SWEETRINGS!

My hometown's version of 'soul' food - Pempek & Sweet Potatoe fritters

2011-05-07T19:47:00.006+08:00

Finally home... after what felt like an agonizing flight... I think I am mildly jet-lag... but I've never suffered from jetlag since I was 18. Wow. Age, huh? My mom's back in town, with hometown goodies.From Indonesia.Variations of a kind of fish cake dish called Pempek.

The two common versions are:
1) Long & cylindrical

2) Dumpling style with duck egg

Eaten deep fried for a hard crispy coat today, then dipped in a chilli vinegarette made from brown sugar, vinegar, chilli & garlic. These can be eaten straight off the steamer and even bbq. It is normally served with diced cucumber, fried tofu and/or noodles. There are at least 7 more variations of this fish cake unique to my hometown.

Tastiest pempek are made with ikan belida (aka knifefish) meat sans skin with just enough tapioca flour to bind everything together, seasoned with salt & pepper. Belida has a unique smell but its not overpowering... unless its not fresh. Hehehe. Or else, this should be a mild flavored dish. However, this is not a dish for everyone due to its firmer texture compared to the local fishcake or fishballs. A full piece of pempek is a main, not a side. No kidding.

For sides, mom made sweet potato fritters. Yay!!! Ilove them <3 She makes them so quickly and easily, with consistent perfect results. Unlike mine, which always ends up rock hard or soft. Practice makes perfect, huh?

I m home and hungry, so who cares about presentation. LOL. Just eat while its hot!

Nando's - EXTRA SPICY Chicken Livers (Cape Town, SA)

2011-05-05T17:54:00.003+08:00

I have been looking forward to trying this for M O N T H S now... I really count my blessings that I did make it back here, to Nando's hometown to try this dish that Oscar had me craving for, for what felt like, damn long a time.

Nando's is everywhere, I don't think I need to list the outlet I got mine from, right? They taste the same everywhere in Cape Town. But if u really need to know, its the one in Gardens along my fav street. Kloof Street. duh. (wiggles finger mid air in an 's')

First, I must say that its appearance in my picture does NO justice to the flavour of this dish.

Second, you must order it EXTRA SPICY. The heat, the sour, the liver. Polygamy.

Third, the roll comes with it and its great for soaking up the gravy.

Forth, buy back to hotel to zaaaaap & enjoy.

Fifth, bubbly beer to wash everything down IS A MUST!

My last dinner here at Cape Town may look bleh but simplicity can be the best at times.

Il Leone Mastrantonio - Classic Italian cuisine (Cape Town, SA)

2011-05-05T16:30:00.007+08:00

22 Cobern Street, corner of Prestwich Street, Greenpoint, Cape Town T: 021-4210071 W: Il Leone Mastrantonio

I was here last night but I didn't bring my dc... I was too hungry, I think... since I hibernate the whole afternoon in the room to escape the scorching Cape Town sun. Last night, I had pan fried procini mushroons to start, a seafood risotto (which was absolutely delicious, its how you will want your risotto to come whenever u order it normally, you get surprises, right???) for my main and a creme brulee to end everything on a sweet note. A lovely white sauvignon washed everything down. There was no turning back, amidst my carbo coma from dinner, I almost knew exactly what I wanted to try next!

So here I am, again... my server, sorry I can't recall his name but he's really tall. Almost as tall as the door frame sans arch. Wa! Last night's server was great too, beautiful girl who is a cross between Zoe Saldana n Thandie Newton. They made our experience at Il Leone memorable. Plus the style of table setting and food. It was very comfortable. I think I can come by to eat alone anytime. Very homely.

Anyway, back to the glorious food!!! (*^____^*)

Bread basket

Mussels in White Wine x Tomato Sauce

Aglio Olio

Panna Cotta

Mussels, perfect size, I really hate it when I order a similiar dish and the mussels are ginormous. Most people swoon but seriously, don't u think its too chewy regardless of how well it may be cooked? These, wow... not too big, not too small... perfect size, great sauce, I wanna use the bread to soak it all up but I m so worried that I can't finish my main. Who was I kidding~ Really, tempted but I didn't!

I was looking forward to my main the second our server took my empty plate away... Aglio Olio, Il Leone style. My eyes brighten when the door to the kitchen swung open, I knew it was my order coz... hehehe... we came late and were the last table dining halfway. heeeeeeeee~

For the first time in my duration at Cape Town, the sphagetti was cooked al dente. Finally. For the first time, I appreciated bell peppers coz all the flavour for this aglio olio, was infused in the mix of salty diced peppers, minced garlic, freshly ground black pepper and olive oil. Wah say...So simple, yet so good... WLE... saat saat bo cheo...

To round things up, I order Panna Cotta, which I wanted to try last night but... peer pressure made me order creme brulee which was also good la. BUT I really wanted to try the Panna Cotta coz of the raspberry sauce that was served with the creme brulee last night. Someone in this kitchen makes a really meannnnnnnnn (good way mean) raspberry sauce. Fwah.

Thanks Oscar, for introducing yet another wonderful restaurant to me in Cape Town. *Yum seng*

hmmmm...

Next time, I'm gonna have their MUSHROOM risotto! Mmmm hmmmm!
(Is it too early to plan ahh??? *hehe*)

Manna Epicure - Part TWO... (Cape Town, SA)

2011-05-05T13:08:00.000+08:00

You can find the address and contact details, here at Part ONE from my last trip. ^^ Food quality's still the same, Manna Epicure is still located along my fav street in Cape Town, serving creative old favourites amidst the lovely decor.

I came by for breakfast but was tempted with the ribeye. I am pretty sure that I can down it even at 10am but... I am embaressed that they might remember me for life. Even my partner was looking at me with arched eyebrows even though I was only playing with the thought and to think he ever said he'll support me in everything I do. Pui. Men... humpf~!

Homemade Butter & Bread platter

French Toast w Brie, bacon and all things nice ^^

Grilled Portobello Mushroom

Tea with the Queen

Yes, their homemade unsalted butter is as good as ever. I can almost lick the tiny saucer clean but I held back coz I thought I should do that with the lovely bread but again I held back... coz I wanna go easy to make room for what's coming next next next next and next.

It is only on this trip that a friend brought to my attention that fresh, buttery and flaky croissants were used in angmo's version of the roti john. hehe. Here, it is the same. But here, with their free range eggs, brie, bacon, rocket and honey, you know there's no way, it can be bad. This has to be one of the most rich but refreshing versions of French Toast, I have ever had.

Mushrooms, one of my favourite makan item in www (WHOLE Wide World), I always always always try the mushroom dish everywhere I go in angmo land. Especially here in Cape Town, its like mushroom land. There are alot of edible mushroom varieties here and the portobellos' can get quite large. I have seen one the size of my head at the farmer's market before. On my plate today, its not quite as big as my head but I can tell u that the plate is quite large and the asparagus were not skinny and the eggs was not small. If u know what I mean.

The eggs were perfectly poached, the hollandaise sauce was great, the bacon was crispy and the mushroom was damn juicy. Heavenly. Mushrooms, are the only thing I will use as a meat replacer in my homemade burgers. Sorry for digressing but I love mushrooms.

I am a frizzy drink girl... so I ordered a raspberry frizzy drink. Whatever was in it, it was light n fresh. U know lor... one of those drinks that taste easy to prepare but u dunno the most important ingrediant... the liquid. LOL.

O well, so I went for my original craving for French Toast and since I am not a 1-dish person... a Grilled Portobello Mushroom to go with it lor. I'll just walk to O.Live and hound them about my lampframes after to burn out some of the breakfast. hahaha.

What a great meal~*

Gloomy morning... can't even see mountains' peaks. Covered by clouds. It is gonna rain. I'll just swing by Melissa's - The Food Shop after this to buy their great produce as goodies. They make good jams, jellys, marmalades, chutneys, cookies... like our local Jone's The Grocer.

Superette - Croque Madame & Pork Belly Burger (Cape Town, SA)

2011-05-04T18:55:00.005+08:00

218 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town T: 021 802 5525 W: http://www.superette.co.za/

From the organizers of the Neighbourhood's Market... which I sadness missed this trip... Superette, 'fresh from the farm to the plate' - i love this phrase that i got off their website. Traditional recipes improved with time and innovation to better suit the modern palate. Very well done. Honest, good food. No pretenses.

Croque Madame

Pork Belly Burger

Cheesecake

Ice Lemonade

This ham and cheese sandwich is one of the best, if not the best, I have ever tasted IMF. I swear. Every layer tasted as tho its been done with lots of trail and error... calculated. You really can taste the 'croque' in each bite. It is Aah-Maa-Ziiiiing (say with Afreee-caan accent pls). It is a must-try next time you visit, then again, with their ever evolving menu, it might not even be on the menu. You are at the mercy of the white tiles and the non-permanent marker. Come visit and you'll know what I mean. *wink*

We also shared a pork belly burger which had a apple x onions chutney? So juicy. Can u see that precious drop of fat at the corner of the burger which we wasted since I was trying to get a good shot of this hot mama? It was sooo good. My partner felt cheated coz they didn't serve it with the deep fried lard today... so I said, at least u had it yesterday. hehe.

Then came the controversial cheesecake that tasted quite far from what I had in mind. Looking at its somewhat burnt looking exterior and dark base, I was expecting a more salty cheesy flavour but uh-uh-uh (hands on your hips, pls), this is sweet. With the nutty chocolate base, itsssss mouth watering. Lighter and softer than I thought.

Plus their homemade lemonade... burp... in their very airy and sunny interior, I can come back her over and over and over again.

You can feel the love in the food here. In fact, you can feel the love in most of the posts in this blog. I hope. <3

Caffe Magnifico & All Gold Tomato Sauce (Cape Town, SA)

2011-05-03T19:25:00.005+08:00

Canal Walk, Century City. Unit 52 LL. T: (021) 551 8390

Beef Rump Fillet Pasta & BBQ Steak Roll

The pasta's overcooked (quite common here in Cape Town) but with the spices and seasoning, its not bad. Felt alittle Japanese to me, in fact. Hehehe. I'm not quite sure but its not bad, very easy to eat. With the BBQ Steak roll, lunch is served. Very feeling. Steak was perfectly BBQ, its very juicy and with the chips, its very good. Chips and my new found love, All Gold Tomato Sauce, I was set.

I have never been a big fan of tomato sauce coz you can't really taste the tomato, can u? I couldn't... until I tried All Gold's!

An all original South Africa product! All done with just tomatoes, cane sugar, vinegar and spices. It tastes just like sundried tomatoes to me, in ketchup form! I brought back a few bottles as gifts and so far so good. My nephews loved it. I wonder if I can bring it to the zi char store and ask the cook to use it to cook sweet & sour pork. hehehe. ^^

Can't wait to hear what my friends' gonna say about the hot & spicy flavour!!!

Hup Choon Eating House - Chinese Fishhead Curry

2011-04-13T11:37:00.003+08:00

1 Binjai Park T: 64684081

Fishhead Curry

Chinese style with the hebi base kind... thick and shiok!!! By default, its only half fishhead per serving but there are quite a lot of meat on it and the fish is fresh n firm. Alot of vegetables too. It felt like I was having sayur lodeh after we were done with the fishhead! Wa! Worth it, right? 1 dish but in actual fact, 2 dishes!!! Hahaha, just kidding!!!

Sweet & Sour Pork

Nooooot bad!!! Not bad at all!!! More meat than flour, that's a super good sign. More meat than flour but still crunchy. Yummmmms. Can down a large size i think. LOL. OMG I hope you dun think that I am a truck driver. heeeeeeee. It has been a long time since I had zi char that opened my eyes.

Oyster Omelette

Waaaaaaa... can u c??? can u C??? There are many plenty oysters in their oyster omelette and its not overcooked. Still so moist and fluffy, can u ccccccccc??? OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Nai Bai Stir fry w Garlic

U can see how well cooked it is from the color, right? U can tell it is still crunchy, right? And it is... aromatic with the garlic.

I really enjoy my simple zi char dinner here. It is not the OTT kind of zi char place with a thousand and one things happening at the same time. The dishes here almost feels home cooked but still ZI CHAR. Anyway, I wanna come back here soon, to try their sotong and hor-fun. Looks very appetizing from the looks from the dude from the oppo table last night.

Last but not least, u must have a mug, yes... a MUG of ice lemon tea that's home made... it goes damn well with the food ^^

Barcook Bakery (Hong Lim Complex) - Bun with cream cheese & raisins

2011-01-22T09:49:00.006+08:00

Block 531 Upper Cross Street #01-54 T: 6533 6588 W: http://www.barcookbakery.com/

They were thicker and higher and soft and warm when Anita just passed them to me yesterday. Having eaten this countless times and yet never blogged about it, yesterday I told myself to TAHANNNNNNN! Dun finish it and dun share it with anyone so that I can have them with my sis on Saturday aka TODAY! I did all of the above but I forgot about them and left them in my bag, that's why they are... almost like a pita. LOL.

Please pardon this sight of slightly flattened buns... O-oh! They are also slightly burnt! Paiseh! They still taste damn shiok! I toasted them so they are crispy on the outside but the cream cheese melted just like when u eat them freshly out of the oven. Wrapping this molten cheese is a blanket of soft dough and hints of sweetness from the raisins. Wahhh. Goodness.

Maybe newborns taste like this. Maybe not. Baby monsters can't taste this good. Haha. Kidding.

Cocotte - Rolls, Grass Fed Beef & Lemon Pie

2011-01-20T16:28:00.000+08:00

No. 2 Dickson Road T: 6298 1188 W: http://restaurantcocotte.com/
(Inside Wonderlust hotel)

Rolls

Grass-fed Beef

Lemon Curd Tart

First, I apologise for my poor pictures... hehehe... I took them with my hp since its an impulse visit. Not that I m saying that my usual pix very dope la... but better... -___-'"

Anyway, the Cocotte, wahh... good. My highlight was the Lemon Curd Tart. Might just be the BEST in Singapore... seriously. I think I can finish the entire tray if I didn't have anything else. Then again, I have a soft spot for lemon flavoured desserts. hehehe. But its good la... so was the rolls. WLE. How I wish they gave us more. Yes yes... greedy girl I can be more often than not.

My main was the grass-fed beef. Well cooked but I felt the sauce can be alittle less... looked kinda messy when it came. But its good. That's most important la... taste. Very smooth and easy to eat.

I felt that the portion was on the small side tho... but French fine dining ahh? Less is more... I think not. For that price... hehehehe. O well. Atas place is like that I guess... at least it was a good meal. ^^

Greens Restaurant, Gardens (Cape Town, SA)

2010-11-15T20:19:00.009+08:00

5 Park Road, Cape Town 8001, South Africa T: 27 21 422 4415

Pan-fried Mushrooms Sandwich

Mushroom, Brie & Fig Sandwich

Three of the most memorable items on the menu I enjoyed alot during my first meal in Cape Town was these dishes. Surprisingly, the peach ice tea was not as sweet as I thought and delightful to drink. Its even better than what we get here... unless we water down the ones here more?! its a thought, huh?

The pan-fried mushroom open-face sandwich is such a winner. The creamy sauce with nothing much but cream, salt, pepper and I suspect, parsley, makes this soooooo delicious. Its so simple in seasoning yet so full of flavour. With the fresh toast and crunchy rocket leaves, it really cuts the heaviness of the cream. Sooooo good, even better for a mushroom junkie like me. Hehe.

My neighbor ordered a sandwich I was not brave enough to order coz u never know the portion of your food when u travel to one of these places, do u? Glad she was brave enough to do so as I have a great time downing what she can't finish. Hahahaha!!! The layers of flavor in this sandwich is fantastic. L A Y E R S ! Its exactly how I thought it'll taste. But I think its not for everyone... BUT I *HEART* IT SOOOOOOO!

Another interesting dish, interesting to me at least since I know many are not a fan of gizzards. I try not to eat too much for health reasons as well but I had to try it n ended up ordering it twice (ON SEPERATE OCCASIONS LA!!!) here at Greens. The Chicken Liver w Chilli Pasta. It is done like an Aglio Olio but with chicken liver pieces. I must say... if u like gizzards, its quite good. They were quite generous with the livers too. A bit too much in fact. But still... I felt like I should share it with you, to me, its a love or hate relationship, ooops i mean dish.

Manna Epicure (Cape Town, SA)

2010-11-15T18:28:00.010+08:00

151 Kloof Street, Cape Town 8001, South Africa T: 021 426 2413

Manna Passion

Bread Platter

Fish Cake

This place was highly recommanded by friends who has been to Cape Town. Our local friend told us that they have recently changed hands but the food is as good as ever, he didn't lie. Perhaps our waitress was new, I am not sure but she spoiled the experience here, slightly. Pretty girl tho... I guess God is fair. Another reason to believe it more now. Lol.The ingredients used are not compromised but with a little more attention to detail, the most insignificant detail DOES matters, after all its already so good. Just that little bit more, to make it closer to perfection.

