for the love of...calories and weighing scales

10 at Claymore @ Pan Pacific Orchard

2012-02-15T13:30:00.000+08:00

Special thanks to Givany from Pan Pacific Orchard for hosting the dinner!

I had the pleasure of attending 10 at Claymore's buffet dinner featuring their plates of treasures that are changed every two months. I have to admit Pan Pacific Orchard does not ring a bell, until Google maps reflected its location right smack behind Palais Renaissance. Its sister hotel is Pan Pacific at Marina Square, so that should ring a bell!

Before tucking into the spread, I did a rudimentary food tour.

The cafe was packed for a Friday evening and in particular one live station that had the most buzz...wanna guess which one?

Oysters! Only available during dinner is a selection of "freshly" shuckled oysters. These are shucked upon request.

Also only available at dinner, seafood on ice! Boston lobsters made the eyes twinkle.

Selection of sashimi on ice

Salmon, tuna and octopus together with a selection of maki for those craving Japanese.

Selection of soup and country and cottage breads with a number of spreads

Cheeseboard!

Their dessert range is quite wide, starting from the entrance and extending quite a distance. The first thing that caught the eye was the chocolate fountain!

Jars of macarons!

Macaron tower as a display, they do not retail macarons over the counter though.

Seeing a display like this is enough for me to drop all things savoury and head for sweet...quite nearly!

Crepe stack...looking delicious already!

Rows of neatly placed cakes...the sweet tooth got too carried away snapping pictures of the desserts. :P

From 3 January to 29 February, they will be featuring festive specials. Word has it that come March, it will be Top 5 of their all time favourites since this "Plates of Treasures" has been introduced a year ago! I was told foie gras was one of the plate of treasures last christmas.

The partial open concept kitchen where plates of treasures are prepared.

Unlimited ala carte orders of the following can be made throughout the buffet and these are served to your table.

PacificShark’s Fin Casserole
WoodyBamboo Pith I Boston Lobster Claw

While the hotel's take on shark's fin is to slowly remove it from the menu and replacing it with superior stock and premium ingredients like abalone, this was quite a different kind of shark's fin altogether with fish maw and boston lobster claw to up the stakes and taste!

HokkaidoScallop
MonkeyHead Mushroom I Angelica andGoji Broth

The scallop was halved and topped with stir fried shrimp paste. While I always though hokkaido scallops were best consumed raw or pan seared, having it in broth did cause lose some of its succulence.

ChileanOcean Sea Perch
PeaSprouts I Superior Light Soya Broth

Fresh and absolutely delightful sea perch dish.

USAngus Beef
Celery-Leek I Sarawak Black Pepper Sauce

Tasty portion of beef, though the cut had tons to do with it not being as tender as desired.

TasmanianLamb
HighlandAsparagus I Citrus-Sesame Reduction

The most favourite of the plates of treasure, lamb executed brilliantly pulling the flavours together so well.

Cheese Lobster

Givany specially ordered cheese lobster for us to sample - I wish it were made permanent on the menu! This was a previous month's special and only limited to one per diner. As much as I wanted my lobster soaking in molten cheese, cream cheese and mushrooms were suffice to send me to heaven together with the succulent bouncy lobster flesh. Seafood heaven, almost!

A ready supply of hot plates to fill them with goodies...

Executive Chef Andy Oh dropped by to mingle with us and playfully teased us for not having wine to go with the spread - Rockpool Marlborough!

A light fruity white wine that I like! This has pear drops, mandarin and white nectarine undertones.

I always head for seafood to start off any buffet - lest the tastebuds get muddled up along the way.

Jet-Flown "Fresh" Boston Lobsters

Boston lobsters are not boston lobsters without a reason, sweet succulent and so very fresh! The meat was firm and I headed for seconds shortly after.

Vietnamese Sweet River Prawns

Once again really fresh prawns, sweet too!

Tasmanian Mussel

Gave them a miss.

Sashimi was thickly cut and uber fresh as well. Impressive seafood selection and freshness achieved for a buffet.

Pacific Coast "Live" US Rock Oyster and French Farmed "Live" Fine de Bretagne

I had one of each, the US oysters were larger in size, creamier and so delicious! No taste of the sea detected, mega yummy oysters!

Bread rolls were rather ordinary though. Maybe it would have been better with the minestrone that smelt great but I did not have stomach space for it.

Their cheese platter would please every cheese lover - Port cheddar, smoked cheddar, port salut, wensleydale cranberry, kikorangi blue, camembert with dried fruits and crackers.

Wensleydale cranberry was crumbly cheese with cranberries, a really fruity one. Camembert is always a crowd pleaser while I enjoyed kikorangi blue best! Creamy, buttery, absolutely gritty and smelly made this a clear winner of the platter.

Asian Spiced Potatoes

A healthier alternative to fries, these herbed wedges were a tad dry.

Vegetable Lasagna

On the soggy side.

Mussels Au Gratin

Overcooked hence the drier texture.

Lamb Shank Casserole

Firm lamb shank that was pretty well flavoured.

Salmon and Prawn Skewer

Only available over dinner, the salmon cut was fatty enough for an unctuous finish. Delish!

Superior Steamed "Farmed" Seabass

Broccoli and Bai Ling Mushroom

Both went well with ginger rice.

Mee Goreng "Mamak"

A delectable take on hawkerfare.

Fragrance Steamed Ginger Rice

This paled in comparison to mee goreng.

Carving station with a selection of chinese roasted meats - char siew, roasted pork and sausage.

Char siew was lean and well charred!

Macarons that caught my eye from the very start were mismatched in terms of flavours to colours.

Orange - Chocolate
Green - Lychee
Pink - Raspberry
Blue - Blueberry

All had a meringue-ish sugar shell with buttercream filling, lacking in their listed flavour though.

Azuki Jelly, Soursop Jelly, Pandan Jelly

The shooters were generally really pretty to pile on the plate. Most memorable goes to the above, a lychee jelly with blueberries.

Banana Dumplings

Money bags stuffed with bananas and drizzled with vanilla sauce.

Crepe Rolls with Cheese

Rich cream cheese and raisins rolled in a light crepe - delightful combination!

Chocolate cake

Ordinary.

Moist Pound Cake

Very moist indeed, I wish I had more of this yummy one.

Blueberry Crumble

I suppose berries and crumble hardly work well for me.

Creme Brulee

I need to rave about their creme brulee! Served in rameskins or mini saucers, the molten filling is absolutely divine...watching it spill over was therapeutic. A great balance of wobbly and molten custard, double yums!

