Super Shiok

Okay...Ready...Let's Go - My uncle pretty much functions like that. He loves taking out the whole family for meals, whenever he's available, and to wherever he wants to go. His selections, I must say, have been very good. He's like the Directory King of Hawker Centers in Singapore, and some say JB.

Most of the time they are dirty, ultra gross-ness, and dirt cheap (pun very much intended). So guess where we landed for dinner the other day? (Old) Lai Huat Seafood Restaurant. Say what? I know...I had no clue what the cuisine was or where it's at. In fact, I'm still figuring out what's with the bracketed prefix.

It's an open coffee shop space with a few fans that didn't really break their wind on us. All three generations were perspiring while the round table was being prepared. Being prepared for what you may ask? A lady started mopping up the humoungous table with a soapy piece of cloth which splattered everywhere, a lot more on my mum than she would have liked. And then a mega huge plastic in pink, covered the table before the orders were taken and the food were laid out. The plastic table thingey stuck to the surface easily, thanks to the foamy layer of soap.


It's the first time in my life that I've witnessed this spectacle in any eatery in the world!!! But I guess it makes a lot of scientific, chemical sense.

Anyway, moving on...we ordered a round of young coconuts and they were yummy. Sweet and fleshy. Although I still prefer Quayside's which are pricier (the one at Clarke Quay). Then my uncle, with an independent mind ordered what he wanted us to have for dinner that night - fried bass (I think) in sweet & sour gravy made crunchy with sliced onion wholes.

Then there were Sambal Kangkong which was super sambal belanchan-ized. Shiok. Meatballs and Fish Tofu. Very tender and smooth, yumsie-doodles. Also fried young squid. Fabulous, just fabulous. It's done old-school style and served on an assortment of orange melamine plates. Probably that's why the seafood here tastes better than the atas eateries which bank on air-con, reasonable location and an extensive menu to seduce the hungry ignoramus population here.

By far, this restaurant has exceeded my fussy expectations. Total Shocker : IT WAS WORTH IT. And if it does matter, the meal was extremely affordable.

Plus, I earned for myself a lifelong friend :)

Not-So-Secret Hideout : (Old) Lai Hust Seafood Restaurant

Address : #01-01/02, 223 Rangoon Road, Rangoon View

Tel : 62927375

NO POSEURS PLEASE - KL-Style Hokkien Mee

My furry friends, I just stumbled upon an amazing find! Thanks to Selene, the unassuming foodie - KL Hokkien Mee reigns in the heart of Orchard Road!!!

It's perfectly flavoured in kechup manis, stocky liver, saucy prawns and juicy sotong. Fantabulous...!truly yummy...I'm not even looking forward to dinner tonight. Cause nothing can really match up to these noodles...so worth the calories.

I didn't even crave for dessert after it...woo hoo! Where can you find noodles like this drenched in sweet black sauce? ISLAND CAFE - 320 Orchard Road, 4th Floor, CK Tang Tel: 6311 3424.

I am content.

I Am Definitely Not Staying Till 2 A.M.

If you're constantly sugar-starved like me, and become very snappy when sharing a box of assorted Van Houten chocolates with a bunch of like-minded grubby munsters, then you're probably understand how I felt at 2 a.m. dessert bar.

Yawn-sational.












I don't understand the concept of it at all. Is it a dessert joint or a bar - as in an alcoholic checkpoint? The decor stirred up mixed reactions - firstly of nostalgia, since the concept was very similar to a joint I love in Siem Reap called Blue Pumpkin. Secondly of yuckiness, since the colors clashed...white seats and cushions (pretty cheap ones really) with multi-earth-toned tables and counters. The place is not that large to begin with, so browns would just shrink the space more. Thirdly, the lights were yellow and too bright for a chill-out session with friends, that special someone or just to wind down after a hard day's work.

Regardless, my friend and I found a cosy spot and dominated the corner facing the window on the long daybed flanked on one side of the dessert place. The service, I must say, is timely and pretty efficient. Apparently, the owner herself even served tables that night, including ours. And the manager of the outfit was more than nice and chatty to us.