My drink was a simple soda x passion fruit & syrup. So refreshing. The bread and butter were all freshly made. My main course, the fish cake, was light and tasty and the piece of poached egg give it the creaminess that tied it all together. Delicious.

==================================================================

If I had the luggage space, a printed glass bell lid and some pewter tablewear will already be in my home as I am typing this but I had to take a reality check. Yes, they sell some merchandise too. I guess what ever the owner will use or believes in, she'll sell it in her restaurant too. Feels that way, not a bad thing coz she's got taste!

Such lovely things here and at another store down the street called O.Live. I deeply regret not buying some beautiful vintage glass teacups with matching saucers in the lightest hint of blue, not like celadon but like the color of the South African sky on a good day. I can just recall the details on it (especially the price LOL~~) but how oh how do I carry them back with 100% zero casuality.

So eating good food might very well be my way of 'buying' whatever I like here since the only damage its gonna do is to my waistline!!! *bleeeeehhhhhh*

==================================================================

Theo's Restaurant (Cape Town, SA)

2010-11-15T18:10:00.016+08:00

163 Beach Road, Cape Town 8005, South Africa
T: 021 439 3494 W: www.theosrestaurant.co.za

Steak Escargot

Fillet on Bone

Vegetarian Pasta (Mushrooms & Spring Onions)

Strawberry Cheesecake & Vanilla Ice Cream

This award winning restaurant, a wise choice. The steaks were wonderful. Definately one of the best steaks I have ever tried, in my life. The fillet on bone was highly recommended by our server but since I was surrounded by people who was gonna order it, I wanted to try something different and was fairly torn better the Steak w mussels or my order of Steak Escargot... no regrets with my decision. My steak came in medium, maybe I should have gone for medium rare, nevertheless the steak was exactly as I ordered, coated with herbs but charred perfectly. The fat was crispy and sweet... omg... I enjoyed it immensely!

The fillet on bone was very good too! Plus the chips. A match made in heaven.

A friend who ate here previously told me that the vegetarian pasta here sucked big time, I say otherwise. Simple homemade pasta with garlic, spring onions and mushrooms. Salt & pepper to taste... some parsley. Can't go wrong. In fact, there was nothing wrong with it, at all! I am glad I chose not to have any potatoes or rice with my steak so that I can make space for this pasta.

Then came dessert. Must end our finale dinner here on a sweet note, no? I chose Strawberry Cheesecake... it came with vanilla ice cream. Double YAY! ICE CREAAAAAMMM ON A COLD NIGHT! I love it! I needed some help finshing it up but... hey... at least my plates were clean. The cheesecake was shiok la... not the best but still very good nevertheless. Wasn't diabetic at all.

O well... since I have touched the board and wished real hard at Cape Point earlier part of the day, I am sure I will find myself back in this beautiful town in the future. Preferrably, the n e a r future. ^^

A bit more on gizzards... Our local friend ordered a starter of spicy chicken livers. Yummy. However, he told me that I will prefer Nando's version even more! His exact words were to order a big box in 'Hot' (that's the heat level) with a roll and a six-pack. Sounds damn good to me but he should have told me earlier, 36hours earlier would have been perfect!!! OSSSCCCAAAARRRRRRRRRRR, NOW I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!!!

2010-11-15T17:54:00.002+08:00

These are two other great places for Asian food ate at... Chef Pon's Sawadee (Rheede Street, Gardens. Tel: 021 422 1633) served almost authentic Thai food. As authentic as they can get considering where are they, owner's very nice man. Very delicious. The chilli was the much needed comfort food most of us needed. The tom yam soup felt so close to home I almost teared. White fluffy rice. Tearing moment, part two. They also serve sushi but we didn't try any.

Another is called Whallaby's (high possibility that I have spelled wrongly... hehehe...) but I can't find the address and tel but no lose... coz they dun take reservations. It is located at the ground floor across from Aldo's at Waterfront. I bet they serve one of the best Japanese food in town.

Mostly importantly for SWEETRINGS!, my beloved food blog... the many people in the trip reminded me why I started this blog. KL, next? It's been awhile since I feasted there with you guys!

Hahahahahahahahhahah~*

ITS A BBQ PARRRRRRTYYYY, again ^^

2010-09-11T16:47:00.008+08:00

Frederick unleashed his culinary skills and make us a fabulous spread again this year!!! With his many assistants, it was even better?! There were some of my faves on the menu this year, even though I was not part of the planning. Namely, the glutinous rice, braised mushrooms and he-bi-hiam boats. *tummy growls*

Glutinous Rice with Mushrooms & Dried Chinese Sausages

Braised Chinese Mushrooms

He-bi-hiam Cucumber Boats

Some new dishes from the master chef that was delicious too!!!

Minced Pork x Prawn Rolls (Hei-Chock)

Prawn Spring Rolls (dunno what to call it but its basically that la. hehe.)

Spicy Mango Salad

Thai Green Curry

Debbie's Caesar Salad

Love her salad dressing, its some sort of vinaigrette dressing that's soooo appetizing. As deliciously made as ever. Debbie's salad green are always so fresh and flavourful too. I look forward to her salad annually. I look forward to Frederick's cooking annually too. I look forward to our year-end party annually too. Omg. Loads for worthy food occasions I look forward too annually, huh?!

Jac's MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH PEANUT BUTTER PIE

The new kid on the contributor's block this year, Jac, made a pb pie. *warning* It is for the hardcore pb fan... quite pro looking, hor? Tastes quite pro too, even tho I only took a tiny bit to try. hehe. Shiok la.

The usual suspects came... And the excuse for this party u asked???
For Jeremy's birthday get together this year, of coz ^^

p.s. incidentally, it's Tintin's bday the next day. So they shared the limelight. LOL.
btw, that chocolate birthday cake was fantastic but forgot to take picture!

Pâtisserie Glacé - Mont Blanc

2010-08-27T13:13:00.005+08:00

12 Gopeng Street #01-33/34 Icon Village T: 6400 0247

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALWINNNNNN ^^
ANITA BOUGHT MONT BLANC TO CELEBRATE ALWIN'S BIRTHDAY! DOUBLE YAY! ITS THE FIRST TIME I M EATING THIS CAKE AGAIN SINCE I LEFT FOR MY NEW OFFICE... MEMORIES. GOOD ONES. THIS PLACE STILL MAKES THE BEST ONES, REGARDLESS OF SIZE, IN SINGAPORE.

The Ship Restaurant & Bar - Sliced Fried Fish Soup

2010-08-27T11:33:00.000+08:00

#04-34/36 Shaw Centre T:6235 2235

At one of my fave lunch makan place, having what I consider a comfort food. Sliced Fried Fish Soup with thick vermicelli... sometimes, I down it with rice, not forgetting the sliced chilli. Plus an order of mushrooms. Yummmmms~*

What better time to come than a day after an exhausting trip to have a quick birthday lunch with a special someone. hehe. ^^

Xinn Tien Di (BKK, Thailand) - Roast Duck & Piglet

2010-08-24T19:10:00.004+08:00

L3 Gaysorn Plaza T: +66 (0) 2656 1149

Peking Duck

Roast Piglet

My favorite dim sum restaurant across oceans. Love to come here for dim sum, even more so for their roast duck, Peking duck, and now... the roast piglet. So well cooked and crisp, you have to come try to believe. One of the best I have eaten, consistently so, too. They really leave you with nothing but the crispy skin for round one and whips whatever is left into another dish for round two. Round two today ended becoming my dinner with cup noodle. Excessive??? NO LAAAAAAA. I was too lazy to go out for dinner becoz the air outside was soooo bad but my lazy person dinner was not bad at all.

Some other things I enjoy here are:

Prawn balls on Tofu

Fried Yam Balls

Pan-fried Carrot Cake

I also like a minced meat wrapped in lettuce dish which was not ordered today. Forgot, maybe... and their steam flat noodles with roast meat and yee-fu noodles. All in all, this restaurant has yet to disappoint me. They are truly value for money.

Ngwanlee Lungsuan Restaurant (BKK, Thailand)

2010-08-24T03:10:00.000+08:00

101/25-26 Lungsuan Alley, Pluen Jit Road T: 0-2250-0936
W: www.ngwanlee.com

Deep Fried Pork Belly

So shiok until my new boss tarbao an entire strip AFTER DINNER to snack in the hotel... if u look at the first picture, the stack on the lower left corner is made up of uncut strips of this fried delight. Eye candy for you? Or gross? For me... *heart*

Braised Duck meat & blood (EVERY GOOD TEOCHEW RESTAURANT'S PRIDE!!!)

This dish, truly, is very Teochew. And the one here is soooo well done. As we were going thru out plate, lo n behold, beneath the meat was a layer of duck blood. Wow! Its like delicacy to us since its banned in Singapore for the longest time. Yumms! Perfect surprise!

Fried Squid with Salted Egg

My fav dish tonight, I think I can go thry the entire plate with no other dishes if you give me a bowl of fluffy white rice. I know... so ah-tiong, right? But I can't help it. Food with high cholesterol really satisfies my appetite. Geeez... my tummy is growling as I type this in.

Fried Oyster Omelette

Hehehehe... Good good good ^^ Sans the starch. Let me rephrase what I just wrote to... Shiok shiok shiok. More, please?

Steamed Prawns with Vermicelli

I didn't eat the prawns coz I dun like prawns but the others who enjoyed them said they were very fresh. I believe. To me, the noodle was damn tasty lor. Rice plus carbo. omg. jia lat. And there's more dishes. ==

Deep Fried Crispy Seabass

You know... like the Indo Gurame fried fish... same same concept. The only thing left when we were done with it was the plate with a slight sheen of oil. Everything, eat! That includes the garnish. We learn from Fifi, too.

Fried Minced Prawn Rolls (Assorted)

Huge H U G E pieces of ngoh hiang. Biggest ones I have ever seen. But damn tasty even without any dip. We had to share coz so big... versus the amount of food that was still being served.

Tom Yum Soup

I have a soft soup for spicy soup... even better then its clear and has a bit of tangyness to it... hehehe. I love them, really wakes the palette up, no??? Anyway, all in all, I think you should come visit this restaurant if you are crazing Teochew style zi char OR simple ZI CHAR for that matter when u come to bkk.

Good Chinese food ROCKS MY BOATTTTTTTTT!!!

Chi Hao Liao Coffeeshop - Signature Hor Fun & Sung Mee

2010-08-12T18:04:00.003+08:00

Blk 94 Toa Payoh Lor 4 T: 8317 9288

Beef Hor Fun

Seafood Sung Mee (Raw Noodle)

Sweet & Sour Pork

Sambal Kang Kong

I am trying my best to adjust to my new office. Its not easy and I am not talking about the job. I was down to the pits, Toots, San n good ol'Al came to cheer me up and when I said I didn't wanna go to far, we came here coz its near me. GOOOOOOOD CHOICEEEEE!!! The hor fun is as good as ever (the last time I came by was 3 years ago. hehe.) Can never go wrong with the Hor Fun and Sung Mee here... n e v e r. The line of regulars is a tell-tale sign. Beef hor fun and Seafood Sung Mee are my two fave mains here. Portions are generous and if you know the right time to come, the wait is not a bitch, at all. Ingrediants are fresh and nothing is over-cooked even with all the wok-hei goodness happening. *slurps*

Rajah's Curry has moved to Telok Kurau!!!

2010-07-10T11:10:00.001+08:00

No. 1 Telok Kurau Road (KopiTalk coffeeshop) T: 9380 7404
W: http://rajahscurry.blogspot.com

Fishhead Cury, Tomato Brinjals, Masala Potatoes, Papadum, White Rice

Well it isn't exactly new news... its been a few months but I just couldn't find the time to come by since the move but today, I finally did. So worth it. When it comes to Rajah's, its always worth it sans MSG and coconut. *smiles*

Talk about my fav Saturday lunch amidst the chill weather. <3 <3 <3

Wild Honey - Goat Cheese Salad & Beef Steak Sandwich

2010-05-29T16:46:00.004+08:00

The goat cheese croquettes... devilicious... tomatoes were sweet and juicy... rocket leaves were cold and crunchy. The combination can't get any better, salty fragrant cheese, bitter leaves, juicy tomates, crunchy pine nuts and a sweet dressing to pull them all together. I knew I was on my way to a good evening.

Then came a hunky steak sandwich for my main. Can u see how perfectly done the beef was... and I didn't even have to ask for it to be done medium well... standards. Me likey. More than many plenty. *Drools Rules* LOL.

Feels like an absolutely right choice to be back again today.

As usual. I am not blown away by their desserts, however, I always enjoy their tea. Organic tea. Today, I had chamomile. Must relax the tired mind after the shiong shoot under the scorching sun.

Its late but I had a craving for their scones... Next time. Till next time. ^^

Goodies from Paris ^-------------------------- ^

2010-05-13T18:52:00.002+08:00

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMS~*

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin

2010-05-12T19:07:00.005+08:00

B4-39/40/41/42 ION Orchard T: 6509 8101

I finally came by here today, courtesy of my best friend... hahaha!!!

I have always been faithful to my Ngee Ann City joint for quality and consistent tonkatsu but they have finally found a rival for my money... this place is really good and also friendlier on my pockets but they are still #2 in my heart no doubt the pork were fried SOOOOOOO crispy that every bite went crunch crunch crunch. There are different types of pork to choose from, most expensive being the black pig! I'll come by again soon when its less crowded but the styrofoam cup my green tea came in was such a turn off! Hello! U r from the che-che Ginza district, no? I think your founder is very upset that you are serving customers with the styrofoam cup!

Fruit Paradise - Orange Grapefruit Tart

2010-05-07T18:54:00.004+08:00

181 Orchard Road #05-51/52 Orchard Central T: 6509 9920

My new fave tart place... totally smitten by the Orange Grapefruit! Refreshing! How I wished the slices were bigger considering the price per slice... damn! Fresh cream enveloping layers of cake on top of a bed of crispy crusty tart base! Woooooooooot!

Yummi Chiffon Cakes - Pandan (w coconut!!!) & Orange

2010-04-01T11:27:00.001+08:00

94 Koon Seng Road T: 63429103

My latest chiffon cake obsession are these little ones... they are my third favourite chiffon cakes on the island as they have been very consistently light and fluffy to date. My weakness is for pandan flavour as it has bits of grated coconut in it, I love the texture it gives and of course, flavour. Another flavour which leaves a strong impression is their orange flavour, the cake part is sooo fragrant and aromatically citrus and that balanced portion of orange zest give is an expensive factor, I felt like I could feel the love that went in making it.

They have many many flavours, unfortunately, I have yet to get a chance to visit the store... maybe then I'll know what I have been eating... which is lots. Their tastes are pretty distinctive in a gentle manner, I love it.

Jin Wee - Chestnut Chicken

2010-03-27T01:26:00.003+08:00

928 East Coast Road T: 6441 0485‎

Didn't expect to be visiting another place I forgotten this week! In fact, I wouldn't have recalled if not for the chestnut chicken dish which my sewer brought me to eat years ago. Sigh. That was for lunch, what difference this place is at night. I was looking forward to the steamboat but alas... sold out! Before 9pm!

Chestnut Chicken

SO SIMPLE A DISH!!! YET SOOOOOOOO LIGHT & TASTY!!! MMMMM!!! The meat was falling off the bones... and no one was fighting for chestnuts with me... I think I can easily down this plate alone with a plate of rice! Oh no! STOP MEEEEE!!!

Stewed Pork aka "Kong-ba"

But to most, their fav. dish here is probably this... their famous Kong-ba. Its very good la. However, I can't emphasize enough that... I am not a fan. Hahaha. The skinny n fair ppl around me are the real fans.

I must come back to try their fish head steamboat... and Hainanese pork chop! Soon! Hopefully can get better pictures, been having technical difficulties w my suppposedly idiot-proof digicam lately. A g a i n.

Yuet Loy Cooked Food - all their 9 dishes except 1!

2010-03-22T23:55:00.000+08:00

Blk 335 Smith Street, Chinatown Complex, #02-151 T: 91704152

Why all except for 1... 1 that Mimi didn't order coz its a noodle dish...
here they are, in order of preference:

Ginger Chicken

Classic cantonese dish siah... wa lao... just like how mom would have cooked it! I miss my mom's cooking... sigh... but this place's version is damn good too. The wine x ginger x sesame x chicken = Toety's COMFORT FOOOOOOOOOOD!!! Be it this dry version or the soupy version... I can eat this every other day, I think...