Kapiti New Zealand icecream : Gingernut and Vintage Strawberry and Cream

Triple chocolate was completely gone by the time we headed for dessert. Both were really decadent creamy icecreams that came with plenty of toppings!

Cookies of chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and shortbread. Great accompaniment with coffee or tea!

"Live" station of crepes with condiments

The list of condiments was a laundry list;

Durian paste, cream corn, kaya, peanut butter, strawberry, blueberry, peach compote, mango compote, caramelized banana, chocolate syrup and golden maple! Loved the crepes which were more like loveletters for the awesome coconutty fragrance and crunch. I had mine with durian paste (a pungent one!), velvety peanut butter and rich kaya. Worth a try!

The buffet spread was good enough for a bite of everything - a comfortable range infact. Their "plates of treasures" does make it really worth while for an attempt or two, at least there will be variations in the next two months! A plus point for buffet buffs. Of the three buffets attempted since the beginning of this year, 10 at Claymore's tops so far for good food and great value.

$52++ (Dinner), $55++ (Sunday Brunch)

10 at Claymore
Pan Pacific Orchard

Saboten @ Changi Airport T1

2012-02-14T16:15:00.000+08:00

Special thanks to Adele, Merliza of MNC Group and the hospitable staff at Saboten!

I am a fried food junkie in every sense of the word and as much as I thought we are a nation that embraces fried food heartily, there are not many tonkatsu specialist restaurants around - Tonkichi, Ginza Bairin, Ma Maison and possibly Saboten to complete the picture.

According to Saboten, Japanese tourists have lauded their tonkatsu to be "as good as" Saboten Japan. I have yet to try Saboten in Japan but that was as good an assurance as it can get! Saboten's history goes way back to 1966 and is amongst the largest Tonkatsu chains in Japan. They use only barley-fed mature pigs (180 days of age or older) for a sweeter, juicier and more tender meat.

I had the privilege of trying out the signature items from their ala carte menu.

Apple and Orange Juice ($3.50) instead of Green Tea to start of the Japanese meal.

The theatrics that comes with any tonkatsu meal!

Work for your food, quite literally!

Douse it with plum sauce....

Great dipping sauce for tonkatsu-anything!

Freeflow of shredded cabbage..

We started the meal with shredded cabbage with either orange peel or sesame. I preferred the latter.

Miso soup that comes with any set ordered, hearty way to start a meal!

Saboten Special Set ($25)
Breaded Shrimp, Mini Pork Tenderloin, Half-Sized Pork Loin, Crab Cream Croquette

Recommended as a must try as a showcase of all of Saboten's best. I found the tenderloin more tender than pork loin, possibly the cut that it came in. Loved the crisp breaded crumbs that maintained its crispiness all the way till the end. The sets all came with miso soup, a hearty one I must admit. Crab Cream Croquette was delish, especially so with a squeeze of lemon juice and dipped in their crab tartare sauce.

Tenderloin Katsu Curry ($19)

The curry sauce stood out for both robustness in taste and flavour. Would have preferred some root vegetables to go but this was rather outstanding.

Loin Katsudon ($20)

Never enough of their famous breaded pork cutlets that go so well with rice! In comparison, the pork cutlets were less crispy but still as delicious coated with a layer of sunny side up egg. Makes a wholesome meal, methinks.

Oysters

Creamy oysters coated with bread crumbs, truly in heaven by this time.

Chicken Katsu Set ($18)

Chicken Katsu Variety ($20)
Chicken Katsu, Asparagus Cheese Roll, Crab Cream Croquette

Do order this if you want the best of many worlds, variety always rules for me. In comparison with pork, chicken was less succulent.

Green Tea icecream was served up as dessert, milky with a mild hint of green tea..just perfect to end off this otherwise indulgent meal!

They have recently introduced a High Tea menu served between 3 - 530pm at a fraction of their already affordable ala carte prices. Diners have a choice of three combo menus at $10++ each. Combo A offers the popular breaded shrimp and chicken, crab cream croquette, cabbage, complete with free flow green tea; Combo B: Sapporo beer and popular Japanese side dish, edamame; or tenderloin katsu sandwich and free flow of coffee from combo C.

Breakfast anyone?

What is great about their fried items is, even after stuffing outselves with so many varieties of deep fried breaded items, there was nary a moment of jelardness or being over stuffed. Saboten is no newcomer in the tonkatsu scene and certainly does come across as a strong contender for delicious yet affordable tonkatsu. More options for tonkatsu fans too!

Saboten
Changi Airport Terminal 1

Elements @ Amara Hotel

2012-02-13T15:13:00.000+08:00

Food and beverage in business hotels hardly appeal, especially those run by the management itself. Probably is a promiscuous statement to make but I have been proven right too many times. Off to Amara hotel for the first buffet of 2012!Fairly empty for a weekday night, which is totally understandable.

The festive setup with what looks like a peach blossom tree. Buffet spread was limited, with dishes sparcely spaced and with one glance, I more or less knew what would appeal.

The untouchable chocolate display with macarons that would send Pierre Herme right into his grave, visually.

Looked like we booked the entire restaurant with such emptiness!

The buffet that came with a glass of white or red. Normal house pour.

Mushroom soup with bread stick. The soup was decently better than canned soup and the bread albeit slightly oily went quite well. The variety of bread was a generous spread of corn bread, mini pizzas and bread rolls. Wish I concentrated on this instead!

Appetizers that barely lifted the appetite much. Seafood was hardly fresh, the crab was too small to extract the flesh even. Prawns passable and the other cold appetizers went unnoticed. My main grouse of this - that cold and stiff sushi roll which was too hard. The rest of the sushi was pretty to look at yet hard to ingest. Thankfully, sashimi platter was still marginally better.

Live station of kebab crepe - sweet sauce meets tough chicken.

The rest of the hot dishes. Potato gratin, roast duck, sambal prawns, eefu noodles and tempura which was not featured here. Top of the pops goes to freshly fried tempura - at the very least, it was piping hot.

Yet another complimentary - cheese lobster. Stale one here with flesh so much, I left it mostly untouched.

None of the above deserved seconds, save for the bread!

Moving onto their desserts...I remember having a particularly good mango cake some moons ago yet none of their mousse cakes were available. This unlabelled sponge cake with layers of jelly was unimpressive. Blueberry creme brulee so stiff, probably cannot wobble with much shaking. Apple crumble was painfully sorry too. Cookies were decent as was the only white chocolate.

