*Memoirs of Food

Marriott Cafe: Discounted Standards at Discounted Price?

2012-01-27T03:06:00.001+08:00

On the many occasions that I walked past Marriott Hotel, the outdoor cafe always seems to be promising for a good chillout session. Their high tea buffet was also something that I wanted to try. So when the girlfriend's classmates asked us along for a 1-for-1 online deal some time ago (3 months, actually..), I thought I could finally check it out!

Well, not quite. It turned out that Marriott Hotel was undergoing a major facelift and had shifted the cafe upstairs. The dining area was mostly converted from corridor space and even the ballrooms were opened up to handle the influx of customers. Let's just focus on what's important then: The buffet spread!

Drinks Selections - Free flow of juices available, though I doubt they were straight from the fruits. Lime was the safest choice!

Assorted Cold Starters - Seafood were pretty fresh stuff, though the oysters seemed to be a little underfed in size. Sushi selection was minimal, while smoked salmon made up for the lack of sashimi.

Assorted Finger Sandwiches - Cold ones that weren't worth the stomach space.
Prata with Curry - These were so rubbery that my jaws were literally sore from the chewing. Curry was watery too. Next.

Assorted Dim Sum - Starchy and thick-skinned. Never again.
Kueh Pie Tee - Soggy and underflavoured.
Popiah - Same filling as above. What do you think?
Basmati Rice with Curry - Not the fluffy, grainy texture that I was looking for.

Rojak - You could pretty much adjust it to your liking since it's DIY-styled, but the you tiaos were kind of rubbery after being left in the open.
Laksa - Rich and milky broth with a good kick of spice. Finally, something very decent!

Mini Pizzas, Fried Pancake, Breaded Minced Meat - Kids-friendly bites.
Beef Short Ribs - Something which I would love but unfortunately, the batch I had were slightly undercooked with blood around the bones.
Oyster Omelette - Served at the live station, the gooey mix had the fragrance of eggs and was slightly crispy on the outside. Many reruns for it!

Cake Selections - Nothing stood out, frankly. A far cry from their deli creations.
Ice Cream Selections - Build your own tower! Old-school yam worked for me.

At $22.36 nett per person, the high tea spread would still be worth your time, but I honestly hope that this isn't the type of quality served during regular pricing. I would expect plenty out of hotel buffets usually and even more given the brand name of Marriott. We shall see after the revamp then.

Marriott Cafe
320 Orchard Road
Singapore Marriott Hotel
Tel: 6831 4605

Taken with Nikon D70

Reunion With The Dragon!

2012-01-22T15:53:00.001+08:00

Lovely wishes for the Hungs from the thoughtful girlfriend

Updates have been a little slow lately, but I promise plenty of write-ups on my Hong Kong and Bangkok trips soon!

On this Chinese New Year Eve, I wish for everyone to have a joyeous reunion dinner with your family, and may the dragon year ahead brings prosperity for all!

预祝大家身体健康, 龙年行大运! 吃团圆饭咯!

Taken with Nikon D70

CP Microwavable Meals: Quick Fix In Minutes!

2012-01-17T02:00:00.002+08:00

Remember that I won a CP goodie bag from the Biggest Eater competition some time ago? Well I have finally finished eating all of it (The goodies, not the bag of course)! And to be fair, all of them were "cooked" using the fastest and simplest method: Microwave oven!

Chicken Green Curry With Rice, Shrimp Wanton in Tomyum Soup

From Blue Elephant's oh-my-goodness rendition to KFC Thailand's budget fix, green curry is definitely my soft spot in Thai food. So as long as it doesn't taste horribly wrong, I will lick clean the very last drop! CP's version was mildly spicy with red chilli bits, but the sweet and milky flavour still made a good companion of rice. Too bad about the tough chicken chunks though.

A variation of their bestseller! Soup was fiery with a strong tomato aftertaste, while the wantons, needless to say, were still of the usual excellent quality with smooth skin and chunky whole prawns.

Curry Wings, Spaghetti in Chicken Sauce

Well marinated with Thai-styled curry, I guessed the drumlets would taste even better when deep-fried. Microwaving seemed to have force out the grease and left it slightly dry.

The most straightforward (ie boring) of all, it was simply chicken bolognese pasta with flat flavours. The small dope of spaghetti made it more suitable as a snack rather than a meal.

I'm not sure how much they cost, but the prices of processed food aren't exactly cheap in Singapore. And given the convenience of neighbourhood coffeeshops, its hard to justify getting a processed pack of spaghetti over walking to that western food store and dapao a box of freshly made one.

Then again, microwavable food can really be life savers when you are at your wits-end for an extra dish at tonight's dinner, or when the hunger pang strikes in the wee hours. The chicken green curry rice will make a real good backup in my freezer!

CP Microwavable Selections
Available at supermarkets islandwide

Taken with Nikon D70

Azur II: Buffet For The Dragon Year!

2012-01-13T04:02:00.005+08:00

This is an invited session

Traditionally, a lunar new year meal will have families hurdling around a big table and feasting on auspicious-sounding dishes. But sometimes it gets difficult for smaller-sized families to finish a whole fish, chicken, or in the case of Yusheng, tossed between a young couple. Eating at a buffet then seems like a pretty good idea and Azur might just be the place to go!

I first made contact with the buffet restaurant of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport when a buddy of mine celebrated his 21st birthday here. Besides the awesome company, the food itself was definitely worth remembering with the likes of meaty boston lobsters and fresh drunken prawns. So when I received the invitation to try out their new additions to the buffet line this lunar new year, I was looking forward to a good spread already!

Besides the festive dishes, Azur will also continue to serve their western favourites such as live stations for grills and pastas. On my previous visit, I remembered the desserts as being exquisitely presented in tasting portions so that guests could try a bit of everything without feeling overly stuffed. I'm glad that it had remained that way!

What's a Singaporean CNY meal without yusheng? That's right, Azur will be serving it fresh at a live counter! The chef will proportionise the ingredients and sauces according to the number of diners, then you can have a mini lohei at your own table! Just don't be too rowdy lest strands of veggies fly to the next table!

For the joyous occasion, Head Chef Alvin Leong has specially created a Ginger Shoyu Dressing for the yusheng and used crispy salmon skin as one of the base ingredients. While the buffet will only serve the yusheng with Norwegian salmon, you can order a takeaway yusheng for 8 pax with salmon ($48.00++), abalone ($68.00++), or both ($88.00++)!

Standby your chopsticks.. and huat long long ah!

I thought that the tangy sauce gave the Chinese salad a light, refreshing touch, while the addition of salmon skin lent a savoury flavour and a good crunch besides the usual crackers. The seafood toppings proved to be luxurious but really, it was rather enjoyable on its own!

Now onto the other dishes!

Treasures From The Sea - With quality ingredients like ~~shark fins~~ (Edited: Azur has consciously left out shark fins for this CNY, much apologies for the mistake!), fish maw and dried scallops, the flavourful seafood broth could hardly turn out wrong! The not-too-slimy texture was to my liking too.

Steamed Garoupa in Pickle Chilli - Instead of the traditional steaming with pork fats and soy sauce, Chef Alvin gave it a slightly spicy kick and used deep-fried lard instead, a sinful but oh-so-good nibble among the smooth fish meat. Note: For convenience sake, garoupa fillets will be served at the buffet instead.

Sea Prawn with Planta Butter and Salted Egg - Coated with a crispy, savoury batter, the huge prawns were fresh and chunky and in the words of a fellow diner: "Tasted almost like lobster". A fine expansion from their drunken prawns!

Roasted Chicken with Miso and Sesame - Not a fan of the bird (In Singapore, at least), but was thankful that tender chicken thighs were used and nicely marinated with the Japanese paste.

Braised Sea Cucumber with King Mushroom and Seasonal Vegetable - Sea delicacy that was stench-free and cooked to a good, jelly-like texture. Please be nice and take the accompanying veggies as well!

Wax Meat Fried Rice with Tea Leaf and Scallion - Another innovation, Chef Alvin painstakingly cooked the rice with tea, dried the leaves, diced and fried it all together with waxed sausages, waxed pork and waxed duck meat.

I'm a big fan of fried rice so I definitely favoured this over the traditional glutinous rice, but I did wish that the aftertaste of Pu-er Tea would be stronger and linger a little longer in the mouth.

Chilled Milk Pudding with Caramelized Banana and Coconut Ice Cream - The wobbly, creme bruelee-like pudding went really well with the ice cream and banana, as Chef Alvin told me that he got the inspiration from Hong Kong's Double Skin Milk Pudding (双皮炖奶). A very good sweet ending!

Now over the past few years, staycations have been gaining popularity among Singaporeans and Crowne Plaza definitely has some very unique selling points. How about this: a room that let you watch planes take off all day long? Sounds like something I could do for an entire afternoon with a cuppa in hand!

Oh, and don't worry about airplane noises. The rooms are fitted with sound-proof glasses to make sure you get a good night sleep!

At 36 square metres and with a eye-soothing, modern decor, the standard rooms are really spacious with clever designs, such as a wardrobe that doubles up as a minibar/coffee counter with a sliding panal. The huge glass wall separating the bathroom and bedroom let you watch tv in the bathtub even!

To pamper yourself more, opt for the luxurious suite with double the space and comfort!

Want even more pampering? Then upgrade yourself to Club Level! Oozing with style, guest could relax in the exclusive club lounge and even opt to have their buffet breakfast here.

With a rainforest design, the swimming pool is built among lush greenery that make you almost forget that you are near the airport. Not until you look up and see the air traffic control tower, at least!

While it might not be all that suitable for older generations, celebrating reunion dinners (tables still available!) or the subsequent days at Azur might be ideal for the younger crowd, where one can indulge in traditional chinese cuisine and balance it out with western fares at the same time. With its commendable standards and diverse choices, you will have a jolly good buffet feast in the dragon year!

Special thanks to Elena of McGagh Communications for the invite!

Azur Restaurant
75 Airport Boulevard, 2nd Floor
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Tel: 6823 5354
Visit the hotel's dining website for latest promotions!

Chinese New Year Buffet Lunch
January 23, 2012, Monday to January 24, 2012, Tuesday - S$58++ per person
January 27, 2012, Friday to January 29, 2012, Sunday - S$48++ per person
February 3, 2012, Friday to February 6, 2012, Monday - S$48++ per person

Chinese New Year Buffet Dinner
January 22, 2012, Sunday – S$98++ per person
January 23, 2012, Monday to January 24, 2012, Tuesday - S$88++ per person
January 25, 2012, Wednesday to February 6, 2012, Monday – S$68++ per person

Taken with Nikon D70

Xin Cuisine II: Feast With The Dragon!

2012-01-10T07:00:00.002+08:00

This is an invited session

Celebrating this year's Lunar New Year feels particularly exciting because its finally the Dragon's turn! Besides the reminder that I'm approaching quarter-life, its nice to see your own animal zodiac in the limelight! Need a tested-and-proven place for the occasion? You can always count on Xin Cuisine!

After last year's memorable meal, I was glad to receive Xin Cuisine's invitation again to try out some of this year's creations. With set menus ranging from $188++ for 2 pax to top-of-the-line $3999++ for 10 pax, they will have something suitable for every family. As of last Thursday, tables are still available for dinner on the eve!

With private rooms named after tea, we did have the light and flowery 雨花香 for our dinner. Still loving the restaurant's touch of elegance!

Xin's Gold Leaf Australian Lobster Yusheng (Part of $2012.00++ set for 10 pax)

No prize for guessing which dish we started off for the night! A departure from their signature pyramid, Xin Cuisine created an energetic-looking dragon out of shredded vegetables!

Still as aesthetically presented were the sashimi assortment (Lobster, Salmon, Tuna, Japanese Sweet prawns, Cobia) for the yusheng. As geoduck clams were not in stock that day, they made up for it with plenty of lobster meat! I remember taking a similar shot of the salmon last year, but I just could not resist the pretty rose-like presentation again!

The lobster looked on as the sashimi was added to the yusheng..

Ready, and huat ah!

For me, tossing of yusheng has always been more of an auspicious formality rather than tasting good. If I had to compare, I would prefer last year's experience as it used much lesser ginger and had bursts of refreshing pomelo. But I guess that's something they had to compromise to bring out the colours of the dragon. Again, the fresh sashimi were a great complement though it was a little hard to pick them out among the veggie sea.

Pan-Fried Scallop With Eggplant in Japanese Sauce

Our second dish was a fusion attempt done right. A serving of succulent scallop on a thick cut of juicy eggplant and balanced with a layer of savoury miso paste. Wouldn't mind seconds at all!

Double-boiled Shark's Fin and Baby Cabbage in Chicken Broth

I would have prefer this light-tasting soup to be stronger in flavour, but that's really just me. The Chinese delicacy had done its job well although I did find the pairing of wantons a little odd. Note: Shark fins are now off Xin Cuisine's regular menu but can be served upon request.

Steamed Garoupa Fillet with Beancurd in Light Soya Sauce

When it comes to fish for the chinese new year, I'm still pretty much a traditionalist to prefer seeing it as a whole and simply steamed to perfection. Nonetheless, this creation is really easy to eat and light on the palate, though I felt more minced tofu than fish for almost every bite.

Xin's Prosperity Pen Cai ($398.00/$298.00 for takeaway)

Now speed-read this: Lobster, Abalone, Shark's fin, Fish Maw, Sea Cucumber, Dried Oyster, Dried Scallop, Wolfberry, Fresh Scallop, Jellyfish, Mushroom, Sea Moss, Fish Maw, Bamboo Pith, Radish, Sea Whelk and Chinese Cabbage. Which item appeared twice?

Fish Maw! That's because 花胶 and 鱼鳔 are essentially the same part of the fish but produced differently. I'm not going bore you year after year on the history of Pen Cai and why this, technically, is not a Pen Cai, but the sumptuous pot of goodies was indeed very filling.

The Imperial Pen Cai last year is still available on the menu, as well as the more poultry-based Traditional Pen Cai. Personally, I still favour the former out of all three for its sticky, collgen-nish broth after the addition of goose webs.

Bird Nest's with Almond Cream, Deep Fried Xin's Nian Gao

Not sure if it was meant to be a trend, but I found the dishes for the night generally light in taste, including this bird nest dessert. The nian gao was expectedly well done with a crispy coating and sticky, chewy texture.

Fried Sesame Balls with Red Bean and Chocolate Liqueur Filling

And while you are at Xin's, do end off with their famed alcoholic sweets. These potent little guys sure pack a punch!

It seems like a meal at Xin Cuisine will never disappoint. Although my vote will go for last year's dinner when doing a year-on-year comparison, the dishes are slightly different and tweaked to suit varying themes. Quality remains top-notch as Executive Chef Kwan Yiu Kan continues to innovate and impress customers, old and new, every year. Book soon to avoid disappointment!

Xin Cuisine
317 Outram Road
Level 4, Holiday Inn Atrium
Tel: 6731 7173
Join their facebook page for special discounts and takeaway menu!

Special thanks to Tracy of Holiday Inn Atrium for the invite!

Taken with Nikon D70

EwF: Gourmet Fast Food!

2012-01-07T04:00:00.003+08:00

Every now and then I like to observe and complain about our fast food. The prices and portions are always moving in the inverse directions! Just when I thought that Carls Junior would be the only positive exception, I found solace in another not-so-conventional fast food place that has become my periodic hangout: EwF!

Located at the ground floor of the still-rather-quiet Orchard Central, EwF is a fast food spin off of Everything With Fries, retaining a few signature burgers on the menu and introducing even more awesome ones. Queue up, order, get a number, and have your food made fresh and sent to your table!

Since there is no service charge, everything is pretty DIY except for the delivery part. Collect your own utensils at the counter and grab a few packets of sauce as well. The mustard one is a rarity!

Har Jeong Kai Burger ($6.90)

This was the main reason that made me keep coming back for more! While I would usually lament about the lack of prawn paste in the chicken zichar dish, the chefs here certainly spared no hands in marinating the juicy meat, then deep frying it with a crispy batter that gave it an even stronger prawn paste taste. Sandwiched between refreshing lettuce and tomato slices and a warm, toasted bun, it sure was repeatedly addictive!

On separate occasions, I had the Charsiew Burger ($7.90) which was also fantastic with fatty pork belly meat and had a caramelised texture. Always a struggle to choose between this two!

Battered Fish Sandwich Meal ($9.90)

The girlfriend loved how her fish burger was every time served hot, crispy and not dripping with oil. Topping up a couple of dollars, you can get a drink and a huge serving of their flavoured fries. Curry and Sour Cream and Onions are our favourites!

Warm Apple Crumble ($4.00 with meal purchase)

Need a sweet ending? Pick something from their desserts selection then! While their signature Nutella Tart is always tempting, we discovered that the apple crumble was pretty good too, with generous layers of crunchy apple slices and a thick coat of the sugary brittle bits on top. Yum!

Bill for two would usually be less than $24. Though slightly more pricey than the usual fast food, EwF definitely bowls over with its huge servings and unique creations. I need another fix of HJK burger already!

EwF by Everything With Fries
181 Orchard Road, #01-24/25
Orchard Central
Tel: 6634 8358

Taken with Nikon D70

2012, Here We Come!

2011-12-31T21:40:00.001+08:00

Hope everyone has been eating well this holidays! I myself had quite a yummy Christmas in Hong Kong, going beyond the usual dim sum and enjoyed outstanding Spanish and Italian meals. And as I'm typing this post, I'm still thinking about my Green Curry KFC in the afternoon!

Yes I'm back in the Land of Smiles, this time with the girlfriend for a shop-till-die journey. Won't be writing much now as I still have to go prepare for our New Year Eve feast in the hotel room! Just to wish everyone a joyous celebration tonight!

Cheers to a full-filing year ahead!

Taken with Nikon D70

Ramen Champion: Tetsu's Intensive Soup Stock!

2011-12-29T00:54:00.003+08:00

So I finally got over my obsession with Bario and moved on to try the other stores at Ramen Champion. Next on the list: Tetsu!

Very Rich Special Paitan Tsukemen ($12.50)

Renowned for their dipping ramen, Tetsu was one of the first few places to use hot broth instead of the usual cold version to make Tsukemen. It took me less than a second to decide which item to go for as the "very rich" and "special" was too tempting to be resisted!

The first thing that stuck me was how good the noodles were on its own. Smooth, gleaming surface with a chewy texture, it was very different from my preferred choice of hakata-styled thin noodles yet being really addictive till the end.

Stewed with pork, chicken and seafood, the stock was almost gravy-like with a thick, grainy texture. Dip the bland noodles into this rich and intensive creation and you will get one darn well tasting combination. My basic noodles came with only one slice of charsiew, but there's nothing to stop you from adding more and a boiled egg!

Now please don't try to drink the gravy as it is definitely way too salty on its own. Once you are done with the noodles, go back to the store and dilute it with hot fish stock, then you can slurp up every bit of that yummy broth.

Tetsu's Tsukemen was definitely an eye-opener for me, a breakaway from the traditional ramen and still very attractive on its own. Next time, I'm gonna upsize my noodles to enjoy more of that gravy!

Ramen Champion (Tetsu)
201 Victoria Street
Bugis Iluma #04-08/09/10
Tel: 6238 1011

Taken with Nikon D70

Pow Sing: Much More Than Just Chicken Rice!

2011-12-26T00:30:00.000+08:00

If you had been following this blog, you would realise that I had never once talk about chicken rice. Well to be blunt, I do not think much (if any) of the birds available locally and the only attractive part of the dish is the pandan-infused, chicken-oiled rice. That makes writing very difficult eh? Well, thank goodness for Pow Sing then!

Situated in the enclave of Serangoon Gardens, Pow Sing Restaurant has been around for as long as my family migrated here, serving chicken rice and a whole range of nonya dishes. They have certainly expanded over the years, taking over adjacent shophouse spaces and witnessed challengers like Five Star to come and go. Weekends are usually full house affairs, requiring short waits if no reservations were made.

Petai Prawn (Small)($18.00), Sambal Kangkong (Small)($8.00)

I find that people don't really appreciate petai, or stink beans, these days. Perhaps its as acquired as durian or blue cheese, but my family certainly liked its nutty texture and how its paired with sambal and crunchy prawns over here.

The usual greens was not the spiciest rendition around, but they made up for it by going heavy on shrimp paste to give it a richer flavour.

Crispy Tauhu (Small)($8.00), Ngoh Hiang(Small)($8.00)

Must order for every visit! It might be the simplest dish around, but Pow Sing nailed it perfectly with skin that was slightly crispy and an interior that was so silky smooth and soft that it felt like beancurd dessert. You got to try it for yourself!

Give me this over the so-called prawn balls anytime, really. Instead of ones that restaurants tend to mix so much with minced pork and whats-not that you could barely taste prawn anymore, why not just have the proper stuff with crunchy water chestnut bits? Yummy with the accompanying sweet sauce!

Fish Head Curry (Large)($36.00), Chicken Rice ($1.00/pax)

For me, the star is always the curry, not the head! Although we thought that Pow Sing's fish was not fantastic with rather coarse and bland meat, the tangy curry never fails to whet my appetite and make me polish off a lot more rice than I should!

Well if you are big on chicken rice, then go ahead with a few more bowls! The fluffy, fragrant rice is charged per pax so its like free-flow as long as your stomach could take it. Great for growing schoolboys and hungry NSFs who need their carbo load!

Whole Chicken ($36.00)

Okay okay, I think I have to customarily run through this since its a chicken rice place after all. While it wouldn't appear on family visits, there's really no reason to avoid it when dining with friends. To be fair, the gleaming skin was nicely done while the meat was tender and succulent at most parts, but that's all I have to say. Singapore's chicken severely lacks the "chicken" taste. If you could, go eat some chicken in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or even in our neighbouring Malaysia and you would probably understand what I mean.

Dining at Pow Sing will cost you about 20odd per person after taxes. That might be pricier than most family restaurants, but their tasty rice and delightful nonya creations (Awesome deep fried sotong too!) certainly made my family return time and again, and the number one place to bring tourist friends to for a taste of the famed local dish. As for me, curry, tauhu and rice makes a drool-worthy combo already!