Tofu w Beansprouts

Interesting... I never seen tofu fried till they look like monkey-brain mushroom before. Haha. But it is a damn shiok dish lor! So quite boring right? But its very 'pang' when it came... drooling as I think about it. I wanted to come back on Thursday but forgot they are closed.

Black Bean Sauce? Steam Fish

I always get confused by this fish dish... even though I do enough them most of the time. The good chefs really get rid of the bad mud taste even though its a steamed dish. Talent siah. So easy to eat with it chopped up into smaller pieces. Less intimidating too, this fish has starey eyes. hehe. Anyway the gravy was damn shiok with the fish la... its not those flaky flaky kind of fish, so I like. I think this kind of fish also very high in collagen coz got lots of that 'jelly' bits everywhere.

Pig liver x Spring Onions

Wa laaaaaaao!!! I swear my eyes blinked thrice when this dish appears. OMG!!! The livers very good perfectly, look at the color. Medium. Yay!!! Love it!!! MMMMMMMmmmm!!! So shiok with my soft fluffy rice... sigh... Its such a luxury to eat such nice food with some of my fav people. So blessed.

Kailan x Fish slices

OD of fish slices alert! This dish can be ordered with beef too but we have non-beef indulging makan kaki's with us today so fish la. Still damn shoik la... but more veg less fish even more shiok la. Abit scary... tonight's meal has minimal greens.

I really need my 2 portions green at least for 1 meal... or else... I worry. LOL.

Sweet & Sour Pork

Their's is not bad la... better than alot of other places but I have my fav. in mind, sometimes its soooo unfair that I compare. Nevertheless, I still emptied half the plate I think. Hahaha. Greedy me. Sigh. My weakness.

Prawn Omelette

Errr... very fluffy, very shiok. Got the bits of chao-ta taste from the wok-hei, me likey. But wierd... its a little too salty for me. But they were very generous with the prawns, big siah... considering its just an omelette. Haha. No complains from prawn lovers la.

'Mani' vegetable x Egg Soup

Free dish, courtesy of auntie. Hehe. One of those 'instant' soup they whip up at most zi char stalls. Hehe. Simple & good enough la! Its the thought that counts, right?! Its still damn good after a long day's work.

I have a feeling I am gonna really miss eating out like this come April. *sob*

Guan Hin Restaurant - Teochew classics

2010-03-16T00:33:00.000+08:00

Blk 34 Whampoa West #01-01 T: 62983179

Steam Pomfret Fish

Wah... fav. method to food my pomfret. And the ones here... perfect. So close to heart its almost like eating at home but no need to wash the dishes. Hahaha. Such a classic teochew dish. Warms my heart.

Braised Goose

Yet another Teochew classic, nope I am not Teochew but who don't know that this is a classic dish lor. Chey. However, no many people knows that the ones here are one of the best on the island. Seriously.

Prawn Roll & Crab Balls?

Another classic that wins hands down... how do they do it... savoury and crunchy without losing the flavour of the meat. How I wish, I knew how to make this. This makes really good bar food, no???

Stewed Pork aka "Kong-Ba"

Well, I like the version here coz they have the soft bones that most places don't have. I love to chew on that. Hehe. With the steam buns, they are a match, made in heaven. But believe or not, I have not a big braised pork fan. Hahaha!!!

Oyster Omellete

Sigh... the most chi-chi oyster omelette I have had in a long time. Fluffy eggs with succelent oysters. Life is good.

Yam paste w Pumpkin & Gingko nuts

Their's can't go wrong... diabetically good, smooth like always. Just a little bit for me please. =)

A typically good Teochew joint that's been around forever and ever, I do remember that I enjoy their cold crabs but its been so many years, I don't remember how it tastes anymore. Doesn't matter, I don't appreciate crabs n durians like how some people can't appreciate my dolls and comics whilte I do. Anyway...

Never think that I'll ever come back here again... how many years has it been since my grandpa was left. Probably 35kg years ago?! That long... really. I miss my grandpa, he was kind to me, always. He was the first person to talk to me, not at me, even at a young age and no... he is not senile lor. *humpf*

『萧敬腾洛克先生 Mr. ROCK 演唱会』

2010-03-14T13:32:00.018+08:00

I WAS THERE LAST NIGHT!!! WERE U??? Some of the songs that I didn't fancy on CD, sounded fantastic LIVE! He has also matured a bit since I last saw him not so recently. Sigh. I read somewhere that he sounded better here than in Taiwan and even spoke lesser! Must be the rest inbetween. Woot~!

Apart from the costumes above, his costumes were bad, cheap bad. BAD. The costumes were n a s t y (Come on! He looked good in the campaign pic above, what the hell happened?!), I thought I was gonna get a nightmare from the 'gold shorts' but no... after 2 bowls of dessert at Ah Chew's, I slept like a baby. All in all, I still had a great time. I even had a fantastic surprise, which was when he started belting out a Jap song by Baad for Slam Dunk, if I were a true-blue groupie, I might cry! *serious* Did I mention that he sang to a full house!!! I have not seen such a full & responsive local crowd in a loooooooooooooooooooong time!!! Fwahhh!!!

p.s. thank you Stephanieeeeeee for pictures & videos =)

Wild Honey - Tunisian & Spinach Salad

2010-03-12T13:20:00.006+08:00

333A Orchard Road #03-02 Mandarin Gallery T: 6235 3900 W: www.wildhoney.com.sg

I have always been one who is into a good hearty breakfast to kick start the day maybe coz where I am from, its a norm to have rice for breakfast. So seeing the main menu with all these different kinds of breakfast, wooooah, if only geography class was taught using this method 20years ago! I think my geography now will be better! Haha! I think I had a good seat today... I can see their smooth operations, friendly correspondences between staff and customers, woody furniture which I wanna own too, lovely interior design and good choice of simple tablewear... very nice! Reminded me of a cafe I loved in Tokyo... sigh...

Spinach Salad & 'Tunisian'

Before I can get enough of my surroundings, my food came! Yay! I ordered Tunisian since Mimi ordered Europeon, I was actually keen on the New York but I stopped when I saw 'sturgeon'. Ya ya ya~ Whatever, call me a feeling eco-warrior but I have my principles. Regardless of that, MY MEAL WAS FANTASTIC! So flavorful and fragrant, I finish every bit of it... even used the tasty bread to soak up every last bit of gravy. My eggs were done just how I liked them, runny. Wa... shiok until. The salads balanced everything out. I even thought of tarbao-ing the 2nd slice for my sis but... cannot le. Too good. HAHAHAHA!!!

I continued to shamelessly ignore the queue and sip my lemon verbana tea slowly... watching the ongoings. Suddenly, at the corner of my eye, a steak sandwich appeared! OMG! Look soooooo good. Mimi & I asked the server in unison what it was... lo & behold, it really is a STEAK SANDWICH floating pass me! WOOOOOOOOOOT! I felt like grabbing it to sink my teeth in, its definately better than the other 2 I had recently. They also have a Vietnamese style Pork Sandwich. Mental note: MUST TRY!!! SOON!!! I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TOOO TRY!!!
Jialat...

Ippundo Singapore - Miso Tonkatsu Tamago Ramen

2010-03-09T17:47:00.000+08:00

333A Orchard Road #04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery T: 6235 2797

The first time I came by here, their infamous queue was not seen, I thought, finally... so tonight, I chio my buddy here for ramen as she's never been here. I was late, she called to say long queue, I replied no way.... and when I got there, omg! the queue was L O N G still. Thinking back, I was lucky during my first visit, then again, it was a 3.30pm lunch.

TOday's choice: Miso Tonkatsu Tamago Ramen. I think, its one of their namesake noodles. The noodles were q, the soup was great, not as salty as most of the other places. The pork (chashu) was perfectly cooked and portions were generous but the ultimate highlight, as usual at my fav ramen joints, was the hardboiled egg. Perfection. Sigh. Writing it, looking at my own picture, which is quite poor btw, is making me hungry. God... give me strength, I am suppose to be ON A DIET!!!

Since I had someone else with me, I ordered sides this trip. The pickles, isn't it pretty? The colors... the chilled glassware. So simple yet so pretty. And the agedashi tofu, another simple dish, quickly served, piping hot with different toppings. So simple yet so good too. We also ordered the Ippundo version of the kongba bao but sigh... no la... Chashu should be served the way we are familiar with... floating in a bowl of ramen instead of being stuffed in a bun laced with mayo.

Nevertheless... I had good beer, good food, good company. So blessed.

Studio CNY Dinner 2010 @ Ga Hock Seafood - Suckling Piglet, Mongolian Pork Rib, Steamed Squid

2010-02-11T14:16:00.003+08:00

So here we are, back at Ga Hock to have our annual company dinner. It is almost a continuation of our last meal here, I was very kiasu and made our table reservations plus menu confirmation, more than a week in advance! Simply so that what we always wanted to order, won't be sold out! All the more I should convert, hor??? Kiasu is very local, right???

Salt Baked Crab (a female one!!! finally!!!)

We always kenna the male crab... it does pay off to pre-order. HAHAHA!!! So worth it... the sight of the over spilling roe, is already quite dope. Sigh. All that bad cholesterol, makes it worth while. BUT NOOOOOOOOO~* I cannot think this way! Its baaaaaaaaad even though it taste soooooo good. *tsk* Anyway... apart from our usual suspects, these are what we had that are super worth recommandation:

Our lou-hei was one of the best ever. It just is... don't know why. The combination is good?! HAHAHA!!! What should be crunchy is crunchy, should be colorful is coloful, should be q is q... dunno la... but it was one of the better ones we've had.

Mongolian Pork Rib

I have yet to feature this but we've tried it during our last visit after it was sold out the last time we came. Well worth the wait. Finally have a picture. So creamy. So tasty. So good. ARGHHHH!!!! I WANNA COME EAT AGAIN!!! Its like the next best thing after my fav. sweet & sour pork at Sik Wai Sin!!!

Steamed Squid

Wahhhh! This is damn good! I have never eaten anything like this... or even squid this size before. Every squid is the length of a finger only. Wahhhh!!! So simply prepared but never though of it. Its q but not overly chewly... probably due to the size. Good choice! Such a surprise, an extremely pleasant surprise coz I love sotong!

Suckling PigLET

Joke of the day! I know! Ya ya ya! Mirror! Lover! Whatever la! I will never ask anyone what 'yu-ju' is ever again. Such spontaneous response. LOL. To me, its been SHIO-DE wat! HAHAHA! Quite hilarous la... but it is quite the highlight, too bad we were too stuffed to finish is off. Sigh. Nevertheless, it was a FANTASTIC meal I tell u!

Today's pictures were taken by Jason (mine r gone after my SE went for servicing!), sweet little boy with a body like a chee-chaak aka household lizard... don't understand why like that considering the sports that he does. Woahahahahaha!!! I don't do anything, thats why look like this mah. LOL.

June Live Seafood - Fried food paradise...

2010-01-27T22:50:00.002+08:00

315 Tanjong Katong Road T: 82266030

If you have an affinity with fried food, this is one zichar restaurant, you must visit.
Their fried food is a m a z i n g !

Namesake Tofu

Homemade tofu, their namesake tofu, with a layer of seaweed on one side. Its got this interesting elasticity to it... as u can tell, from the 2nd pic. hehe. Damn shiok I tell u!!! Imagine it with rice... wah lao... but I must curb carbs curb carbs curb carbs.

Calamari x Salted Egg

I have seen this method done with prawns... with crabs... but sotong?! Never. How come no one ever order it this way!? I love SOTONG!!! This plate holds all my favourite things rolled into one... Sotong (tick), Salted egg YOLK (tick), Curry Leaf (tick), Chilli (tick), White plate (tick), Lace doily (tick), Piping hot freshly prepared food (tick) = MEGA TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK!!! ITS SUPER YUMMMMMMMMMMS!!!

Pork Trotter

I truly have mixed feelings about this... when I saw it at the next table, first person in mind was MARK!!! Coz I can't forget how he attacked this dish at chao-ta beehoon... ahyo... embaressing le. This is done somewhat differently but still.... like I said, this is THE PLACE FOR FRIED FOOD coz they really can fire up a super crispy meaty main. And its not toooo big, so its a good portion. Just look at my picture, its not a great picture but you can tell how crispy it is... there is crunch in every bite!

Maggi Chicken

Reminds of KFC's Crispy but MUCH BETTER!!! Its boneless, its not as salty and its crispy soft... not crispy hard that cuts my gum. Bite size is good too. This will make very good bar grub. Imagine this, watching tv or having a pint. Wow~*

I wonder why it's called maggi chicken tho... can't taste the maggi soy sauce in it... hmmm...

Prawns x Pumpkin Puree

When they ordered it, I was wondering how the pumpkin was gonna be cooked with the prawns and viola: tiger prawns with heads & tails intact deep fried so well u can eat, coated with pumpkin puree. Really really naturally sweet!!! My my My dear bro, are u hearing his??? You have got to visit this place lor!!!

June Live Seafood also serve a super dope version of ASAM PEDAS fish which u must try but my picture was sooooo badly taken, its embaressing. Its the thick, wholesome gravy thats soooo rich and fragrant, even the patin fish didn't smell so bad. And u know how patin almost always smells bad! OMG! I just found a perfect excuse to come back again! To get a good picture of this dish!

Their portions are very good too. *wicked*

Imperial Treasure (Teochew Cuisine) - Custard Bun

2010-01-18T23:21:00.006+08:00

Ngee Ann City #04-20A/21 T: 6736 2118

Yay!!! Came by for dim sum to 'officially' kick start my working year... shiok untillllllllllllll... I've been carving their custard bun for a few weeks since my last visit was in December. Hehe. Today forgot to order chicken pie but I was still packed to the brim at the end of the meal.

For once, I managed to get decent pictures of the custard bun (which I think seconds NONE locally) and its 1 of 2 items (the other being their Chicken Pie) to order whenever I am here. Theirs is quite different from the other places coz its like lava-cake style and always consistently so. The combination of custard with salted egg yolk... sigh... I felt like ordering a box of dozen home and just gobble them up myself. *kidding only!*

The Imperial Treasure Restaurant Group is definately my fav. food chain in Singapore. They are sooooo safe, sometimes, if its crowded here, we'll just go upstairs (Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant) coz its the same fare if you are just coming for dim sum. I think the chef did better after leaving his original place. Haha!

OMGGG!!! 2010 came soooo quickly it felt like a blink!!!

2010-01-17T02:34:00.015+08:00

I was sooo looking forward to it during the last quarter of 2009 and suddenly, in a flash!, it more than 2 weeks past it! What have I been doing up till today? O... I worked some and nua-ed most. LOL. Nua I did... which explains the lack of updates around here.

Top 3 Resolutions Straight Off My Mind:
1. Lose some weight... (for health & aesthetic reasons!)
2. Get a new job... (so that I can move on to the next stage in life!)
3. Fatten the bank account... (like all normal people should!)

An Important Update In My Life I Want To Share With You:
I have finally quit smoking... Yay!!! Having smoked half my life, I finally did it! Well, I did sneak in a few puffs here and there amidst the festivities but no need to always pick up a stick anymore. Those initial weeks were quite memorable. I really pity what those drug addicts have to go thru. Shudders.

Easiest Reason For Disappearing Suddenly:

Complete a Bbag rainbow like Bridget S. from TPF...
I'll probably be murdered by my dearest sis. LOL.

A Sudden Random Thought:
A very strong urge to convert after a recent trip back to homeland.

Note-To-Self:
Speak to mom about the above in person when she's back.

Must-do Thing Of The Moment:
S L E E P

Taste Paradise 味之樓 (ION Orchard) - Dim Sum

2010-01-17T02:06:00.001+08:00

2 Orchard Turn #04-07 T: 6509 9660

WoW! One of the Paradise group's latest venture and I must say, its so different from the rest! The setting was a little... extreme (imagine the picture above with black chopsticks with silver hardware, classic china all set against deep burgundy...eee!) but still I enjoyed myself, by staring at the teapot. I LOVE IT! I almost wanted to steal it! I don't know why but I was just soooo fascinated by it! LOL!

Anyway, the food was great considering its obviously the new kid in town serving dimsum but they are the best in Ion. Some of my new-traditional favourites are really well done here,
my dimsum must-haves:

1. (Most important but no picture!!!) Custard bun, the version here is the soft runny type,
2. Pan-fried Carrot Cake still has bits of turnip and cured meat amidst the softness,
3. Baked Charsiew 'So' that's smell so buttery and savoury paired with sweet juicy meat *omg*,
4. Pan-fried Chives Dumpling had skin just thick enough and juicy chopped chives to crunch on with the crispy skin,
5. Steam Charsiew 'Bao' with its soft fluffy skin that my mom will love,
6. Glutinous Rice in Lotus leaf was perfectly done with just enough filling, and
7. Double-boiled soup, even though I will normally get a congee instead but their soup's great!