Macarons so poorly made, crumbly and sugary sweet with buttercream filling. Complete waste of time.

I say forget about even considering this buffet, at $46++ I can find better ones elsewhere. Whether service was good or not did not even come part of the consideration.

Elements
Amara Hotel

Dragon Year itty bitties

2012-02-12T17:00:00.000+08:00

The last day of the 15 days of mad feasting has drawn to a close, here's just two more that made it to the table this year...for prosterity's sake!

Durian Rolls
717 Trading

717's bestseller by marrying durian with what looks like pineapple tart. The melt in your mouth biscuit meets durian paste which reminded me of the famous malaysian export. Not a fan though the durian fan was all smiles. Yes, it reeks of durian.

Yusheng from Rama Thai! Of all places. Even Swensens has gone all yusheng this festive season and supposedly tastes decent!

Tossing up all the prosperity and health I ever need in the Dragon Year! I reckon I did not toss enough - missed out on my yearly millionaire dream yet again!

Thai salad with oriental touches which was a refreshing take from the usual. The only grouse was the oily fried crackers.On the sweet side but generally palatable.

Famous Lor Mee and more @ Bedok

2012-02-11T11:33:00.000+08:00

It was one of those mornings that I decided to forgo beauty sleep and head out with the parents for a hearty hawker breakfast. The Dad is a stickler for hawker breakfasts every weekend - the same old dish every single weekend and the Mom, like every other supportive wife tags along. That particular Saturday was an exception, they decided to break away from routine.

Guess what I'd have from the Traditional Famous Hokkien Mee stall?

Lor Mee ($3)...I kid you not. Lor Mee is acquired - the garlicky breath that I face after tucking into a hearty bowl is always a major turn off. This was alot toned down but with an amazingly flavoured broth, tasty dory fish fillets and springy noodles. YUM.

Adventurous me decided to go for coffeeshop dimsum despite its drab outlook. Siewmai with leftover taste...ack!

Paus to complete the dimsum breakfast.

The sorriest custard paus alive. Yes indeed, there was no promise of molten anywhere but custard that looked stale.The fillings refused to budge with much pinching either. Bad move.

Finally a redeeming char siew pau that's worthy of some mention. Can rival Ho Kee or Teck Kee or even Tiong Bahru pau here. Delicious savoury char siew pau with a fluffy bun.

Bedok
* I really wish I knew exactly where this coffee shop is but nobody seems to be able to know exactly where!

Ardent's Cafe @ Neil Road

2012-02-10T14:10:00.000+08:00

Ardent's Cafe is one of those nestled in a shophouse in between Tanjong Pagar and Outram. Its outward and inward appearance does have a mismatch somehow - the garden concept complete with a swing on the outside meets a cosy interior complete with a christmas fireplace and sofas with casablanca music playing overhead. There is a bar I assume for the concoction of cocktails which are available at 10am, whilst coffee is brewed next door.

Spot the fireplace!

Illustrations all done internally.

The brunch story.

Do bear in mind they do not serve water on the house, comes at a 50 cent surcharge per glass.

The extra espresso.

Espresso was served when it was not ordered, latte art was missing though the latte ($4.80) was pretty good.

Create your own latte art.

French Omelette ($13.80)
Asparagus, tomatoes and mushrooms.

The waiter claimed the tortillas were french omelette yet another clarified it was not the case. After a booboo, the french omelette finally arrived. Bland as can be but ketchup did save the day.

Tortillas De Patatas ($12.80)
Potatoes, onions and eggs.

Originally claimed that scrambled eggs could replace the omelette, turned out it could not be done. A slightly burnt potato arrived looking homecooked and tasted that way.

Ardent's Freestyle ($22)

Sausages/Eggs/Smoked salmon /Snail sausages /Honey Baked Ham

Casually plated, this was simply put together quite nondescriptly, Mcdonalds' big breakfast would have been a heartier option. The only commendable part of this was the cheesy snail sausage which had cheese oozing out. Smoked salmon was fishy and too salty, ham had bones in them and the supposed "sunny side" eggs ended up scrambled.

Blueberry and Peanut Butter Pancakes ($12.80)

My original order of Eggs Montreal (eggs benedict with smoked salmon) was clearly forgotten and served to another table without a word of apology. I had them replaced with the pancakes which totally saved the day. These pancakes have a min jiang kueh bouncy texture to it, though a tad too bouncy. Lacking in fluff factor but I am certainly not complaining.

The molten peanut butter mixture was delish on its own though I truly do not get how complementary are blueberries with peanut butter.

Maple syrup completed the entire pancake experience.

Banana Caramel Waffles ($12.80) with Vanilla and Chocolate icecream ($3 each)

These waffles were crunchy more than doughy, disappointing one. The banana caramel pairing was odd - mushy bananas. The same kiwi preserve was served together with both the waffles and pancakes, pretty delightful fruit preserve.

Cleverly propped up by the maple syrup dish.

Black?

Or white?

Icecreams were once again forgotten and when they arrived, they were clearly yanked out of the tub and slapped onto the dish. Nothing that a random sprinkling of what would have been chocolate and coffee soil in Andre's menu could have saved this. Odd corners and super pedestrian tasting Wall's icecream. Such is a rip off.

Service is hugely lacking from the start, having orders forgotten and missed out is unacceptable on so many accounts. Distribution of work is obviously skewed - 1 chef to 4 servers. What is the point of having so many people serving when the kitchen cannot cope? Bear in mind, it was barely half filled! Dishes appeared at odd timings which I find totally unprofessional. Cutlery with watermarks were served up and reminders have to be made for separate plates time and again.

The crux of the matter is, all dishes attempted this visit were items that could have been easily replicated out of a home kitchen, not one bit spectacular or even satisfying.

I was more than happy to end this brunch - never again.There are too many better alternatives in the same vicinity.

Ardent's Cafe
80 Neil Road

Senor Tacos @ Chijmes

2012-02-09T16:00:00.000+08:00

Tacos and Tequila was the main reason why we ended up at Senor Tacos. Mexican food and I are not best of friends, neither are we arch enemies, it's just one of those that fall in between. Fairly packed for a Friday night, reservations are highly recommended.

The menu is as limited as can be, the food menu probably has a maximum of 10 dishes and given the number we finally attempted - close to trying every single item! Most of the items are repeats anyhow - wraps with a plethora of ingredients or burritos or tortillas. Every item had a floury wrap or shell of some sort.