Pow Sing Restaurant
63-65 Serangoon Garden Way
Tel: 6282 7972

Taken with Nikon D70

Sharing Wallpapers This Christmas!

2011-12-21T01:28:00.007+08:00

I'm not a Christian, but I love celebrating Christmas and the idea of sharing with loved ones. While you won't find any product giveaways on this blog, I think there are something else which I am pretty willing to give, if people wants them!

Here's a collection of photos which have been featured here at some point of time, and which I have been using as my laptop wallpapers. Do feel free to download and use them on yours! Psst, Windows 7 can auto-change wallpapers on a timed basis so put that to good use too!

I'm running on a 1366 x 768 resolution with desktop icons lined up on the left, and most of the photos look fine on my screen. I have not included any sort of watermark, so I will appreciate it if you don't claim them as your creations!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Steak, The Dunearn

Dessert, The Dunearn

Pork Chop, Oriole Cafe

Homecooked Meal

Club Sandwich, Kim Gary

Bread Basket, Sky on 57

Char Siew Puff, Crystal Jade

Salad, Dolce Vita

Cold Tomato Soup, Wolf Brasserie

Condiments, Hilton Pattaya

Taken with Nikon D70

Halia: Christmas Brunching!

2011-12-17T05:31:00.003+08:00

This is an invited session

December is always a jolly month. The students have their holidays, the adults have their bonuses (huat ah!) and of course, its Christmas season for everyone! Well this year's Christmas Day falls just right on a Sunday and that, foodie or not, is a perfect reason to celebrate with a get-together brunch! If you don't have a place in mind for that yet, Halia might just be the one you are looking for!

Located among the greenery of Botanic Gardens, I last visited the quaint Halia in early 2010 with a joyous bunch of foodies (Ahh, the memories!). Having celebrated their 10th anniversary recently, it underwent a mini makeover as the indoor seating area was refitted with a open kitchen concept, while the original wine bar was shifted to the alfresco area. The outdoor tables seemed to be reshuffled (from my memories) as well, but nonetheless a hit with patrons for the "dining in the garden" feel.

Chef Reynaldo Arriola (Right)

Halia also welcomed a new Chef de Cuisine, Reynaldo Arriola, upon its 10th anniversary. With his Filipino Spanish background, SHATEC foundation and Michelin-Starred experiences, Chef Reynaldo is revamping Halia's menu for a whole new dining experience, introducing Asian touches to modern European cuisine.

I was invited to try out part of the Christmas brunch menu that will be presented on 25th itself, one session only!

Priced at $108++ with Alcohol ($88++ without) and $38++ for child, pre-booking is still available as they will be opening up Halia Villa opposite as well. Christmas decor is always mood-lifting to look at and in case you are worrying, reindeer meat is not on the menu!

For the session, we tried 3 starters and 6 desserts, a small fraction of the spread on the actual day. Live stations will be available as well!

Beef Carpaccio - Fresh and juicy with a tinge of lemon, what's there to fault with my favourite Italian starter?

White Prawn on Butter Lettuce - Crunchy halved prawns, very appetising with the special blend of spicy mayonnaise
Ocean Trout en Croute - Double thumbs up! Chunky seafood goodness with a rich, creamy sauce, enclosed in a puff that was yummy even in the cold. Would have second and third helpings of this!

Chocolate Dome - Chocoholics would love its dense texture, but one small slice was enough for me.
Mixed Berry Tart - Quite the ordinary, frankly.

Coffee Cardamom Creme Brulee - Just imagine an aromatic cup of coffee in pudding form. Would gladly have this every morning if it could give me the same caffeine effect!
Pecan Pie - My favourite dessert among all! Loved the bite-sized portion and nutty taste of pecan!

Strawberry Oreo Cheesecake - Mmm.. another one of the "one-round-enough" dessert.
Pumpkin Pie - Lightly flavoured with a custard-like texture. Good if you don't like your desserts overly sweetened!

Besides the Christmas brunch, Halia also whipped up some new festive creations for that will be available till the end of this year. Let's start with the cocktails!

My Mistletoe ($20++) was shaken with a vodka base and largely flavoured with the melon liqueur of Midori. Not bad!

Didn't try the Candy Cane ($20++) and Sparkles ($20++), keep a lookout for them on other blogger writeups!

Prefer something non-alcoholic? Have the Ginger Jive ($12++) then! The orange-based mocktail had the cooling aftereffect of ginger!

Moving on to the new starters! Honey Baked Ham ($32++) has just been upped to the luxury level with the usage of Kurobuta pork! Went surprisingly well with caramelised fig.

If you prefer seafood instead, the Crystal Bay King Prawn Cocktail ($32++) will suit you well. Served with colourful cubes of beetroot and mango, the flavours are further enhanced by the distinctive calypso sauce.

The Grilled Blue Eye Cod Fish ($78++) is rather different from your usual cod fish, being less fatty and more firm in nature. A pity that the miso paste on top wasn't well fire-controlled and the accompanying spinach polenta was a tad dry.

Now I'm not a fan of turkey meat, so the Roast Turkey Supreme ($68++) came across as tough and dry for me. To each his own!

Oh wait, there's still desserts! The Christmas Soufflé ($22++) was pure comfort stuff, made with white chocolate and cleverly paired with salted caramel ice cream for a sweet savoury finish.

The Pistachio Mille feuille ($22++), on the other hand, was more lightly flavoured as the American classic Eggnog stood out in the form of ice cream.

To really complete the Halia (aka Ginger) experience, why not end the meal with a pot of Hot Halia Infusion ($10++)? The house specialty of sun-dried ginger and wild mountain honey doesn't overpowers like Chinese ginger tea and will leave you with a warm tummy on the way out!

Regardless of its Christmas brunch or its seasonal creations, Halia will have some pleasant surprise for you and your loved ones this festive holiday. So remember to book soon if Christmas in the Gardens sounds good to you!

The Halia Restaurant
1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Tel: 8444 1148
Click for Christmas Brunch Menu and Festive Creations!

Special thanks to Karen of FoodNews for the invite!

Taken with Nikon D70

Ah Loy Thai: Tom Yum First, Then Ice Cream!

2011-12-13T02:30:00.003+08:00

Despite having made countless trips to the awesome Tom's Palette opposite and hearing much about its affordability and authenticity, I have never stepped into Ah Loy Thai all these years. And so we finally decided to give it a go one weekday evening!

Recently expanded and renovated, Ah Loy Thai has been serving fuss-free, nett-pricing Thai fare for a really long time. The queue can be notorious even on weekdays so we were lucky to arrive early and had the liberty to choose our table!

Apologies for the blurry shots, was terribly hungry!

Fresh Lemon Tea ($1.00)

The Thais have their own rendition of milk tea and lemon tea which are distinctively different from the Hong Kongers' version and admittedly, I'm more inclined towards the latter. Nonetheless, a good cold drink to extinguish flames from the fiery tom yums!

Crispy Mango Chicken ($7.50), Fried Kangkong ($4.50)

Delicious stuff! Deep-fried chicken with real crisp skin, sweet mango slices and drizzled with a bit of sweet chilli sauce. Give me a bowl of rice and I will be satisfied to have just a meal of this!

Our stir-fried greens seemed to be put together rather haphazardly, while the spice level was something even I would find lacking.

Seafood Tom Yum ($7.90), Fried Glass Noodles ($6.50)

Now this was seriously value for money; One huge claypot of soup with plenty of sliced fish, prawns and straw mushroom, many refills for the two of us! The spiciness was a far cry from the kangkong too. Fiery red and chokeful of diced chilli, it got me sweating and tearing in double quick time. Luckily, it wasn't only a one dimensional flavour as I rather enjoyed the sweet aftertaste.

While very generous with the prawns, the chewy noodles was just alright as I thought it could absorb more flavours.

Bill for two was $28.00 with no additional taxes. Although there wasn't much to fault, I don't see any compelling reason to queue up ages for their food. Furthermore, kitchen service was a tad slow as we were almost halfway through each dish before the next one came. Then again, with its wallet-friendly pricing, Ah Loy Thai will be an affordable fix before heading for my favourite Apple Pie Ice Cream five steps away!

Ah Loy Thai
100 Beach Road
#01-39/40 Shaw Tower
Tel: 9165 1543

Taken with Nikon D70

M Hotel: Weekend Staycation!

2011-12-09T02:02:00.003+08:00

For our anniversary this year, the girlfriend and I decided to spend a Saturday at Universal Studios Singapore (among the first to ride Transformer 3D!), pampering ourselves further with a hotel stay for the night! And there were two reasons why I chose M Hotel!

Constantly awarded as one of the best business hotels in Singapore, M Hotel has a weekend staycation promo at $168++ that includes a one-way complimentary transport to Sentosa. Just what we needed! Furthermore, we weren't constrained to shuttle bus timings since we could just flag a cab, get the receipt and claim it back from the hotel later on. Simple!

Knowing that we were rushing to get to USS, the nice front desk manager allowed us to check into a Superior Room on club level as early as 9am! With a contemporary design, the spacious room was comfortable with its 37inch television, extended armchair and a large work desk (that proved to be very useful later on). Toilet amenities was adequate as there was a standing shower and a bathtub to soak in.

Comfort TV food after a tiring day at USS! Not in the mood for a proper fork and knife dinner, we digged the idea of lazing and feasting on finger-licking good fried chicken in the comfort of our room! That being said, the room service menu seemed pretty impressive as the 3 courses set dinner at $40 had cod fish or steak as mains.

And the second reason for choosing M Hotel was that the package included buffet breakfast for two as well! Good value indeed! The spread at Cafe 2000 wasn't extensive, but the quality of certain items kept us happy.

Fried Bee Hoon - Surprisingly well flavoured with a glimpse of oil that made it particularly smooth down the throat.
Prata with Vegetable Curry - Neither rubbery nor crispy. Passable.
Cheese and Salami Selection - Pity about the packet cheese instead of real whole ones, decent ham and beef salami.
Mini Croissant - Warm, flaky and buttery. I like!

Western Selection - The usual bacons, sausages, baked beans, scrambled eggs and hash browns, though the black pepper chicken patty stood out with its not-so-processed taste.
Chinese Porridge - Too bland for our liking.

Love your eggs? Have the chef at the live counter done it anyway you want! I had mine omelette-styled with ham, cheese, mushrooms and capsicums!

Indian Vadai - Crispy and savoury. Good stuff!
Blueberry Pastry - Not too sweet with the same good dough of the croissant.

With its comfortable amenities and perks, M Hotel's staycation package was quite value for money for a short break without leaving the island. Book yourself a mini holiday soon!

M Hotel Singapore
81 Anson Road
Tel: 6224 1133
Check out their website for promotions!

Taken with Nikon D70

OChre: Celebrating Our 5th Anniversary!

2011-12-06T03:30:00.003+08:00

Last week the girlfriend and I celebrated another milestone in our relationship. No we are not getting married (yet =D), but we had been together for five years already! That's definitely worth a celebration no? The girlfriend had a simple request for dinner venue: Good ambience. So off we went to try out OChre!

Located at the top floors of Orchard Central, the Italian restaurant was definitely a good choice for dinner for two. With stylish furnishing and an open kitchen concept, there wasn't much of a weekday crowd while each table was also nicely spaced out for an non-intrusive meal. Service was also very much attentive, as plates were replaced and ice water was refilled promptly throughout.

The only pity was that the window seats didn't warrant any view of the skyline or Orchard Road below, no thanks to the building design.

Complimentary Bread Basket, Soup of The Day (Piccolo Size) ($7.00)

The way they served the bread was kind of odd. After introducing us to Ciabatta and Olive Bread, the staff then asked us to pick one, put it on our plates, and left the whole basket on our table. I mean, if you are serving the entire basket, wasn't the "picking" kind of redundant?

Anyway, it was hard to get impressed by any Ciabatta after you have tried The Dunearn's rendition, while I thought the other one was slightly better with its dense texture and prominent bits and taste of olive within.

We each had the supposedly smaller serving of Cream of Mushroom but was pleasantly surprised by its not-so-small size and thick, creamy flavour. Like!

Smoked Salmon Pizza ($20.00)

I had a pizza craving ever since the start of exams so I knew we had to order one from the menu! Unfortunately, while the thin dough was pretty well done with a crisp, smokey outer rim and chewy centre, it was generally lacking in flavours. The scarce usage of smoked salmon bits was also a let down as we could barely taste it among the mouthfuls of dough.

Seafood Tagliolini ($21.00), Duck Leg & Eggplant Tagliatelle ($18.00)

We liked how the pastas were available in Starter portions to try more at one go! While the seafood medley and its tomato cream sauce was just normal, the ragout of tender duck shreds and eggplant cubes was rather outstanding.

However, the biggest issue we had was the pasta itself. Somehow, the tagliolini tasted very much like the Chinese yellow noodles while the Tagliatelle resembled undercooked meepok. Not sure if it was meant to be like that but we weren't impressed at all.

Chocolate & Hazelnut Lava Cake ($13.00)

There's always room for desserts! Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I thought it would be even better if the cake itself was thinner, making more space for the gooey goodness of chocolate and hazelnut bits. It was also a little too petite for our preference.

Bill for two was $92.02 with no service charge, a rare sight for a place with dress code and fine-dining service. Food-wise, OChre didn't leave much of a positive impression but thankfully, the ambience made up for it as we spent a good three hours in the little haven. Here's to many many more 5 years ahead!

OChre Italian Restaurant
181 Orchard Road #11-03/04
Orchard Central
Tel: 66340423

Taken with Nikon D70

Confused Cooks: No-Frills Beer Pairing!

2011-12-03T02:00:00.002+08:00

Did Groupon change your makan life? I mean not dramatically, but its nice to see so many different kinds of restaurant offer daily! While I thought some established places might be overusing it (think Manhattan Fish Market these days, no Groupon no eat?), the plus point is that new places are using the source effectively to make themselves known. That's how we ended up at Confused Cooks one evening!

Located at Arab Street opposite Fika Cafe, its hard to classify the casual bistro's cuisine as they serve items ranging from burgers to rosti to Gado Gado! Another interesting thing is that they are a huge fan of imported beers, so its cool to pair your food with more than just Tiger. The tiny place could hardly hold 20 people, though getting a table was rather easy on a weekday night.

Toffee Apple Cider ($12.00), Zing Wings ($9.00)

My first attempt at Cider! With an apple juice base, the toffee-infused alcoholic cooler was fruity and refreshing, great for sweet-loving folks and would perhaps be popular among girls.

Wings with beer, of course! Though nothing particularly outstanding, it made a decent bite with Thai chilli sauce.

Tempura Fish Burger With Egg ($12.00), Meat Lover Burger ($20.00)

The girlfriend and I were in the mood for burgers! Her double fish fillet was nicely coated with a light, fluffy batter, paired with wasabi tartar sauce for that extra zing.

My tall-standing meat burger was quite a mouthful! You got beef patty, ham, bacon, breaded chicken, egg, cheese and even beef bolognese sauce drizzled all over it. Confusion indeed! The end result was unfortunately, equally confusing. The amount of meat made the burger felt rather processed and sodium-loaded. Also, perhaps the chef couldn't prepare everything at the same time, the combo was rather lukewarm when served.

Bill for two was $13.00 with no additional taxes and after a $20 Groupon voucher. Though there were hits and misses, Confused Cooks' unique range of alcohol and an all-day breakfast menu will probably be enticing enough for me to return. Egg benedicts with cider, anyone?

Confused Cooks
25 Arab Street
Tel: 6396 8422

Taken with Nikon D70

Shots: Laze The Afternoon Away With a Latte!

2011-11-30T03:00:00.011+08:00

Its nice to see that we have a lot more cafe choices these days other then the usual big names. And the person that you can be sure to rely on for the latest coffee joints is Gavin, who never fails to amaze me with the discoveries he made. I'm not a big fan of coffee, but the girlfriend and I decided to check out one of the earlier entrants to the cafe trend: Shots!

Located in the so-many-things-to-try Ann Siang Hill enclave, Shots served a neat range of coffee and light bites. The minimalist decor and quiet cliente was perfect for a Saturday afternoon with a good book or in my case, boring notes in hand.

Hazelnut Latte ($6.00), Tiramisu Latte ($6.00)

Seemed like both of us wanted something more than just regular Latte! As the base was smooth with bursts of coffee aroma, the girlfriend liked the distinct hazelnut flavour while I'm pretty satisfied with my tiramisu-tainted one and its sprinkling of cocoa powder.

Honey Baked Ham Fougasse ($11.80), Ham & Cheese Croissant ($5.80)

Frankly, I thought these were really overpriced. While both were decent and served warm, I really didn't fancy paying close to twenty bucks for something of minute portion and easily whipped up at home.

Bill for two was $29.60 with no additional taxes. With so many other interesting places to explore, it might be a long time before making a return trip. But if I do, at least I know that my afternoon will be well-spent with a good cuppa in one hand, and hopefully not with notes in the other!

Shots Espresso Bar
8 Ann Siang Hill
Tel: 6224 8502

Taken with Nikon D70

Dolce Vita: Sweet Living With Excellent Italian Fare!

2011-11-26T01:20:00.002+08:00

When dad came back for his birthday this year, the foodie friends were betting that I would coax him into celebrating it at CUT by Wolfgang Puck. Well that was a very high possibility given our love for steaks, but I knew that something else will take an even higher precedence; good Italian food! And so we made a reservation at Dolce Vita!

Located at the poolside of Mandarin Oriental and helmed by One Michelin-Starred chef Marco Pedrelli, Dolce Vita is a real pretty place to bring your date to or for a quiet family dinner. The al fresco area was charming with the citylights while the spacious indoor seating was soothing with its orange hue (reminded me of The Line actually) and modern furnishing. Service was also very much commendable as we were well attended to throughout the meal.

Bread Basket with Dips

There was just a single choice of warmed mini baguette, though I remember the dips as rather tangy and appetizing.

Salmon Cream Cracker, Salomon Undhof Pfaffenberg ($100.00)

Served as amuse bouche, the salmon cream was squeezed upon a sesame cracker, bore no fishy aftertaste and had a smooth texture. Made us look forward to our orders already!

Choice of alcohol for the night was a bottle of Austria Riesling. Still not as good as the German stuffs but definitely better than their Australian counterparts.

Carpaccio dello Chef ($26.00), Asparagi Alla Griglia($26.00)

As always, the family's favourite Italian starter made its appearance! Though the slices of raw beef looked a little more pink than usual, it was nonetheless fresh and flavourful, going well with rocket salad and shaved cheese.

The second starter came as a chef's recommendation. Strips of lightly grilled asparagus were paired with shaved Iberico Ham and drizzled with mushroom ragout, as the individually complex flavours balanced each other nicely. Impressive!

Tris Di Pasta ($36.00)

Not sure which pasta to go for? Let the chef choose for you then! Picking three signature creations into tasting portions, this dish allowed us to try more with less!

Crab Ravioli - Small packages of joy that was succulent and brimming with sea goodness.

Wild Forest Mushroom Tortellini - Juicy, earthly flavours with a delightful cream sauce.

Oxtail-Foie Gras Cannelloni - Served on a bed of sauteed spinach, it was the only one that I thought was a waste of quality ingredients. Couldn't quite taste the foie gras richness or the tender touch of oxtail shreds.

Risotto Con Tartufo Nero ($28.00), Linguine Ai Gamberoni ($36.00)

Dolce vita sure didn't scrimp on the prized black gold here! With the rice cooked to perfect hardness and blended with sliced mushrooms and cheese, the truffle aroma was very evident in every mouthful. My mom joked that people might mistaken the smell as a gas leak, but definitely not for us. Awesome!

The last pasta that we shared was still very good, but inevitably paled in comparison to the rest. Al dente noodles with a quality mix of seafood in light white wine sauce, very well done on its own but didn't manage to wow.

Tiramisu ($18.00), Torta Mele ($18.00)

Two sweets for sharing! The classic one was done to my liking, moist ladyfingers with notable hints of alcohol. The other, an apple tart with vanilla ice cream, was again good to have but nothing spectacular.

Bill for three was $308.80 after 15% Citibank discount and taxes. If you exclude the bottle of wine that ballooned the bill, dinner at Dolce Vita is actually very reasonable considering the quality, service and ambience in return. Sweet meal first, CUT can wait!

Dolce Vita
5 Raffes Avenue, 5th floor
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Tel: 6885 3551

Taken with Nikon D70

Peperoni Pizzeria: Gourmet Pizza in The Neighbourhood!

2011-11-23T01:05:00.013+08:00

Its not hard to find good thin-crust pizzas these days, but getting them at affordable prices and without the need to dress up is another thing. A pizza of upmarket quality in family-friendly settings seem impossible, no? But that's all gonna change with the growing chain of Peperoni Pizzeria!

Under the umbrella of Les Amis Group (the brand itself gives quality assurance already), Peperoni Pizzeria offers casual Italian dining without the eyesore 10% service charge (7% GST still applies though). At their latest Frankel Avenue outlet, the bright red steel chairs and well-lit interior make you comfortable enough to dine in khaiki shorts and to chuckle loudly with family and friends.

The eatery was so popular on a weekend night that the girlfriend and I could only have bar counter seats despite reservations! By the way, don't think that service quality will be sub-parred without the tax (I honestly don't see the link anywhere else either), as we were attended to by friendly staff who constantly top up our iced water.

Chicken Wings ($8.00), Hoegaarden, Half Pint ($10.00)

Sharing this as a pre-meal snack, the mid joints and drumlets were nicely marinated and coated with a lovely thin, crispy batter. Served fresh off the fryer, it was a little on the oily side though.

What's wings and pizza without beer? Settle for nothing but one of the best white beer around!

Suprema, Salmon, 12" Large ($23.00)

As they could accommodate two flavours for large pizzas, that just allowed us to try more things at one go! The Suprema is topped with shitake mushrooms and chicken sausages, given a little spicy kick from its diced red chilli. The Salmon is our mandatory half everytime as we loved how well the juicy salmon cubes and sweet caramelised onion came together.