I totally forgot posting about them until I came by again recently. This pictures were from my 1st visit. Hahaha. Enjoy.

Ramen Monster (Velocity @ Novena Square) - Charsiew!!!

2010-01-17T01:55:00.000+08:00

238 Thomson Road #01-53 T: 6356 4710

I was drawn here by this mural, so bright and cheerful amidst the wet & cold weather... and the cook's preparing rolls of charsiew as I gazed away. LOL. Anyway, it was late and I was a hot soupy dinner, so why not? The price for the set meal is very reasonable considering it sounds like a pretty complete set.

After going through the options, I think the thicker noodles is a better option, its more 'Q', the eggs were very normal, the soup was nothing fabulous even though its MSG-free, I had to drinks loads of tea after, which isn't a problem too as its free-flow... All in all, nothing impressive, pretty normal and not fantastic except for the charsiew!

Now that really left an impression, that charsiew. At first impression, it almost felt like it could melt in my mouth. It made up for everything else that was slack about the food here. Seriously, it had that bit more fat in it so its not dry and hey... there is no such thing as succulent skinny charsiew! To make charsiew with skinny lean pork, imo, it as irritating as patronizing a peranakan restaurant that is halal! No offense but even if I turn vegetarian one day, I still believe so!

K9 NATURAL HAS ARRIVED ONSHORE!!!

2009-12-20T20:08:00.005+08:00

Finally!!! A brand of dog food I think its one of the best on the planet!!!

I wish I can show u my dogs' reaction to this great dog food!!! But I don't know how to video anything. Having been on raw food diet most of their lifes... they'll probably still take whatever you offer but they normally won't eat it. My furkids took to K9 Natural immediately... check out their ingrediants, this is truly one of the best dog food after raw. If you don't know why some people like me, put their dogs on raw, then perhaps its time for you to do some reading up on canine nutrition.

However, there are always different schools of thoughts, so do it with an open mind. =)

ANYWAY... If you have smelled one of their products, you know this is quality stuff!!! Nothing like what you normally smell. A few of the picky eaters take to them immediately. If you have the courage, you should try a piece yourself. Afterall, all ingrediants used are human grade!

My show poodle is normally unresponsive to most treats unless its junk food, especially french fries *roll eyes*. Finally, a healthy n not messy treat he's interested in! Yay!

Furkids are now on Venison Feast, my sis can sleep in a while more since no need to wake up as early as she normally has to, to prep their food before she dashes off to work.

Find out more about them at K9 Natural.

Available for purchase in Singapore online at Pet Grocer or Howlistic Life. =)

Jellyhearts

2009-12-20T02:18:00.000+08:00

Boxes of this forgotten dessert from the party, I brought it home... Jellyhearts. Been more than a year since I last ordered. Not that old a craze but there's always something nostalgic about it that I like amidst those layers of jell-O, strawberry, cream cheese and digestive biscuit crumbs. And now, the new packaging print.

*sweet dreams*

Ga Hock Seafood - Salt Baked Crab

2009-12-17T22:40:00.003+08:00

794 Upper Bukit Timah Road T: 6314 5725
What a great dinner this is!!! The food was fantastic, can't say about my pictures tho. I was seated under a tree outdoors at night with poor lighting, facing a dua-long-kang. *LOL* These were some of the dishes' pictures I can use... there were a few more that didn't make it here but will mention, since they are great!!!

Salt Baked Crab
This crab dish is definately the highlight of my night! Crab baked in nothing but salt and its super duper yummy and SWEEEEEEEEET! Omg! I love it! Can't wait to come back here for it.

Prawns steamed in chinese wine
So fresh, so simple, so delicious!

Fried Flat Rice-flour 'Noodles'
Interesting! I have never had this before. Apparently, its a Shanghai style dish. Damn shiok!

Curry Fish Head

The closest thing to my fav Chinese curry fish head, which is in JB. We asked for extra beancurd skin, ha!, did u think it came that way. There was also a side order of fried buns, theywere very thoughtly, they steamed them before deep frying them so they are all so light and fluffy. yummmmmms~*

We order a few more items but were sold out... damn... I really wanted to try those mongolian porkribs! A friend told me that they used to be in the coffeeshop facing the main road but there was a fire and that's how they ended up at the back. Business still as bz as ever, tho!

Next best thing since KL... seriously.

The Marmalade Pantry (Ion) - Lemon Meringue Cake

2009-12-17T11:10:00.002+08:00

#03-22 Orchard Ion T: 6734 2700 W: www.themarmaladepantry.com/

Believe it or not, I have not been here since it opened at Ion. In fact, I was planning to order my old fav, the black pork pasta main, only to realise that its not in their new menu. Bummer.

Sausage Arrabiata

What they do have now, is this sausage arrabiata... not bad but not fantastic. It had a some heat in it but there was something about 1 of the sausage used that I didn't enjoy. hmmm...

Lemon Meringue Cake

At least their cakes are always a definate soul food, regardless of flavour.
Moistly sweet to the core.

Okonomiyaki House Iroha - Deluxe

2009-12-15T23:21:00.003+08:00

442 Orchard Road #B1-06, Orchard Hotel T: 6738 1683

Came by for a quick meal and that's what I got! Quick and good meal... that I wished was less pricey. Great price to kill some sudden cravings. I just don't understand y this is so expensive in Singapore, afterall, it is suppose to be food for students?! Haha.

oooOOoooOo Ohsumi... I <3 U SO~*

2009-11-23T23:53:00.004+08:00

There were plenty of starters... which we all truly realised when the bill came and there were MORE that's not featured here!!! woahhhhahahaha!!! What a pig out it was... ooops... we did consume quite a few platters of those. I am starting to miss it already... sigh... but gluttony is such a sin.

Braised Radish

Raw Radish (Daikon) w ebiko

Cold Tofu salad w miso dressing

Fried Calamari

Fried Prawns

I was late la... so I didn't know the names, everything was pre-ordered and the shabu ingrediants were part of the buffet. Most importantly, everything was fabulicious! What should be crispy, was crispy, what should be salty was salty, cold was cold, freshness and standard was as good then and now. Shiok to the max~* So...
On your mark!

Vegetables and pot...
Ready!

Wagyu Beef
...was not part of the buffet... but we had bacon eating non-pork eater present... duh...
Get set!

Normal??? Beef
heeee... 10 slices... must eat sparingly... in the end, also give up and...
GO!

Pork belly, Pork Loin, Pork dunnno which part
My fav... pork b e l l y . . . wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee~~~~~~
YES!!! WE WERE READY TO EMPTY THEIR KITCHEN AS MUCH AS WE COULD!!! We were a group of hungry teenagers (yah right~) with a mission!!!

Then came the celebration!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPH!!!
FOREVER 19!!!

Steph and her enormous slice of cake and MORE!!!

Its been... 2 years... since I last came here.
Once again, good memories tonight...
Great food, great company.
Thanks everyone! =)

Big O Café & Restaurant (Paragon) - Steak Sandwich & Roasted Mushrooms

2009-11-22T00:34:00.004+08:00

Here I am, back in Paragon, to remedy my never-ending handphone crisis... sigh... I really don't know if I am that tech-retard as my friends condemn me to be or am I what I think I truly am... not so much a tech-retard but more a tech-idiot with bad luck anything tech-related! Heh!

290 Orchard Road #B1-08 T: 6836 1495

This sudden need to solve this little crisis ate into what's planned into a very bz today so quick meal was what I needed, to get on with my life. Big O had no queue and my last time at nydc (sister company to Big O) was ok but the display fridge was giving my sis a sudden high from all the choco eye feast! SO... why not?

I was pretty impressed with how FAST the food came and the steak sandwich plus side order of roasted mushrooms were quite good! Well cooked and portions were good. Can't say the same about the others tho... didn't order anything from the fridge coz the special dessert on the menu looked mighty tasty from the oppo table but it proved otherwise.

But I will still come back w sis for one of those goodies in the display fridge coz I have a dessert voucher from them... o yes... so kiasu...

D-I-Y Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancake)

2009-11-11T19:46:00.008+08:00

A recipe I adapted from Kevin in Ontario, its really quite good! I enjoyed my homemade version of the okonomiyaki very much as I pimped it abit, to make it the way I like. With the use of fresh pesticide free vegetables, no I do not use China vegetables, the sweetness of the vegetables really bring out the flavours. Here's my version:

A dry coleslaw-like consistency is what you need.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour, too!)
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 egg
1/4 of a cabbage (shredded)
1 carrot (shredded)
1 yellow onion (shredded)
3 stalks of Spring onions (chopped, 3/4 for batter, 1/4 for garnish)
200gm octopus (cubed)
3 slices bacon

Garnishes:
Onokonomiyaki sauce
Garlic chilli sause
Mayonnaise
Spring Onions

Directions:
1. Mix the flour, stock, egg, cabbage, carrot and onion in a large bowl.
2. Heat some oil in pan.
3. Pour in mixture and top with the bacon slices.
4. Cook on medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 5-15 minutes per side.
5. Top with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and spring onions.

My first attempt, I think its very good! Its abit more burnt than necessary but like I said, I made it the way I liked it! Abit burnt... hehe... I have a liking for slightly burnt food coz its tastes stronger and crispier. Yay!

No bonito flakes on hand coz I don't like to stock hardly used items in my kitchen coz its such a waste when it goes bad. But the pancake still tastes great without it! Its like MY best homemade recipe find of the year! Thanks, Kevin!

You should try it, its sooooo simple.

肥肥 Lunch @ Tampopo(s)!!!

2009-11-10T19:28:00.009+08:00

To kick start my 肥肥 lunch, Steph n I headed to Tampopo Restaurant, to stop my saba cravings! I was soooooo looking forward to having a Saba Chirashi but its no longer in the menu. *bummer*

I LOVE SABA!!! Especially prepared this way... sigh... the dose of vinegar with the strong smell of the fish... its not for everyone but its definately calling my name. =) Yes yes Yes! I definately love my Saba, especially marinated in vinegarette. I love having it as much as I love having sanma seasoned in salt and cooked over an open fire and simply served with a lemon wedge. Especially so... in October. Wow! The best time of the year to have them... they are all so fat and juicy.

Also had some Futomaki, to balance the main meal. Some of my fav things rolled into one... Rice, pickles, tamago, cucumber, sugar, packed tightly in a layer of seaweed! So refreshing! Plus hot green tea to wash it all down. Then off we go, to complete our 肥肥 day!

Dessert at Tampopo Deli...

Cream Puff & Fruit Sponge Cake

So what if we've been nua-ing so much and been deprived of good food for a long time due to different reasons, this is not the way to eat! Seriously... but... so... today is really a day of over indulgence with my buddy... Today is such a beautiful and fulfilling day. Its been a while since I last spent an afternoon like this.

*罪过*
5km x2 tomorrow!
(Like real... lucky if I even walk 50m the whole of tomorrow. heh!)

SWA Garden Restaurant 汕园潮洲酒楼 - Chye Poh Kway Teow

2009-11-01T08:07:00.007+08:00

540 MacPherson Road T: 6744 5009

Chye Poh Kway Teow

WAH LAO! Its damn good, this is my fav main here! So comforting to have this after a long day, especially a long and WET day... sigh... so wet and cold its been these past few days. So nice to see this ginomous plate of fried kway teow that's already flavourful to begin and after I add in a few pieces of chilli padi, lagi more shiok lor!

Steam Mullet

For a change, we had mullet instead of pomfret today... so shiok. I think w broth like that, any fresh fish will taste good. Its the simple traditional Teochew steam fish style... sigh... soul food, chinese style.

I have always preferred fish meat that's firm, even mackeral but it will be quite wrong for a dish like this. =)

As usual, we all know how good a skill the good chef has when we look at a simple veg dish... what do u think? I love it!

Yam with pumpkin

Well, this dessert you can have with pumpkin or gingko and I prefer pumpkin. Its very smooth and on the sweet side... which it is correct, no? It won't be right if its NOT sweet, i.m.o. This is one of the few places left where you can find delicious traditional Teochew food in a homely environment with friendly staff awaiting.

I've been sick on n off n on n off n its doesn't seem to get better. Then again, maybe its my smoking cessation that's working!!? We shall see... appetite's been poor ever since I started my smoking cessation program. Sorry about the lack of posts.

MY 30TH BIRTHDAY BBQ PARTY

2009-10-10T00:08:00.014+08:00

held at my friend's retro corner...

same place we have had this annual bbq... for years!!!

It poured in the morning but rant&rave's charms worked!

As u can see... we can start firing up at 6pm SHARP with complete ease =)

Sangria, recipe from Bubu... but of coz~*

Scampis aka crayfish aka yebbies from Ikea were as delicious as ever~*

Bread slices galore coz tajie makes a meeeeeean garlic spread~*

There were... A LOT OF FOOD!

2 different pits since we are halal friendly... To begin, chicken were grilled, deep fried, in curry and good old bbq-ed this day! Porkribs, pork chops, beef burgerlets, otah (first time I tried WHITE OTAH!), prawns, scampis, sotong, sausages(every bbq must have this la!), noodles, sayur lodeh, and Fifi, thanks for making me my fav mushroom x broccoli dish! I am sure I left some food out coz there were quite a bit, our long long table can easily sit 20 pax at one time and there were no repeats on our serving dishes, only top-ups! hahaha! I must say, its definately one of the bbqs ever! People were great and food was... fabulicious!

Then of course, there were these beautifully DELICIOUS cakes my friends got me... I just realised that they are quite retro too! I was worried that I had too much cake, since the surprise 'fruit' cake I requested turned out to be HUGE! Luckily, there were... 5 October babies present:

Let me introduce my RETRO-ish cakes:

D24 Durian Cake made by my buddy April's mommy! Between every layer of sponge is a thick & succulent layer of durian flesh! The sponge cake is also soooo soft and fluffy. She makes such wonderful cakes that not well balanced and not diabetic. Have to try, to believe la!

Doorstop cake from PS Cafe Palais. This triple chocolate cake is topped with MALTERSES and that middle section is chocolate coated walnuts!!! How retro is that, right!!! Its by far my fav chocolate cake in Singapore but I am not a chocolate fan, how contridicting... hor?

Most importantly, thank you all who remembered and wished me...

(Pardon the different photography styles and color temperatures... many camera's that evening la, no I am not complaining!!! hehe, thanks peeps!!!)

Rive Gauche Patisserie - Strawberry Pie

2009-10-09T00:51:00.010+08:00

#B207-9/2 Ngee Ann City T: 68874579 W: http://www.pokkafood.com.sg/gauche/

Wow! I've been eyeing this pie for many weeks already and today, I got it from the studio to celebrate my birthday a day in advance! It tastes as pretty as it looks, love the crust! Strawberries were sour but that's beyond chef's control, I guess...? I still enjoyed it many plenty, Thank you Anita, for walking out to buy it.

What was I thinking when I did this,

I was thinking..." Take care everyone, I'll miss u guys after I leave. =)"

Then again, I can always come back for a visit, a scootering ride away only... courtesy of this backup dancer! *lol*

Sho Teppan - Black Angus Beef

2009-10-08T01:29:00.006+08:00

2 Orchard Turn #B3-19 ION Orchard Tel: 6509 9969

Since the prices of these 2 sets we tried are sooo tempting... we tried them in the 2 simplest methods served here:

Sukiyaki
(Before)

(After)

The eggs... are pasteurised. If they were organic, wah lao.. lagi best! I wonder if they'll allow me to bring my own raw egg in next time. Anyway, the entire set looks good, right??? Everything is sooo simple and fresh, its easily becomes comfort food. Its so simple, its almost feels homecooked.

Teppanyaki
(Before)

(After)

Ok ok... its not the real McCoy but its still pretty good! Seriously! Its very value for money! I don't think I can stop singing praises for it... heng ah... they dun serve curry beef rice, or else... my other fav 'teppanyaki' joint will be losing my bizniz. OH Oh oh! We have also tried (sorry... forgot to take pictures...) the pork belly x kimchi set, its was damn shiok too!~*

Hmmm... basically this joint serves commercial style teppan food, its really value for money! Vegetable portions are good, salad veg were nice and crisp with an appetising vinegar dressing, meat are fresh, soup and broth are decent, portions in general are slightly above average, service is good... so no complaints so far, not from me, for now, at least.

KOI Cafe Bubble Tea (AMK branch)

2009-10-03T09:48:00.008+08:00

Blk 704 Ang Mo Kio Central #01-2545 T: 6459 1518
(where Prima Deli used to be?)