The interior with a bar and a huge music video screen to match!

Complimentary bowl of nachos and salsa was served up almost immediately. Mildly salted crunchy corn shells which served as great appetizers. On hindsight, this was perhaps the most unanimously loved dish of the night.

A choice of 4 sauces with varying degrees of spiciness is offered (sounds almost like Nando's!). The world's hottest chilli was indeed more than very hot.

We started off the meal with a round of drinks - tequila shots ($20 for 2)! There was also frozen margaritas as well. I am no fan of tequila shots after the few ill-fated attempts.

Yet Senor Tacos' tequila shots were easy to down without the nasty aftertaste. Nice!

Uber pricey drinks at $4.50 a can for that additional wedge of lemon.

Chicharron Ribeye ($25)
Crispy ribeye chicharron in a bed guacamole

This came served in a casserole, fried beef cubes on a bed of guacamole. Rolling it like a popiah, the wrap went quite well with this.

Burrito ($15)
Classic burrito filled with all the goodies (Chicken, Veggies, Beef)

Thin like paper prata, the burrito was stuffed with cous cous, chicken, salad and cheese. In all the gooeyness, the taste was rather bland though.

Barbacoa Arrachera
Northern Mexico slow cooked beef arrachera

Served with tortilla, the slow cooked beef is stewed to tenderness pumped with juices. Decent one here.

Gobernador ($12)
Prawn, cheese and bell peppers on corn tortilla

In all the cheese and bell peppers, these crystal prawns were unfortunately overshadowed.

The chicken version which by this time was a massive overload of avocado.

Tacos Al Pastor ($19.50)
Pork and chicken

These were part of the four combo meals available - comes with a bottle of beer. We had both choices. Adored the tacos here, which were thicker and denser than the normal tortillas.

Avocado is used very generously in Mexican cuisine, a love or hate infact. I probably have not eaten so many helpings of avocado in a single meal before.

Racy backdated music videos were played throughout the meal - from unrecognizable starlets to Shakira.

To be honest, by the end of the meal we were all pretty sick of flour based anything. Too many wraps-tortillas-nachos. Dessert menu was non-existent but they do serve up pretty decent tequila shots!

Senor Tacos
Chijmes

Crystal Jade Dining IN @ Vivocity

2012-02-08T16:30:00.000+08:00

The last yusheng gathering was held at Crystal Jade Dining IN at Vivocity. I really think the economy is not that in the doldrums like what the news have been reporting for more than a quarter now! Most of the places that we tried booking were either full, had two rushed seatings or required ridiculous confirmation like Man Fu Yuan because of certain CNY policies that the company put in place.

Packed.

Private dining option!

Like the rest, Crystal Jade was packed for the evening. The view of RWS was not fantabulous but different from all the other loheis done behind 4 concrete walls.

Table setting.

Wasabi nuts.

Like the teapot!

Salmon Yusheng ($43.80)

Their yusheng menu has to be the longest so far - aims to suit every tastebud alive infact. From vegetarian to raw fish to abalone even...at least 10 different variations!

Pretty good yusheng but the crackers were a tad oily.

Ordering with companions that were equally ravenous and carnivorous only meant one thing - a table full of meat, literally.

Peking Duck (Half) ($34)

I have reached a conclusion about the bird that walks on land and swims - I love it. Beijing or Singapore, each has its own merits but I love peking duck much!

Crystal Jade's interpretation was pretty good, crispy skin with enough fat and condiments to go with the crepe. I thought the crepe was a tad bland. Meat was tender but too salty though.

Suckling Pig Combination ($38)

We probably all envisioned suckling pig to be a hearty portion of porky delight - combination comprised of chicken, roast pork and suckling pig drizzled in sauce which made this soggier than desired. Boo on that. Not the best roast pork eaten, at least no gameyness. Suckling pig was not spectacular and least of all, chicken which was oh-so-normal.

Salted Egg Yolk Prawn ($28)

Six prawns presented so daintily, this was plainly prawn fritters. The salted egg was made into a sauce but otherwise, not wow-worthy.

Four Season Beans with X.O. Chilli ($18)

The thoughtful waiter suggested a spicy vegetable dish to oomph things up a notch - well recommended.

Chilled Mango Pudding ($5)

Cleaned out so I reckon it should be good.

Sea coconut with Snow Pear ($4)

Clean tasting dessert, just the kind that simplifies the meal.

Mango Icecream with pomelo and sago ($6)

Alot of things going on in the dessert - from the artificially enhanced mango icecream to the sliced mango, pomelo sacs and sago. Not the favouritest.

Service was attentive and overall food above average in this festive season. If only my favourite molten custard pau was available, the meal would have been complete. I have always had the misconception that prices for this particular outlet are higher but not so, considerably moderate I would say. Hits and misses, Crystal Jade is quite a decent one for CNY!

Crystal Jade Dining IN
Vivocity

Loola's Revisited @ Esplanade

2012-02-07T15:30:00.000+08:00

A return to Loola's for dinner after the promising brunch. Half filled for a weekday dinner at Esplanade is quite something for a place that is not a watering hole. We were greeted by an eager to please and really chirpy waitress. Brownie points for over enthusiasm.

Neither lattes went down well with the company.

Capellini and Roe ($15)

Served chilled, this was suffice for two mouthfuls. Texture of capellini was a tad rough, would have preferred a smoother finish.

Portobello Benedict ($15)

In comparison, this appetizer fared a whole lot better. It's Eggs benedict gone healthy with a plump portobello mushroom replacing the English muffins. Runny egg meets earthy mushroom and a bed of rockets with a dash of vinaigrette. Oooh yummy!

Karubi ($32)
Braised beef shortrib, grilled zucchini, buttered baby carrots, caramelised shallots

Braised to such tenderness and fall off your fork soft, this was indeed melt in your mouth, yet flavour was hugely lacking despite the pairing of three types of salt with this.

Healthy fix.

Waiter does us the honour of slicing the poor bird up.

The Spatchcock ($36)
Whole oven roasted chicken, caramelised fennel, string beans in anchovy reduction

Serves two more than nicely, the whole chicken was spilling over with juices and crisp on the outside. Best of it all, the layer of ham woven in between made this really tasty.

Anchovy reduction made this more delicious than delicious. Outshone the karubi by leaps and bounds.

Loola's French Toast ($18)
Brioche french toast, poached pear, pear syrup, icing sugar, cinnamon

An upmarket interpretation of what we all grew up with - egg soaked toasts panfried over the oven. I like how the poached pear was so refreshing and whipped cream that gave this a much needed sugar boost.