But see, that doesn't redeem them of the slightly bigger than miniscule desserts printed in microscopic font on the menu. Unforgivable, really. For a dessert joint that opens from 6pm - 2am, the dessert selection is seriously wanting of good old Granny Smith Apple Pie, Old-Fashioned Cheesecake with fun versions, and Molten Lava Chocolate; None of which could be found. Honestly, the desserts we ordered were teeny-weeny, and unsatisfying to say the least.

The chocolate warm tart with a thin, crispy crust cradled overflowing saucy chocolate - and this experience should have been divine for a chocoholic like me, but I found myself downing water to somehow save my throat after two small spoonfuls. The thin crust, in my opinion, should have been cake instead to absorb at least some of the molten chocolate, topped with frozen vanilla bean ice-cream. And the whole makan experience would have been savoured. Instead of ice-cream, blood orange sorbet was presented instead and boy, was it sweeeeet! Saccharine sweet. Only a dollop was served, I noticed, as opposed to a full scoop.

If this is designer dessert, then it really needs a makeover overhaul. "Designer" should infer genuinity, quality and lots of love. Not attempts at nouveau art and skinny creative servings. We ordered the Twix after that whole warm chocolate debacle to give them another chance. I mean, what are the chances of finding 1 indulgent dessert among a paltry 8 right? Guess again.

Expresso is described as warm mascarpone foam, Kahlua jelly, crumble with expresso ice-cream. How did that go? Forgettable. A top local food critic once said that if you can't remember what you put in your mouth, then it wasn't worth remembering anyway.

With names such as "Twix", "Green Tea" and "Cheesecake", no one could blame you if you can't recall them 5 minutes after having ordered them. The names are too generic.

It's time to bring back desserts as how they were created to be - fulfilling sizes, rich creams, decadent ice-cream and chockful of character.

I Want To Be Desert-ED

It is surprising to note that not many places in Singapore have a-ma-mazing desserts. How can?, you say. It's true mah. My family and close friends have been camping at the neighborhood ice-cream joint - Icekimo (8 Sin Ming Road#01-03 Sin Ming Centre). And for very good reason. Everyone related to me (except me) lurrrrve durians (yikes!). Icekimo has introduced the super durian waffle at less than six bucks. It's D24 durian,too (whatever that means). Man, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAY???

Sun with Moon (Wheelock Place, #03-15) also does a rockin' Green Tea Tiramisu which is both fluffy and seeped in alcohol. I'm a huge fan of matcha, so green tea with anything suits me just fine :) The portions at this restaurant chain is kinda small though. I have to admit I don't mind the teeny-weeni-ness of it all. But sometimes friends may not share the same views, as with most things in life.

Another heart-tugger is tofu cheesecake. At Sun, you can eat the WHOLE cheesecake and not feel jelak. In fact, you could eat two cakes and still feel on top of the world, instead of staring down your toilet. The healthy slice is presented in a "bird cage" of sorts, befitting the size that is morsel-ly. For the soft and light and "melt-in-your-mouth-but-not-in-your-hand" version, head to Miki Ojisan no Mise cakes in paper boxes sold within the Orchard Road area including Scotts Shopping Centre.

On the subject of light, there's a beautiful raspberry ensemble piled to hit the roof (of the restaurant) which I had the opportunity to get acquainted with quite intimately at The Universal (36 Duxton Hill). Crunchy with thinly slathered custard at each layer of yummy berries, it was simply sweet-ness. I could have it again and again and again. No sharing, please.

Love Notes

I’m in love. In love with a very special someone. Her name is Cambodia. I know. ALL my friends say I just can’t stop raving about it. Cambodia’s simply breathtaking. I just can’t get her off my mind. She’s made me drop all of my defenses and love again without apprehension, without looking forward to rejection, without false hope. I love her for all her humble and not-so-humble edible offerings every day and every night.

Particularly broth in any form. Khmer broth is addictive. Be forewarned. Best tasted in casual shorts and tees, with favorite flip flops. The most memorable sloppy slurps I experienced is with this bowl of locally made porridge. I had the opportunity to meet with the owner who ran a street joint that could hold 50-60 people easily. Palm-sized squares of white one-ply tissues are freely supplied at every table, as well as a small waste basket lays sturdy at each corner. So I guess one could rate the success of any food stall quite easily with the naked eye by the number of used tissues in the small bins and on the cement floor.