I am embaressed to admit but I have a long Looooooong obsession with bubble. I was actually disappointed when the chains I liked, closed down after the wave left. So far, whatever's left never left an impression like Koi. Their taste is very unique and I love how we can choose the level of sweetness we want our drinks to be. They offer a variety of 'fillings' apart from the standard 'pearl', which I really enjoyed chewing. Their grass jelly looks great too! It comes in a huge block! Maybe that's why their prices are kinda... steep?

Fillings from left - right: Coconut Jelly, regular Jelly + Pearls, Grass Jelly

I must say, I really enjoy the passionfruit A-Yu drink in the middle. It originally comes with regular Jelly, which I didn't know and added Pearls. Double whammy =). Last drink is milk tea, can't really c the grass jelly but its that bold irregular horizontal line in the middle and it floats all the way to the top. Cool right? Its really soft their jellies. And the coconut jelly, sweet n qqq!!! I like my drinks 25% sweet or less. Oolong can be zero sweet. Best bubble tea I've had in Singapore, even though its a Taiwanese import... in a looong time! New watering hole! Yay!

My question of the day is... so is their name KOI or 豆?

Peanut Butter Cookies & Pecan Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

2009-09-26T02:17:00.005+08:00

Best cookie recipes to date!
DO TRY!

Whatever's written in blue are the modifications
I made to make them the way I preferred!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup Peanut Butter (I used JIF Crunchy)
1 cup Sugar (I used 3/4 cup light brown sugar)
1 Egg

I used a round measuring spoon to shape then and then squish them down the middle, and laid them out on a greased pan. Baked them 350 degrees for 15mins. That's it!

Thank you Winnie for the recipe, everyone loved it! =)

Pecan Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

1 cup (110 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (215 grams) light brown sugar
1 large egg (I used 2 egg yolks to make crunchy cookies instead!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (105 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups (260 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins or 1 cup white or dark chocolate chips (optional)

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the nuts, oats, and dried cranberries or chocolate chips.

For large cookies, use 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and space the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Then wet your hand and flatten the cookies slightly with your fingers so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Bake the cookies for about 12 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C), or until light golden brown around the edges but still soft and a little wet in the centers.

Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Thank you Fel for the recipe, its the best I have made and totally enjoyed to date! So did many others who have tried it! =)

Ah Chew Desserts 阿秋甜品

2009-09-21T01:45:00.003+08:00

1 Liang Seah Street #01-11 Liang Seah Place T: 6339 8198

This glass jelly with lychee dessert is something totally new to me. Maybe becoz people normally buy the desserts takeaway and I am not too adventurous, I never knew there's such a combi. It's interestingly cooling and light. It'll be great after a long hot day running about outside.

BUT this water chestnut x egg dessert has been a favourite since I was a child... the ones served here, is the temperature I like them as well as starchiness (is this a word?!). But u know what I mean lor... thick, glue-y, egg-y with generous thinly sliced water chestnuts... most importantly, cold, I like it COLD. A long time love affair, finally blogged! <3 <3 <3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIMI "^.^"

2009-09-18T10:06:00.004+08:00

Simplest birthday cake cutting session ever! Simple is good coz its quick, right? Then we can get started on our cake! Seriously, have u ever seen a Mont Blanc CAKE... normally it comes in a tart size cake but this is a full 18cm CAKE CAKE hor! *faints* OMG... the taste and quality, confirm, they make the BEST Mont Blanc cake in Singapore! Image that, a steady supply of Mont Blanc! Yay!

And nothing but the best for my chestnut loving boss (& me?),
Thank u Steph for getting it <3 <3 <3

(Image from Patisserie Glace)

Patisserie Glace has moved to:
12 Gopeng Street #01-33/34
Icon Village
(It is on the ground floor of the Icon Condominium
which is next to Tanjong Pagar MRT, behind Amara Hotel.)

Keng Eng Kee Seafood

2009-09-17T13:27:00.003+08:00

Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-136 T: 6272 1038

I heard that Johnny was clapping and jumping up and down in his seat when the server was coming towards us... hmm... *shudder*

But this platter, was a mean platter of goodies! What is all those things inside the taupok?! I see ham, salted egg yolk, mushrooms, prawn, tofu, veg and more wrapped in beancurd skin pouch and deep fried crispy! Its like a Christmas present! The round things are hei chock, which were not shabby themselves too!

Everytime was handmade and fried to perfection.

Spinach with ikan bilis

Super crispy ikan bilis topping a spinach... Salad! Chinese style! Hahahaha!!!! Damn shiok, so easy to eat this non-stop!

Butter Porkribs

Our server said this is normally a special order which is not on the menu. We are lucky that someone pre-ordered so its available tonight. Very good! Not jelak and sooooooooo good! I am amazed but the many different types of butter porkribs that's are around. How they are interpreted soooo differently and yet taste soooo good.

Claypot Pig Kidney

What an exciting dish to see and look forward too! The sizzle and the fear of it getting overcooked, I don't know which I should be worried about first! Soooooo goood!

Chilli x Salted egg yolk

What an interested crab dish! Its been fried with a batter that has salted egg yolk, amongst other stuff... which I have no clue what they are. Whatever they may be, it was damn shiok.

If our starter is like a Christmas present to me,
then the crab shell is the entire Christmas morning:

Crab roe plus salted egg plus dunnno wat...
excuse me while I go dream of this again~*

Cugini - Italian Pizza, Pasta & Dessert

2009-09-15T12:20:00.004+08:00

87 Club Street #01-01 T: 6221 3791

Craving Italian food tonight... just nice... coz irishblue wanted to try. So here we are, after a super duper long day, setting off from office without checking the exact address and most importantly, the name of the restaurant but thank God for smart people who invented the iphone, our questions were solved and Cugini was located in a jiffy!

After we were seated, the free bread came... whatever that square bread in the picture was, its sooooooooooo good. I love the sundried tomate baked into the bread with just a little herbs. PLUS olive oil... bliss...

Penna Amatriciana

Daviola Pizza

These people make great pasta... the portions are pretty generous, seriously, for a portion to be pretty good sized to me on an average day is big to a normal person le! The ingrediants... fine quality. Without a doubt.

The penne was my main and it could almost feel the love that went into it... the effort to make the fresh pasta sauce, to crackle the bacon, even to shave the cheese. I felt it all, I have a soft spot for this recipe served with penne (I think its a match made in heaven!)... for the longest time, I shamelessly felt that my version is damn good already but this... tops it of!

Pizza was shiok too la! Even though I only have abit coz I cutting back on my carbo intake at night, can taste that the tomato sauce, extra cheese and extra salami are all good stuff. *seriously*

Seadas & Tiramisu

What a lovely place this is... the combi of colors, I presume its Italian? It was very... homely in a foreign way la... since we are actually at Club St mah. OooOO!!! Our desserts, Seadas is a deep fried dessert which is filled with CHEESE and honey... sinful, then we also had a Tisamisu... wow... it really hit the spot, spot-on!

Bee Hiang Seafood - Chao Ta Bee Hoon

2009-09-15T11:12:00.001+08:00

No.2 Verdun Road T: 62966165

My godma's been telling me to try the chao ta bee hoon here for weeks... seriously.. w e e k s.. on a late night after work, we decided to come here. Ordered a few dishes, not bad but nothing impressive except for their CHAO TA BEE HOON. Upon reading their signage, I realise that its a STEAMBOAT place, looking around at the other tables, it was quite late not many tables were occupied but still, there were quite a few steamboat orders amidst the hot weather. No wonder... but their chao ta bee hooon really quite good, its more moist and less oily compared to our other fav chao ta bee hoon place.

Arinco King - Matcha Roll

2009-09-10T16:03:00.016+08:00

2 Orchard Turn, Ion Orchard Food Hall #B4-60

Today, boss bought the matcha roll for us to try... wow~! Saat Saat Bo Chio! Shioks! Light and flavorful, I guess nothing can go wrong with great cream. The entire roll is simply delish and their cream is divine! And its only the matcha flavour, omg, the salted caramel... *dreaming*

Tried their salted caramel flavoured sandcake last week, it is a slice of spongecake (pre-rolled into the 'Roll') with a generous of their cream plus, in my case, a drizzle of salted caramel and toasted almond flakes. At that moment, I felt like I can eat 3 at one go... woah!

I sighted a new flavour for sandcake just now... blueberry... hehehe... c u next week I said in my heart~*

AOBA Ramen - Shoyu Tontoro Ramen

2009-09-10T10:17:00.002+08:00

2 Orchard Turn, Ion Orchard #B3-25 T: 6509 9394

Quite shiok I must say... the shoyu egg tastes better than it looks! Broth was thick and flavorful... noodle which is thicker than usual, not bad but I felt it can be more chewy (but that's personal preference!) and the meat was beautifully done, its practically perfect, tender and juicy but it didn't melt in my mouth. Maybe its the cut of meat, I don't know but it was dannnng good I must say!

I won't bother with the side dishes but will come back for their ramen, if not the ramen, then their shoyu eggs which are currently my 2nd fav locally... and if not the the ramen, then definately something from the set lunch menu which is different everyday at a reasonable price.

Bijoux de Diamants Press Lunch

2009-09-09T09:44:00.004+08:00

Starter: Seared Scallops and Salmon Confit, Asparagus and Citrus Dressing

Main: (I chose chicken.) Truffled "Coq au Vin", Caramalized Foie Gras and Baby Carrot with Linguini

Dessert: Toffee Caraba Sable Tart with Vanilla Bean Sauce and Cocoa Streusel

Catering from The Shangri La since it was done in an interesting dome shaped marquee amidst the Fort Canning, hosted by Chanel Fine Jewelry. The floral arrangements and settings and menu... for those of you who needs a suggestion for a quick and light reception lunch. Food was good considering the venue where the lunch was held without kitchen and proper facilities.

I am still wondering if the starter was suppose to be cold or room temperatured now... but its still good. My main was rich rich rich, I had to eat the chicken with the liver or else its just too much, as for the sauce which I felt was kinda 'soya sauce chicken' style... hehe... no offense hor, still good la. As for the dessert, simply said... Ah-Pong... you should have been here. Anyway, hopefully, this will not be my last press lunch since I have tendered but it definately will be my last for this year.

LalaLALala~*

my love for Bongout's set meals continues...

2009-09-08T19:22:00.003+08:00

I came by Bongout again, lucky night it was... today's special was stewed beef with potatoes!!! One of my fav food in the world!!! Good thing Alwin suggested coming by today with Cin Cin (don't forget to check out what she ate for dinner!).

We camwhored abit while waiting for dinner, I finally finished the card I made for Alwin's birthday. Here's the front and back, its a collage some of his fav things... and a picture of his present from me, if u c the centre of the bottom shelf, there's a leather camera case by Canon x M.Suhiro, damn chio hor! Of coz, humpf~*

Then dinner came... my beautiful set dinner:

and Cin's dinner...

Natto w cucumber and Potato salad

ok ok... yes yes... that's why she's tiny and I am not!
hahaha!

HAPPY SWEET 30th ALWIN!!!

2009-08-27T00:03:00.001+08:00

More pics to come soon~*
(ok ok.. I lied, no more pix coming!)

Gayatri Restaurant - Fish Head Curry, Fried Cauliflower

2009-08-17T09:55:00.001+08:00

122 Race Course Road #01-01 T: 6291 1011 W: http://www.gayatrirestaurant.com/

WOW!!! We came on the right day coz our fish head was just $15!!! Heng heng HENG!!! *lol* Recommanded by Steph's uncle, we finally made our way here, thank goodness that it was a cool night... curry had alot of acid in it, I don't know from what but it was pretty good, no one's better than Rajah to me yet but nevertheless, its still good. Their dish of deep fried cauliflower was very well done i.m.o. too. I enjoyed the veg sides dishes pretty much, they came with the 'briyani rice set'.

Safe place to come for a quick fish head curry fix, especially on Monday & Wednesday. =)

Pâtisserie Glacé - Mille Crepe, Fromage Blanc

2009-08-17T09:42:00.001+08:00

Clockwise: Montblanc, Banana Chocolate, Fromage Blanc, Strawberry Mille Crepe, Strawberry Hill

sigh... another lovely plate of cakes from Pâtisserie Glacé... Today's Strawberry Mille Crepe was great, I love it! Even tho its sooo similiar to the Strawberry Hill and Strawberry Souffle, in actual fact, strawberry aside, they are quite different! For mille crepe, I loved the tiny touch of savoury in it enveloping the fresh fruits hidden between the layers of sponge... so gooood.

Finally, I have a picture of the Fromage Blanc, which is my fav Cheese thing here. Here they a couple of cheese products here, Rin Rin tart aside, Fromage Blanc is my fav, in fact, Rin Rin comes after it. The smooth and richness of the cream cheese with the lovely tart base.

sigh... my personal conclusion? I love their fruit & cheese cakes best! Their Montblanc still ranks #1 in Singapore and its practically to die for i.m.o., the Strawberry Mille Crepe is refreshing and unique for local taste buds and the Fromage Blanc is in a league of its own amongst cheese cakes here.

Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2009 (13-16 Aug 09)

2009-08-15T09:44:00.009+08:00

Location: Suntec City Convention Hall 401-404
I was there for my long time love... Blythe!!! COME PLAY LE!!!

By Freddy Tan:

Rainbow Sprites (I LOVE THESE!!!)

"Seasons"

Blythe Tea Party entries that I totally <3...

"Girl with a black cat." by Freddy Tan.
What can I say but that I am a big fan of Freddy's. *lol* Another fantastic doll by him... such a pity he didn't win tho. But hey, the workmanship here beats anyother entries hands down. No doubt. See for yourself his flawless makeup, f l a w l e s s, not patchy at all. The eyes, the brows, the lips... no wonder he's truly in the international league.

Lil Miss "T" for Sharon Tulasidas.
Made by Lai Keng, Freddy Tan & urs truly. This is what happens what u take Sharon's work station together with her style, plus her love for skulls and Hello Kitty!!!

She's wearing top to toe 'Lanvin' with gold jewelry. So glad to have found the monogram heels! Looks just like the real thing from last sason! On the mannequin is what she wears in real life, rock tee, skinny denims, a strand of pearls, a leopard print scarf and ballet flats. =)

One thing bad during convention, NO GOOD FOOD!!! *upset*

Cheesecake from The Pastry Shop @ The Marriot

2009-08-08T03:26:00.007+08:00

Best cake of the evening, imo, was the cheesecake! Machiam cream cheese la... shiok until!!! It is round with a flat white chocolate flower across the top... See where the arrow is pointing please:

no close up la! I was not holding camera whole night, I stole these pics from her FB. *hehe* All these and more which were ordinary but good la, were from The Pastry Shop at The Marriot.

PPpppfffffffffftttt~*
Happy 21st Birthday lil bunny girl~*

Yan Palace - Dim Sum

2009-08-05T00:45:00.005+08:00

Blk 531 Upper Cross Street #01-49 Hong Lim Complex
T: 6222 2516 W: www.yanpalace.com.sg

Silence please! Meal in progress! Always well dressed, my boss... having lunch... serious siah... But many thanks to him, we had delicious dim sum lunch today! *buuuuuuuuuurp*

Char Siew Song
SSsssoooo sooong I can barely pick it up with my chopsticks! Flaky pastry with generous char siew, I think they have moved on with time, the meat is not as sweet as I recalled.

Panfried Carrot Cake
Exactly like what it says, topped with toasted white sesame. So simple, sooo soft, no oily. So yummmms!

Fried Popiah
Filled with lots of goodies with minced chicken, julianned veg!!! Well fried, not oily, again... shioks!!!

See pictures see pictures... I lazy... so I won't go into each and every detail. Sorry. What you see is exactly what it was plus great flavour and freshness! Heeeeeeeeeee~!

Prawn & Char Siew Cheong Fan

Steamed Yam Cake
Can see the chunks of yums amidst the cake??? Shiok until i tell u...

Siew Mai
At the top right is our appetizer of pickled vegetables!

Steamed Tau Kee Roll
Of chunky chicken and vegetables! Tasty! Healthy too!

Char Siew Bao

Luo Mai Fan
Glutinous rice with minced chicken wrapped in lotus leaf. Damn shioks!
.
.
.
.
.
.
Haven't been in here in years but last I recall, I was not impressed with their mains but their dim sum is still has their charm and quality with zero pretenses, there is nothing chichi about a meal here but it was still simply delightful. =)

Must come back soon, I forgot to order their roast duck and xiao long bao today! Nevertheless, I'll be dreaming of my childhood tonight! How much I miss those days... can eat and eat till the cows come home but we are running around all day and half the night... what weight problems, right?! My childhood days, back then, trolley dim sum and peppery 'white' bak kut teh for weekend breakfast were norm, even with family friends at times. This place sure brings back lots of dim sum breakfast memories coz of the vibe, the flavour, the way it is 'old school' sans trolley but still...