Stuffed Cupcake ($5)

Supposedly dark chocolate cupcake with chocolate filling.

Dry and left half finished despite its really cute demeanor.

The menu is still as limited as the last without any additions though a handful were unavailable for dinner. Lobster and sheets were out, for a start! The banana loaf sitting pretty was not ready for sale. I figure I would not need too many visits to complete trying everything on the menu. Loola's is fine and good...but lacking in that "I want to head back soon" urge. Like a not too distant friend, catching up once in a long while is suffice.

Loola's
Esplanade Mall

Chezel Bites

2012-02-06T20:00:00.000+08:00

I'm probably bent on finding the next best alternative to nacho chips and popcorn in the cinema or even overpriced Pocky sticks. Being the ultimate movie junkie after clocking in a record of 73 movies in a span of 2 years...cinema food is always a must-have.

Chezel bites were hugely promoted at the supermart and I cross my heart and admit I was once (and still am) a Chezels fan! Loved stringing the cheeseloops around my finger and crunching them down. The biscuit version is tragic. Barely crunchy and flavoured so light, it was agonizing going through the packet even.

Next!

The Pierside Revisited @ One Fullerton

2012-02-06T10:00:00.000+08:00

Possibly the last remaining of the original Marmalade Pantry Group that did not get a name makeover, I have yet to try the mains yet. Back at Pierside for desserts, by a strange twist of fate..if memory serves me correct the last visit rounded off with the same impression.

Interesting utensils.

White Chocolate and Baileys Souffle ($15)
Irish Baileys Icecream

Less impressed with this, somehow. The rameskin was barely filled with the souffle, three quarts at best. Still light and baileys came and went without a trace.

The rest which I did not get to try but common consensus was portions were too small.

Banana Creme Brulee ($15)
Caramel Tarte Fine, Lemon Verbena and Mascarpone Icecream

Apple Charlotte ($14)
Pistachio and Raisins, Vanilla Bean Icecream

Service is terribly bad and curt. Cutlery switched with a nudge and barely informing. Very reluctant to take any menu clarifications and the bill was brought with much enthusiasm - they seemed to be happier to show us to the door than bothering with getting us to order more stuff. Nothing that can redeem Pierside from a strike off, desserts are not mindblowing, service stinks...next!

One Fullerton's view is always so gorgeously enticing.

The Pierside
One Fullerton

Crabtree cookies

2012-02-05T20:00:00.000+08:00

Every year I'd keep my fingers crossed about my stocking fillers, wishing and hoping it'd be anything from the delicious pages of Crabtree and Evelyn's catalogue. Cranberry white chocolate cookies! Crumbly and absolutely perfect for morning breakfast or tea, their cookies are crazily fragrant and yummy.

Strawberry and cream does not lose out either.Strawberry pastilles embedded within made this even more of a candy cookie.

Christmas Pudding Biscuits caught my eye in the trio of Christmas cookies released this year. Loved the festive design and tin can this came in. Uber loving the tin! Aromatic spices permeated with every bite in this chewy cookie, loved the sultanas that gave it the "christmas pudding" hint in this. I've never had whiskey in cookies though, pity for this pudding cookie the liquer bit was missing. 12 days of christmas, 12 cans of this?

Boy...oh boy, I just wish Christmas is just around the corner again!

Drink Culture @ Keong Siak Road

2012-02-05T19:00:00.000+08:00

Drink Culture sits right smack next to Hotel 1929 which makes it hard to miss for its strategic location and all white design concept. What makes it even harder to skip is the trio of skimpily clad ladies in bodycon dresses and skyscraper heels which we all termed "bunnies" or "playboy girl material".

Playing it naughty seems to be the hidden theme of Drink Culture, not that any of us were complaining. The guys were not for obvious reasons, neither were the ladies. The guys were clad in what looked like a reinterpretation of boring bow ties and neatly pressed white shirts.

Enter their eskimo-like bar - peer up to observe the details paid to the textured ceiling. FashionTV plays on the plasma whilst cute bartenders or waiters try to tempt you with a smooth and slick delivery of "Tell me what you are feeling today".

No fixed cocktail menu - they fix you anything you desire, almost!

Being first timers, we stuck to the usual -

"Feeling sweet, not sour...no citrus."
"How about something more masculine."

And allowed them the flexibility of the skies to surprise.

Prefer to stick to the safe - sold by the bottle.

Pleasantly surprised by kiwi, passionfruit and kyoho grape martinis. Suavely presented and in the most tongue in cheek manner - resembling traffic light colours. Yes, even the married woman was charmed.

That aside, these light hearted martinis were all fruity and delicious without much of the alcoholic punch that most shy away from. I am no fan of passionfruit but this in martini was loved muchly! Adored the fruit purree included, almost like freshly blended fruit juice with a dash of alcohol.

The guys were entrusted with Green Apple and White Russian Martini. White Russian caused an impression with a strong shot of coffee.

I honestly like Drink Culture - No, the bill did not surprise. For the friendliness, for the surprise elements and of course, delicious drinks. A bill for 5 drinks worked out in the region of $120 which is fairly priced with the whistles and belles thrown in.

Drink Culture (Next to Ember)
Keong Siak Street

Marmalade In The City @ Ion Orchard

2012-02-04T09:30:00.000+08:00

I remember swearing off Marmalade Pantry not too long ago after consecutively bad experiences. Yet the food and beverage industry does get smaller every now and then - in particularly for consistently good food or mouth watering desserts. Finding variety is hardly rocket science, it is finding that particular one that stays perennially good.

Somehow or other, the gang ended up at Marmalade Pantry or renamed Marmalade In The City despite the initial attempts to go Chinese for the night. I suppose queues are always a factor to consider for group outings. Be too early and end up having to wait for the rest, or end up fashionably late and get dagger stared at my the snaking queues outside.

Roast Chicken and Avocado Caesar with a Poached Egg ($22)

Caesar salad hardly goes wrong, neither did this. Loved the creamy avocadoes and well tossed salad. Poached egg was barely runny but for the ravenous, this was a flaw too minor to harp on. Loved the cheddar cheese bits shaved on top.

Chopped Grilled Vegetable Salad ($21)
Butternut, Eggplant, Asaparagus, Sweetcorn, Peppers, Mesclun

In comparison, this was a lot more wholesome and meant for the strict vegetarians. Not too much a surprise, it is afterall a bowl of chopped grilled vegetables.