Of course, not forgetting about the all-important pizza base. Smokey and crispy at the edges while retaining a soft, chewy centre that absorbs all the sauce and juices of the toppings. Very good stuff!

21" XXL Pizzas ($50.00)

While the two of us couldn't attempt their now-famous humongous creations, we went on a separate trip with NTU Deli Aprecio Club to the Greenwood Avenue branch, where the 24 of us tucked into six monsters and tried abit of different toppings. That was fun!

Bill for two was $18 after a $9.80 Groupon voucher. Top-notch quality at wallet-friendly prices, what more can I ask for? Besides pizza, they also do a good plate of pasta as my Squid Ink Angel Hair turned out well on our very first visit. Returning to grab more slices and strands soon!

Peperoni Pizzeria
95 Frankel Road
Tel: 6445 5661

Taken with Nikon D70

Nature Valley Granola Bars: New Flavour!

2011-11-19T01:30:00.003+08:00

This is an invited write-up

Photo Credit: Nature Valley

A couple of weeks ago, my mom told me that someone left a media kit hanging at our door with my name on it. As I was stuck in school with quizzes and assignments, it took me awhile to finally go home and find out what it was. Turned out that Nature Valley has a new granola bar for me to try!

Combining rich indulgence with classic flavour, the Oats' and Dark Chocolate creation will provide wholesome snacking as and when you want it. Similar to its previous products, these individually-packed goodies are available at $6.30 for a box of six.

While there were no visible chunks of dark chocolate, the taste of it was prominent as I chewed through, balanced by the light sweetness of honey and natural oat. I also preferred its crunchy texture compared to their line of chewy bars. I was tempted to open another pouch after munching up the two bars but hey, eat in moderation even if its a healthy snack!

As my exam papers start next week, it never hurts to have more snacks stock up in the room to accompany me for the long nights. In between instant noodles, crackers and miso soups, the granola bars will be a refreshing change!

Special thanks to Vivian of Fulford Public Relations for the media kit!

Nature Valley Granola Bars
Available at all major supermarkets

Taken with Nikon D70

Ramen Champion: Bario For The Hungry Man!

2011-11-16T01:07:00.011+08:00

There's a slight problem when people gather at ramen places; your favourite bowl might not be to everyone's liking. Different types of noodles, soup bases and toppings permute to a mind-boggling number of choices! But at Ramen Champion, everyone can find their ideal type of ramen!

The ramen wonderland at Iluma opened to much fanfare earlier in the year, as people flocked from all over to have a go at the 6 masters' creations. The hype might have died down a little now, but coming at peak dinner hours still warrants a wait at the doors. The store that I'm writing on today? The very manly Bario Ramen!

Sapporo Beer, 334ml ($7.50)

With free seating and a Marche-styled ordering system, have some ice cold beer as you wait for your electronic counter to beep!

Ajitama Ramen ($14.00)

When Mr. Tsujida created Bario ramen, I think he had in mind to create one that would be fit for the burly, macho man. Three words to sum up his ramen: Thick, rich, and (very) filling! While ramen purists might hiss at the thick, broad noodles of Jiro-styled ramen, I took to it quite positively. Come on, Singaporeans grew up with Lor Mee, this is just a thicker Japanese version with a good chew!

While the oh-so-intense broth could have been done with lesser garlic influence, the generous amount of beansprouts diluted it adequately for me to lap up the entire bowl. The hung chunks of pork belly was a star on its own, as the smooth skin, melting fats and tender lean meat were simply outstanding.

The egg, for some reason, failed to impress with no molten centre.

Tsukemen ($14.00)

Their dipping version made the garlic taste of the soup even more prominent, though I thought it would be really nice with a bowl of rice poured in, that is if you can finish the humongous bowl of noodles first! Ladies, fret not if you are worried about Bario's overwhelming servings, as it is also thoughtfully served in half-portions ($7.00) to avoid wasting food!

With its pricing, Bario definitely gives a bang for your buck in terms of quality and quantity . Although I have been at Ramen Champion for no less than three times myself, its quite embarrassing to say that all three visits had me queueing for Bario ramen, not yet exploring the other 5 masters. Probably because I was really hungry, missing those curly noodles and drool-worthy pork bellies! The 4th visit will be different, I promise!

Ramen Champion (Bario)
201 Victoria Street
Bugis Iluma #04-08/09/10
Tel: 6238 1011

Taken with Nikon D70

Kim Gary: Milk Tea With a View!

2011-11-13T01:26:00.016+08:00

Vivocity is one of the rare shopping malls that I actually like to visit. Not because there are any particularly attractive labels to shop (Oh please, those are so darn repetitive islandwide), but thanks to the spacious layout that make strolling so comfortable. A far cry from other overly-profit-driven developers who make visitors squeeze through narrow corridors to maximise lettable space.

Furthermore, there's a place which I know that I could always count on for a good meal and a good cup of milk tea; Kim Gary!

The Malaysia brand has been around ever since the mall opened, serving a variety of somewhat-modified hong kong cafe favourites. Decked in modern colours, it is one of those places that has a fantastic view of the Sentosa waterfront. As you prowl through their ala carte menu, do look out for their range of set meals that are really value for money!

I always liked how they served the utensils in a plastic box. Simple and hygienic!

Borsch Soup, Milk Tea (Part of set meal)

I haven't got the time to research on how the soup with Russian origin became a hong kong staple, but I'm glad that it was done the way that I'm familiar with: Light, ketchup-y and with cabbage slices and beef cubes. Yum!

Back in the days when good milk teas were hard to come by, Kim Gary left a very deep impression on whipping up one that my mom could concur with. Smooth and fragrant, I'm glad that it hits the right spot every time!

Beef Baked Rice with Cheese (Set Meal, $11.50), Club Sandwich ($5.90)

Given a choice of white or red sauce, I opted for the former as I liked how its creaminess would go well with oozing cheese. The meat itself was rather lacking in taste after sprinkles of meat tenderizer, but the savoury sauce more than made up for it.

Known as the 公司三文治 (Office Sandwich, literally) among hongkongers, this is one sandwich that would fill you up well! Triple-decked with eggs, ham, sausages and greens, the ingredients were simple but added up to a perfect combo, as the lightly toasted bread gave a soft crunch when biting through the layers together. More yum!

Baked Assorted Mushrooms with Cheese ($5.90)

The girlfriend and I regretted almost as soon as we saw it coming. Overwhelming amount of cheese on plain-tasting mushrooms that retained plenty of moisture, turning the whole dish watery after some time. Once is enough.

Bill for two was $27.75 after taxes, very reasonable when compared to other restaurants with the same view. While some of the items are new creations with no reference to Hong Kong, I still love how the crucial ones like milk tea and french toasts are pretty close. Always a choice to consider when in Vivocity!

Hong Kong Kim Gary Cafe
#02-128, 1 Harbourfront Walk
Vivo City
Tel: 6376 8183

Taken with Nikon D70

Jack's Place: An Old School Birthday Dinner!

2011-11-10T04:30:00.005+08:00

The girlfriend's birthday just passed by over the weekend and this time, the place of choice for dinner was well, unusual given our preferences. The reason was a pure economic one. As I have already spent a fair bit on other parts of the celebration, we decided to utilize this $100 cash voucher that my reservist unit gave to use at SAFRA clubhouses. Looking through the list of restaurants, we decided to splurge it at Jack's Place! (But the plan backfired, read on)

Entering into the SAFRA Jurong outlet was akin a step back in time. It wasn't as nostalgic as dining at the Ship Restaurant, but the place remained pretty much like what I have remembered it to be in the early 90s. Green-checkered table cloth, wooden furniture and the dimmed atmosphere that was typical of Hainanese-Western restaurants in those days.

Another table was also celebrating a birthday and while bringing out the cake, the management played the super old-school birthday song over the sound system. You know, the one with instrumental music and kids singing? I wonder if it was still stored on a cassette tape!

Freshly Squeezed Watermelon Juice, Half Carafe ($8.40)

This amounted to about a glass and a half each. I thought it was good to come up with such a serving quantity and I have yet to see it anywhere else. Note that this falled under the "freshly squeezed fruit juice" section, while there was another relatively cheaper selection of "refreshing fruit juice". Go figure.

Lobster Bisque ($5.50), Cream of Shitake Mushroom ($4.50)

The rich and thick flavour of the bisque was at first delightful with the occasional bits of lobster meat, until we got tired of it halfway through. Seasonings were also not mixed properly as we had mouthfuls that were overwhelmingly salty. The other chef recommendation also turned out to be a rather ordinary mushroom soup.

Complimentary Garlic Bread

Served together with the soups, the two large slices were warm and fluffy with a generous amount of garlic spread. I like!

Mushrooms With Slipper Lobster & Crabmeat ($9.50), Onion Rings ($4.20)

A signature starter supposedly, this was downright disappointing. I was quite sure the saucepan was merely for decorative purpose, as the lukewarm button mushrooms and melted cheese were just too bland. Don't even talk about the seafood stuffing that were almost non-existent.

Onion rings because we felt like it! However, they served it lukewarm (again) and upon telling the nice waiter, he sent it back to the kitchen without a question and got it returned crispy hot!

Grilled Cod Fish with Watercress Sauce ($22.00)

The girlfriend continued her love for cod fish with this house specialty. Two large fillets that were fresh and tender, drizzled with a refreshing Chinese-influenced sauce (Watercress soup, anyone?). Didn't quite melt her heart the way Dunearn did a year ago, but still more than satisfied!

Lobster & Steak Combo ($38.00)

As for myself, I had the most expensive single item on the menu! Served on a sizzling hotplate, the grilled lobster was crunchy and meaty, though the brown sauce was a tad salty for my liking. The other co-lead, New Zealand striploin, was done medium and fared average. That's fine since I didn't have high hopes for NZ beef anyway!

Both dishes were served with baked potatos that were later offered toppings of sour cream, bacon bits and spring onion. Classic goodness!

Bill for two was $108.40 after taxes, too full to attempt desserts. And just as I was about to happily top up $8.40, the waitress told me that my voucher could not be used as it was lacking the stamp of my approving officer. Sheesh, punked by SAF even as a civilian..

To be fair, Jack's Place is a good place for fuss-free western options, as long as you don't pick on whether your steak is of USDA Prime quality. Their value-for-money set lunches and student meals are still very much sought after! In fact, I thought that it makes a nice training ground for kids, learning the ABCs of western dining before moving on to more sophisticated meals.

Most importantly, its who you eat with that matters!

Jack's Place
333 Boon Lay Way #2A-01
SAFRA Jurong Club
Tel: 6795 9226
Outlets Islandwide

Taken with Nikon D70

Yan Ting II: Back For Dim Sum!

2011-11-06T04:50:00.000+08:00

When it comes to Sunday brunch for a Cantonese family, yum cha-ing in Chinese restaurants is a natural choice. In fact, I think they can do it everyday if not for work! As Yan Ting @ St Regis left a pleasant dinner impression the other time, I returned to try their skills at dim sum!

This time, the girlfriend and I managed to snug one of the cozy semi-partitioned tables at the side. With the place running at good capacity, service was efficient and non-intruding as we appreciated the constant refilling of tea. They seemed to have change the pre-meal snack to candied almonds, not that I'm complaining!

Siew Mai ($6.00), Prawn Dumplings ($6.00)

The fundamentals of all dim sum and they sure nailed the spot. Freshness of ingredients (succulent pork, chunky prawns) and thickness of skin were managed so well, I can't help but to be impressed by the two staples. Set the mood right!

Char Siew Buns ($5.00), Pork & Century Egg Congee ($9.00)

The bits of roasted meat were of good flavours, but I thought that the flour skin was a tad too thick while there could be more fillings in each bun. Porridge was decent but given its rice bowl sized portion, the price tag was rather hard to swallow.

Fried Beancurd Skin ($4.50), Egg Tarts ($6.00)

A vegetarian dish that we tried out of curiosity. Wrapped with spinach and mushrooms, it went by without much impression. The wobbly egg custards were fragrant and creamy, coupled with a flaky crust that definitely passed the test. But again, I felt the pinch when I remembered the price.

Flowing Custard Buns ($5.00)

The "must-order bun if available on the menu" these days! While the soft, thin skin and rich, savoury filling deserved thumbs up, we had an issue with its oily-ness. Even a oil-guzzling fellow like myself thought that the gleaming layer's depth was too much. I literally had to use the pieces of paper that came stuck under the buns to soak up the oil first.

Oh well, in terms of consistency, at least they were consistently erm, oily.

Bill for two was $58.30 after taxes, which I would consider pricey given the amount of food we had. As Yan Ting excels at the essentials, it is a premium place to enjoy service and ambience, good for the occasional self-indulgence or to even impress the in-laws. Goal for self: To return for the luxurious dim sum brunch buffet after getting a job!

Yan Ting
29 Tanglin Road
St Regis Singapore
Tel: 6506 6888

Taken with Nikon D70

Antoinette: Breakfast and Sweets, All Day!

2011-11-01T01:00:00.004+08:00

Dining with fellow food bloggers has always been an elaborated affair; Suggesting places, debating on their pros and cons and finally settling on the chosen one. The new kids on the block will usually have an advantage and that's how we ended up at Antoinette!

If you are wondering what's so new about a place that already has another branch at Mandarin Gallery, that's because we visited the maiden Penhas Road outlet when it was barely three weeks old (Don't need to remind me how backlogged this is).

Decided as the place to welcome back our dear friend from the states, Antoinette is a short walk from Lavender MRT, and an even shorter walk from the girlfriend's house. Although it felt kind of out-of-place in the neighbourhood, the Parisian-inspired decor was definitely welcoming as a cosy retreat.

Antoinette's Breakfast ($20.00)

The girlfriend loves her all-day breakfast so this was an obvious choice. Served alongside the usual bacon strips, sausage and eggs were a trio of mini pastries, warm and fluffy at every bite. A carbo-licous spread!

Wild Mushroom Risotto ($20.00)

My risotto took the longest to come among all the main courses but as the friend chuckled: "You should be worried if risottos come out fast!" Well, the risotto was nice and all with its creamy texture and earthy taste, but that's about it. Would have preferred it to be slightly less wet too.

And then a pictorial of what the others had!

Gnocchi Carbonara $16.50

Tired of the usual pasta? Give these soft, little dumplings a try!

Savoury Blinis with Smoked Salmon, French Butter, Sour Cream and Salad ($15.00), Savoury Blinis with Sausage, French Butter, Grilled Tomato and Salad ($15.00)

More breakfast-like items! the two differing only in the choice of smoked salmon or sausage.

Nordic ($16.50), Country Style Baked Omelette ($15.00)

Salmon crepe, and omelette with mushroom sauce that I supposed was the same base as the risotto.

Classic Eggs Florentine ($14.00), Burger Royale ($18.00)

Yet another pretty-looking breakfast item, and an unusual beef brioche that was commented to be "surprisingly good".

The girls love it whenever we have outings at patisseries, because they could then do their "we want everything but this" stint at the cake counter. Sugar rush!

Then again, I wasn't overly impressed with the desserts here. I pretty much forgot their flavours apart from the two that stood out.

Mont Blanc ($8.50)

I have always liked the chestnut-based dessert since young and the rendition here was all good for me. Light and smooth with a sweet, nutty taste, it "can fight" with Flor's Mont Blanc!

Brittany ($8)

Unfortunately, this stood out for the wrong reason. Tasting dry and artificially sweetened, it reminded me somewhat of those sugar mix used to create cake decorations that you will usually throw away without eating.

And the rest that we tried are:

Tarte Cafe Caramel ($8.00), Le Royale ($8.00)

Religieuse of Caramel with Fleur De Sel ($8.00), Violette ($8.50)

Antoinette ($9.00), Saint Honourl' Amour ($8.50)

Chef Pang personally taught us how to eat the signature! Still, I'm no fan of raspberry.

Chocolicieux ($9.50), Pudding Maple ($6.50)

Magnum look-alike! And a pudding that didn't melt in the mouth.

Macarons Selection ($2.50-$2.80 each)

Pretty to look at, but none the memorable. I shall leave this to the macarons experts who could so feverishly swoon over Pierre Hermes and Laduree.

Bill (which came in the pretty jewelled box above) for 10 was $325.70 after taxes. Not exactly cheap when it adds up to about 1 breakfast item and 1 dessert for each of us.

With a dessert chef helming the place, I was kind of surprised that the mains left a better impression than the desserts. Then again, we might have been too ambitious with the sweets and instead left us feeling indifferent about them. Egg bens, mont blanc and tea. That will be enough for me!

Visit the peeps at DivineEssentials, HungryEpicurean and SGDessert, and read the thoughts at MissusChewy and TheFoodChapter!

Antoinette
30 Penhas Road
Tel: 6293 3121

Taken with Nikon D70

CP Biggest Eater: More Shrimp Wantons, More!

2011-10-29T05:35:00.001+08:00

Much apologies for the lack of updates! I have been busy with a module report and I'm glad that it has finally been submitted. A small break from all the statutes and regulations to write on something a lot more fun!

I always thought that I was a quick eater. From gobbling down god-knows-what during army to meet the next timeline to the girlfriend complaining that I always rush during meals, I feel quite positive with my eating speed. So when the CP Biggest Eater Contest returned for the 2nd time this year, I quickly jump at the chance to test myself! The mission? Eat a minimum of 30 CP shrimp wantons in 5 minutes!

Pulling a buddy along to join the contest, we turned up for the heats at Orchard Central and had only another young fellow to join us for our timeslot. The curious mum and ever-supportive girlfriend were there to cheer us on too! A brief tease by the MC and we were off!

Photo Courtesy of CP Foods

We were each given a tray of small cups, each holding two shrimp wantons. It was only when I put the first one in my mouth that I realised how dry they were! Served warm (thankfully), the skin kind of stuck together, turned mushy after a few chews and was rather difficult to swallow.

Nonetheless, CP's wantons are really quality stuff as each one consisted of a whole shrimp with crunchy texture and distinct flavour. I was rather enjoying my first few wantons slowly until I noticed the time. Damn, a minute has passed already!

Then it became a systematic process. Pop, chew, drink, swallow, and grin at my buddy. The tastebuds no longer worked after awhile. I totally didn't bother to count how many have I eaten and the only thing I noted was the remaining time. The girlfriend caught us in plenty of unglam shots looking like toads and hamsters!

And the time was up! I thought to myself, okay, I should be quite safe huh? That felt like a lot.

"Daniel, you have eaten 15 cups, so that's exactly 30! You have passed to collect our goodie bag! Congrats!"

Wah, that was close! So I'm definitely nowhere near a fast eater, but the experience was outrageously fun and absolutely worth it! Then again, I can still claim to be a big eater, as I went for a proper lunch at Imperial Treasure HK Cafe immediately after. Yup you read that right!

And here's the content of the little cooler bag they gave! I haven't eaten any of them yet, but they sure look tempting!

Anybody keen to join me next year? Need to start training already!

A little video from CP. 1 second of fame at 0:53!

Taken with Canon 5D Mark II and HTC Sensation

Jia Xiang Kolo Mee: Looks Like Instant, Only Way Better!

2011-10-22T05:05:00.004+08:00

I don't quite get it when I see people ordering instant noodles outside, especially in HK cafes. 8 dollars plus for Nissin noodles with two slices of luncheon meat and a egg? Pay me half the price and I can give you double the volume while still making a profit, seriously. So when I first heard of Jia Xiang Kolo Mee selling noodles of instant noodles texture, I thought I will never visit the place. Man, I was so so wrong!

First of all, my huge misconception that if it tastes like instant noodles means it is instant noodles. In fact, the famous dish from Sarawak (Kuching City) consists of full-egg noodles that is flash-boiled before serving. The Jia Xiang brand has been rather popular in Singapore in the recent years, adopting a fuss-free concept where diners order at the counters and wait for it to be delivered to your table. I heard that the noodles are delivered fresh from Sarawak daily!

Sambal Chilli

I did a little research and found that the original Sarawak kolo mee is not served with sambal chilli. While adapting to Singaporeans' tastebud, they didn't do a shabby job as it was quite fragrant and spicy on the tongue.

Jia Xiang Noodles ($6.40)

What first struck me was their very good blend of sauce. The mixture of soy sauce and lard was delightfully smooth and savoury, coating the noodles really well. It was further topped with generous slices of char siew, minced pork and very stuffed prawn dumplings. Not forgetting about the sinful lard bits that distinguished awesome noodles from good ones!

If you have noticed, there are two types of kolo mee. One is the thin, round type (ala instant look-alike) and the other is a flat type that resembles mee pok. Having tried both, I still prefer the former for its springy texture and firmer bite as the latter tend to be more easily overcooked.

Gold Jia Xiang Noodles ($9.50)

Thanks to Groupon (1 for 1 deal!), I finally tried the deluxe version that came with slices of abalone. Well, unless you are a die-hard fan of the sea snails, I really don't see a need to fork out additional 3 bucks for these.

Fish Fillet Noodles ($6.40)

As the girlfriend loves her fish, this became her standard order at Jia Xiang. While it is just your usual mass produced, frozen-packed stuff, the fish fillets are always deep-fried upon order, served hot and crispy without oil oozling from within.

I have never been to Sarawak so there's no way I could tell Jia Xiang's authenticity, neither have I tried other brands (are there any?) of kolo mee in Singapore for a comparison. But Jia Xiang's version suits me just fine, a comfort bowl of lard-drizzled, filling noodles in the comfort of air con. A regular haunt for me now!

Jia Xiang Sarawak Kuching Kolo Mee
Outlets Islandwide

Taken with Nikon D70

Michelangelo's: Restaurant Week 2011!

2011-10-19T05:27:00.002+08:00

Its that time of the year again! My first encounter with Restaurant Week was in 2009, where my dinner at The Nautilus Project didn't quite impress. Learning a lesson to stick with well-established restaurants, I booked a dinner for two at Michelangelo's this time!