*slurps*

Pâtisserie Glacé - Strawberry Hill Cake

2009-08-04T00:20:00.000+08:00

34 Craig Road (Junction of Neil Road) #01-10 Chinatown Plaza T:6400 0247 W: http://www.cakeglace.com/

Star of the day.... the Strawberry Hill cake! Yums! This might just be this island's answer to authentic Japanese style cake... or... the closest we can get? Light, refreshing, delicious! Very girly! But the boys loved it too! Success! Scrumptious!

"Starting with the tart base with no peers, there are layers of custard cream and strawberry slices topped off with strawberry halves and fresh cream." - Pâtisserie Glacé

*** HAPPY BIRTHDAY DA JIE ***

Happy National Day 2009!!!!!

2009-07-31T23:42:00.002+08:00

I guess this was an email thats been circulating I got in my mailbox today,
its quite cute la... so I copy & pasted the email here:

Workers at Sim Ming Ave car workshops were having a normal day at work, when a nervous looking LION suddenly came out of no where...seemingly hungry because of how skinny his body looks.

Everyone freaked out, jumping over each other, some locking themselves up in cars, some in the offices, and some just ran away...but one brave guy took the picture of this Lion without making a sound....and there was the SHOCK when the Lion turned around...

Turns out that one co-worker had shaved his dog in such a way to look like a Lion.... A lion wannabe.

Happy National Day!!!!! (in advance)

Bon Goût Cafe - Beef & Japanese Curry

2009-07-27T01:35:00.008+08:00

60 Robertson Quay #01-01, The Quayside T: 6732-5234 W: http://www.bongout-cafe.com/

Today's Special - Stirfy Beef Set

Pt I:
We shared a table with a lonely stranger who left amidst our conversation. I kept looking at him while waiting for my order, wondering if I just made a wrong choice... lonely stranger was having his curry rice meal that smelled wonderful. Amidst my worries, came my order! Wow! Its not shabby at all. It looks great and check out the generous portion. Not bad for that price.

Beef was tender sitting on a bed of raw onions and veg. Seasongs were light and sufficient. Healthy yet tasty. Look inside my soup bowl... an abundance of mushrooms and slices of tofu floating in a light miso broth. Don't underestimate those few slices of pickles, it gave the engine a kickstart... everything was polished off, including the potato salad. Healthy tasty potato salad that didn't have as much mayo as it normally does elsewhere.

It was a good & hearty meal... but I still crave the curry! So...

Bon Goût Beef Curry Rice (Spicy)

Pt II:
Yummmmmms!!! Most importantly, finally a place with curry that has heat to it!!! Even tho it was mild...its not bad. This curry has a unique texture, u can see in the picture, that its kinda grainy??? As if it was pureed. Interesting, I like it tho. Its very flavourful and the beef was tender-ish. I think the lonely stranger from Pt I had the normal curry coz it didn't look like this. If you order the normal curry, its smooth. My friend ordered a curry udon and it was smooth with chunks of veg and meat, portion was generou. I guess I will try that in Pt III!

Most importantly, my company was great!

Still... Interesting place this is. Quiet and efficient. Its a Jap cafe which doubles as a second-hand Jap bookstore for you to rent to read one out of the cafe, borrow one to read in the cafe or even sell your old one too. Did I NOT enjoy myself?! Of course I enjoyed myself, I liked how the food was homely and simple. Yet, hearty too. I have love hearty meals! GOOD HEARTY MEALS, like the ones here thats a bit rough around the edges... =)

FIFI ROCKED FOR SHARON'S HAPPY DAY!!!

2009-07-19T00:15:00.011+08:00

"irishblue says:... fifi ah... brought homecooked food to a whole new level!! "

Its been such a long time since we ate at Fifi's, we all jumped at the chance when we could... this time, for Toot's birthday. Yay! What a spread it was, all new dishes except for 1 (which I wish was becoz its my FAV by him! *lol*). Too bad Steph forgot to take picture of the double boil soup, which was G R E A T ! Also heard that the appetiser was damn solid, which I missed coz I was late. =(

DRY LAKSA! It was fantastic, omg, love it! Fifi's dry mee siam was already such a winner and this is just as fantastic, if not BETTER! Ahyo... salivating as I think about it. Don't look fantastic in picture? TOo bad coz it's taste is 100X betterer than it looks lor!

Braised Mushrooms! MY FAV! I love Fifi's mushroom dishes and glutinous rice (which he did not prepare this time coz he said he made it too many times for us already. *humpf*). Then again, I am biased la... coz I have a soft spot for all sorts of edible fungi, including Lingzhi. I love it... L O V E ! Almost felt like its CNY liao. Hehe =)

Can't get over the fact that I forgot to tarbao the leftovers home. *upset*

HEE BEE HIAM BOAT(?)! Errr... this was very refreshingly good, if I can say that? Cucumbers, mayo n hee bee hiam! Wah lao! Damn good siah! Seriously, it tasted REFRESHINGLY GOOD! This combination... memorable. Maybe I can also try to do this dish but cheat la... I use Hoi Wan Tin's hee bee hiam? Hehe.

COLD TOFU! Shioks to the max joe! The smell of sesame oil, the century egg, the cold tofu and god knows what else... ahyo... s e d a p s i a h ! Steph came back for second round and was greeted with an empty plate! Hahaha! Poor girl had to make do with the gravy. Good la... more room for other dishes?

FRIED FRITTERS! These didn't lao hong even after more than an hour! Fifi says its all in the controlling of oil temp. Well, whatever works la! Check out the display siah... where got homecooked food displayed to look like this de??? In fact, alot of restaurants also cannot fight w Fifi's cooking lor. Got heart untiiiiiiiillllll!

The mini buns were for the next dish!

PRAWNS IN 'CARBONARA' SAUCE! Errr... if carbonara is the correct term. It is some sort of cream base sauce la... whatever it was, it was damn good. Added some ang-mo feel to the meal. Prawns were succulent and fresh, cooked just nice and with the sauce... ahyo... should just take out the leftover sauce and make a pasta dish lor.

DON'T WASTE FOOD! Right?

STEAM SWEET TAPIOCA! Like Steph said, won't LS after this! This dish is sooooo Indo or Nyonya (along these 2 lines la... n they do merge somehow most times!), I ate in silence... 2 big chunks that Steph put into my bowl with a touch of the coconut milk. The salt in the coconut milk plus the yellow sugar in the tapioca, fantastic!

Almost wanted to cry when I ate... I miss my mom's cooking so much, I don't know why. She don't do these dishes but u know... homecooked meals are the best, right? And I m a very average cook only. Sad but true.This meal was soooo homely, company was great and food was fantastic... sigh... I miss my mom. How I wish my sis was here to eat this too!

MOST importantly... highlight of the day...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOTS!!!
Owe u a pressie. Hehe.

Clarence and Steph, thanks for letting me use ur pictures ;P

We had a great time.
Thank you Fifi for having us over!!!
*burp*

Pierre Hermé - MACAROONS!!!

2009-07-12T17:25:00.006+08:00

This box of macaroons has been there and done that... Purchased by my H-manic boss amidst his bz shopping schedule, carried back to the hotel with his loot, passed to my sick bf, who endured a 13hour flight with this precious cargo, then went back to the studio where they dropped stuff off, then bf scootered back home, dropped his stuff home and sat around abit, then scootered to me. Not good idea but its better than nothing! I am surprised that there still complete pieces. Ok OK ok, yes Yes YES, it really is better than nothing la!

Good goodness... they still taste FANTASTIC!!! This box of goodies is in a league of their own. How glad I am that bossy really bought them for me. YayaYYay!!! Whatever U have read online elsewhere, read in publications, heard from friends, IT IS ALL TRUE... PIERRE HERME TRULY RULES IN THE WORLD OF MACAROONS!!! Taste factor is their MAX FACTOR!!!

Pierre Hermé
72 rue Bonaparte or
185 rue Vaugirard
Paris, France
W: www.pierreherme.com

Click here to visit a beautiful post online of the wonderful pastry shop... Simply EXQUISITE...!

From Paris with LOVE!!!

2009-07-12T16:39:00.005+08:00

Amidst bf's LS-ing... he still managed buy me a surprise:
THE NEW BALENCIAGA POCHETTE
IN BLACK WITH REGULAR HARDWARE
*faints*

As small as it seems, I manage to fit in my basics:
- Handphone *check*
- Folding fan *check*
- Wallet *check*
- Digital camera *check*
- Keys *check*
- Ciggies *check*

touché~*

He was truly gone too soon...

2009-07-08T16:41:00.019+08:00

Yes... somewhere in me, I was definately looking forward to his concert coz rumours went around saying that he'll be rocking Balmain looks, to top it off, he was wearing a fair bit of Balmain lately and they even used "Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough" at the Balmain show!

Images from Red Carpet Fashion Awards, Nitrolicious, Catwalking

Lots of sparklers, lots of smoke, lots of color lights, MJ wearing blinged ripped demins, blinged skinnys, blinged belts, blinged accessories, blinged military jackets (shoulderpads are a must!) with an equally blinged backup crew! Like last time but with major dramatic crossover with new technologies and new fibers and new embellishments... OMG!!! *shriek*

I can imagine him rocking the looks, can't u?!?!?

Anyway, rumours are rumours, he's not wearing Balmain for the concert but lotsa lotsa bling, boring. Swarovski bling, not so boring but still, it is almost predictable... Come on, he's the KING OF POP, you don't dress him in a predictable manner! Like *duh*.

This rehearsal video was taken 2 days before he died. He still looked damn good lor!!! No wonder Yenny super struck him since I was a child in the 80s till now siah!!! Have you watched the memorial??? If you missed it on telly, don't forget, there's YouTube. I was expecting Justin Timberlake to be there too but nope, neither was Nicole Ritchie... too sad?? She'd better be coz I'll be extremely upset if my god-daughter didn't turn up for my wake unless she dead or bed-ridden. *whack whack* Some of my fav parts by Usher, Rev. Al Sharpton and MJ's iconic song that changed the world...

MJ, you made differences in this world many tried in vain. RIP.

The Westin Serviced Apartment (Kuala Lumpur) - Great Sleep & Hearty Breakfast

2009-06-26T01:39:00.004+08:00

199, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur 55100, Malaysia T: (60)(3) 2731 8333

Located opposite The Pavilion and walking distance to my travelmates' fave massage place (its called Liang Xin Massage Parlour, if you are curious!). More importantly, it has a great bed, I can just collapse into the bed and I am like the Asian distant cousin with the sasquatch (Johnny's more closely related)... collapse can really be used, imagine that! and great breakfast (by most hotel standards anyway...) we all know how important this duo is when we travel for work trips. *seriously* The Westin Serviced Apartment Kuala Lumpur has won me over.

(Clockwise: Teh Tarik, Watermelon Jelly,
Waffles w Honey (fresh from comb, mind u!) & Butter,
Rocket Salad w Onion Garlic dressing,
Broccoli Salad w Sundried Tomatoes, Salami, Croissant)

The breakfast is really one of the best I have had and I have stayed in some pretty places by the mass's standards but we all know how boring most of their 'continental' breakfast are most of the time. NOT HERE lor! Their bread & baked section alone entertained me most days and they have local food, cereal bar, juice bar (both fresh & carton), etc. This is the first time I am raving about a hotel simply because I think they deserve it. =)

Restoran Eight Treasure 八宝家乡冷气饭店

2009-06-24T00:37:00.004+08:00

20 Jalan Waras 1, Taman Connaught 56000 Cheras KL. T: 03-9130 1066

Top down: Yong Tau Foo, Thai Green Chilli w Fish paste stuffing *HIGHLIGHT ALERT!*, Bittergourd x Salted Veg stirfy, Lettuce w fermented bean sauce stirfry, Steam 3 eggs (chicken egg, salted egg, century egg) Custard, Steam Pork w Ginger & Salted Fish, Fried Fish!?

Pardon my very brief names... but I am sure u can order just by describing any of the above if you are too lazy to go thru the brief menu. Or get the friendly staff to recommand you what's freshest that day and they'll work something out for u. Amazing. This place does home style to its best! Yet another fabulously good Teochew restaurant hidden in the heartlands of KL.

Nope! We believe in neither small size nor less variety when we go makan!

Sungei Besi Keen Fishhead for MAIN then Mao Shan Wang for dessert!!! Whooooot!!!

2009-06-23T00:37:00.005+08:00

It really doesn't get any better than this if you love great Teochew food AND DURIAN! We tried new dish here today, its a fish dish... the fish's so crispy you can eat even some of the bones. Err.... can't remember what its called.

Here goes:

Honestly, today's highlight for almost everyone was the MAO SHAN WANG! We came by also becoz they will definately allow us to have durians here after meal. Afterall, the dua-long-gang is along one side of the 'restaurant' and the dumpter's across the road. What smell siah?!

After our 8 course dinner, we had Mao Shan Wang! VERY GOOD Mao Shan Wang to be exact! Bitter sweet thick flesh with tiny seeds! In fact, the durians were more expensive than our main meal. *haha*

Lesson of the Day: (Well, its a lesson for me since I am no durian expert!) To RID hands and breath of durian smell after a session, rub your hands with CUCUMBERS and eat a few slices after, NO I am not asking you to eat the slices that you have used to rubbed your hands but if you want, anything goes la! At least 97% of the smell GONE!!! Seriously, I am most impressed. Let my handsome model show you how its done:

Wanted: AJI ICHIBAN (HK)'s Wasabi Seaweed Crackers

2009-06-17T12:10:00.006+08:00

DEAR FRIENDS!!!

When u guys travel back from HK, can help me buy this please? Up to u lor... u want to buy 5 packets also can (about SG$13). Its a huge packet tho, 1 size only, about 50% bigger than a packet of Lay's... width wise. I love these lor!!! Big big pieces of seaweed covered in a crispy salty batter coated with wasabi powder!!! POWER!!! Damn shiok... so can stock up la... past few times, no luck liaos... left 1 packet at home nia... *cringe*

These are from the shop that sells those wasabi peas in the tiny pyramid packs called AJI ICHIBAN... they are displayed on the wall at the far end of the shop, commonly sold out. But hard to miss when its in stock.

Thanks (in advance)!!!

Eng Kee Fried Chicken Wings

2009-06-16T01:52:00.010+08:00

Blk 117 Commonwealth Drive #01-711

Simple and 'batterless'... hmm... ya ya ya there was a coating but its not the super thick and hard crusty kind. Whatever spice they put in there, its damn good lor. Always just nice, I don't think they use frozen wings and always freshly cooked and hot coz the turnover is very high and more often than not, there's a line. The seller is also very skilled with his scissors... cut cut cut and its so much easier to eat, even with chopsticks. That's a plate with some other things I fancy here too, the otak, the fishcake, even the luncheon meat, no doubt they are not as FANTASTIC as their wings!

Most people prefer the beehoon but I prefer these fat yellow noodles x kway teow for my carbo simply becoz they put in lots of pepper and combined with additional of the fragrant cabbage x garlic stirfry! ooOOOOo! It makes a fantastic poor man (in my case, girl) meal lor.

My Top 5 Fav Spots
for Fried Chicken Wings locally:

Ice Cold Beer
Eng Kee
Ikea
Arnold's Fried Chicken
Sunset Grill & Pub - Buffalo Wings (previously knowns as Jerry's in Seletar Airbase)

Of course, Mom's still beats them all hands down...

Toast - Roast Beef Wasabi Sandwich, Clam Chowder, Ice Lemon Tea

2009-06-16T01:11:00.004+08:00

391 Orchard Road Ngee Ann City #02-11 T: 6733 8489 W: http://www.toast.com.sg/

OOOoo!!! Roast Beef x Wasabi Sandwich, a fav combi and I think is a great combi!!! The wasabi in the sandwich is always enough to clear a stuffy nose... Here, its not thick and full of fillings... just like the grilled veg sandwich which I enjoy on other days. I don't like thick soups in the day, even more so on a HOT day but I will have their cream soups, even in the day, its a little watery but there is something about it thats very comforting. The 'liao' is also just nice with a sandwich. To wash it all down, I like their Ice Lemon Tea, maybe its cheap thrill but something in their quick blending process do make a difference. All in all, a hearty and light (if it makes sense to put these 2 words side by side) meal.

I also enjoy this same lunch combi at The Soup Spoon... but only on really hungry days coz their portion is double!

A Star is born...

2009-06-14T11:47:00.004+08:00

On Tomy's butt. HAHAHA!!! See see see? Can u see the star? My sis's scissoring has come a long way... Her grooming's is now consider PROFESSIONAL liao hor becoz she has received her advanced certification few days ago.