Scrambled Eggs and Sausages ($20)
Toast with Field Mushrooms

Did not attempt but the companion polished it off pronto. Says quite a bit, I reckon.

Steak Sandwich ($24)
Wasabi Mayonnaise, Caramelized Onions and Rockets

Used to be one of my favourites and while this attempt did not totally redeem itself, it was above average good. The yam and potato chips were no longer crisp, hovering on chewy instead. Wasabi mayo could do with a bit more punch yet overall a decent steak sandwich.

Beef Burger ($28)
Mushrooms Duxelle and Truffle Fries

Main selling point of this went to truffle fries but a pity these were served lukewarm. Just the right proportion of truffle oil on an otherwise tasty minced beef burger.

Oriental Grilled King Salmon ($22)
Soba

One dark horse that took the longest to arrive. Portions of grilled king salmon varied across plates - at least one appeared to be more generous. Loved the crispy grilled layer that gave way to an Omega-3 packed salmon fillet. Soba was refreshing too, I am so ordering this the next visit!

Crabmeat Linguini ($24)
Pine Nuts, Tomato, Chilli

Huge portion of this but still as good. Pasta al dente with a generous tantalizing crabmeat base, slurp!

Granny Smith and Stem Ginger Pudding ($13)
Salted Caramel Icecream

Typically a sticky date pudding fan but decided to go ginger. No regrets. Finally their famed pudding is back! Soft and moist huat kueh texture plumped with ginger shreds...literally a burst of ginger in my mouth as I bit into it. Granny Smith completely played second fiddle but I was sold by the salted caramel icecream - molten caramel drizzled as the fork prodded further. Double yums!

Seasalt Caramel Cheesecake ($8)

Dense cheesecake with lovely play on flavours, seasalt caramel is mild yet really pleasant.

Kumquat Cupcake ($4.80)

To add to the festive cheer, they released kumquat cupcake for CNY! Macaron was too crumbly yet nailing the flavour to a T. Cupcake really moist - probably fresh off the oven that day. Not too sweet with the cream cheese frosting, I am so dying to head back for takeaways!

Inconsistency is Marmalade's greatest setback, this particular visit nailed it on all grounds for a return. Until then, it has redeemed itself reasonably. Service still depends on specific waiters but I am truly not complaining when it is one of those places without a queue!

Marmalade In The City
Ion, Lvl 3

Maison Kayser @ Scotts Square

2012-02-03T13:00:00.000+08:00

Maison Kayser at Scotts Square is one of the two highly rated boulangeries these days, after Paul's at Takashimaya. Barely filled on a weekend for brunch, the crowds started trickling in slightly past noon - not quite an indication of how popular it is as compared to Paul's.

Table reminders how to store your bread purchases!

Bag carriers, nice!

Join the queue to take your pick amongst the rows of baked goodies.

Simple french pleasures, do ask for butter to complete the meal.

Crouplet ($2.90)

Highly recommended are the baguette and a couple of flavoured breads.

Methinks of it as a wholemeal bread roll, dense and chewy yet lacking in oomph.

Croissant ($2.60)

Lauded to-die-for, these were barely warm much less served piping hot. Fragrance was clearly missing here though a deeper whiff did unveil a luxurious buttery finish. Amazingly crisp yet lacking in the same mindblowing gummyness that Jones The Grocer executed so well. Perfect with a dollop of jam or lather or butter.

Strawberry Eclair ($3.70)

Too pretty to resist.

A range of flavours were up for grabs - green tea, mocha, vanilla, strawberry and old fashioned chocolate.

Aoki Sadaharu spoilt me rotten with the most amazing green tea eclair and Maison Kayser's does fare well enough. Choux pastry is dense while strawberry filling was midly sour to offset the sweet frosting which had a slight sticky texture. Comes across quite like glue than frosting. Perhaps I am no strawberry fan of anything so this was alright for me.

Would love to try the other pastries and breads they have! Maison Kayser strikes as slightly aloof and hardly welcoming, missing out on the warmth of brunch and enthusiasm of crowds somehow. Probably the working crowds would love this place - great for picking up a quick bite and strutting off.

Maison Kayzer
Scotts Square

The Stomping Ground @ One Fullerton

2012-02-02T16:30:00.000+08:00

The Stomping Ground and Frozen Bites are the latest additions to One Fullerton, with the former going the way of tapas.

Al fresco anyone?

Service is warm and attentive. Recommendations are dished out so readily. Reservations are hardly needed as most prefer to chill outside with the famed merlion whilst we preferred to take shelter inside and lounge around their super cushy tall chairs and tables.

French music that played on was quite a perfect way to start the early Friday night.

Incredibly neat and straight handwriting!

Kitschy interior.

Get ready to be stomped!

Let yummy begin.

Glasses of sky juice to start the evening!

Truffle Fries ($10)

I have an absolute weakness for truffle fries and theirs is quite unassuming - barely a whiff despite being so upclose with it. Just the right dose of truffle oil!

Bangers and Mash ($10)

I would correct this grammatically - one banger and a dollop of mash. Despite the portions, it was executed so well.

TSG Fish and Chips ($10)

Reminded me of Mangosteen and Queen's Curry Tartare Fish and Chips, this had spiced fries with three plump fish filets. A decadent take on this Brit pub grub.

Garlic Chilli Mac and Cheese ($10)

Chilli padi totally nailed this with the delish crisp bits and creamy cheesy combination. Doubles of this!

Garlic Prawns Satay Style ($10)

Crystal prawns that were a tad too artificially enhanced though the breaded bits were delish.

Trio Mini Wagyu Burgers ($15)

Wagyu patties made too mush, these were not the greatest attempted.

"Fall of the Bone" Baby Ribs ($15)

Though brushed with a sticky barbeque sauce, this was still lacking in taste.

Oats and Breadcrumbs Spring Chicken ($15)

Deemed "possible to share amongst two."..how wrong was that! Simply one chicken patty chopped up, quite like the taiwanese snack though in smaller portions. Not a KFC contender at all though this would go really well with beer.

Truffle Tagliatelle ($18)

Comes with a precious few grams of shaved truffle and a single portion of creamy pasta. It is mighty delicious yet with such a puny portion, it is painfully expensive.

How puny it really is.

Lychee Martini ($18)

Watermelon Martini ($18)

The sweet bartender made this sweeter and less potent for me, though watermelon hints were really mild.

Food in small plates which encourages sharing though I would not heartily agree on "generous portions" or "lean pricing" as promised. Indeed, food when shared and in small quantities does increase the enjoyment greatly.