A bowl of the yummilicious “chok” saturated with cooked slices of chicken, pork, beef and chunks of vegetables can change your day from a so-so one to a very satisfied-with-a-toothy-smile night. All of which cost me US$1. The owner revealed that she boiled chicken and pork bones for a few hours every morning and added unidentified local spices into the whole mix. I could taste ginger, definitely pepper and a dash of salt.

But the broth is spectacular. Spectacularly a-ma-ma-zing. Absolutely unforgettable. Hence my love affair continues. I might just move over to this unforbidden city for a few months. And add more savory memories to the already overflowing ones. I’m in love. Can’t you tell?

Feels Like Home @ HOUSE

I HAVE DECIDED- I'm 30, so I shall just speak my mind and not go into great lengths to beat around the bush, so they say. So here's the deal, I eat like a freak at a rapid pace, and can be seen in a million places in a split milisecond. At such lightning speed that I'm living by, so should my blogs be. Swift, to the point, and very pretty xoxo

Presenting HOUSE on 8D Dempsey Hill - The menu's adorable and pretty extensive. I found Mexican, American, Italian and something-something influences which sometimes can't be seen, only tasted. My favorite is the peanut butter cake with such a gooey, crunchy texture to it, it should be slathered on everything you put your lips to.

Vintage plates, eclectic furniture, spacious surroundings, sleek bar, Turkish bath (jaw-dropper), and the romantic night sky can make for some serious merry-making with exquisite booze, velvety desserts and honest-to-goodness food. Like truffle oil fries (mmmmm...), tuna salad which smells Asian and lovin' it, dip-sters in adorable campy tin cans with toasty bread, tender medium rare steak slices which have been generously marinated and seasoned to break out into a scrumptious symphony of spicy flavors....really, you should be here.

I'm parked here almost the whole of next week. I'd be able to read off the menu in my sleep by then. The only thing missing here is a 1000-thread count bed fitted with gilded Cavalli sheets, Cleopatra pillows and a purring hairy-tailed feline in bed with me. Purrrrr....

How's that for swift-ness?...Haiyah, give me some time lah. Still a little chong hey (long-winded)

No Pain, No Love

If you’re Singaporean, chances are you’ve probably been to Hong Kong, at least once a year. It’s less than four hours away. And the food is delish!

I know, I know. The shopping’s ace. It really is. But the food is achingly gorgeous, devastatingly yummy and blindingly spicy.

There are so many makan places I attacked with my over-ambitious appetite in cute little dresses and knee-high black patent leather boots.

The one place you MUST go is the Agnes b. café. It is the only Agnes b. eatery in the world. Why Hong Kong, you ask? Well, I honestly don’t know. Maybe it is recognized for being the true foodie place in Asia where experimental art meets tasty sophistication. Price tags not included. Who looks at how much stuff costs on the menu anyway? Who?

You sit at a table and order whatever you like and then get ushered out after card’ing a check which you don’t even look at. Well, that’s how I do it.

Anyhoo, back to the Agnes b. café which is properly known as “Le Pain Grille” or literally "Toasted Bread". The minute you enter the wooden doors, you are transported to a charming little place in Paris. The white French curtains held up by wooden rods create a surreal feel to the Parisienne furniture. The special items of the day are written vigorously on a chalk board that plays a mobile role throughout the room.

Order the mussels…they are amazingly fresh and soaked in a aromatic broth in a cream-coloured bowl. All cutlery is branded with “Le Pain Grille”. How cute is that? And the bruschetta is oh-so-lovely. Chopped tomatoes are rosy and heaped onto toasted baguette which is crispy, soft and crunchy in the mouth.

The most memorable part of the meal, of any meal, are the desserts. I tried a few of them including the hazelnut praline and blueberry cheesecake. Ahhh….what is life without sugar? And the different ways they can be eaten makes life that much sweeter.

I am so very impressed by this unassuming café simply because I never expected it to be that good. It’s like when I was on a search for the best apple tart in Singapore and I ruled the former DKNY Café with the winning recipe. The café has since moved to the Club 21 I-shop in Cathay Cineleisure.

Remember these three words when in Hong Kong – Le Pain Grille.