Located in the little enclave of Chip Bee Gardens, I have heard much good things about Michelangelo's and their Italian dishes over the years. With its alfresco dining area bigger than its indoor seatings, it will be better to state your preference lest you end up feeling sticky in our humid weather. A quick glance at the $35++ set dinner to choose our mains, then we were good to go!

Complimentary Bread, Homemade Lobster Bisque

Nothing fanciful about the bread roll, but the warm and fluffy texture was delightful to munch on anyway. I think one of the dips was tuna-based, but somehow I was more keen on the quality of their balsamic vinegar.

The soup, on the other hand, was simply outstanding. Served in a piccolo-sized mug, its rich crustacean flavour was a joy to sip on as I nibbled on the occasional lumps of sweet crabmeat. Wished the mug was bigger, much bigger!

Poached Barramunda Fillets, Braised Beef Short Ribs

Served in horseradish cream sauce and on a bed of spinach, the fillets were succulent and fresh-tasting, though they didn't have the silken soft texture of cod fish that the girlfriend would have preferred.

My serving of sliced short ribs was well done too; very tender with little strips of prized fats within, and had a robust beefy flavour that was nicely complemented by red wine sauce. My only gripe? The 6 miniature slices were gone in a jiffy!

Tiramisu

A classic Italian dessert to end the meal. I would personally prefer it to be stronger in alcohol content with a more moist texture. Otherwise, it really was pretty good for the sweet tooth!

A slight issue with service: Although we already knew that our dining slot was from 6pm to 8pm, I thought it was rather impolite of them to show me the bill at 7:30pm without me even asking for it. I was pretty sure that the couple ordering ala-carte at the next table did not have a time limit, nor were given the same bill treatment. Oh well, discounts do come at a price.

Bill for two was $81.90 after taxes. The dining quality for this year definitely improved from the last experience and despite the service glitch, I'm glad that Restaurant Week allowed me to try out a new place on a limited budget. Going back for ala-carte? Very likely!

Michelangelo's
Blk 44 Jalan Merah Saga
#01-60 Chip Bee Gardens
Tel: 6475 9069

Taken with Nikon D70

Marina Barrage: Picnic Dating!

2011-10-14T03:47:00.002+08:00

Singapore is a boring place to date, seriously. Malls are grossly repetitive, cinemas are overcrowded and islands/hills are limited in number to explore. Thank goodness that I can still find quaint, little cafes to laze the afternoons away, but there is still a limited amount of caffeine I can take.

As the girlfriend and I pondered on something to do for the weekend, we realised there's one thing (two, in fact) that we had never done as a couple: Picnicking and kite-flying! And the best place (before Gardens By The Bay springs up anyway) to do that? Marina Barrage!

Maybe because it was not really that accessible, the crowd at the Barrage's rooftop was much lesser than I have expected, as pockets of people formed little gatherings while children gleefully ran around the large open area. Pretty kites dotted the skyline too!

Since it was a picnic, how could we do without a picnic basket? I was glad that I finally put the baskets that my mum saved from hampers to good use!

And so the brunch for two included:

Pringles - "Once you pop, you just can't stop!" I agree wholeheartedly.
Vita Lemon Tea - Nothing but the best ones that I can get my hands on.
Plain Water - Hydrate yourself under that sun!
Tissue - You don't expect me to pluck off grass and wipe my mouth, do you.
Homemade Foccacia Sandwiches - Customised!
Sushi - Simply because its easy to eat.
Fruits - Girlfriend insisted on being healthy.
Chocolate Tart - For the sweet tooth!

The girlfriend loves tuna while I insist on luncheon meat and cheese. Fine, lets have both! Chilli tuna for that extra kick, while melted cheese was the perfect match for a thick slab of pan-fried SPAM. Sandwiched between Gardania's foccacia loaf that smelt so good of herbs, we cleared them all!

I think all supermarkets' pre-packed sushi taste about the same, but I tend to favour Cold Storage as their value packs seem to hold all the ones that I wanted. Curbed my carbo needs!

There was this relatively new tart booth, JollyBell, at Bugis Junction basement, so I grabbed one of the cute Almond Chocolate tarts on my way out. Turned out to be a pretty good bet as the buttery crust was filled with smooth chocolate and chunks of almond. Shall try out the other flavours!

After clearing out the entire basket, its time to fly some kite! After many amateurish attempts, we finally got it up in the sky and if you can see, the tiny triangular one at the top right belonged to us. Loved how this shot turned out!

The girlfriend was all smiles for the camera, while I was simply a lazy kite-flier. Why stand when you can sit?

So where will you go with your boy/girl this weekend? If you haven't done a picnic or flew kites, give it some thought!

Marina Barrage
8 Marina Gardens Drive
Note: The shuttle bus service takes ages to come so if you are really impatient, a couple of bucks more for taxi won't hurt!

Taken with Nikon D70

Nakhon Kitchen: Outstanding Thai Fare In The Heartlands!

2011-10-11T03:53:00.000+08:00

Its nice to have friends who follow your blog and upon reading a certain entry, could proudly tell you "I know somewhere better!". That kind of affirmation just makes me more curious to check out their recommendations. After hearing about my Thai cuisine encounters, the girlfriend's group classmates confidently told me: "Nakhon is better!"

Located among the heartland estates of Kovan, Nakhon Kitchen serves up fuss-free Thai food in a relaxed, come-in-flip-flops setting. Not sure if they can take reservations, but the queue will be maddeningly long no matter what time you come for dinner. Thankfully, our table of eight didn't have to wait too much, while food was served in a jiffy as our orders were already taken in the queue.

By the way, I was particularly impressed by their service and hygiene standards. Whipping tables with detergent after the previous customers have left, serving free drinking water without being asked to, replenishing little rattan baskets of tissue paper for your comfort. Remarkable!

Pandan Leaves Chicken ($6.00)

"You got to try the pandan chicken! Its darn shiok!" One of the friends exclaimed.

And man, he was right! I hardly get excited over the large bird (except maybe in HK) but this was exceptional. The chunky bites of boneless meat and fatty skin were very well-marinated, all the juices were sealed in by the leaves and had a smokey taste to it. A must-order!

Homemade Thai Prawn Cakes ($12.00)

If you looked at the price and serving alone, you might probably feel a slight pinch for your wallet, but one bite of it would immediately make you see the light. There was virtually nothing else under that crumb coating apart from an abundance of crunchy minced prawn, full of freshness that went so well with a dip of Thai chilli sauce. You get what you paid for!

Deep Fried Grouper with Sweet and Sour Sauce ($22.00), Kang Kong Belachan ($6.00)

For whole fishes, I have always been an advocate of steaming over any other methods, so I couldn't say much about this. And we really love our Kangkong, eh? Thankfully it didn't overwhelm me with spiciness.

Tom Yam Seafood Clear Soup ($6.00), Tom Ka Seafood Soup with Coconut Milk ($6.00)

Their famed soups, however, didn't leave too much impression on me. Not sure if they had toned it down for local tastebuds, the clear one could have been more tangy and could pack a stronger punch, while I thought the milk-iness of the other one overshadowed every other flavours.

Pineapple Curry with Mussels ($8.00), Green Curry Chicken ($8.00)

Red, green and yellow curry, been there done that. But pineapple curry was definitely a first for me! The fruity, sourness of pineapple worked surprisingly well with curry spices, while the mussels were thankfully saved from being rubbery and tasteless. Interesting!

Again, I thought the chef might have a scoop too many of coconut milk here, as it was creamier than I would have preferred. Still nice to go with rice though!

Pineapple Fried Rice ($6.00), Black Olive Fried Rice with Minced Chicken ($6.00)

No fanciful pineapple husk to be held in, but the sweet-tasting rice sure did its job with a generous dollop of pork floss. The other one had the same well-fried, grainy consistency with the fragrance and taste of black olives. Why choose one when you can have both!

Phad Thai Noodles ($5.00), Phad Thai Tang Hoon ($6.00)

Guess what, this actually did invoke some memories of Bangkok! Slightly sweetened with good "wok-hei" flavours, the narrow strips of springy hor fun was fried with diced yellow beancurd and served with crushed peanuts at the side. No doubt the real deal!

The variant of thin glass noodles was nothing short of excellent as well, with the chewy, translucent noodles dyed to brownness and absorbing the juices nicely. I could make this my daily staple!

Mango Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk ($5.00), Red Ruby ($3.00)

Dessert choices were relatively limited here. The mango had thoroughly ripened and maintained a good harden texture, but the glutinous rice was a nono in its lumpy form. Then again, I have yet to find good, grainy glutinous rice in Singapore. The other was a hot favourite among the friends, icy cold and nicely sweetened to wash down all that greasiness!

With no additional GST and service charges to menu pricing, the 8 of us paid less than $25 each for a meal that left us satisfied and filled to the brim. Nakhon Kitchen offered an affordable and authentic Thai experience that was closed to its roots, though there were a few minor misses that could be overlooked. Nakhon is better? You bet!

Nakhon Kitchen
212 Hougang Street 21
#01-341
Tel: 6286 8785
Note: They have another branch at 136, Bedok North Ave 3 #01-166!

Taken with Nikon D70

Chao Shan Cuisine: Impressive Teochew Food!

2011-10-07T03:50:00.003+08:00

I don't usually return to the same restaurant within short periods. With so many options available, I rather explore new places or rotate about the few tested-and-proven ones. But if a new discovery can lure me to return thrice in 3 months, that certainly speaks volume! Chao Shan Cuisine did just that!

Located at Beach Road, we first chanced upon the teochew place when walking to Tom's Palette. We then had our first meal there when the girlfriend treated her extended family to dinner, as everyone left impressed by the quality. Subsequently, I brought my club committee members, my parents and a brunch of close friends for dinners as well!

With very limited tables in the tiny restaurant, reservation is a must to avoid ending up eating along the sidewalk or waiting for second/third rounds of the night.

Table Tidbits ($1.00), Tea ($1.00/head)

Before food was served, I was already confused with the array of dips available. Ask the experienced staff for the best combinations!

Pork Jelly ($10.00), Prawn Balls ($12.00)

When I saw this on the menu, I knew that they were serious about authenticity! Using the meat of pig trotters, it is soaked with pork stock and left to chill, turning into wobbly jelly due to its high collagen content. The jelly portion immediately dissolved in my mouth while leaving behind chunky pieces of tender, lean meat. Very good stuff!

The prawn balls were what I would describe as the real stuff (真材实料), chokeful of crunchy prawn meat and none of that flour-like texture from cheaper variants.

Cereal Prawn ($26.00), Sambal Kangkong ($12.00)

While you can find this almost everywhere, Chao Shan Cuisine's precised control made it even more enjoyable. The fresh prawns' sweet, natural flavour were well-balanced with savoury cereal flakes that weren't soaked with oil. Cleared to the very last bit!

Greens were well-oiled with hints of "wok-hei", though the sambal flavour could really be stronger.

Oyster Omelette ($20.00)

The simplest dish that left the biggest impression! Fluffy omelette that was still slightly runny on the inside, throwing in generous amount of huge, juicy oysters. Amazingly well done!

Chestnut Chicken ($28.00), Steamed Buns ($3.00)

While I was never a fan of Singapore's chicken, the other ingredients in the dish and its preparation method made it a worthy order. Filled with pork belly, chestnut and mushroom dices, it was probably stewed for considerable amount of time for the chicken meat to be so easily separated from the bones. The thick, flavourful gravy was also perfect to be mopped up by plain buns.

On my other visits, the braised pork belly was also excellent and if you have enough dinner companions, don't hesitate to go for one of their steamed fishes. My fresh pomfret was so huge that it could feed 10 of us comfortably!

But the one thing that I cannot stand is their poor quality of rice ($0.60/bowl). Imagine broken grains that simply brittle on the tongue. They really should do something about the supplier!

Yam Paste with Pumpkin and Ginko Nuts ($10.00)

A classic teochew dessert, this was faultless with its smooth, creamy texture and rich yam flavours.

Bill for 5 was $132.40 with no GST and service charge. With its reasonable pricing, Chao Shan Cuisine certainly put much effort into every dish, using only quality ingredients and exercising excellent control, such that my four visits were consistently good. Definitely on the tested-and-proven list!

Chao Shan Cuisine (潮汕林)
85 Beach Road
Tel: 6336 2390

Taken with Nikon D70

Homecooked: Sumptuous Meal For One!

2011-10-02T03:00:00.002+08:00

Some months ago, my mom took part in this online contest where she had to prepare a dish using Le Creuset cookware. Well she overkilled and easily apparated three instead. Although she didn't manage to win anything, I am still delighted with how the shots turned out, so here's the complete set!

The three dishes really aren't difficult to prepare, so if you eager for some hands-on but can hardly read Traditional Chinese (which frankly, most if not all of you), I am providing the translation as well!

Braised Pork Belly With Eggs

Ingredients: Fresh Pork Belly, Hardboiled Eggs
Condiments: Dark Soy Sauce, Rock Sugar

Add a little oil to wok, brown the surface of pork belly at low heat.
Add the dark soy sauce and rock sugar, mix well.

Cover lid, simmer at low heat for 5 minutes. Do not add water.
After colouring the pork belly and forcing out the excess oil, add water and hard boiled eggs, simmer at low heat for 1.5 hours.
Open lid, simmer at medium heat for another 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Completed. I have been eating this for as long as I can remember, as it is one of the most basic meat dish that a Shanghainese family will prepare. Extra bowls of rice to accompany, definitely!

White Radish and Deep-fried Pork Ribs Soup

Ingredients: Back Ribs Cubes, White Radish, Dried Scallops, Wolfberries, Red Dates

Marinate back ribs with light soy sauce, sweet potato starch and egg mixture for 10 minutes. Coat with another layer of starch before deep frying.
Deep-fry at low heat for 2-3 minutes or till golden brown.

Drain off the oil, wipe dry the pot and add warm water, carrots, wolfberries and red dates.
Bring to boil and add the pork ribs.

Cover lid, simmer at low heat for another 20 minutes.

Completed. This is actually inspired by a Taiwanese soup (排骨酥) that can be found in almost every Taiwan eatery and night market. Adding dried scallops will give that bit of seafood goodness while the dates and wolfberries will balance the soup with a hint of sweetness. Hearty stuff!

Shanghainese-styled Vegetable Rice

Ingredients: Uncooked Rice, Chinese White Cabbage (Diced)

Oil the wok at medium heat, stir-fry vegetable for 3 minutes, sprinkle with salt.
Take out vegetable, leave the vegetable juices in wok, add water and rice, stir till water gets full absorbed. Spread vegetable back on top, cover lid and simmer at low heat for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat source, simmer in residual heat for another 5 minutes, mix well before serving.

Completed. Another Shanghainese staple that I have eaten since young. Gives the otherwise plain rice a healthy, juicy twist with addition of crunchy greens. You can also add Chinese sausage (腊肠) or waxed meat (腊肉) for a more savoury taste!

Sundays are meant for family gatherings, right? So why not quit the usual MSG-laden outside food and whip up a hearty homecooked meal for the loved ones? Bon Appetit!

Note: No quantity figures are given for the recipes as my mom's a firm believer of 随意ness, aka up to your own discretion and tastebuds. After all, I do agree that experimenting is part of the cooking fun. But if you insist on some numbers to impress the in-laws desperately tonight, drop me a quick mail and I'll see what I can do!

Taken with Nikon D70

Sky On 57: Hawker Fare at Non-Hawker Prices

2011-09-27T02:00:00.002+08:00

For the final meal venue with the family friend, I decided to pick one of the restaurants in Marina Bay Sands since she had yet to dine at the newer integrated resort. Taking a break from international cuisines, I thought it would be good to go after local flavours instead and at MBS, there should be no better place to do that than at Sky On 57!

Located at the Sands Skypark, Sky on 57 has local chef Justin Quek showcasing his take on traditional Asian food, fusing it with modern cooking techniques and refined ingredients. Although the restaurant's interior looks good with its elegant decor, the outside scenery is disappointing for now; A large part of the seating area oversees the under-construction Gardens By The Bay and unsightly cargo containers at Keppel Harbour, with relatively little seats facing the waterfront. So book early if you intend to have that view only!

Complementary Bread Bowl

I was hoping that they could pull off some Asian starters but the usual westernised bread appear instead. But don't get me wrong, the selection was fantastic. The onion roll, cheese bun and bread with bacon bits were all very nicely done in their own way, paired with creamy butter that seemed to be infused with truffle speckles but lacking in taste.

Poached egg with Dried Scallops and Mushrooms

This came as part of my 48++ 3-course business lunch. Full of creamy goodness, I guessed that it was a play on the traditional half-boiled eggs. If only they had toast soldiers to go with it!

Sakura Chicken Rice ($28.00)

Served with clear corn soup and greens, the friend commented that the chicken was just alright, losing out to her favourite Chatterbox. I had a bit of the rice and thought that the fluffy grains were well-oiled.

Bak Kut Teh, JQ's Beef Noodles

Served as a $32.90++ executive set lunch, the portion was seriously huge! They probably wanted diners to have the complete Bak Kut Teh experience, thus bundling in the braised trotters and fried you tiao. The core soup, however, was somewhat a letdown. It lacked the peppery punch and leaned towards the diluted side. The bowls of corn salad and fruits seemed rather out of place too.

Somehow, the word "noodles" misled me into thinking it was the yellow, alkaline type so I was kind of surprised to see horfun instead. Then it led to an unpleasant discovery of it being way too flimsy and mushy, that even picking them up with chopsticks became a problem. The soup stock was flavourful with mixture of beef slices and brisket chunks, but you probably couldn't tell that wagyu beef was used if they didn't state so in the menu.

Curry Fish

I thought I would give their most Asian-looking main course a go but sad to say, there was no wow factor at all. Well-spiced curry, overcooked fish meat, crispy pappadum, tangy achar. That was it. Easily obtainable at a fraction of the price elsewhere.

Pineapple Carpaccio

Just as the meal started well with bread, it thankfully ended even better with this visual tease. Sweet pineapple sliced so finely, taken with a scoop of uber-sour sorbet, pomegranate seeds and what I suspect to be grape jellies, it was an excellent play on taste as they all came together to be oh-so refreshing. Captivating!

As much as I want to praise Sky On 57 for bringing Asian fine dining to a whole new level, I can only do so in the literal meaning. The local dishes were not outstanding as compared to the western creations, while throughout the meal my mind kept drafting a list of places for better bak kut teh and curry fish that wouldn't burn a hole in your pocket. You can probably impress business clients who are on their first trip to Singapore but on my own, I see no reason to return anytime soon.

Sky On 57
Tower 1, Sands SkyPark
Marina Bay Sands
Tel: 6688 8857
Check out their rotating lunch menu!

Taken with Nikon D70

Yan Ting: New Age Cantonese!

2011-09-23T03:00:00.001+08:00

Our next meal with the family friend had me looking for Chinese restaurants. With excellent experiences at Li Bai and Summer Pavilion, it sure takes some effort to find another place with comparable standards. Off we go to explore Yan Ting!

Being the Chinese restaurant of St Regis, Yan Ting emits air of poshness yet retaining a cozy touch with its warm lightnings and cushioned armchairs. The semi-partitioned tables at the side are also great for smaller dining groups. As with almost all hotel Cantonese restaurants, staff had no issue conversing in the dialect and were attentive to our needs.

Ordering ala-carte for the night, we realised that the menu had a mix of traditional Cantonese fare and modern creations with influences from other cuisines. Condiment dips catered to Singaporeans with the appearance of diced green chillis, while pre-meal snack of candied cashew nuts was a nice change from the usual peanuts.

Roasted Pork, Sliced Pig Trotters

Before even digging in, our first appetiser already looked kind of odd as it was one of the, well, shortest cubes of pork belly that I have seen. It also could have been served more warmed. Thankfully, the skin was executed really well, so crispy that the crunching effect could be heard across the table!

Served chilled, the pork slices had tender lean meat and a gelatinous layer of skin, went nicely with a dip of white vinegar.

Pan-Fried Foie Gras

One of their bold creations! You could hardly go wrong with the fatty, oh-man-can-I-have-more goose liver, but what make it stood out was the pairing with Chinese Zhe Jiang Vinegar (浙江醋) to ease the greasiness. Interesting!

Fried Prawn with Mango

This came across as just good prawn rolls. While it was deep-fried to a crispy, golden brown with fresh and crunchy prawns, the mango taste was barely there as I found just a narrow strip of the fruit in every piece. Went well with Thai sweet chilli sauce.

Stir-Fried Jiao Bai, Garlic Pork Ribs

Before you mistaken it as noodles, this really was our veggie for the night. With the texture of bamboo shoot, Jiao Bai (茭白) are actually vegetables grown in the water and are popular among the Taiwanese and Shanghainese.

But I do notice that Chinese chefs tend to have little creativity in presenting off-menu items (think Li Bai's beef steak) or cooking methods. While they had options to fry it with condiments, we requested for it to be served plain (清炒) and it really looked and tasted as plain as it could get.

The pork ribs also didn't particularly stand out, much like an upmarket version of what you could get at Zichar places.

Oatmeal Dusted Cod Fish

My favourite dish of the night! A twist to the usual cereal prawns, Yan Ting used balls of cod fish instead and it was a joy to eat without the need to deshell or debone. The oatmeal coat was buttery and fragrant, perfect to go with a bowl of rice. Cleared every bit of it!

Hokkien Fried Rice, Beef Hor Fun

Don't ask me if this really is a hokkien dish, but I do know that it is very commonly found in Hong Kong but rarely seen here. Somewhat like Mui Fan （烩饭), it is served with a ladle of gravy stock but has greater depth with the fried rice base. The rendition here was good as the gravy wasn't overly starchy and the grainy rice was flavourful with "wok-hei".

The hor fun had the issue of not being served hot enough, but the flavours were there with tender beef slices. Serving portion seemed a tad small for 6 persons.

Mango Sago with Pomelo, Fried Yam

Ending on a sweet note, I liked how the mango mix was thick and creamy, while recalling the fried yam as simple but satisfying.