Portions of food are small, even for ladies. Meant only to nibble and sip your drinks and does rival Spanish tapas servings for bite-sized. Nonetheless, a great place to unwind and chase the blues away (if any!). Above average bar food with a lovely ambience to match.

The Stomping Ground
One Fullerton

Moi Lum Restaurant @ Maxwell Road

2012-02-01T15:00:00.000+08:00

Established in 1920, this authentic cantonese cuisine restaurant has stood the test of time and weathered enough storms to be remembered through the years. Even the parents have eaten there before! CNY booking policies are irking me big time, Moi Lum's included. A 50% deposit is required before the date itself and there were apparently two seatings that we were not informed of. 6-8pm and after 8pm, when our booking was at 7pm.

Double booked and so crowded.

They somehow managed to squeeze 13 of us too snugly into one table.

菊花普洱茶, a first for me and apparently very common in Hongkong! Laced with pu er's bitterness, chrysanthenum's fragrance was hard to miss.

Traditional Wolf Herring Raw Fish Yu Sheng

Waitress mumbled a string of what should be properity phrases, she's probably been through too many yushengs to even bother.

The mess we created, one full plate's worth landed on lazy susan - well, if it's a huat year, nobody's going to mind!

A tad dry and sweet.

Shark's Fin Soup with Crab Meat

More of a crab meat soup than shark's fin.

Braised Abalone Voluta in Oyster Sauce

鮑魚菇 is probably the closest to the precious 鮑魚, with seasonal greens.

Majestic Roast Chicken

So famous, even the Dad can remember this signature from decades ago. Arguably the bestest roast chicken around, even triumph's Royal China's big time. And this is during CNY, mind you where food standards are discounted amidst rising menu prices.

Breast meat was a tad bland but a dash of sea salt did wonders, preferred the wings for this! Loved the crispy like crazy skin, indulge without guilt in fact. Two thumbs up!

Deep Fried Crispy Salted Prawns

Could not discern the flavour of this crispy one, prawns were fresh though.

Sauteed Fresh Broccoli with Fish Slices

Broccoli was blanched a tad too soft but fish was really fresh too. Great with rice!

Wok Fried Noodles in Hongkong Style

Very skewed proportioning of ingredients with some having just noodles and others filled with vegetables and char siew. A different take on boring eefu noodles at least, enough wok hei!

Homemade Mango Puree with Mango

I liked the nata de coco used here with mango jelly and mango juice, pretty alright.

Food at Moi Lum is not great, portions are leaning towards the small side. Great for CNY infact, without having a meal that leaves you belly stuffed and mind frozen. Service is horrendously bad and prices are not totally cheap either. They have long been known to be "pricy and average", I guess I shall second that.

$338++ for 10.

Moi Lum
38 Maxwell Road
Airview Building

Irodori Japanese Restaurant @ Riverview Hotel

2012-01-31T17:30:00.000+08:00

It has been ages since I had Japanese buffet. Absence does make the heart fonder, slightly fonder. Made reservations for Irodori, another highly recommended restaurant amongst the peers.

Crowded! Private dining rooms are available but I am not too sure if extra surcharges are included.

Table long enough to accomodate 13.

Brought our own red, surprisingly red wine does go pretty well with sushi!

Simple cutlery for a not so simple meal.

Wasabi so potent.

Greentea Tofu

Lightly flavoured silken tofu peppered with fish roe, yummilicious.

Ebi Mentai Mayo

One order of this allowed, this grilled item was appetite whetting. Great flavour and uber fresh.

Sashimi Moriawase
Salmon, Tuna, Yellow Tail, Sword Fish, Cuttlefish, Octopus, Snapper

A sashimi platter that would please any raw fish fan. Thick fresh slices of meats beautifully plated - at least for buffet standards!

Salmon sashimi sliced so thick!

Sushi

California Maki

Always a crowd pleaser.

Irodori Maki

Soft grains of rice used, easy to eat despite the larger than usual portions. Ingredients used were fairly appetizing too. Irodori Maki is made of lobster salad and some other tasty bits - rice, always a bane at buffets yet I gladly embrace them at Irodori.

Grilled dishes

Saba Shioyaki

Did not attempt but apparently really good.

Still salmon and loving the additional dash of lemon juice.

Shake Shioyaki

Adored the grilled skin and crispy layers, incredibly delish.

Shisamo

Perfect as a snack.

Temaki

California

Spider

Tamago

Crispy seaweed meets soft rice and delish stuffings, still embracing their sushi!

Mushi/Shiru Mono

Chawanmushi

Decent egg custard.

Miso Soup

One of those rare times that I liked it enough to empty it.

Ippinmono (Appetizers)

Edamame

Soramame

Perfect dinner nibblers.

Agemono (Deep Fried)

Mixed Tempura

This was under their list of recommended eats. Tempura batter was light though the oil taste did get to the later reorders.

Tonkatsu

A tad dry.

Pumpkin

Belittle pumpkin not when desserts are not part of the buffet. This sweet vegetable sliced thinly made a great after dinner snack.

Mushroom

My favourite of the lot - plump mushrooms nary the earthy woody taste that some shun. I forgot how many I popped into my mouth - oiishii.

Torikaraage

Chicken skewers or satay as the table called it. Loved the chargrilled fragrance and flavour of this.

Age Gyoza

Not a fan of this though, the oil taste overshadowed.

Croquette

This breaded item is irresistibly addictive. Curried mash potato deepfried, would have preferred slightly more body in the mash but this was outstanding.

Teppanyaki

Beef Shogayaki

Pepper in Ginger sauce, a must try! Melt in your mouth beef slices, the greatest pity of this is it arrived way too late to savour and make a reorder.

Beef Enoki Maki

Beef slice wrapped around mushrooms, loved the bite.

Menrui/Gohanmono

Zaru Soba

Nothing too inspiring.

Curry Udon

Curry was watery and lacking in flavour. Udon was overcooked. Possibly the only letdown of the night.

Spread of buffet variety is there at an astounding 108 dishes, try as I may I would have loved to sink my pearlies into all of them. Alot more hits than misses for a buffet in general, so Irodori is definitely worth the while. One main grouse goes to their lack of service or unwillingness to serve, most unfortunately. Not so much a case of orders being forgotten but waitresses take orders with most reluctance.