He became abit cross bred and andro today... hor? haha... quite funny. But cute la... poodles mah... dun do anything already abit andro, plus one coconut tree then become like maltese x poodle. *LOL*

Tomy Tomy Tomy... he is the special star in my Sis's eye, in our eyes... anyone who seen him the day he came home, will think its a different dog. He resembled a sewer rat in white!

Everest Kitchen again...

2009-06-11T02:24:00.004+08:00

Steph say must come back to try their 'special order' mushrooms so here we are... sans Darren who was suppose to join us. *humpf* Anyway, the mushrooms were great, can't understand why must call in the morning to order first tho...

Tandoori Mushrooms

Looks dry but its not... still juicy even though its hollow. hahaha~* Its simple and tasty, like its namesake... its just Tandoori mushrooms that very well cooked. Worth making the call to advance order lor...

Our server as usual, didn't let us order as much as we want to, however we never fail to convince her that we can definately finish what we order. So here are some of the other enjoyable food on the menu there were not featured here before:

Momo

Still very much in love with the dip, spicy n sour... how much more appetising can that combi be, right? Momo are like xiao long bao minus the 'soup' and filled with minced chicken and veg... abit like gyoza. Its very good... abit wierd to have this with main course tho but duh...?!

Cauliflower in curry??

Yep... I think its in curry but not the lodeh type la... its dry in the non-soup kind of curry manner. U roger that? hehe... very nice one. The taste that I think is curry, is light and mild so it goes very well with the naans and briyani (yep! we ordered the chicken briyani again!).

Mutton Naan

I am sorry but I really cannot remember the names of the food here. Its too foreign for my old-woman memory... but this is the only one with minced mutton inside. Again, lightly spiced but still flavourful enough. This is definately one of my fave naan flavour here, plus garlic and plain. Always consistently well made. Shioks!

Nope, still can't feature the papaya prawns coz wrong crowd la... dun eat prawns except 1 and I don't plan to suffer after having prawns. But I do recommand that dish =)

Pâtisserie Glacé

2009-06-04T21:23:00.006+08:00

34 Craig Road (Junction of Neil Road) #01-10 Chinatown Plaza
T:6400 0247 W: http://www.cakeglace.com/

(RinRin Cheese Tart - Original, Montblanc, Strawberry Shortcake, Rare Double Rare Cheese Mango cake)

Having tried a few of their chocolate cakes on another occasion, today, I concluded that I do prefer their fruitcakes. They are all light, fresh, tasty and its a good size. With my helmet on my head amidst the 38'c heat, I ran into the building, hoping that the Strawberry Shortcake and Montblanc's still available and THEY WERE!!! YAY!!! Today's cake selection was great, the Cheese Mango cake was very refreshing, its unlike the mango cakes, they use the good Indo mangoes, if u know what Harum Manis are. The Strawberry Shortcake was great too! Light and sweet, I have prolly finish a whole cake by myself come October and the cheese tart... mmMMmmmhmm... come by soon to try, please... I.M.O. by far, they make the BEST Montblanc in Singapore and maybe even Indonesia and Malaysia. Waaahlao~! Saat saat bo chio!

I also tried their Pear Tart, very very good. Those sweet french pears which I hope did not come from a can, the layer of custard...oooOOoo lala! Refreshing on a hot day. Love. Can imagine this plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream. *steam siah* Can't wait to try their Fromage Blanc... aka CHEESE TART!!! I love tarts... be it with nuts or fruits or CHEESE!!! I hope I can try their organic stuff the next time I come by. I forgot about those today, perhaps the Strawberry Souffle too?!

(Pear Tart aka La France, Opera, Noah, Marron, RinRin Cheese Tart - Caramel)

Their chocolate cakes are very nice and taste expensive, I am no chocolate expert but I am sure its the good stuff. I have tried their Noah and Opera the last time I came. If I am chocolate lover, I think I will be in love with their richness and bittersweet goodness.

There was this funky pie called Marron Pie, a little to oily for my taste bud maybe coz its not like a cake but a croissant x bread x cake?! Even the chestnut in the middle can't make me try it again lor...

F.Y.I. "We do not use any baking powder to substitute for eggs so our cakes rise due to the finesse of the meringue - egg white and sugar. We do not use any stabilisers and preservatives in our products. We use fresh cream instead of butter cream in our fresh cakes. The sum of it is our products do not keep well. We rather our customers enjoy our products than we dispose of them at the end of the day. To this end we run 20%* off all fresh short cakes Mon-Fri after 5pm. " - from their website!

Ah Beng & Lily's WEDDING!!! Highlight >> Macallan 18

2009-06-03T20:38:00.006+08:00

Cris is very brave, he's the first in our LaSalle lot to jump off the plank!!! \\*0*//

The good looking couple... may their new life together be as rich and smooth as this whisky... haha =)

*Pics courtesy of Miss Rant & Rave*

It is a beautiful day ..... <3

Nissin Steamcake Mix

2009-05-30T00:37:00.001+08:00

(Picture from Okashi)

Wow! Talk about instant food! I was thinking about breakfast and realise I don't have anything except instant noodles... which I am really not in the mood for. I like what I am seeing on this packaging at Meidi-ya just now... and in all of 30mins work (including cleaning up!) = STEAMCAKES!!!

Its not exactly the texture I want but it beats having instant noodles for breakfast... its actually quite tasty, I mix in 40gm of strawberry jam for half the batter and 40gm of yuzu honey with the rest. I think I'll try making them with gula malacca next time.

For now, I must say its really not bad for instant food... I'm sure it'll go well with my breakfast tea. =)

Choupinette - Eggs Florentine

2009-05-22T16:34:00.008+08:00

Felt bad to have abandoned Steph to come without her the last time so we came by Choupinette bright and early coz she has crazy datelines and I have to battle the super hot weather in town after these eggs...

Eggs Benedict for Steph..

and Florentine for me... <3

Today's service was fairly poor... but its a first. Eggs were as good as ever tho! *burp*

(OOOOH!!! I just realised that what I had at the Met was Florentine, not Benedict. hehe...)

Everest Kitchen - Nepalese x North Indian

2009-05-20T01:35:00.005+08:00

518 MacPherson Road T: 6844 4170 W: http://www.everestkitchen.com.sg/

I totally forgot about this place, till Steph was telling me about it! My gosh... its been... 4yrs since I last came to this restaurant, which use to be near Little India. Today was a new group of people with totally different palattes, so no Papaya Prawns (which I remembered to be very good when I last had it) today!

Yay! Free flow freshly fried papadums with funky yoghurt dip!

Fried Lady's Finger, Fried Mushrooms, Grilled Chicken

Must try and its also the other dish I remember from my last visit: Fried Lady's Finger... wow! I Love this dish, so crispy and has that bit of bitterness that makes it soooo appetizing. Fried Mushrooms was something new, very nicely flavoured and crunchy outside soft and moist inside. With the chilli chutney/dip was a perfect match! So so so good! Grilled chicken was fabulous, moist and done perfectly. Apparently, its marinate in a mix of cream and spices. With a squeeze of lemon, it tasted even better. How did they do it? Its so simple, taste so simple... yet so good!

Chicken Tikka Masala, Briyani, Fish Curry

Chicken tikka masala was thick with no heat. A visit to the website told me that its gravy is made from tomato and cashew nuts... interesting. Its very good, chicken chunks were well done but its just not down my alley... me... I prefered their Fish Curry, prepared in a way I have never tried before. The scent of coriander seeds was very strong, I love that smell... and their choice of fish, mackerel. Yay! Their briyani is fragrant and tasty with a lot of the spices scattered throughout. Don't underestimate the size of the brass bowl, there's enough to feed at least 2 people in it!

Garlic Naan, Butter Naan

There was quite a selection of Naans here, we order a plain, a garlic and a butter naan. Surprisingly, they came last but they were well worth the wait. Naans came piping fresh and hot from the oven. I think I have to try the cheese and the tandoori naan next visit.

I don't know about u.... but I'll skip the desserts next time. I tried some today and it just didn't sit too well in my mouth. Too authentic, perhaps? I'll stick to their tea. But yes, I wanna come back! In fact, I can't wait to be back... Steph reminded us that their cauliflower's good too!

Two Chefs Eating Place - Crispy Noodles, Golden Mushroom Tofu

2009-05-17T01:40:00.001+08:00

Came back here coz my sis's been dropping hints that she wanna try the cockles here! Since she's been working so hard and surprisingly, she's home early today so its not to late to travel here for dinner... Cockles were as fresh and tasty as ever.

I never took pictures of these 2 other dishes that I enjoy here the previous times I came by so today, I must!

Crispy Noodles, Golden Mushroom Tofu

I love the crispy noodles here... the pre fried noodles are soooooo good. The topping is equally good too, they are very generous with the seafood, meat and vegetables. The golden mushroom tofu is very good too, it has bits of minced pork in it. Its a light and tasty side dish lor. I like this place, everything always so fresh and never once over cooked. I like consistency in places I go to eat, no surprises mah =)

I think I don't need to order side dishes if I just have the noodles next time. Recession le... must $AVE $AVE U$E!!!

Choupinette - Eggs Benedict

2009-05-17T01:26:00.004+08:00

607 Bukit Timah Road (Beside Coronation Plaza) T: 6466 0613

Eggs Benedict, Chicken Ceasar, Apple Tart

The highlight of this post is actually their Eggs Benedict... I have been craving Eggs Benedict since my last trip to Bangkok's Metropolitan hotel... sigh... the ones here are not as refined but they are very good nevertheless. *REALLY* Maybe I have not eaten enough of these here but from what I have, it's the best. The toast was done just crisp enough, the ham had just enough folds, the eggs were done just nice plus the topping of hollandaise sauce = <3 <3 <3 ! ! !

I don't know about u but I like my way of eating eggs benedict best, always the toast and ham first, followed by the eggs... 1 egg per mouth... the ooooze of egg yolk plus the bits of hollandaise sauce is just pure love. Then I'll use whatever toast or bread is lying around to wipe my plate clean... haha... is it very gross ah? sorry... hehe... Its the first time I have the ceasar salad, its pretty good! Leaves with fresh and crisp, everything was nice and chilled, even the plate, except the meat la! *duh*

Apple tart came, calling my name... but it looked kinda sad and miserable today... empty. Then Jill reminded me that the ice cream is missing... ahyo... weather so hot still cheat me of my ice cream le!!! But since she said she'll buy me sorbet at Island Creamery, I decided not to complain about my missing ice cream la. hehe. OOO!!! Apple tart is as good as ever, its the flat flat type, dunno what kind of pastry you call this kind of base and its nice and cold... I like the apple tart here coz the cinnamon is not overpowering. Subtle.

If you want a proper review, click here.

Soy Eu Tua Coffeeshop - Indian Curry Fish head, Mince Pork Mee Pok

2009-05-16T15:31:00.006+08:00

15 Upper East Coast Road (adjacent to Jln. Tua Kang) T: 64421485

Was walking along the road when I regconised an old coffeeshop that I have not been to in years... //*o*\\ INDIAN FISH HEAD CURRY ALERT!!!

Rajah's Curry

Clockwise: Fish head curry, Tomato Brinjal, Papadum + White Rice

My fave meal here... hehe... I used to have it soooo often but I never got sick of its sinful richness... hehe... its still as good as ever. Fish always fresh and firm, brinjal always sweet and juicy, papadum's always crisp and crunchy... let's not forget the piping hot rice. Wheeeeeee~*

Ah Lim's Mee Pok

On the other end of the coffeeshop is the mee pok stall that I have never tried before... Wonder if its been here all along but I missed... might be. More importantly, the mee pok here is delicious! So is the dumpling soup. Mee pok was done perfect, with a bit of bite and luster... hehe... chilli is the salty spicy type, making the fresh prawns and meat taste even better! *sedap siah*

-last of- Marutama Ra-men (Liang Court) ~*

2009-05-13T01:27:00.003+08:00

AahyoooohhH!!! So hungry!!! The whole lot of us came by here and decided to try everything on their short menu which were all quite good!!! Service is efficient, food is prompt, condiments compliments the noodles just nice and water is free flow. Me happy.

So here's whats available sans what was featured before:

Stewed Radish

Pickled Radish

Spicy Chicken Meatballs

Braised Pork

Grilled Pork

I love the food here, its frills-free, yet delicious! The name and what you were looking at are probably exactly like how it's gonna taste, in a great way! The strongest being the pork dishes, which is the part of the pig needed to make these dishes, a successful one. Every bite is a good boost of tender pork + small bursts of fat... *sinful siah*. The chicken meatballs were better than I thought, it was moist and tasty even though its my least fav of the sides available here.

Non-spicy Ramen (with extra char siew & a seasoned egg!)

Today, a colleague tried the non-spicey Ramen and I gave it a few sips... hmmm... chicken base and not as salty. Sweeter too! However, I am sticking to the spicy version if not the HG here:

Aka Ramen

The holy grail (HG) here... it has half of the sidedished in the menu in it plus a slice of lemon. HUH~! LEMON~! Good condiment, I love it!

Who ever invented this must have a palatte similiar to mine but he/she can cook, I can't! The soup's similiar to the spicy ver. here but BETTER maybe due to the 7 nuts hidden somewhere in it. hehe... with the 'liao' floating in it, I can't taste anything nutty about it... its very strong in flavour. Even stronger after I drowned those garlic bits in it. hehe.. .me likey this very much!

What's a trip here without ordering a seasoned egg... or 2 in my case. *LOL* I am totally in love with the seasoned eggs here its torturous to even think about them... omg~!

p.s. thank u steph for taking these pictures. next time dun stress ok... =)

Warung Frangipani - Tong Thai

2009-05-11T02:14:00.002+08:00

9 Lock Road, Gillman Village T: 6473 5101 W: http://www.littlebali.com/

Seafood Platter for 2
(Clockwise: Mango Salad, Teriyaki Chicken, Mince Chicken w Spring Onions, Soft Shell Crab w batter, Sweet & Sour Prawns, Fried Fish w batter)

Seafood Tom Yum Soup

What an interesting place but nothing unexpected of Gillman Village, they have been through so many turnovers, nothing surprises me anymore. This Thai fusion (yep... another Thai fusion!) zi char counter is a pleasant surprise. There were no giant prawns or big chunks of squid or whole softshell crabs BUT everything was fresh and cooked just nice, no overcooking and the variety is generous. That's what you'll find in the Platter for 2, quality good starter, main and side all rolled into one. The Seafood Tom Yum Soup is great tho... I have a soft spot for spicy sour soup from all nations *LOL* and this one hit the spot in one slurp. Must come back for this.

Very pleasant meal, no worries about what dishes to order too, I liked that, they planned it all. Very straight forward, just walk to their menu wall with big colored pictures to order. Do swing by if you need a quick meal solution, well priced with a variety to choose from. Apart from this stall, there is also a Bali theme zi char stall and a Czech beer garden. =)

Shokudo Coffee House (last post on them, promise!)

2009-05-09T02:50:00.005+08:00

Was planning to head to another Jap place but couldn't find it for almost an hour and ah-mama me is famished... super famished... can't think straight liao! So came back here... I (heart) this place, I (heart)their service, (heart)their speed, (heart)the environment and (heart)my favourite table no. 10. Tonight, we had...

Sphagetti Carbonara w Chicken Teriyaki Balls

Waffle w Butter & Syrup

Sphagetti came highly recommanded by my friend Val and it was just like what she said it to be... rich!!! Super rich!!! I can smell how rich and milky it was before I even tasted it, it looks soupy but that liquid was thick thick thick. If u like your carbonara thick, rich and creamy, you have to try this... if not, DO NOT OR U MIGHT HATE IT!!! The chicken balls were very generous la... couldn't finish it as I had 2 mains... a Garlic steak that looks and smells fantastic, presentation was great but whoever sliced the meat must be either high or drunk, wrong grain people, meat turned out tough... so tough my jaws were tired from chewing the meat. U know, u cut the meat wrong and everything goes downhill. Nasty.

Of course, I had my fav dessert there... their waffle. As perfect as ever, I like it best this way... with just butter and syrup. OOoOooOya~*

I (heart) these breakfast this trip

2009-05-06T03:10:00.008+08:00

CY'AN
Metropolitan Bangkok
27 South Sathorn Road, Tungmahamek, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120, Thailand T: +662 625 3388
W: http://www.metropolitan.bangkok.como.bz/Default.aspx

(This picture is from the Metropolitan Bangkok) I borrow la... coz I want to show u my sit when I was there, its the far left one... hehe...