Dining at Yan Ting will surely cost you a bit, but the few culinary surprises that they managed to pull off, coupled with the pleasant overall experience will make the money more worthwhile. In fact, I made a return for its dim sum offering just a few weeks ago. That's another story for another time!

Yan Ting
29 Tanglin Road
St Regis Singapore
Tel: 6506 6888

Taken with Nikon D70

Stellar: View Like No Other!

2011-09-19T04:00:00.003+08:00

If you have been following this blog, you will know that a family friend from HK will come visit us from time to time. And every time she's here, I will have the pleasure of planning almost all her meals! Having been to Equinox with her eons ago, I chose a place on even higher grounds this time: Stellar!

Located on the 62nd storey of One Raffles Place, Stellar is surely Singapore's tallest restaurant. I don't think there's a need to elaborate on how fantastic the view is, though you do have to choose between Marina Bay and downtown for window seats.

When you are done gawking at the outside, the interior of Stellar deserves some attention too, as the the white theme and elegant design set the perfect mood for a long dinner. Service was really pleasant too, as we were well taken care of by the same young lady for the entire night.

Complimentary Bread

Frankly, I was expecting something more exciting from a place of this calibre, but the bread munchie was surprisingly simple with a single slice of baguette. Oh well, at least it was warm and fluffy!

5 Type Sashimi Moriawase ($55.00), Tempura Futomaki ($20.00)

Freshness is key to sashimi and was what they promptly delivered. I particularly liked the scallops that came in between slices of zesty lemon for that refreshing touch. The maki came highly recommended by the staff but turned out to be really average. With crabmeat and avocado within, the battered skin didn't feel crispy, while it just had too much rice and too little ingredients on the whole.

Braised Cod Fillet ($40.00), Waldorf Salad with Kurobuta Pork Lardons ($22.00)

The five of us ordered a different main each and I got to steal a bite from all! The fish was pretty good but nothing mind-blowing, while the other was a salad that I would approve with hands and feet. Fresh apple cubes, crunchy walnut crumbs and a generous sprinkle of the crispy lard bits. A darn yummy one!

Truffled Risotto ($48.00), Roasted Suckling Pig ($48.00)

Cooked with poached Maine lobster, the risotto's texture was just right with the earthly smell and taste of prized truffles, much enjoyed by the family friend! I thought my mom's kurobuta pork belly was wasted to be served minced, but pairing it with apple & pear jelly and smooth mashed potato worked well anyway.

US Prime Sirloin ($65.00)

Served on a warm stone grill, my medium steak gave a good beefy chew with juicy flavours. I rekindled my love for bone marrow after the last encounter at L'Entrecote but alas, it just wasn't as memorable at Stellar. Crispy fries and shredded greens to complete the course!

Five Petites Platter ($30.00)

Helmed from the kitchens of sister cafe 1-Caramel, presentation was very pretty as the ladies awed at it. The Earl Grey Creme Brule stood out for its strong taste while I personally favoured the Sticky Date Pudding, the chocolate selections, however was only soso.

Even if you don't have the stomach for a glass of after-dinner wine, do remember to go head upwards for the rooftop bar, 1-Altitude. The night lights are even more spectecular here with an unobstructed city view. Don't get tipsy enough to climb over the edges!

While Stellar's food quality was decent, it was not necessary the best when comparing item for item. I felt that the price premium probably went to the view anyway. That being said, food sometimes do play second fiddle to ambience and Stellar probably fit into this category; a feast for the eyes!

Stellar @ 1-Altitude
1 Raffles Place, Level 62
One Raffles Place
Tel: 6438 0410

Taken with Nikon D70

Oriole Cafe: Lunch Without The Rush!

2011-09-16T01:00:00.016+08:00

Weekday lunches always seem to be a hurried affair, be it at work or at school. Either you are pressed for time and have to stuff that rice down to keep the stomach happy, or your mind is bothered by deadlines and tasks till you don't really know what you are eating. Unless of course, you don't have classes or are on leave for the day, then its time to sought out that nice place for a chill-laxing lunch. Off to Oriole Cafe & Bar on such a day!

Located at Pan Pacific Suites, Oriole Cafe had made waves with its award-winning coffee creations awhile back. The hype seemed to have died down abit but nonetheless popular with the lunch crowd, packed with mostly office warriors who didn't seem to have a "1-hour only" break. Seeing that there were set lunches available, the girlfriend and I shared a 18++ set with additional ala carte items.

Iced Tea (Set Lunch), Iced Coffee ($6.00)

I couldn't quite remember what was the tea flavour (Lychee, perhaps?) that came with the set, but it wasn't too memorable and just served as a thirst quencher in our sunny climate.

I was looking forward to my coffee after hearing much about their cold brew technique and how it reduces coffee acidity. Alas, it didn't quite wow and gave a "that's it?" afterthought. Maybe its just me not knowing how to appreciate "kopi kosong", should have went for their signature Piccolo Latte instead.

Salmon Quiche (Set Lunch)

Served hot with a handful of refreshing greens, the buttery crust had a custard-like centre that was eggy and savoury. If only it came in a bigger portion!

Cubano Sandwich ($14.00), Cuban Pork Chops (Set Lunch)

With roasted pork, ham slices and Cheddar cheese pressed between warmed, fluffy baguette, it was a delightful combo that the girlfriend was pleased with. Served with potato wedges and similar greens, the overall portion still seemed a tad small.

I rarely trust pork chops that are not done by my mom, but the bet on Oriole's paid off well! Juicy and tender, it was great on its own as well as to mop up the tangy tomato-based sauce. Chickpeas were not overly mushy and served as a healthy alternate source of carbo.

Honey Crumble Affogato ($7.50)

Sharing this as a sweet end, we liked how the bitterness of espresso, sweetness of honeycomb and creaminess of vanilla bean ice cream all came together nicely. Deserved a return on its own!

Bill for two was $53.55 after taxes. Definitely more expensive than the average weekday lunch and I'm not sure if it was entirely worth the money. Big eaters might have an issue with the portions but then again, lunch was never meant to fill you up and make you fight the Z monster back at office. But if you are on a day off, then the hours spent lazing and people-watching will perhaps make the price worthwhile!

Oriole Cafe & Bar
96 Somerset road
Pan Pacific Services Suites #01-01 (Just outside of Somerset 313)
Tel: 6238 8348

Taken with Nikon D70

Sunset Grill & Bar: Hot, Hot Wings!

2011-09-13T02:20:00.002+08:00

While most of us are contented with buffalo wings that merely tickle the tongue, somebody has to think up of killer versions that go beyond breaking the sweat. After hearing so much of the legendary (or maybe notorious) buffalo wings at Sunset Grill and Bar, the girlfriend and I finally made a trip down with another couple!

But first, getting to the place was a pain in the ass, literally. Located deep behind Seletar East Camp (where btw, I spent 1.5yrs as a brave fit soldier), it would be madness to go there without a car as we circled rounds and rounds trying our luck at every bend. We even misled other lost sheep following behind us, going straight into dead ends and giving sheepish grins to the other drivers after U-turning.

And if you were to think that there would be plenty of empty seats at the forsaken place, you would be in for a major surprise as it was packed to the brim at barely 7pm. We wouldn’t even have gotten seats if not for reservations! While there was a nice outdoor beer garden, we went for the air-conditioned indoor seating that proved to be very useful later on.

Mini Chicken Burgers ($17.50)

Besides their famed wings, the place also served rather typical western options. Paired with hot chunky fries, these mini burgers we shared were actually pretty decent with juicy chicken patties and caramelized onion slices within. The couple friends also had a serving of pork chop that was unfortunately too tough for their liking.

Buffalo Wings ($17.50 for Level 1, Half Dozen)

Not to be over-ambitious, the four of us first shared a serving of level 1 that I thought was quite good. No doubt that they used frozen wings, but the Tabasco-based sauce was rather addictive as it worked like Sichuan 麻辣, with numbness building up the longer you chew.

But level 3 was a different matter altogether, I choked on the Tabasco fume as soon as it was served. It was so darn spicy that I gulped down gallons of water (Thank goodness it was free flow) and wiped off tears and sweats with dozens of tissue (Free too). Call me weak, but my face felt like it just suffered a stroke.

Bill for 4 was about 100odd with drinks and beer. Unique place to dine at, I thought the western fare at Sunset Grill was reasonable as I spied tasty-looking steaks on other tables. The wings will make great bar snacks at entry levels but simply ridiculous to swallow as it goes up. Price of wings increases with the levels too, though I got a feeling that there’s a decreasing marginal increase of spiciness, not that I have the courage to test it out though.

Conclusion: The hell-level 30 is eaten not for taste, just masochistic pride.

Sunset Grill & Bar
140B Piccadilly
Singapore Flying Club
Tel: 6482 0244

Taken with Nikon D70

Mid Autumn Festival 2011: More Mooncakes With Friends!

2011-09-10T04:26:00.001+08:00

Photo courtesy of SGDesserts

I'm kind of slow when it comes to updating, especially among blogger friends who would have written way ahead of me for the same outing. Nonetheless, this year's mooncake post still made it in time for you to consider last minute deals over the weekend!

This year's mini celebration was attended by lesser people (You were missed, You-know-know-you-are!) with lesser mooncakes (thankfully, actually), but still plenty of fun as we had a wonderful afternoon in Fen and Yuan's lovely home.

Learning from last year's experience, the couple also prepared savoury bites and light snacks to ease the lotus paste overdose. By the way, the Ondeh Ondeh from Maxwell market was awesome with soft, chewy skin and squirting gula meleka within. On to the mooncakes then!

Regent Hotel - Courtesy of Phoebe and Chloe

White Lotus Paste with Double Yolk and Melon Seeds - I'm an advocate of big and oily egg yolks for mooncakes, so this fitted the bill nicely as the generous golden ball was accompanied by smooth lotus paste and nibbles of melon seeds within.

Mandarin Orchard Hotel - Courtesy of Fen and Yuan

Baked Mooncake with Macadamia Nuts and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste - Paste had a very smooth texture and without yolks to provide the savoury element, it was a good idea to make it less sweet. Crunchy nuts hidden within!

Baked Mooncake with Mixed Nuts and Jamon Iberico - Vendors will usually use Chinese preserved ham (金华火腿) for mixed nuts mooncake (五仁月饼), but Mandarin Orchid lent it a luxurious touch by using Spanish Iberico ham instead, intensifying the flavours within. The generous amount of nuts within also made the mooncake very appealing. Good one!

Jewels Artisan Chocolate Mini Assorted Snowskin Mooncake - Courtesy of Charlene and Zhi Hao

Jewels made a return this year as our only snow skin mooncakes!

Espresso Truffle - Liked the strong coffee taste.
Dark Chocolate Crunch Pearl - Didn't leave a deep impression apart from tasting like mini Koko Krunch balls.
Salted Caramel Truffle - Consistently good from last year!
Champagne Ganache Truffle - Rather mild in alcohol taste
Korean Black Garlic - Very acquired. The longer you chew, the greater the aftertaste of garlic getting stuck in your mouth and from subsequent burps.

Eater Palace - From Lay Sian and Myself

Teochew Flaky Mooncake: Single Yolk with Yam - Yam was strong and smooth but badly bundled with a dried yolk.
Teochew Flaky Mooncake: Pumpkin with Yam - Felt that it was the better among the two as the pumpkin was of decent quality too. Note that both skins weren't as buttery and fragrant when cold, losing out to 珍味 by a margin.

Ever wonder how we did the shots? Fen and Yuan have an amazing collection of props that we could work with, and we found out the real usage of seaweed chicken!

That's all for mooncakes this year! Do check out what the others thought of the mooncakes and have a good Mid-Autumn celebration on Monday!

Charlene and Chewy Charles, MissusChewy
Chloe and Phoebe, TheFoodChapter
Fen and Yuan, SGDesserts

Taken with Nikon D70

Memoirs of Food: Live from Tumblr!

2011-09-07T05:38:00.005+08:00

I have been making subtle cosmetic changes to this blog over the past few months. Justifying paragraphs, adding "Like" and "Share" options, reclassifying labels (which by the way, is much more neater now in drop-down bars!) and the most noticeable change: A Tumblr live feed!

While most of the write-ups here feature first time visits to restaurants and cafes, please don't assume that I avoid $2.50 菜饭 or don't revisit places (Siao ah you think I got so much time and moolahs?). I thought that the idea of sharing what I eat on a daily basis might be quite fun! Alas, I was previously tied down by a not-so-smart phone without data plan, and I couldn't possibly whip out my camera to take 菜饭 during lunch, only to upload at night on my laptop.

But things have changed as I have just upgraded to a much-smarter HTC Sensation with data plan! With a little tweaking of source codes, I managed to link my Tumblr account to a widget on the sidebar, so you will see instant updates as soon as I upload them!

I guess these micro entries can keep track of places that I might have missed out, and also keep the site fresh when I don't update the main entries. Hope you will enjoy the changes!

Morton's Bar: Get Rid of Monday Blues!

2011-09-04T05:36:00.004+08:00

While "TGIF" goes without saying for office warriors and students alike, I'm sort of having "TGI Monday" moments this semester, as I'm on a three day week timetable with Mondays and Wednesdays free like a bird (not for long though, I can foresee). Now before you start cursing at me, let me make it up by sharing a place that will actually make you look forward to Monday evenings; Morton's Bar!

It's no secret that Morton's Bar @ Mandarin Oriental runs a happy hour promotion, where selected cocktails are offered at $12.95++ each with free-flow servings of filet mignon sandwiches. The problem is that the bar tends to get very crowded with people simply standing around with no tables, and there are not enough sandwiches to go around for everyone at every serving round. This is especially so towards the end of the week.

But as the girlfriend, who was on leave, and myself found out, Monday evenings are a total different matter altogether. No need to jostle for tables, no need to raise your voice to hear yourself, and the best part: More than enough sandwiches for everyone at each round!

Do note that not all of their martini creations are valid for happy hour, but those available are definitely more than pleasing to reward yourself for getting past the day!

Lycheetini, Cosmopolitan

I haven't drink enough martinis in my life to compare, but their creations were indeed very well-balanced with a delicate spike of alcohol and refreshing fruit mixers. Lycheetini fared better among the two, as the cranberry-based Cosmopolitan felt a tad artificial.

Chicken Goujonets ($15.00)

Served hot and crispy with mustard mayonnaise, these classy chicken tenders sure satisfied the savoury pang!

Complimentary Filet Mignon Sandwiches

And this, was the mega perk-me-up. Tender, juicy tenderloin cuts in between buttered mini-buns with a dab of mustard mayonnaise. Oh my. Good things, no, excellent things do come in small packages!

But I have to say that it would be better if the doneness could be more consistent. Most of the times I had really good medium beef, but there were a few overly pink ones that made me gave up chewing and simply swallowed.

I would think that its usually not nice to ask for more in a round when some people didn't even get one. But it's different story when the friendly waitresses asked directly if you cared for another one because there really were leftovers.

Resistance was futile!

How many sandwiches did I eat, you ask. Well, the girlfriend gave me a couple of hers as she had her fill, so I had erm, more than you could count with two hands.

Bill for two was $48.14 after taxes, a surprise treat by the lovely girl (Not sure if it was due to the alcohol or the happy-to-be-on-leave mood, or both). Quality offerings with top-notch services, the Morton's experience has yet to disappoint and will definitely chase away whatever blues you are having. Leave some sandwiches on the tray for me, alright?

The Bar at Morton's
Fourth Storey
5 Raffles Avenue
Mandarin Oriental Singapore

Taken with Nikon D70

DB Bistro: Burger Supreme!

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000+08:00

The influx of celebrity chefs at our two Integrated Resorts definitely brought the local fine dining scene to a whole new level. Restaurants at Marina Bay Sands are as attractive as the resort grounds itself, and our first foray was to celebrate mom's birthday at DB Bistro!

Located opposite the entrance of Sands Theatre, the french eatery was packed on a Friday evening (in case you are wondering, I took the above shot near closing time!) with show-goers and casual diners alike. With classy maroon colours, hip bar-like decor and a chatty atmosphere, the place was great for small gatherings yet stop short of being ideal for intimate dinners. The excellent service also made sure that we were well taken care of throughout the meal.

Complementary Cheese Gougeres

Fragrant and chewy with an airy, cheesy centre, these little snacks well-deserved their reputation!

Complimentary Bread Basket, German Riesling ($95.00)

It had been awhile since I had a memorable bread bowl, but this definitely left an impression! Among the fresh mini baguettes, sourdough slices and bread rolls, I particularly liked the last one as the smooth brown skin was lightly salted to make it even more appetising. Went really well with salted butter!

For the joyous occasion, we had a bottle of white that was light and smooth on the throat. Cheers!

Foie Gras Terrin ($26.00)

Creamy as it should be, it was my first time to have it paired with sweet passionfruit. A delightful combination that was accompanied by tasty buttered brioche.

Snail Fricassee ($24.00)

A maiden attempt for all of us, this was served with pasta, nuts and chicken chunks. Interesting but not outstanding in taste though.

Seafood Casserole Provencal ($35.00)

Our first sharing main course was unfortunately a huge disappointment. While the broth was alright, the mussels were stale with a fishy aftertaste. When we reflected this to the management, they did kindly offer to replace it with another main course but we declined that anyway.

Steak and Frites ($49.00), Duck Confit ($36.00)

The sirloin steak was done to a juicy pink centre with charred surface, though nothing to shout about with its inert quality. Fries on the other hand, seemed to be double-cooked as it was very well done with crispy skin and fluffy within.

The duck meat was fork tender with crispy skin, nothing to fault as we enjoyed every bit of it.

DB Burger ($38.00)

This, is what the post title is all about! Juicy sirloin patty, meaty short ribs shreds and a melting foie gras centre, a royal recipe for the king of all burgers!

Well, not quite, as we found out. Though the ingredients were each of heavyweight status, they weren't exactly mindblowing when pieced together. In fact, I enjoyed them better when eaten separately, a case of too much good things trying to outshine each other.

Before I move on to desserts, take a look at the cute miniature Tabasco bottles that DB Bistro gave to customers!

Molten Chocolate Cake with Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream ($15.00)

Though it was great that they could oblige with birthday greetings and candles, the cake itself was just alright with little lava within.

Bill for four was $374.29 after taxes. While we had a pleasant dining experience on the overall, DB Bistro didn't wow us the way as we had anticipated, as we were more delighted with the little things (Bread fest, anyone?) instead. DB Burger? been there done that!

DB Bistro Moderne
Basement 1 (Across Theatre)
The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands

Taken with Nikon D70

Coffee Bean: Breakfast Options!

2011-08-27T05:30:00.003+08:00

Waking up early on a weekend morning (rarely for me) usually warrants something more than just jam and toast, and Big Breakfast from ol Mac just isn't that big anymore. Thankfully, more and more places are offering breakfast menus, from the fuss-free Yakun eggs and kaya toast to exclusive Prive egg Benedict. As I found out, Coffee Bean had hopped onto the wagon too!

The outlet at Ion Orchard was rather cosy and quiet for breakfast, meant for lazing hours away with newspapers in hand. Every breakfast set came with free coffee/tea refills till 11am. Not sure about the caffeine addicts, but one mug was enough for me already!

Brek 'O' Day ($9.90)

Served with two eggs done your way, warm baguette, boiled sausages and cranberry salad, it wasn't very wow but good enough to start off the day positively.

Salmon Egg Muffin ($8.10)

Unfortunately, the outlet ran out of muffin (what, in the morning?) and had to replace my order with baguette instead. Still, I was delighted with the generous amount of smoked salmon within, as a mouthful of the it with sunny side up and toast was really satisfying. But I reckon a soft muffin would make an even better combo!

Bill for two was $21.10 after taxes. Not too bad considering the refillable coffee and availability of free iced water. Have an enjoyable breakfast before heading for the voting booths today!

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
#B1-12 ION Orchard
Outlets Islandwide

Taken with Nikon D70

Mellben Seafood: Oh Crab, Need To Queue!

2011-08-23T03:50:00.006+08:00

It's not hard to find a good Cze Char place in Singapore. With one in almost every coffeeshop under a HDB block, they have a cookie cutter-like menu that surely offer some sort of crabs, omelette, pork ribs and kangkong. Of course, some have standards that are higher than others and will amass a faithful group of followers from all over Singapore. Mellben Seafood is probably one of them!

A gathering with two other couples brought us to their Ang Mo Kio outlet which proudly took up the space of an entire coffeeshop. While parking was relatively abundant in the HDB estate, the restaurant queue could be quite horrendous if you didn't come early enough. We witnessed a perpetual snaking queue that lasted throughout our meal!

Even after getting a seat, the lengthy waiting time for food to be served could also test your patience (and stomach). Thankfully, all the food orders were served at almost one swop so you wouldn't have to pick finish on one dish before another arrived. A word of caution though: Make up your mind when you first order in the queue, subsequent add-ons tend to be ignored or simply forgotten.

Stirred Fried Sweet Potato Leaves with Belacan, Signature Deep-Fried Tofu

Opting for this instead of Kangkong as obligatory greens, it had a nice "wok-hei" and was tastefully spicy. I was hoping that their tofu would be the ultra smooth type at Pow Sing, but it turned out to be some sort of coarse, minced tofu mixed with spices. Not that it was bad though!

Sweet and Sour Pork

A friend had the craving for this and it turned out to be a good choice! Although the meat was leaner than I would have preferred, the flour coating was just nice as it gave a good crunch without leaving a mouthful of flour. Comfort stuff to go with rice!

Chilli Crab with Deep Fried Mantous

Moving onto the stars of the dinner: Crabs! Sacrificing big, meaty Sri Lankan crabs, we had three that night and all were cooked with different methods. I would start off with the one that was admittedly, mediocre. The gravy was plain disappointing as it felt watery and didn't have any chilli/ketchup/whatever-chilli-crabs-were-supposed-to-be-like taste to it. Didn't even bother to mop it up with the freshly fried buns.

