vents, the white instrument clusters and the leather seats that wraps around you snugly gives the car a very opulence feel.
All the buttons and controls are well laid out. The steering wheel is equipped with multi-function controls that control everything that you need while driving. The Bluetooth connectivity was also a major plus point as we could stream music from smartphone through the sound system and receive any calls – hands-free.
At the push of the button, the roof began to fold. This caught the attention of a kid standing nearby and he excitedly shouted to his mother, “Transformer!!!”
In 20 seconds, the roof disappeared and off we zoomed!
Driving the 308CC was surprisingly engaging, the 1.6-litre engine provides the power when required through the twin-scrolled turbo-chargers and the experience was extremely refined when cruising along the highways.
The breezy, smooth ride took us to our favourite beach bar, the Bora Bora Beach Bar on Sentosa island.
Bora Bora Beach Bar
Almost next to the water’s edge, Bora Bora Beach bar is the perfect place to chill on a late Saturday morning. There is no dress code so just come in with your flip-flops, board shorts, swim wears and as much laid-back attitude as possible. Groove on the Latin music, sit back and relax. Enjoy the refreshing beverages served up in yard bottles of sexy, curvy shapes and sizes!
Food is comforting and unpretentious at Bora Bora. Spearheaded by Chef Walter, dishes like Tandoori Pizza, Beef Lasagna, Chicken Galleto and the Vongole are some of the undisputed favourites here. The Chicken Galleto is perfectly grilled yet moist and tender with a generous helping of grilled vegetables, all laced with Bora Bora ‘secret recipe’ sauce.
The Beef Lasagna deserves special mention: the chef folds the pasta rather than layering it so that the ensuing dish packs more bite and retains the flavour of the meat, though more cheese would have been appreciated.
Vongonle in specially concocted broth.
Beef burger with thick and juicy patty.
Bora Bora Beach Bar and the team.
Time for a joyride back to the city. It needs a little getting used to driving a ‘topless’ car. Nothing technical but you can get head turners, gazes and the curious looks. The 308CC sweeping lines on the bonnet, the stylishly swept back headlights and ‘eyebrows’ LED daytime running lights give the car a very provocative style. Towards the rear, the slopping A-pillars meets the curved folding roofs, adding a distinct aerodynamic profile just like how any sporty coupe should be.
Oh well… some drivers attempted to cut our lanes and ‘outrun’ us but who cares? That shouldn’t crimp the Oppa Peugeot Style!
It was all fun, babes (yes, two on board) and food. Hungry pangs hit us and we rolled down to Keong Saik road for Wine Mansion Bistro.
Wine Mansion Bistro
Keong Saik road is located within a conservation area in Chinatown and is flanked by two and three-storey high shophouses on both sides of the street. Wine Mansion is situated right in the middle of this heritage-filled location. The surroundings exude an atmosphere of timeless elegance and tranquility.
Wine Mansion Bistro, as the name implies, serves an extensive variety of quality wine and mouth-watering delights thoughtfully prepared to pair with the wines. Just to name a few favourites, the Seafood Tapas is a clear winner as an entrée due to it rich and flavourful sauce; the well-seasoned Lamb Shank is cooked until tender with juices marinating each bite.
Lamb Shank with asparagus.
To indulge your sweet tooth, the apple pie with vanilla ice cream can satiate that craving.
Wine mansion bistro is a great place to hang out with friends and chill with a glass of wine and comfort food set in a chic interior.
The day ended with a very decent camwhoring session against the lovely backdrop of Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer.
Special thanks to the sole distributor of Peugeot Singapore, AutoFrance for the weekend test drive in the New Peugeot 308CC! Now it has become a dream car for some of us.
You look very happy in the car :p