MY BEST BREAKFAST THIS TRIP (and many other work trips) was here. Under of the very lux Como group, their breakfast was every bit as lux as their rooms. All juices were fresh from source, orange juice were made with local oranges, coconut juice were fresh from the nut complete with flesh, u get the drift going here yet? Their bread... my goodness, I don't know where to start, I love the cheese loaf that you never know is a cheese loaf till you bite into it... their assortment of jams, definately freshly made in their kitchen, they even had passionfruit curd! Their juice bar, starter bar, fruit bar, bread bar, dessert bar, combined is big at all but their quality were all outstanding. What you just read was what's in their buffet line... their main course is from the menu, I had poached eggs with spinach and hollandaise sauce on an english muffin... yes yes yes, it sounds just like eggs benedict but it was splendid! The eggs were perfectly poached, I seriously mean 'perfectly'... below it was the spinach and hollandaise sauce then english muffins... After my first tiny bite to assess the situation, I wished I can finish the creation in 2 bites, if not 4... 2 bites max./egg. It felt like it would be a crime to have it any other way. *lol*

You have to come here for their breakfast if you come to BKK, the rooms are pricey la... but if you can afford it, you should too. But since I am so cheapo, right? I'll stay elsewhere and come here for the breakfast next time la! If you crave this combo after reading my very vague description, I can tell u where u can get this in sg (its called Choupinette*)... but seriously... this one here at the Cy'an is lux lux lux!!! 2nd best part was that they didn't serve it with salmon or ham, yay!!! The spinach is so much better for breakfast. Afterall, eggs benedict are for breakfast, no?

*Choupinette is homely and quaint little bakery x cafe at Bukit Timah Road, the lady boss is an angmo who makes good angmo bread. I totally forgot about them till I wrote about this, I think a visit there is due soon...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first authentic Thai breakfast this trip came on the last 2nd day there. It was on along the streets (to be exact, its along Soi Suanplu, South Sathorn Road) just outside the Somerset Park Suanplu serviced apartment I was staying at. Chicken (shredded breast meat and braised feet) and noodles in msg soup *yummy*... a simple and hearty meal that prepared me well before my trip to Chatuchak Market! HAHAHA!

Oh! Before I forget, they also had free flow of the usual spicy condiments plus raw bittergourds, boiled bittergourds (MY FAV!!!), beansprouts and ice water!!!

Suankularb Restaurant - Thai Teochew

2009-05-06T01:00:00.001+08:00

Soi Rajchakru Phahon Yothin Soi 5, Bangkok, Thailand T: 0-2617-0425

Hmmm... I miss this place as I blog about it... next time I have the chance to come back here, it was worth skipping lunch for... hahhh, I miss the pisang goreng already!!! But first, I say:"Jason!!! Thanks for your pictures!!!"

1st PIX... I must admit, I have no clue what the first dish was... except that it had lemongrass, onions, garlic, some green leaf that I am too lazy to flip my herb book to find out what the name is, its a vegetarian dish. 2nd PIX... its perfectly fried fish with what was in the 1st PIX with MORE of the full green leaves as the 'liao' and thrown over the fish in high heat. On second thoughts, let me change alittle of what I am trying to say... I am pretty sure that's what the 'liao' is but I am not so sure about it being thrown over the fried fish at high heat...

Anyway, what ever that was in the 1st PIX that was also used in the 2nd PIX, it was very well put together! So many layers... so tasty, so appetising. A great opening dish, that 1st PIX... started up the engine (aka my tummy) for what's to come! hehe...

Deep Fried Mushrooms

It was an assortment of mushrooms... lightly seasoned. I love it! How I wish I knew how to make this at home, it has no pretenses, what you see was what I got, yet the taste, so simple yet so good... if only life was so simple yet so good. I don't get it!

Seafood Tom Yum Soup

I enjoy all the tom yum soups that I have had so far, its as if, the Thai's have a fool proof recipe when creating them, its really IN THEIR BLOOD! Its scary... I bet they can make u good tom yum soup with just their plain tom yum paste and a rock lor! Its always so refreshing, in a spicy way, to have even a tiny bowl of tom yum soup at at the end of the day...

Fishcake with Salted Egg Yoke

Never knew... there can be such a combo. Then again, salted egg yoke is good with most seafood, no? This dish just takes more effort. *LOL* Still... how many places have u been to that makes such an effort, make fish paste and then peel egg yoke and then make them into balls to be deep fried?

Oyster Omelette

THIS was almost the last thing I expect to see on my table... I mean, is this a Thai dish?? Yes, I was expecting an omelette but not an oyster omelette resting on a bed of beansprouts! It was good, without a doubt it really was, but I just didn't think it went well with everything else.

*still confused after 5 days*

Deep Fried Pork Knuckle

This was a killer dish! Even a knuckle hater like me had a few bites. The skin was soooooo crispy I can still remember how it cruched in my mouth, the flesh was so tender you can see how pink it is in the picture. With the dip and pickled veg, it kept the grease OTT factor to a minimum. Shiok until~*

Deep Fried Banana

Very, maybe over?, ripe banana was used for this I think... coz it is sooooo soft I can taste the rough bits of the banana seeds... plus the very sinful caramel poured over it... damn... it makes the disappearing waist line all worthwhile. I mean, I can just keep running 5KM till the cows come home after this hoping that the weight stays down...

Je Ngor's Kitchen - SEAFOOD!!!

2009-05-06T00:52:00.005+08:00

68/2, Soi 20 of Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Thailand T: 66-02-2588008-9

First, this is from a person who dislikes seafood... seriously... I am never enthusiastic about a seafood meal... n e v e r . . . but this place is seriously good, ok ok... its just my opinion but hey, don't say dunno where to eat seafood the first night u reach bkk in the future, ok? This is a great place to visit, seriously, these are all simple dishes that's not unfamiliar but very well-done. I know this sounds gross but it feels like mom's cooking... food cooked with love... (but your mom must be a good cook to begin with lor! *lol*)

(Before)

(After)

Garlic Crab - HIGHT ALERT FOR THIS!

ok OK! Hold your horses, nothing new I know but this is very good. U don't like seafood, na? Its ok, u eat the 'liao' w rice, damn shioks hor! Like the namesake, its alot of garlic and black pepper that made the bulk of the 'liao' and with the crab, you get the star answer. With the leftover 'liao', they fried the rice with egg, wah lao... wok hei at its finest hor!

Steamed Prawns

Simple right? Just steamed prawns but tell u... freshness and cooking is key here... yummms... I am all for cholesterol, god bless my arteris, and the heads were totally suck-worthy. If u know what I mean... hehe...

Stirfry 'Mimosa' w garlic n onions

Just look at the color of the greens and YOU KNOW ITS DONE TO PERFECTION... wooohooo~* A gluton like me can down a whole plate on my own, seriously... we had another version with 'Morning Glory' aka Kang Kong, I felt the kangkong was really from the kampong coz its crunchy but a little tooo chewy for me. Talk about fibre siah... never knew kangkong can be high fibre till that day...

Fact sheet:
'Kang Kong' has many times been referred to as 'Morning Glory' in restaurants probably because they are from the convolvulus genus in the green kingdom. However, kang kong is a water convolvulus... while the 'Morning Glory' we are more familiar that grows on fences is the ground convolvulus.

So if I think to stop the pondering minds of restaurants guests wondering what they are ordering in the future, restaurants should change their dish's name to 'Water Morning Glory'... who knows, some koteh might start harvesting the Morning Glory off their sidewalks for their dinners... scary, no?

Steam Pork x Salted Fish

tsk tsk tsk... yet another classic dish well done. VERY WELL DONE HOR! A bite of this plus a bite of steam fluffy rice... repeat this 10x. Life is good... if it had been a long and hard day prior this, I would say it was all worth it but this was prior shoot day so I'll say this is the dish to soooth the mind and soul before the long day tmr. LOL. how? feeling it or not?

Steam Chicken

I love the chicken here in BKK, reminds me of the chicken back home, aka Indo... you don't feel jela after eating them. I mean, this chicken is prolly close to the kind Hugh Whiteley is promoting in England... free range but this is not that free la coz its not as tough as those back home aka kampung chicken but they definately have more exercise than the ones here! (Relax, I know we have kampung chicken, sakura chicken, too!) There is some bite to them and that ever so slightly game taste to it, even though its chicken. Even though its simply seasoned, its damn good.

Any animal served on the plate should still have that gamely taste and texture. Which is really lacking in the meat here, be it white or red unless its imported (Vietnamese fillets aside, eeek!).

Goose web Noodle

Mangled it looks, fantastic it tastes! How I wish my mom can try this! I have never had anything like it! All the essense from goose webs, nope I don't wanna know what it has trampled on, was absorbed by the noodles. No doubt about it.

Thai style Steam Fish

As simple as it's namesake... Steam Fish in Thai style... tom yum gravy. Fresh white meat that falls off the bones and steaming hot gravy that burns your throat, in a good way of course. But since I am so hardup on carbo... goes down well with rice too! HAHA! I normally shun away from chinese parsley but wow, the additional mint leaves, lemon grass and dunno what ever raw greens on top of it which I still don't know if they are there as garnishes or to add dimensions in taste to the fantastic fish... all went down. Slow and steady.

Green Mango? w sugar dip?

I know I very suaku... so suaku that I thought its guava. duh... I know, pardon my ignorance... Mark said its good for people who gout so, of course, I must try it la! Good thing I did coz it rounded up the meal for me. Its crunchy, cold and refreshing... David is right, we must always have dessert after a meal, it makes a meal, complete.

So... if you ever make it here, look for a friendly wait(ress) called Cindy to place your orders and do say 'Hi :)" to cute little pug called Lucky that sleeps are the entrance of the restaurant for me, please?

p.s. I love traveling with my boss!
*Thanks mimi for yet another good meal!*

DARREN'S FAREWELL DINNER

2009-04-27T04:12:00.004+08:00

was held at Seafood Paradise (Defu Lane branch)... coz we had quite a fair bit of vouchers from my last and last last trip here. hehe. Today, Clarence was the orderer and almost everything was a first for me!

Coffee Pork Ribs

Something new, coffee and ribs... good combination too. What a great change from the regular style of ribs too. The smell of coffee is strong and fragrant and the meat was well done... as usual. I prefer this more than the honey ribs, which are beginning to get a little too sweet for me.

Homemade Tofu

The tofu was a biiiiiiiiiiiig piece, same size as the hot plate. This is how tofu should be... big and silky soft with a heavy sauce. Its very soft too... like to-hua. I think this is the signature tofu... can't remember le... coz I was not there while ordering.

Beef with leeks?

Hmmm... I didn't even know they serve beef here... it tastes like good beef too! It melts in my mouth... so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since it was well done. hehe... just some lighting seasoning and this dish was good to go! It really disappeared fast too!

Thai-style Kai Lan

Thai-style Asparugus

After our first Thai-style kailan, we knew we needed another plate but kailan sold out by then! So our server said we should try it with asparagus. It was a very interesting combo but after pondering over it, I concluded that I liked it! I was the last in the group to like it, I think... coz I was still thinking how come it tastes like that... but the crunchy veg and sambal, does go well together =)

Stir Fried Mee Sua

Simply delicious!!! It was one of the dishes we had to order since the last time we tried it. SOOOO GOOOD LOR~* Just mee sua cooked in simple sauce but hey! Simple is what's difficult to get right, right???

Crab in Superior Stock with Vermicelli

Like its namesake, this crab was really superior... its unlike any other crab dish I have tried and I enjoyed the stocked tremendously... I love trying new styles of cooking and this is definately one of them. The gravy with the noodle was sooo yummy. Such a waste that I am not crazy about crabs tho...

Salted Fish Fried Rice

Its not my picture... the rice is YELLOW coz its all coated with egg mah... hehe... so delicious, the fragrance and the taste... must order again next time. Very good... but cannot order big one coz sure finish everything. Confirmed!

yes yes... nothing much you can see right? But what to do... I am the only flogger at a table of 8 very hungry people. Just coz I am a flogger does not mean I don't have basic table etiquettes lor... I always very fast liao but my companions still think I am quite exasperating so I shall not push it! HAHAHA!!! Anyway, Clarence, thanks for buying all of us a wonderful dinner...

All in all, in my personal opinion, Seafood Paradise is a wonderful seafood place to go too. They are experimental with their dishes and have the list in their menu to prove it. There is always something interesting to try, which are almost a definately safe dish to. They are very very good in the new-school way of Chinese seafood dinners. However... if I want the real deal chilli crab/seafood dinner, I won't be here lor... if U know what am trying to say?

BRITAIN'S GOT T☆LENT (Season 3)

2009-04-26T14:29:00.011+08:00

First there was Paul Pott from Season 1... and then I forgot about this program coz it became just another reality tv show, right? Then came Susan Boyle's appearance in ep.1 of Season 3, talk about renewed interest from me. She reminded me not to forget to stop judging a book by its cover. Then came Shaheen Jafargholi from the ep.2 that made my jaw drop. I felt Simon Cowell stopping him from finishing Amy Winehouse's Valerie was timely coz I felt alittle grossed out by it but his's rendition of Michael Jackson's Who's Lovin' You was fantastic!!! Have not heard that song in ages, my niece said it was in High School Musical so maybe that's why this little boy chose this song? Come on lor... this song's popularity nosedived before MJ even changed his color, no?

(Images from TimesOnline & UsMagazine.com)
Yep! I think Susan Boyle's challenger is Hollie Steel to date!

Then this week came this girl whom I thought it was a young Julie Andrew x Shirley Temple alien's singing coz I just let the vids play in the ep.3's playlist while I go about doing my stuff around the room or house, so I am actually listening on n off, right??? I dropped what I was doing to walk to my PC to watch this on replay, this little girl's, aka Hollie Steel, has a fantastic voice~! She might have impressed me further as I am a TCM/MGM movie lover to begin with... maybe she will bring those movies back again... hmmm... but I don't think so, I think I think too much. Anyway, such a pity that my My Fair Lady's in laser disc format, can't watch it anymore! *haha*

So now you know... I am a YouTube junkie and I can't wait till next week!!! WOAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Marutama Ra-men (Liang Court)

2009-04-25T11:37:00.012+08:00

177 River Valley Road #02-01 Liang Court T: 6837 2480

Spicy Chicken Soup Ramen + 2 seasoned eggs!

I think I ate my best 'seasoned egg' in Singapore today, thanks to Kat, whom I should have met a long time ago. *LOL* It really is the best, including the ones from Alwin's bowl, that's 4 eggs and that are all cooked consistently! Seriously... wow... I love it! The seasoned eggs here seriously blew me away...I can't stop thinking about them! I was not so blown away by the noodles... the soup was lovely but the seasoned eggs... OMG~*

The seasoned eggs are side orders sold individually, their ramen comes with seaweed, spring onions and a slice of charsiew only. Last but not least, I must mention that they serve deep fried garlic slices on the side, I think they are made in their own kitchen coz it looks homemade and smells fabulous... I had a blast having them with my noodles and gyoza.

Japanese rolled egg omellete
I liked it! I think I am on a egg 'roll' today... sweet eggs from this and salty eggs from noodles. yummmmmmy =)

Gyoza
The gyoza was very good too! Its different... its more China style filling with Jap style dumpling skin. haha. Its boiled and served with vinegar and chilli, whereas the normal gyoza in a Jap joint is panfried, no?

p.s. I misplaced the receipt so I can't get the names right... but they provide a picture menu so u can't miss it :)

So... what would my perfect bowl of Ramen in Singapore be like?
It will have:
- Noodle from NOODLE HOUSE KEN
- Soup from SHOKUDO JAPANESE COFFEEHOUSE (I like Shio base soup!)
- Charsiew from RAMEN SANTOUKA
- Seasoned Egg, Seaweed & Spring Onions from MARUTAMA RAMEN
You really have to just imagine the above put together... *BURP*

Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon

2009-04-23T08:46:00.004+08:00

Blk 46, Holland Drive#01-359 T: 67783691

Bee Hoon
Wahhh!!! SOOO GOOOD!!! I can smell the XO before I even started eating it... I really can and it's quite strong... Very intense and sweet tasting soup, so much so that I suspect liberal use of msg but who cares?! *LOL* I can understand why its popular; it will appeal to those who like "strong" tasting foods. Fish pieces are big and chunky.

Hor Fun
The hor fun is very tasty yet not so oily but the XO taste not that strong compared to the soup version. I do love the combination of fish x bean sprouts x flat rice noodles la.. hehe. I will enjoy it more if I just had with either the bee hoon or the hor fun coz the stall is quite generous with their portions and the bee hoon n hor fun dun seem to compliment each other well...

Hay-chock aka Seafood rolls?
I enjoyed this... alot... even tho it looks like cat's poo... hehe... I was in a hurry coz 5 pairs of hungry eyes looking on while I take these.

Har-chong-kai aka Prawn Paste Chicken
This was very goood!!! Crispy and hot and tasty!

Throughout my meal... I was just wondering about 1 thing... since this is the only other place I have had fish head bee hoon ( I am not a fan of fish la...), can someone tell me where the 'fish head' comes in?