Creamy Butter Crab, Claypot Crab Been Hoon

On the other hand, the other two were simply brilliant and probably justified the long queues at Mellben! The first one was oh-so-sinful as the rich, savoury gravy coated the succulent crab meat. Now this should be mopped clean with buns!

The crab soup was another addictive experience. Sweet, smooth and milky, we definitely had many bowls of this and was thankful that we ordered additional portions of soup and thick beehoon to be shared! Very satisfying!

Bill for 6 was just over $200 after taxes, including drinks and rice for all. With reasonable pricing and excellent quality (know what to order!), Mellben is definitely a place to keep for yummy Cze Char. But better come early or risk the maddening wait!

Mellben Seafood
Blk 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3
#01-1222 Singapore

Taken with Nikon D70

Cafe Cartel: Super Deal For Ribs!

2011-08-19T04:06:00.002+08:00

I don't think I need to give much introduction to Cafe Cartel, do I? The forerunner for free-flow bread, value-for-money lunch sets and of course, their signature slabs of ribs. Recently, I noticed that they have this really good deal for their pork ribs and since it had been quite a while I last stepped into the cafe, why not?

Despite being around for probably a decade or so, Cafe Cartel still draws quite a crowd with their fun, fuss-free western dining concept. Dinner at the Marina Square outlet required a little waiting during peak hours. The menu (and price) seems to be updated with plenty of new options to keep people returning for more!

Soup, Soft Drink and Free Flow Bread Top Up ($3.90)

Frankly, I have very low expectations when it comes to soup-of-the-day, but the Cream Of Chicken definitely left me pleasently surprised. Thick and flavourful, I like how they added a finishing touch with the cream drawing!

My experience with their baguette was quite a roller coaster one. Eons ago when we first ate it, it was so good that the bread became the highlight of the meal. Then it went into a trough with cold and coarse quality, before becoming inconsistent and depending on luck to bump into freshly baked batches. I think I was lucky that night to have it warm with a nice crunchy crust and fluffy interior. Butter and olive oil was good, but to have vinegar would be even better!

St. Louis Pork Ribs ($11.80)

During my secondary school days, Cartel was THE place to go for full-filing meat galore. Not that its not filling now (just look at the size!), but I guessed expectations had raised. Served with a scoop of coleslaw and hearty dose of fries, the ribs were slightly tough and tasteless on the inside, while the drenching BBQ sauce got overwhelming sweet and boring towards the end. But hey, they already gave you a huge discount off the usual price, why complain so much?

Crispy Fish & Egg Burger ($15.80)

The girlfriend opted for this instead and was pretty satisfied. Hot, battered fish fillet with melted cheese and a pretty sunny side up. Simple but nicely done!

Bill for two was $35.20 after taxes and 10% Citibank card discount. With the ongoing promotion (the manager also couldn't tell me when it will end), I thought it was really satisfying to polish clean a generous slab of ribs, though there was no way, nor would it be fair to compare them to Tony Roma's. Do make a trip before they decide to end the offer!

Cafe Cartel
6 Raffles Boulevard #01-208
Marina Square
Outlets Islandwide
Check out their website for new menu!

Taken with Nikon D70

Join NTU Deli Aprecio Club This Year!

2011-08-15T02:44:00.007+08:00

This is an advertorial for what I had been busy with for the past two semesters

Dear NTU freshies and returning seniors, looking for a CCA to join this academic year? Foodie at heart and hope to find like-minded friends? Want to explore new dining places that you never had the chance to go?

Then join the one and only food-dedicated CCA, the NTU Deli Aprecio Club!

DAC prides itself in bonding food lovers together and bringing members to places that will be difficult to explore as individuals. For example, we kicked off the previous academic year with a visit to Mycofarm, a homegrown mushroom farm, learning about the different types of mushrooms and their farming habitats. Shhh.. Shitake mushrooms may not be as yummy as you thought after hearing how they are grown!

This was immediately followed by a mushroom-themed steamboat buffet at The Mushroom Pot, where members huddled around for a yummy lunch, getting to know each other better amidst chopsticks dipping into the boiling pots!

Riding on the wave for tours was a visit to Fassler, Singapore's premium salmon and seafood producer. Their factory in Woodlands was an eye-opener as Mr Fassler himself taught us about the preparations process and of course, we got to tuck into the cheapest and freshest salmon sashimi ever!

Its no secret that we loved buffets, so for a different kind of buffet, DAC brought them to Teochew Muay (now closed), a buffet restaurant specialising in teochew porridge! Fantastic braised duck meat and intestines aside, we were also lucky to have Dr Leslie of IeatIshootIpost to give us a crash course on teochew porridge facts!

While most of us love to eat quality ice cream, little did we knew that it is actually replicable at home! The second semester saw us making a trip down to Tom's Palette for a hands-on ice cream making lesson. After a detailed walkthrough by instructor Belmont, we started making our own chocolate ice cream and why not, an ice cream buffet on all of Tom's flavours! (Told you we loved buffets already)

While it is usually the academic clubs and JCRCs preparing pre-exam goodie bags for students, DAC took it upon ourselves to come up with one for our members! Useful Staedler stationery, snacks for study marathons and restaurant vouchers, we got you covered for the exam!

So how to join us? Come on down to our CCA booth from:

Today till Friday (15th-19th August)
10am to 4pm
At North Spine, near LWN Library (Spot us with the large DAC banner!)
Join our facebook page!

For $10 a year, you get to receive the latest updates on club activities and join them at discounted member rate, receive frequent e-newsletters and entitled to freebies that we give out. Collect your free copy of the annual publication and talk to us to find out more about the club and its upcoming events. See you there!

Afterthoughts: Growing up with musical CCAs made me seek a change at the University level and I was completely sold the moment I heard that NTU has a food club. Taking charge of the club for a year wasn't an easy task, but it was definitely something I enjoyed doing. Seeing how my members enjoyed the various educational trips and yummy treats was certainly rewarding, and even more so when you see some of them returning for more.

Most people didnt know: Taking up the position was one of the main reasons why I rejected my exchange opportunity to Australia. I believe this is passion. Die-hard food passion.

Taken with Nikon D70

Coffee Stars By Dao: Quick Thai Fix in Town!

2011-08-12T02:22:00.003+08:00

Thai cuisine has always been popular with Singaporeans. We have the omnipresent Thai Express (which I have never stepped into) and less omnipresent Siam Kitchen chains, higher end Kha and the down-to-earth Ah Loy Thai and Nakhon Kitchen (more on that soon!). Now we got another place for Thai food in town: Coffee Stars By Dao!

Replacing the old Bakerzin at Wisma Atria, Coffee Stars hailed directly from Bangkok and served a mix of classic Thai food and western fusions. Business was pretty brisk on a Sunday noon as short queues formed periodically. Service efficiency however, had room for improvement as the younger staff seemed to be confused with their own menu even.

Tom Yum Prawn Soup ($5.80)

Sharing a soup that was meant for one, Mom and I rather enjoyed their rendition of the classic. Nicely spiced with a distinct lemongrass aftertaste, the fresh prawns also had a nice crunch to them.

Phad Thai ($12.80)

This however, left us disappointed. The rice noodles were too limp and soggy, while we thought that the overall flavours were a tad too sweet for our liking. Oh how I missed the ever perfect ones in Bangkok!

Green Curry Beef & Baked Pastry Bread ($13.80)

Now we couldn't quite put a word to the this curry. Not that it was bad, but there was this certain ingredient that made the whole dish tasted rather odd. If anyone knows what it is, tell me what caused the divergence eh?

On the other hand, the bread that came with the curry was rather impressive. Served piping hot, these were thick and doughy within, yet retaining a hardened crust that crumbled nicely as you sank your teeth. Addictive!

Coconut Pandan Roll ($5.60)

Despite all the raves that we had heard about, this wasn't exactly mindblowing for us. Yes the pandan was fragrant with chewy coconut cubes hidden inside, but it didn't quite induce a "wow-I-will-be-back-for-this" moment. And then I was reminded of the awesome swiss rolls at Rich and Good Cake Shop. Maybe thats why!

Bill for two was $46.15 after taxes. To be honest, we felt that it was a tad expensive as we had only ordered 4 small dishes and a bowl of plain rice, and the traditional favourites wasn't exactly satisfying for me. But given its popularity, I might just give it another try to be sure, perhaps an attempt on their western fusion dishes. Next time then!

Coffee Stars By Dao
435 Orchard Road #01-37/41
Wisma Atria
Tel: 6733 3881

Taken with Nikon D70

CJ Korean Buffet: A Sumptuous Spread!

2011-08-09T04:20:00.002+08:00

After coming back from my Korea trip, I kept thinking about the barbeque party we had on one of the cold, windy nights. Meaty pork bellies grilled to a golden brown, smeared with spicy bean paste and wrapped with a fresh lettuce leaf. That was just darn awesome! In attempts to recreate those yummy moments, I embarked on a Korean barbeque hunt in Singapore. First stop: Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant!

While there are three Korean restaurants under CJ, the branch at Centrepoint is the only one that offers Ala Carte buffet. The NEX outlet's buffet is much like Seoul Garden and honestly, I haven't heard much good things about it. Anyway, the place was pretty filled on a friday night but service was still very attentive and speedy.

Ban Chan (Side Dishes) Selection - The starters were of limited variety, but that didn't bother me much as one round was sufficient already. One slice of that fermented red vegetable was all I needed to declare enough.

Beef Soup with Dumpling - The flavourful broth was very hearty and well simmered, egg shreds (蛋花) were found alongside meaty dumplings with smooth skin. If it wasn't a buffet, a big bowl of this with rice would be good for a meal already!

Beef Soup with Rice Flour Cake - Exactly the same as above with rice cakes replacing dumplings. While most people might not get used to this easily, I had no issues at all as the chewy rice cakes were pretty similar to the Shanghainese type.

Ginseng Chicken Soup (One serving only) - Wasn't as intense as I had hoped for it to be, could have stuffed the chicken with glutinous rice for authenticity too.

Soya Bean Paste Soup - A (almost) daily staple in Korea, missed how this instantly warmed us up on the cold nights.

Stone Pot Beef Bibimbap - Pretty isn't it? The oh-so-important bean paste was nicely conjured with strong flavours and not overpoweringly spicy. The use of hot stone pot gave a layer of crunchy rice base (锅巴饭).

Braised Sliced Belly - If you are too lazy to grill your own, they even have the ready ones for you. Melting tender meat and gleaming bouncy skin. Indulge first, think later!

Seafood Pancake with Scallion - Pan-fried thinly, the edges was crispy with a soft centre. Repeats of this!

Grilled Mackerel - I had never thought much of the fish and the opinion remained.

Chap Chye (Sauteed Vermicilli) - Pretty good texture, but having prepared this myself before, I would prefer to have more sprinkles of sesame oil on it.

And finally, the grilling items! Though there weren't a lot of choices, I was glad that it was a case of quality over quantity. Just a few variants of poultry and seafood (1 prawn per person), but they were all rather fresh with no bad stenches.

The grill plate was pretty easy to use too. Watch the meat sizzle!

Most places tend to overmarinate them till they became overbearing to go beyond the first plate, but thankfully these were alright and if you really needed, iced water was free flow anyway!

Perfect grill marks!

Sliced Pork Belly - If you don't have this, its not a Korean barbeque! Juicy bite-sized meat with a good chew, dip in a little bean paste and I'm almost back in Korea already!

Unfortunately, we had to end with rather lame desserts. We had Watermelon Slices and Coconut Pudding that after some dicing and mixing, gave the third dessert of Watermelon in Coconut Milk. Right.

At $29.90++ per pax for weekend dinner, it might be more expensive than many Korean barbeque buffets out there, but I thought that Crystal Jade shone in terms of food quality, diligent service and a comfortable environment. Not only were the raw items good, the spread of cooked food was very well done too. Craving satisfied!

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ
#04-13 Centrepoint
Tel: 67373282

Taken with Nikon D70

Tiong Bahru Market: Breakfast Feast!

2011-08-05T03:45:00.001+08:00

The weekend is near! With all the fuss over buffet brunches, Egg Benedicts and whatsnot, hawker centres still hold a certain charm for me, starting the day with a frills-free, delicious meal. For one of such morning, I joined the girlfriend and her mom at one of their favourite hawker centre for breakfast: Tiong Bahru Market!

I was told that the hawker centre was much more airy and spacious after a major renovation. Getting a seat could require a little waiting with the bustling morning crowd but shouldn't be a problem overall. Being my maiden visit, I left the ordering to the experts!

Soy Bean Milk and Fried Doughsticks

There wasn't any media or critic endorsements pasted on the store we bought this from, but you couldn't go wrong with freshly made doughsticks and thirst-quenching soy milk. Simple pleasures!

Sweet & Savoury Glutinous Rice, Turnip Kueh & Chives Kueh

The girlfriend's mom loved the glutinous rice from this particular Nonya store and I could quickly understand why. Each grain was steamed to just the right hardness, had a sticky texture and yet not in a messy lump. Psst, even though you could order a mix of both, the uncle will purposely give less of the nicer sweet variant because that's the better selling one!

Again, I didn't know where the kuehs were bought from, but 韭菜粿 happened to be one of my favourite kueh and it didn't seem to be easily available among kueh shops. Nothing particularly outstanding, but I liked how the skins were chewy and didn't stick stubbornly to my teeth.

Shark Meat Lor Mee

One of the more well-known stores in Tiong Bahru Market, each bowl was not stingy with ingredients and definitely a steal at only $2.50. The gravy had a good starchy consistency that didn't turn watery easily, though its selling point of shark meat tasted just like normal white fish.

Chwee Kueh

At long last, I have tried the (arguably) most famous chwee kueh store of all! And I was so glad that it didn't disappoint. Generous scoops of crunchy, savoury chai poh poured over soft, bouncy steamed rice cake. This was addictive!

Wanton Soup, Char Siew Noodles

There were two wanton mee stores that had very long queues, so we decided to try something from each! For the soup, the wantons were huge and stuffed full of water chestnut bits and minced meat. Glad that the ingredients felt very fresh!

The charsiew noodles was yet another famed one. Using the 不见天 (Don't see sky, literally) part aka armpit of pigs, each slice was incredibly tender, well marbled and very well glazed. Together with a good supply of springy yellow noodles, this was one amazing plate of char siew noodles!

So finally, the goodness of Tiong Bahru Market explored! The average quality of food here seemed to outshine plenty of hawker centres, with the hoards of visitors reaffirming its popularity among Singaporeans.

What's your favourite store in Tiong Bahru Market?

Tiong Bahru Food Market
30 Seng Poh Road

Individual Stores:
Soy Bean Milk, Dough Sticks and Kuehs - Unknown. Apologies!
Glutinous Rice - HarriAnn’s Delights #02-25
Shark Meat Lor Mee - 178 Lor Mee #02-23
Chwee Kueh - Jian Bo Shui Kueh #02-05
Wanton Soup - 华丰面家 #02-24
Char Siew Noodles - 忠于原味云吞面 #02-30

Taken with Nikon D70

Fox's Chunkie & Beer Yeast Soda Biscuit: Snack Something Different!

2011-08-01T03:18:00.009+08:00

Apologies for the lack of updates! I have been busy churning out my food club's annual magazine for the past week, so in the meantime, here's something I wrote for NTU Student Union paper, Tribune, months ago!

If you thought that boutique Japanese/Korean supermarts are the only places that you can get exotic imported tidbits, think again. Take a walk in our very own Nanyang Supermarket and you will be immensely surprised (Trust me, I was) by the amount of never-seen-before brands on the racks. And before you write them off as not-for-me products catered to the Chinese population in hostels, you might just walk away with a few dollar notes lighter and a couple of biscuits heavier.

Product: Beer Yeast Soda Biscuits

Packaging: I think this caught my eyes for the wrong reason. Helming from Taiwan, the word “beer” stood out so prominently that I barely hesitated to grab one. A peek inside the box revealed 6 individual packets with 4 pieces of soda cracker each. Ah how convenient.

Taste: I think I was trying a bit too hard to detect any alcohol in this, as double checking on the nutritional label showed no such content at all. Still, there was a very faint lingering taste that somewhat resembled the after sip of beer, either it really existed or purely my stubborn mind playing tricks on me. Nonetheless, if you look past the fact that it was made with beer yeast, the cracker really was quite a tasty treat; light, crunchy texture with savoury seaweed flavour.

Price: $3.50

Worth a try? Yes, at least to satisfy your curiosity!

Product: Fox’s Chunkie (Fruit & Nut and Chocolate)

Packaging: Looking remarkably like a Mark and Spencers product, you can’t help but to be attracted by its classy, matt wrapper and aura of British aristocracy. Okay I’m exaggerating, but it really is from a UK brand with a century of history. Fruit and Nut? My favourite Cadbury fillings. Emphasis on “extremely chocolate”? Now you’re talking! Well my only gripe was that you need to get a air-sealed container once you opened it, but it wouldn’t matter if you plan to finish it in one go anyway.

Taste: The cookie itself had sort of an identity crisis. When you bite into it, it wasn’t your typical cookie that crunches and brittles, neither was it of a doughy Subway-like texture. Not sure if that was due to a generous amount of nuts and raisins, but the in-between compromise might take some time to adjust to. As for the layer of chocolate on top, it was decently smooth and creamy but definitely not close to any praline-grade that you are imagining.

Price: $3.70

Worth a try? Yes to impress your friends with psudo-atasness. But hey, it really is worth buying when even Isetan Supermarket is selling it at $4.50!

Post-thoughts: I haven't seen the beer yeast biscuits anywhere else yet, though Fox's had been spotted quite a couple of times in places like Market Place and previously mentioned Isetan. It's amazing where the campus supermarket dig out these snacks from and even sells them cheaper than outside. Time for another visit when school reopens!

Taken with Nikon D70

Tony Roma's: Ribs for Birthday!

2011-07-27T03:30:00.001+08:00

I know that I'm way under-qualified to consider myself old, but I have been toning down birthdays hoo-has over the years especially when the number 23 seems odd to be celebrated. Furthermore, this year I spent most of the day under the burning sun in reservist so we only had a simple dinner out; a treat by the loving girlfriend!

With no reservations allowed, we had wanted to try Tony Roma's for the longest time ever but was always put off by the constant long queues on weekends. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait at all on a weekday evening while snugging a spacious booth seat.

Complimentary Bread

Served a la Swensens' fries, the mini baguette was nicely warmed with crunchy crust and pillow-ly soft within. I particularly liked the scoop of creamy garlic butter that almost tempted me for another loaf of baguette!

Half Onion Loaf ($9.90)

We never had a similar starter since the Bloomin Onions at Outback Steakhouse years ago, but this was absolutely the right choice! Fried to a golden brown, the onion stack was addictive on its own and remained crispy till the very last piece, nicely accompanied by the BBQ mayonnaise dip.

Mushroom Soup and Sunriser Add-on ($10.00)

Available with purchase of every ribs main course, the mushroom soup was chunky and flavourful, definitely an outstanding one in a long long time. The mocktail quencher, on the other hand, tasted artificially average.

Fish Fillet and Half Rack Ribs ($30.90)

If you leave without eating their ribs, you surely can't say that you have been to Tony Roma's! Pairing the ribs with their Blue Ridge Smokies sauce, it was no doubt tender and juicy with a nice charred flavour. However, it also lacked that magical touch that would separate it from good to awesome. The dory fish fillet was sadly boring as I secreted wished that I had chosen the shrimps combo instead.

On a bright note, quality of sides were very worth a mention. The baked potato came with a hearty dose of sour cream, bacon and cheddar bits that made it as sinful as it sounded. I know corn are just corn, but the one I had was amazingly plump, succulent and sweet. Heavy plus points!

Salmon Piccata ($27.90)

The girlfriend had her preferred choice of seafood, decently done but nothing mind-blowing. Came with hot fries and a coleslaw that was a tad too raw for our liking.

We didn't have their desserts but instead, the girlfriend surprised me with a chocolate pear tart from Perla's Pastry Boutique. Rich and smooth, it was a good alternative to the usual birthday cakes!

Bill for two was $92.65 after taxes. Tony Roma's was satisfying on the overall but I thought it didn't quite justify the long queues. But if there is a next visit, onion loaves, ribs and corns will definitely be on the order list!

Tony Roma's
3 Temasek Boulevard #B1-007
Suntec City Mall
Tel: (65) 6337 9055

Taken with Nikon D70

O'Coffee Club: 1 for 1 Deals!

2011-07-24T02:30:00.002+08:00

We all love the Great Singapore Sale, don't we? Not only are fashion labels on sale, food places are also busy rolling out promotions to bump up sales. Not sure if you have noticed, quite a few coffee chains had been rolling out 1-for-1 deals during this period. TCC, House of Robert Timms and the one I ate at, O'Coffee Club!

Now while it didn't occur to me that the brand had removed the "Express" and added an "O'", their food menu had certainly expanded since my last visit and now covers a wider range of snacks, mains and desserts. The outlet at Ngee Ann City was pretty popular on a Friday night as we waited awhile to get a window seat.

Mega Club Sandwich ($15.00)

The girlfriend was in the mood for bread and thus chose the biggest sandwich they could offer! With slices of smoked salmon, roasted chicken, cheddar cheese, eggs and a rather tangy mayonnaise sauce double decked between foccacia bread, we thought it was quite a mouthful and satisfying!

The sandwich also came with a small portion of refreshing greens, though there was much room for improvement for the lukewarm fries.

Lobster Bisque Baked Rice ($13.50)

Enticed by the prized crustacean, I went for this and its fragrance was immediately detected when the waiter served. The rice absorbed the rich broth well, delightful with the layer of baked cheese. Portion however, could really be bigger while the two half-shelled scallops were really too tiny to be noticed.

Gooey Chocolate Monkey Tart ($7.50)

Instead of going for their signature mud pie, we shared their new creation that had diced banana between a chocolate tart, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with warm chocolate sauce. Completed the meal nicely!

Bill for two was $26.35 after taxes and promotion deduction. Pretty good deal as food quality was not compromised, though pasta might be a better choice over baked rice if you are feeling hungry. One more week before the offer ends!

O'Coffee Club
Outlets Islandwide
Check out their website for locations and partial menu!

Taken with Nikon D70

Vita Lemon Tea & Tai Hing Milk Tea: Made in HK!

2011-07-21T03:40:00.004+08:00

If you are familiar with Hong Kong's 茶餐厅 culture or have simply watched enough TVB dramas, you will know that Hong Kongers can't live without their Lemon Teas and Milk Teas. Although we have pretty close stuffs from the likes of Imperial Treasure and Kim Gary, there is still this slight gap that they couldn't close. Now we can have these classic HK drinks at home, one much more readily available than the other too!

Introducing Vita Lemon Tea! I almost jumped around like a kid when I finally saw these at NTUC Xtra. From the makers of the popular Vitasoy, their lemon tea taste very different from our local brands. The balance of tea and lemon is simply excellent and is not overloaded with artificial sweeteners, making every sip a refreshing one!

$4.95 for two packs

If you prefer your lemon tea with an even stronger tea flavour, then the Ceylon Lemon Tea will be good for you! Brewed with Ceylon tea leaves, this went well for my mom though I personally thought it was slightly leaning to the bitter end.

With no advertisements or any visible marketing efforts, I am not optimistic that Singaporeans knew of their existence or will be even willing to try them. So before NTUC decides not to restock them, I have already bought a stash for keeps!

Tai Hing Canned Milk Tea (~$1.50/can)

The Tai Hing group of restaurants in HK has gained popularity in the recent years for their quality roasts and smooth, rich milk tea. Now they have made it more convenient by packing the milk tea into cans! Not available in Singapore, I was lucky to have a HK friend bringing almost a carton of them over, which I now treasure and ration every can to make sure they could last until my next stockup. Definitely something to consider lugging back if you visit HK, let's hope they export it to our island soon!

My two favourite teas paired with Crystal Jade's Shrimp Paste Chicken and Red Bean Kaya Cream Puff. Sweet, savoury, shiok! Join me for high tea, anyone?

Vita Lemon Tea
Limited quantity available at NTUC Finest and NTUC Xtra
Be a fan of their Facebook page!

Tai Hing Milk Tea
Sold exclusively at Tai Hing restaurants and ParknShop supermarkets
Check out their company website and thier latest Milk Tea advertisement!

Taken with Nikon D70

Travel: Take Me To Tainan!

2011-07-18T03:06:00.003+08:00

Photo Credit: TakeMeToTravel

As my schoolmate currently interns at TakeMeToTravel, I have been helping with her online content by contributing articles every now and then. And as it turned out, they organised an online contest that focused on food and travel experiences, so I submitted an entry to try my luck!

Mooo-licious Cow Tongue Biscuits @ Tainan, Taiwan

"Since young, my parents had always taught me: Don’t play with your food. But seriously, the girlfriend and I couldn’t resist posing for this shot in Taiwan.

While we were at their ancient capital city of Tainan (台南), we discovered a local pastry called 牛舌饼, literally meaning “Cow Tongue Biscuit”. These elongated biscuits were soft and chewy with a buttery aftertaste, some having additional flavours such as coffee or cheese. The ones in our mouth happened to taste of strawberry, further resembling the colour of a tongue. Now let’s look at this from a new viewpoint: If you can play and eat your food, why not?

Just don’t ask me to demonstrate french kissing with this please. That will be wrong parenting already."

If you think that deserves a thumbs-up, please show your support by liking the page!

Photos by Weiliang, during our first trip in 2009

Writing that entry did (yet again) bring back wonderful memories of the days in Taiwan. Tainan was a much smaller city than Taipei with a slower pace of life. The 安平古堡 counted as one of their must-visit attractions, with the fortress first built by the former Dutch colony masters, later home to the Chinese conqueror 郑成功 and then used by the Japanese as an observation post.

The nearby 延平老街 also sold many local specialties that were worth bringing back for family and friends. The cow tongue biscuits were only one of their many specialties, as pastries of all shapes and types were enticing us! By the way, the cow tongue biscuits in Tainan were a tad different from the variants in 宜兰, which would be more crunchy in texture.

Another of my favourite snacks there were the homemade egg rolls. Prepared and packed immediately before you, these were as fresh as they could get!

Each had a wonderful eggy aroma and crumbled easily by nibbling, as the light, creamy taste could easily spurred you on to eat a few more. Available at NT10 (SGD 50cents) each or in gift boxes, they would make excellent gifts but only if you were delicate enough to let it survive the plane ride back!

安平古堡/延平老街
台南市安平區國勝路82號
Note: The place can be a little troublesome to reach by public buses, but relatively cheap and fast if you hailed a cab from Tainan Train Station.

Lastly, a shameless final call for (perhaps my first and last in a popularity contest) my submission, do like the page if you well, like it!

Taken with Nikon D70

Waroeng Penyet: Not Quite a Contender Yet

2011-07-14T02:00:00.006+08:00

Ever since my friend introduced me to Ria Ayam Penyet a couple of years ago, I was hooked onto its fiery chilli and crispy batter until I need my fix of it every now and then. But I didn't have much ayam penyet experience outside the Ria brand, so its time to try Waroeng Penyet for a comparison!

Eating at its newer Liang Seah Street branch, I first heard of the brand when it started out at Marine Parade, as people raved about their chicken and such. The cheerful-looking eatery needed diners to fill up an order sheet and make payment at the counter before they send it to you. Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long for my meal as there were few other customers during my visit on a Saturday evening.

Ice Lemon Tea ($1.80)

Nicely sweetened, the thirst quencher was particularly refreshing with the addition of lime.

Coconut Rice ($1.00)

Given a choice of plain or coconut rice, I opted for the latter and pretty much liked its fragrance and fluffiness. A plus to go with your main!

Ayam Penyet ($6.00) Bawal Penyet ($6.50)

Here comes the lead! All the while that I have been eating ayam penyet, the chicken meat itself had never been the star as something this deep fried and smashed tend to be drier and tougher. Likewise, there was no surprise here as I spent quite a while chewing on the thigh meat.

That being said, the accompanying sides that were suppose to steal the show did nothing either. The chilli didn't pack as much punch while the batter flakes were lumpy and slight moist. Even the basic tofu and tempeh didn't feel as fresh.

Girlfriend chose the fish version that came with two smaller whole pomfrets, but nothing really stood out anyway.

Kangkong Belacan ($3.90), Siomay Bandung ($5.00)

Sharing some sides to go with the penyets, the kangkong's sauce was leaning to a pleasant sweet side, while the other, a kind of steamed mixed dumplings with peanut sauce, had potatoes, tofus and sticky fishcakes as its ingredients and didn't go well for me.

Price for two was $26.50 with no additional taxes. Admittedly, I wasn't too impressed with what I had but like some suggested, branches will never be quite the same as the original outlet. Perhaps I should head down to Marine Parade sometime soon but for now, Ria still triumphs!

Waroeng Penyet
1 Liang Seah Street
#01-12
Tel: 63371452

Taken with Nikon D70

Imperial Treasure 香港之窗: Most Authentic Yet!

2011-07-11T02:00:00.004+08:00

Finding a place to eat in town can be quite a hassle. On some days, I wouldn't want to fork out for a restaurant meal with all the taxes add-on, neither would I want to settle for overly-franchised food courts. Thankfully, I now have an affordable haunt at Somerset, the Imperial Treasure: Windows of HK!

Located at the little known 111 Somerset (previously known as SP Building, I think), the place was a (rather) new venture by the Imperial Treasure Group. Closely imitating the system of HK-style fast food restaurants, the menu for the day was displayed on a large board, which you then order from the counter and wait for it to be delivered to your table.

Iced Milk Tea ($1.70)

Well I guess you guys should know my judging criteria for such cafes by now. And the verdict is two no, three words: Very very authentic. Smooth, rich and suitably sweetened, this was as close as you could get to HK! Even the use of crushed ice fitted to a T. Well my sources told me that the tea chef hailed from the Cafe De Coral chain previously, so that explained the golden standards!

Four Treasure Rice ($6.50), Pork Ribs Winter Melon Soup ($2.50)

The treasures here referred to different selections from the roast corner, and I supposed you could add more treasures if you liked to! The tender charsiew was nicely roasted with a caramelised finishing and the soy sauce chicken was also very well marinated. A pity that my salted egg that day was rather dry and the squid slices were a tad tasteless. Portion was enough to fill me up though!

The soup of the day, on the other hand, was not worth the money. It was just average and came in a rather small bowl, as I subconsciously compared it to an identical one in NTU canteen at triple the volume and cheaper the price.

Hotplate Crispy Noodles with Chicken and Black Pepper Sauce ($9.00)

With a colourful presentation, the sauces sizzled as you poured it over the crunchy noodles. Juicy capsicum, onion and carrot slices accompanied the tender chicken bits. Good stuff!

I also returned on separate occasions to have the Seafood Baked Rice and Curry Beef Brisket Rice. Very satisfying!

Homemade Chilli Sauce

For those who like their food spicy, the in-house chilli sauce packed quite a punch, though I didn't think it had the XO touch.

Red Bean Ice

Part of the hotplate noodles meal, the classic HK dessert drink was creamy and nicely sweetened. Washed everything down well!

Bill for two was $19.70 without additional taxes. Paying exactly what you see on the menu, the place offered true-blue HK fast food at attractive prices, with portions and quality that I could identify with. My regular hangout for a quality cup of milk tea already!

Imperial Treasure: Windows of Hong Kong
#01-K1/24/25
TripleOne Somerset
Tel: 6732 8798

Taken with Nikon D70

The “Jet-Lag” Singaporeans

2011-07-07T02:25:00.004+08:00

Notice: This is a non-food, non-travel related post. Just a self reflection on certain values learnt during the Korean trip. Do ignore if the content does not interest you.

The 10 days in Korea were fascinating. Besides the memorable camp activities, my most treasured takeaway were the whole bunch of new-found friends from ASEAN nations and South Korea. However, despite the strong bonds formed, I have to lament that the bonds would have been even tighter if not for what I call, the “Jet Lag Singaporean Syndrome”.

For the first half of the camp, although the five of us had been split into different teams, we were nonetheless very cliquish and chose to hang out among ourselves whenever possible. For every break time, meal time or just a couple of spare minutes, our radars will zoom in to locate the nearest Singaporean and voila, gather and wander off somewhere by ourselves. All while the rest were busy making friends with one another.

One of the contributing factors to our seclusion was our habit of complaining. Admittedly, the camp schedule and arrangement were not quite what we had expected and we would grumble about it. Why we didn’t have more time for shopping, why we couldn’t spend a day in Seoul, why was the camp jacket an ugly “corrective work order” orange, blah blah blah. That led to undesirable Groupthink and further prompted us to stay within the clique, as we presumed that only we could understand ourselves.

I realized that we were also, in a way, afraid of others. We didn’t know what kind of family backgrounds they came from, what kind of lifestyle they had and frankly, if they could understand our English in the first place. Instead, we took the easy way out by minimizing direct contact.

In other words, we didn’t easily open up to others and instead indulged in our own topics and talked in familiar lingos. On the surface we were very “PR-ish” and polite to our foreign friends, but yet still maintained a line between us and them.

The worst part? We consciously knew it, and they heartfelt it.

Thankfully, all was not lost. After more days into the camp (and more bottles of Soju, Hite Beer and boxes of Korean strawberries), the “Jet-Lag Singaporeans” finally woke up and truly mingled with the rest. On their part, they also realized that Singaporeans were not as aloof and unreachable as we seemed to be. Yes, they told us that in the face when we got closer.

On the last sleepless night, a Cambodian friend blatantly confessed in a open circle conversation that he felt that Singapore, being arguably the most developed country in ASEAN, had people that tend to act more like Caucasians and to think on a “different level” from the other ASEAN people, thus accounting for our distancing behavior. Although he meant no harm and didn’t blame us for behaving like-wise, I couldn’t find a positive connotation to his words nor defend ourselves, so much that I kept reflecting on my own attitude for the camp.

What he said was, perhaps unknowingly to us, largely true. Is this what years of solid education should do to us? Is this how the citizens of a developed young nation should behave? Something is very wrong here.

I think this was not just the problem of the 5 of us, but in general, of all Singaporeans. We would not and dare not venture into the unknown and take the first step in embracing others. Rather, we had the mentality to stay in our comfort zone and would require enormous effort to kickstart ourselves. During my reservist training, a friend who is a fast-food restaurant manager, concurred this as he had the same experience during a training trip to Thailand with other Singapore managers; that Singaporeans are way too stubborn to take the leap of faith.

With all the talks about Global-mindedness and “The World is Flat”, I think Singaporeans have a lot more to learn and do to reach that stage; To be more mindful of our own actions, to be more receptive to others and to be more adaptive to different situations. I wouldn’t go as far as to exaggerate that I have emerged as a better person, but I thought it was a valuable moral lesson that I would keep in mind for years to mind.

What say you?

Taken with Nikon D70

Incheon Airport: Ginseng Chicken, Finally!

2011-07-03T03:17:00.006+08:00

Alas, all good things must come to an end as we parted with our ACCE friends at Incheon airport. Recently voted as the world's 3rd best airport by Skytrax. the international airport of Seoul was nothing short of impressive. Modern, spacious and full of amenities, Team Singapore headed for the food court for our last meal on South Korea grounds!

Ginseng Chicken Soup

Throughout the camp, this was the one national dish that I didn't get to try, so there was no way I would miss it out on my last meal! Now frankly, if I were to compare it to Chinese double-boiled soups, the one here didn't quite stand out as it was much lighter yet with a distinct aftertaste of ginseng. What really amazed me was the chicken itself.

With the bones crumbling into powder as you roll your tongue over it, I suspected that such tenderness was achieved with the aid of pressure cookers. Stuffed with soft, chewy glutinous rice, the flavours were further brought out with a sprinkle of the sea salt provided. Satisfying!

Stonepot Beef Bibimbap

Sharing this among the five of us, the tender beef slices were excellent to go with the mixed rice. Forgetting to take a good shot, we also shared a bowl of Beef Brisket Soup that was made with the uber expensive Korean cattle. Tender and full of beefy taste, the soup was nothing short of excellent as we slurp it all up. Now I know why it cost so much already!

And that marks the end of my Korea trip! Before this, I had never thought much of the country and wouldn't rush to visit it anytime. Now with a whole new bunch of Korean friends and a better understanding of their culture, I don't think it will be long before I crave for a trip to Seoul!

I still have one last post coming up regarding the ACCE camp. Not food or travel related, but more on personal insights and reflections. Next time then.

Taken with Nikon D70

ACCE Field Trip: Anapji, Royal Tombs, Ssambap

2011-06-30T02:29:00.002+08:00

Following the vegetarian lunch at Gyeongju, we moved on to our next destination, Anapji, a man-made pond area in Gyeongju National Park.

Part of the Silla dynasty's palace complex, the pond was constructed by the rulers for leisure purposes and to receive important guests. It was also said that towards the end of the dynasty, many citizens were too heartbroken to see their country die and instead chose to end their lives by plunging into the water here.

However, you don't really see much building structures remaining, leaving mostly pillars marks on the ground. This was due to the Japanese invasion where the intruders burned down pretty much of their historical monuments. A great pity, no doubt.

Next, we visited the park belt where most of the royal tombs were located. Shaped like domes, I personally couldn't tell them apart and reckoned that the bigger the dome was, the more important the person inside was. Conceptually similar to the pyramids in Egypt, I suppose.

We were not supposed to climb onto the tombs, of course, but I was told that naughty kids would use them as slides. Oh well, pardoned!

One of the king's tombs was excavated and reconstructed within to show what was found buried alongside the king, while the entire belt was certainly a good place for school excursion trips, as we spotted a teacher giving a live lesson to students in the park.

We also visited the Gyeongju National Museum to learn more about the Silla Dynasty. Frankly, I'm not a history person so there wasn't really much to say about the exhibits inside.

As for dinner, we made our way to a restaurant that served Gyeongju's speciality, Ssambap.

Literally translated to "Wrapped Rice", rice was served with vegetables leaves and many, many banchan (Side snacks). These banchan were refillable for free throughout the meal.

So much that I forgot what I ate already, really! Generally, they were more towards the salty side and went very well with rice. Somewhat reminded me of our Teochew Porridge.

The more memorable ones was like this stirred fried sliced pork in barbecue sauce. Despite using lean meat, it was very tender and flavourful. We also learnt that Kimchi could also steamed, so I was slightly more tolerant towards this version.

For desserts, we were served packets of Gyeongju Bread, which was really a kind of red-bean pancake that was soft and chewy, similar to Japanese Dorayaki (the ones Doraemon loved to eat).

And with that, we concluded all the field trips of ACCE! I'm sure there is so much more to beautiful Daegu as we had limited time to explore. If you want to see a different side of South Korea that is more laid-back and less city-bustling, Daegu might be a good choice!

Taken with Nikon D70

ACCE Field Trip: Bulguksa Temple, Vegetarian Lunch

2011-06-27T03:00:00.000+08:00

For our last ACCE field trip, we travelled to Gyeongju City, ancient capital of the Silla kingdom. And with such rich historical value, it is no wonder that the Bulguksa Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Again, I'm not going to list down the history of the temple, but just keep in mind that its grounds were huge with an air of serenity and had very pretty landscaping.

Being a Buddhist temple, there were plenty of customs and structures that the Chinese could identify with. Just wondering, would the gods hear you if you said your prayers in Mandarin?

There was this area were many mini stone towers were constructed. Legend has it goes that the higher you stack, the more likely your wish will come true. But beware, if it topples in the process you will suffer bad luck for god-knows-how-long. Thankfully, my tower (left, 2nd picture) was as steady as I had left it.

Lush greenery on frozen lakes. Told you it was pretty already.

Before we head for lunch, we made a pit stop at a local souvenir shop. Too touristy for my taste, but what interested me was this row of bungalows opposite the road beside a lake. The Koreans told us that during summer, these houses are rented out to students for drinking parties, completed with barbecues and dips in the lake. I almost felt sad thinking of our chalets.

And then our tour bus stopped in the middle of nowhere (to me, at least) for lunch! We were told that this tiny restaurant was popular for their traditional spread of vegetarian food. My stomach groaned a little at the word "vegetarian" but oh well, why not?

I don't usually describe food as pretty, but the word aptly says what they served here!

The colourful, chewy rice cakes had vegetables encased into them, while the wobbly rice pudding was appetising with a splash of their red bean paste. Both are firsts for me!

Nothing better than a hot pot of Kimchi Soup in the cold weather, while the Lotus Leaf Rice bore much resemblance to the Chinese version, albeit lighter and more earthy-tasting.

Dessert was a simple affair of fresh fruits and Green Tea Red Bean Cake, though we were a little puzzled about why crunchy garlic toasts were served last. Made really good snacks though.

If Singapore had a restaurant located in such wilderness, it would just die out within a week (with Sunset Grill being an exception, I think). But the business here was certainly more than brisk. Food over location!

Taken with Nikon D70

Yeungnam University: Awesome Campus!

2011-06-22T04:00:00.000+08:00

For one of the ACCE field trips, we visited the main campus of our host university, Yeungnam University (YU)!

Team Singapore and our Korean friend, Carrie, in front of YU's mascot, the blazing Pegasus

Being one of the largest university outside of Seoul, the campus size was certainly vast and wide as faculties were located independently from each other. Their main library, by the way, was already over 20 storeys! However, with so much land space, there really was no need to build upwards as most buildings were merely a couple of levels tall.

The winter scenery was definitely picture-perfect. I could imagine lovebirds strolling down that lake after the last class ends. Not that NTU don't have a Nanyang Lake, but with our irritating weather, pesky mosquitoes and odd belongings of undergrads-thrown-in-the-lake floating around, there really wasn't much romance to speak of.

We first attended a welcome talk by YU's president, Dr Lee Hyo Soo, who told us more about YU's vision. This was followed by a series of mini-talks by other exchange and master students, who shared with us their experience in YU. The university also conducts a summer exchange camp in English, so go poke around their website for more details!

We also had a tour of their museum, housing many artifacts from different ancient Korean dynasties. I'm still darn amazed by how real the painting of the elder looked.

Besides the museum, another amazing attraction on campus was their folklore village. A exact replica of what could be found in the olden days, it bore much resemblance to Yangdong Village.

Unlike Yangdong, these are merely for display with no occupants, though we saw some Koreans bringing their kids here to play.

Play what? You ask.

Play this kick-ass, giant swing! There were several playground amenities for children, and this definitely brought out the kid in us. A might push and hold on tight!

Crispy Minced Chicken Cutlet with Rice, Corn Soup

We also ate lunch in one of their cafeterias, where the lack of Kimchi and appearance of Western-looking food were most welcomed after 4 days in Korea. Just a little upset that the lady poured cutlet gravy over my very sweet orange slices!

Singaporeans could never leave a place without a jump shot eh? If you are wondering about my friend's amusing arms-fold pose, in his own words: "That's how Magneto flies!"

Pity we didn't have enough time to crash their lectures, especially the ones in their business school. With seemingly borderless land, YU's campus feel was exactly what I have imagined a overseas university to be; spacious with gasps of fresh, cold air. Easier to score As eh!

Yeungnam University
Gyeongsan City, South Korea
Check out their English Website!

Taken with Nikon D70

Sarang: What value for money?

2011-06-19T05:15:00.001+08:00

I'm going to call a time-out from my Korea entries, but that doesn't mean this post will be any less Korean!

I never had a proper Korean meal in Singapore before, largely because I wasn't really interested in their food culture. But the ACCE trip did change that mentality quite a bit and spurred me on to see if Korean restaurants here serve anything close to the real stuff. So when my friends asked for a dinner place in town, they literally jaw-dropped when I suggested Sarang!

Located at the chillingly-empty Orchard Central, Sarang seemed to be recommended by several online sources for affordable and authentic Korean food. I previously missed a media invite to the place, so this was a good chance for me to try out its offerings. The alfresco area had a pretty good view of Orchard Road, but with all of us fearful of the heat, air-conditioned indoor please!

Complimentary Seaweed Snackers

Rather addictive munchies, we cleared one bowl of it even before deciding on our orders! The cheerful staff gladly filled it up again!

Yin Yang Pancakes ($5.80)

Freshly made upon order, we thought that the Kimchi one tasted better than the other scallion one. A little too starchy for me, while the 5 of us barely had more than two mouthfuls of the small pancakes.

Jajang Meyon ($8.80)

Although I didn't eat this while in Korea, I'm pretty sure it shouldn't taste like this. Overcooked, squashy noodles, diluted black bean sauce and just two slices of hard boiled egg that hardly had the yolk in it. It was already among the cheapest main course on the menu but still gave me the grossly overpriced feel.

Bibimbap ($8.80)

A buddy shared this with his girlfriend and almost immediately regretted after seeing the small portion. Not only that, he mentioned that the bean paste was quite diluted too. And the tiny quail eggs are, to put it bluntly, a joke. How much more would it cost to throw in a proper chicken egg really?

Chicken Stew ($13.80)

They also shared this and commented that the spice taste overwhelmed any other flavours in the soup, which I concurred after stealing a sip. Lets just move on.

Piggy Jump Over The Wall ($13.80), Steamed Rice Set ($2.80)

Finally, something decent! I rather enjoyed my kimchi broth which was hearty and not overwhelming spicy, as the cabbage pieces and tofu absorbed the flavours nicely. There was also a dumpling that had a rather good chewy skin. However, the quantity issue struck again. There were only a grand total of 3 slices of pork belly, which I had to treasure and ration for my bowl of rice.

Speaking of the add-on rice set, one thing I learnt about the Koreans is their generosity with free-flow rice and endless spread of side dishes (Banchan). To be fair, I didn't try asking for a refill here, but with just two side dishes (strands of kimchi and a handful of stewed peanuts), the price was quite a rip off already.

Total bill for five was $82.86 after taxes. Leaving half hungry and more than half wallet empty, I was almost too embarrassed to face my friends for suggesting Sarang. First attempt at Singapore-Korean food; miserable fail. I need a solid replacement for bibimbaps, stews and pancakes that can feed hungry boys. Anybody?

Sarang
181 Orchard Central #07-01
Tel: 6773 1322

Taken with Nikon D70

ACCE Field Trip: Yangdong Village, PosCo, Downtown Daegu

2011-06-15T03:15:00.002+08:00

For the 10 days camp, 3 full days were dedicated to excursion trips and we always looked forward to them. Seriously, who didn't want to go out and explore? So up the buses and off we go!

Breakfast on the go, was always sandwiches, Korean rice cakes and pineapple/strawberry juices. I tried not to touch the juices just in case my motion-sickness kicked in.

First stop was the beautiful, rustic village of Yangdong. I'm not going to bore you with too much history, but basically it was an important Korean village from the Joseon Dynasty, as kings and other important people of the era hailed from the village clan.

Registered with UNESCO as a world heritage site, some of the clan's descendants were still staying in the village. We spotted horses in a house's stable, a grandma hacking away at branches for winter, and houses making huge vats that among its many uses, one would probably be for marinating of Kimchi.

Two sightings at Yangdong Village that amused me; the shaggiest-looking dog ever, with fringe so long that I wasn't sure if he could even sees us. And despite all the rural-ness, HDTV, anyone?

Seobaekodang, home of the Wolseong Son family.

Boys and girls. Be nice, cross your legs and smile for the camera!

Although Winter had forced out most of the farming crops, I was sure it will be real pretty when Spring comes again.

Next up, a visit to the steel-manufacturing giant, Pohang Iron & Steel Co Ltd, more fondly known as PosCo.

PosCo Museum, Hematite Lump Ore Samples

Established after the Korean War, the company was instrumental in rebuilding the country's economy and is currently the world's third-largest steel producer.

The visit to their factory and museum wasn't all that interesting, to be honest. Nonetheless, it did remind me how much of South Korea's post-war economic success (Samsung, Hyundai etc) was coined from scratch, as the people striked out of poverty for a better future. Sounds like a familiar nation-building story eh?

Lunch was taken in the company's cafeteria, as most large corporations in South Korea provided meal services. PosCo even had hostels for employees!

Though the dishes didn't differ too much from Pyeongsan's cafeteria, we realised that every place marinated Kimchi differently and the ones here were way too fermented for me.

Lotte Young Plaza, Downtown Daegu

And now, the last part of the day trip that we were truly anticipating for; shopping at Downtown Daegu! But let's have dinner first!

Located at one of the narrow streets of Downtown Daegu (Sorry I was totally lost), the organizers booked a cosy restaurant that was popular for their Bibimbap. Finally, the real stuff!

Bibimbap, being a plain rice dish with plenty of shredded raw vegetables, could hardly have much differences among restaurants. Therefore, as I have learnt, the soul of a good bibimbap is essentially its bean paste. Many chefs took great pains to tweak their paste recipe to capture consumers' stomach, and the version here certainly caught ours.

Being my maiden bowl (Don't laugh, honestly) of Bibimbap, I found the bursts of sweet, savoury and spicy flavours very appetising. This was further complemented by the clean, crisp taste of fresh vegetables. Admittedly, bibimbap looked really ugly and lumpy after mixing, but those were sure delicious lumps!

Unfortunately the seafood pancake was served cold and rubbery, while I didn't eat much of the refillable side dishes. What did stood out was the dessert drink; Cinnamon Tea. AS a cinnamon fan, I adored its sweet and intense flavours, washing down all remnants of that fiery bibimbap nicely.

With the tummy filled, its time to shop! The main street was bustling with young Koreans and you could be sure to find all the cosmetics brands lined up neatly one after another. Just how competitive were they?

Well without buying anything, they were already giving out plenty offree samples on the street. And when I bought face masks and cosmetics (with the aid of female friends, of course. I was a clueless chicken in the shops) for the girlfriend, they gave me even more masks, so I ended up having more free than paid ones. Not that I'm complaining!

I also learnt that Koreans tend to be very organised in urban planning. Downtown Daegu has one street for pubs and clubs, one street for cyber-gaming and no doubt, one street for their national hobby; plastic surgeries! Koreans are so good at it that a double eye lids operation takes only 20 minutes! Faster than you could eat your breakfast huh!

No free-hands Team Singapore and our Korean buddy guides, Song and Joyce.

Although I was sure that Seoul had everything on a much bigger scale, Downtown Daegu was already fasincating enough for us, as we wished for more time to explore the place thoroughly. But that's quite enough for the tiring day already!

Taken with Nikon D70

Pyeongsan Academy: Where Air Can't Get Any Fresher!

2011-06-12T06:00:00.001+08:00

How would you like to wake up to this every morning? Simply gorgeous, I tell you.

Our ACCE camp was held primarily at Pyeongsan Academy, in the mountainous region of Mount Palgong. Away from the bustling city of Daegu, the academy was much like a holiday resort, completed with meeting facilities, cafeterias, sports facilities and even a ballroom.

We realized that companies tend to book this place for cohesion and team-building functions, as we saw different groups of people checking in and out throughout our stay. One of the wall photos revealed that the Ms Korea participants even had their training camp here before!

For me, its scenery and tranquility were definitely major draws. Mountains were almost unheard of on our island, as indulging in such surreal surroundings with the freshest air ever were priceless treats for both eyes and mind.

At our time of arrival, we missed the country's heaviest snowfall in a century by a week. As Koreans rejoiced the forthcoming of Spring, I was slightly disappointed that witnessing real snow still remained an undone task. The streams outside the campus, however, were beautifully frozen over.

The campsite was supposedly guarded by fierce dogs, but the few fluffy pups we met had nothing but enthusiasm for our visits. Okay he looked rather sulky here but was tail-wagging excited when we got closer.

Hope they had enough warmth in the 6 degrees weather?

The ballroom, where we had our welcome and farewell dinner, had a large stage for performances and even more space at the back to hold the buffet lines.

Prepared by their in-house kitchen, the spread consisted of both traditional Korean staples and western dishes. Had our first contact with local Kimchi (countless to come) and colourful korean rice cake, Tteok.

First shot by Zadine Ebrid

The usual meals took place in the less glam, but nonetheless cosy cafeteria that was just outside our rooms. Also presented in buffet-style, there were always plenty of side dishes with soup of the day.

Korean rice, I realised, tend to be mixed with a little wheat grains and though not as chewy and sticky like Japanese rice, it was still rather tasty for my palette.

To be fair, the cafeteria food wasn't really bad although it was getting increasingly repetitive. After eating that red fermented veggies for 3 meals a day, 4 consecutive days and with a slightly feverish body, my diet became more fruit, meat and bread based. Kimchi disappeared altogether from my plate on the 6th day onwards.

Being usually deprived of clean, mud-less grass to lie on and the ability to sunbath without sweating, dozing off at the open area was such a simple yet unforgettable pleasure.

Team Singapore simply lived the moments to act like carefree kids. Our "atas campus in an angmo country", we called it!

Taken with Nikon D70

ACCE: Ten Amazing Days with Friends of Asia!

2011-06-09T02:50:00.003+08:00

First question: What is ACCE?

Well, The very first Asian Cross Cultural Exploration (ACCE) programme is a cultural exchange organised by ASEAN countries and Korea. Held over 10 days in the 3rd largest city of Korea, Daegu, student representatives celebrated our cultural diversity through the two themes of the camp: Music & Food!

Note: Most photos in this post are taken from my Thai friend, Zadine's facebook album. Thank you for the awesome coverage!

The amount of youth energy bursting from my fellow participants was just amazing. Never have I met so many people from ASEAN countries and Korea, let alone undergraduates from my generation!

We spent the first two days giving presentations on our countries, with many of them wearing their colourful traditional costumes!

For the music theme, we got hands-on introduction to traditional Korean instruments, as well as enjoyed jaw-dropping performances by the multi-national musical group, HATA. Made up of musicians from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and India, they even gave us coaching on their specialised instruments!

Why stop at playing instruments? Let's make them! With guidance from our Korean instructor, we made our very own percussion instruments from seemingly trash that you would throw out without blinking. Oozing with creativity, we managed to put together a percussion piece at the end of the camp!

As for the food theme, we visited the hypermart chain, E-mart, to get our ingredients for two days of cooking! Here's a little fact I discovered:

If you watch Korean dramas, you will know how much they value beef and keep the prized meat for special occasions. But did you know that top-graded local beef is even more expensive than imported USDA and Wagyu beef? And its not as if the imports are cheap in the first place!

For the first cooking session, each team was given a recipe for a traditional Korean dish. My team had the opportunity to prepare Chap Chye, a kind of cold-served glass noodles in a colourful mix of vegetables, sliced meat and drizzled in sesame oil. Even the Koreans said it tasted authentic!

The second cooking session required each country to prepare our speciality dishes for dinner! Vietnamese spring rolls, Laos Beef Noodles, everyone was set to impress! Till now I'm still darn amazed at how our Thai counterparts carved out pretty decorations on-the-spot to go with their equally good Tom Yum Soup and Green Curry Chicken!

What about the Singaporeans? Okay I admit, we cheated. With Prima Taste pre-mix packs that is. As Team Singapore only got a half-past-six food club president and a wrong-skills-here pastry chef, we tried our best to whip up Laksa and Chili Crab Pasta for everyone! Might not be close to your Long Beach or Katong Laksa, but we were glad that the flavours turned out pretty fine and were well-received by our friends! Never throw face ah!

On certain days, we also left the campsite to explore historical grounds and downtown of Daegu, more about that in upcoming posts!

Although the trip concluded more than 3 months ago, every bit of it continued to linger in my memories as fresh as ever. The countless friends we met, the meaningful bonds we formed and the fabulous moments we shared are one hell of an experience that are impossible to forget. Harmony of Asia? You bet!

Apparently, the camp was major enough to be featured by several Korean television programmes. Here's one of them that my Korean friend recorded, covering pretty much what we did for the entire camp. Psst, I got my 20 seconds of fame at 6:05! Any kind soul willing to help me translate my subtitles? Although I was pretty much talking in circles. Nervous la.

Here's another one that showed our percussion piece! You might have to like HATA's page to view it!

Korean Airlines: Breakfast and Dinner!

2011-06-06T03:00:00.001+08:00

Anyong haseyo! I hope you are a Korean fan because I am finally getting started on my KimchiLand Series!

My awesome 10 days trip to Korea in late February began with a 6 hour flight on their national carrier, and I must say that I was most impressed with the cabin facilities. The economy class's personal screen was seriously huge, the comprehensive entertainment system was filled with movies-on-demand and video games, while power points were available for laptop junkies. Leg space was pretty comfortable for my height (180cm-ish) too.

The pre-meal snack was one of the nicest packet of peanuts I had. Every nut had a rich, buttery flavour and was enclosed in a crispy coat. Should start looking for them in supermarkets!

International Selection, Omelette with Sausage

After dozing off to the end of my movie, I was gently awakened at 4am for breakfast. Given a choice of international or Korean, I opted for the former as I thought that would be the last of anything Western in the coming days.

Unfortunately, it wasn't such a good choice as the omelette and beans could do with a huge sprinkle of salt, though the sausage was juicy enough. The sides of fresh fruits, yogurt and soft bun with strawberry jam were pretty standard but welcoming for the morning stomach.

Korean Selection: Beef Bibimbap

But if you ready to dive straight into Korea's food culture, then go for their national dish! Presented with a "How to eat Bibimbap" instruction sheet by the friendly air stewardess, the rice dish with an assortment of vegetable toppings came complete with a mini tube of the ever-important spicy soy bean paste! Just don't be a sleepy head and use it as toothpaste instead!

Pour the rice in, squeeze the paste, mix and enjoy!

International Selection: Buttered Rice with Braised Beef

On the return dinner, we again had a choice of international or Korean bibimbap and I still opt for the former, the reason this time being that I admittedly had quite enough of Korean food already. Though it didn't look appetising, the mix of tender beef cubes and warm rice was rather good comfort food.

Soy Beancurd, Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

The side dish was slightly different too, coming in the form of a very light and refreshing tau hway. Ice cream wasn't from any big labels, but I enjoyed the sweet treat all the same.

I have been travelling budget in the recent years and honestly, I'm not up-to-date with what other premier airlines are offering. But Korean Airlines definitely stood out from my previous experiences with SIA and Cathay Pacific!

Next up, covering the 10 days programme!

Taken with Nikon D70

Sweet Salty Spicy: Satisfying Thai Fix!

2011-06-02T03:30:00.000+08:00

As my family doesn't own a car, I will seldom make a journey to the west for food. Honestly, places like Sunset Way are not that luring to make me brave the train and bus rides. But when I do have a car (rented, that is), its a different story altogether. Everywhere the wheels could take me!

Located at the Dempsey-like Rail Mall, Sweet Salty Spicy is a sister restaurant of Cafe Epicurious, serving hearty Thai cuisine. In fact, the two restaurants are side-by-side and you are free to order from either menu. More choices for everyone!

The place was rather empty on a early evening and didn't exactly fill up as the night went on. Though it was marketed as a food market with ingredients-to-go, I was a bit disappointed that the goods occupied merely one shelf. Nonetheless, the chic, dark decor gave the place a pleasant dining vibe.

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab ($13.00)

Served fresh from the fryer, this was very crispy and surprisingly meaty, very enjoyable after a spell of skinny soft shell crabs. The accompanying sauce was really unique too, made up of chilli jam and lemongrass to give it a sweet, refreshing aftertaste. Haven't had such a good rendition for quite a while!

Grilled Jumbo Prawns ($4.50 each), Chicken, Pork Skewer ($3.50, $3.00 each)

We also chose some items from their grill selections, but they didn't turn out well for us. We were probably unlucky to get prawns that were slightly mushy and pork slices that were too tough. The chicken was on the safe side, which also meant that it was just uninspiring.

Sugarsnap Pea ($9.00), Green Curry Fish ($10.00)

To go with my rice, we had the obligatory greens that consisted of stir-fried snap peas, shitake mushrooms & baby kai lan. Not so much "wok hei" but at least it was well-flavoured.

I was looking forward to the green curry (oh how I missed the bangkok ones..) and thankfully, it didn't disappoint! With a thick texture, the rich and creamy curry was very well done as I polished off every drop of it with my rice. The snapper fillets were fresh and delicate, though I wish there were more of it in the curry.

Phad Thai ($12.00)

Now this was very close to the real stuff! Served with dried beancurd and chicken chunks, the noodles were delightfully springy with a sweet aftertaste. I guess they also tried to suit Singaporeans' tastebuds by stir-frying the beansprouts as well. Very generous in quantity, I loved to have it drizzled with plenty of peanut bits!

Bill for two was $71.80 after taxes, a tad high given the number of dishes we ordered. Still, the meal was great as the curry and noodles brought back fond memories of Bangkok. A return trip? Well.. No car no go!

Sweet Salty Spicy
392/394 Upper Bukit Timah Road
The Rail Mall
Telephone: 6877 2544

Taken with Nikon D70

Memoirs of Food: 3 Years of Blogging!

2011-05-30T03:00:00.003+08:00

A birthday Flor Mango Pie for the ever supportive girlfriend and myself

Wow, it had already been 3 years since I wrote my first entry! It seemed not too long ago that I was starting out with my Sony T70, capturing weekend indulgence as a hungry, angsty NS boy. Fast forward 3 years later, the angsty-ness might be gone (I hope so) but the hunger never stops coming!

In true blue business student style, let me start off with some facts and figures. For FY (Food Year, not Financial la) ending May 30th 2011, there were 107 food entries written, 9 travel tales recounted and 5 countries (6th one coming soon!) covered. Viewership for the blog has increased steadily too, to an average of 270 unique visitors a day.

The most popular post was Starz Buffet @ Hard Rock Hotel, followed by Delifrance Breakfast Buffet and 潮州妹 Porridge Buffet (Closed, unfortunately). We seriously love buffet, don’t we?

Just don’t ask me to provide an income statement too, because if food blogging made any business sense, I would have been in receivership already.

Throughout another year of blogging, I had this bugging thought at the back of my head: The popularity of this blog. While viewership seemed to have increased, the number of known responses aka comments written seemed to be limited, given mostly by friends in this community who remained close to my heart. Neither do I know where this blog stands among the Singapore food blogs. Thus I contemplated with signing up for blog awards or engaging in product giveaways just to see if the viewership is a truthful reflection of its known existence. The latter, if you have noticed, is very effective in invoking comments and responses.

Thankfully, and I am glad that I did, I snapped out of it. It all boils down to one simple reason; The very purpose of this little writing space of mine is not to garner fame, but to store memories of my favourite hobby and to share my love for food with anyone, everyone. There is no need for awards to confirm the success, if it is even quantifiable, of this blog. The written records of the awesome meals I had and the ability to excite people with the places I went are already more than rewarding for me!

This leads me to share another viewpoint of using the word “review”. In fact, I’m pretty sure the word was never used in any of my entries. This is kind of anal, but I just don’t like to use it as I feel that it is too heavy to handle. Who am I to critique and make seemingly expert remarks on the hard work of chefs, when all I do is to enjoy the fruit of their labour? Not that I am shirking responsibilities for my words, but after all, I am just someone with my own taste preferences and happens to honestly write my thoughts out loud. That’s it.

TAB Burger. I wish I could offer you a bite out of this

Alright that’s enough chunks of reflections for the year! I would still very much like to thank everyone for reading my posts and hope that every visitor, whether regulars or stumbled upon, silent or outspoken has enjoyed my write-ups or found them useful in one way or another!

Year after year, I would also want to thank my family, friends and particularly the girlfriend for their patient stomachs at almost every meal. Pretty shots are important, but so is hot, fresh food!

There won’t be any cosmetic changes to the site (less lazy, more still loving the layout), but I will probably be doing some re-categorization of labels to make searching easier!

Keep eating!

30th May 2011,
Daniel

Baikohken: Show Me The Meat!

2011-05-26T02:15:00.002+08:00

The thought of a good bowl of ramen never fails to make me hungry. Solid soup stock, al dente noodles, melting charsiew and the gooey egg yolk. Sounds gratifying just by writing it down! And on my never-ending quest for good ramen, we finally tried out Baikohken!

Located at North Canal Road, the tiny eatery was a short walk away from Raffles Place MRT. Much like a typical ramen shop in Japan, it was squeezy with tables closely packed together. Staff worked quickly to take your orders, deliver them and politely hope that you would finish faster to give up your seats for the queue outside.

By the way, complimentary wheat tea was served at every table, a pleasant gesture in times where restaurants are trying to rip you off tap water.

Gyoza ($6.50)

Though I would always lament how we didn't have much choices for side orders, we would still succumb to the trap of "must share something beside noodles". Furthermore, time after time, I would say how it didn't quite match up to Chinese pan-fried dumplings. No surprises here too, though I welcomed its crispy base and thin, chewy skin.

Shoyu Charsiew Ramen ($19.00)

Before coming, I knew that Baikohken was reputed for their generous servings, especially on the charsiew, so I had to verify this myself. Boy, it was true after all! For a normal order, there were three huge slices of charsiew that were unseen at other ramen places. Each cut was of a suitable thickness with rims of the prized fats. The lean meat however, could have been a bit more tender for my liking.

However, I hate to say that was the ramen's only attraction. The noodles was curly, thin and a tad overcooked in my opinion. The broth, while looking promising on hindsight, could have been thicker and more robust in flavour.

Shio Ramen, Half Portion ($10.50)

Knowing that not everyone could finish their huge portions, they were thoughtful enough to provide half servings, but even that came with one huge slice of charsiew! Shio flavour didn't spark much of my interest either, while the egg was just moderately flowing.

Bill for two was $37.50 with no service charge and GST already in price. Baikohken definitely wins in terms of quantity to price ratio, but frankly I wasn't too impressed with its overall quality. At least now I know where to go for a charsiew fiesta!

Baikohken
7 North Canal Road
Tel: 6534 3808

Taken with Nikon D70