Lunch and Dinner: $35++

Irodori Japanese Restaurant
River View Hotel, Lvl 3

Royal China Revisited @ Raffles Hotel

2012-01-30T11:00:00.000+08:00

Royal China always brings a smile everytime a meal is arranged there. Was expecting a CNY Dim Sum lunch over CNY Set Menu though but anyway here's what we had this year!

Same decor.

Mighty love of their robin blue walls and pillars.

Menu!

Yearly favourite of these sugary treats, personal favourite goes to sugared lotus seeds.

Bountiful Harvest Salmon Yusheng

A must have every single year, none too spectacular. Portions were somehow too much for the table of us.

Braised Shark's Fin with Fresh Crab Meat in "Tan Jia" Broth

With many hotels taking their stand on removing Shark's Fin from the menu, Royal China has continued to serve this delish delicacy. Adored the rich broth, two thumbs up.

Steamed Live "Soon Hock" With Minced Garlic and Diced Chilli

Flesh was too soft and somehow a mismatch with the minced garlic and diced chilli pairing.

Wok-Fried King Prawns in Home-made Western Sauce

Fresh prawn with a delectable sauce.

Chef's Signature Barbecued Crispy Chicken In Sesame Sauce

One letdown of a dish, barely crispy skin with tender chicken. Would have preferred the original crispy skin chicken with seasalt.

Braised Golden Oyster with Sliced Abalone, Black Moss and Garden Green

Great effort was placed into this dish - bean curd jacket stuffed with oyster, mushroom and black moss. Looked like an ingot! Pity the abalone was sliced too thin but otherwise a pretty well executed dish.

Wok-Fried Glutinous Rice with Diced Preserved Meat

Soft chewy grains heavily flavoured with preserved meat, I liked it but response for this was split.

Chilled Fresh Mango Juice with Sago and Pomelo

Thick mango juice with sour mango cubes and sago, a great refreshing dessert. I like how there are two variations of dessert - hot and cold to please the tastebuds!

Pan-fried Royal China Chinese New Year Cake

Still as coconutty as I remember it to be. Tasted quite like nonya kueh here.

After two consecutive years of the same set menu, I came to realize set menus are not a good gauge of Royal China's prowess. They are capable of so much more...ala carte dimsum soon!

$728++ for 10 persons

Royal China
Raffles Hotel

Alsalam Restaurant @ Changi Road

2012-01-29T21:46:00.000+08:00

Opposite Kembangan station are streets of good food which I have yet to seriously sit down and try them all. Laziness I say when people from near and far patronize it so regularly. Alsalam is an Indian Muslim eatery, with a range of malay and indian dishes.

Plain Naan ($1.40)

Purportedly famous, the naan smelt heavenly. Really chewy without a trace of oil...blimey! I healthier option to prata. This came with fish curry which upped the tantalizing-factor by a couple of notches.

Tandoori Chicken

A tad dry and too salty.

Burgerdil

Mashed potato was a little too loose, otherwise not too bad.

Curry Vegetable

I thought this was done really well - flavourful with a lot of spice. Generous portion of vegetables and tau kwa.

Chilli Egg

Chilli was quite well done with the appropriate amount of spice and oomph. Great with rice.

The waiters took the liberty to reheat the food and serve them piping hot. All in $9.90 for a meal that fed three and left us stuffed, surprisingly. Good deal methinks!

Alsalam Restaurant
457 Changi Road

Full Month Package @ Bengawan Solo

2012-01-29T10:30:00.000+08:00

Issuance of Full Month cake vouchers have come a long way. Great for parents who do not want the fuss of getting the cakes delivered and having to head down personally to pass the cakes. I received the voucher way earlier into the year and thankfully for flexibility, the voucher's validity was a year so I could claim it anytime.

For this particular cake choice, the order had to be placed 2 days in advance. Not much of a choice though, just design. Between a blue teddy and pink booties...

Regardless of design, the filling was still the same - Vanilla sponge cake with butter cream. True to its signature, the sponge was fluffy and soft, certainly not as soft of the Japanese sponge but the same old sponge cake that I grew up with. Tradition that defied age, it really tasted the same as it did! I remember my pink 21st birthday cake tasting this way, same goes for all the birthdays that passed and I wanted the cutesy Minnie Mouse or Tweety Bird design.

It suddenly dawned on me, I grew up with Bengawan Solo. Here I am celebrating yet another circle of life with it.

Bengawan Solo

Baked Fish Crackers

2012-01-28T21:30:00.001+08:00

Baked not fried.

These thai snacks are incredible beyond comprehension.

Just the right bite without the greasy icky fingers you end up with.

Original or spicy.

Did I already say how addictive they are?

Six packets and going strong.

Junk food, redefined.

The dietician would berate me for indulging in them in between and after meals.

Staying off the scales for a darn long time!

A great pity they do not have a physical store..slowly but surely infiltrating each household.

Catch them if you can...

3 for 10 buckeroos.

tasty_right_trading@yahoo.com

Paradise Inn @ Suntec City

2012-01-28T21:30:00.000+08:00

Replacing Tang Dian Wang at Suntec City is Paradise Inn. I am not too sure when the switch took place but this was a pleasant surprise.

They have retained much of the same decor (not that I patronized Tang Dian Wang) but handmade streamers were adorned for that added festive feel.

Like the sauce holder best.

Braised peanuts as starters were slightly salty but easy to eat.

Rudimentary.

Came in such a huge bowl, perfect for tossing high with minimal spillage.

The mess.

Prosperity Salmon Yusheng

Slightly sweet but nonetheless a delicious one!

Traditional Double Boiled Soup

MSG-laden soup with a delish fall-of-the-bone pork rib.

Steamed Silver Cod Fish in Superior Soya Sauce

Fresh cod with a simple yet tasty soya sauce pairing.

Braised Tofu with Seafood and Pork Floss in Mini Wok

Loved the tofu best - silken smooth.

Imperial Pork Ribs

Not a fan of this soggy one - could have been miles better.

Poached Chinese Spinach with Egg Trio in Superior Stock

A lighter take on this heng hwa signature.

Homemade Style Fried Vermicelli

Chewy strands of vermicelli, lacking in wok hei somehow but decent.

Red Bean Sago

To round off the meal on a sweet note.

Chilled Homemade Barley

Plain tasting barley to wash down the grease. One of the few places that offer beverages in the set menu without extra surcharge.

Portions tend to be on the small side for a table of ten, suffice for all ladies but not for the men. Homecooked fare by Paradise Inn once again, the last visit to Bedok Point was mediocre..Suntec's outlet was marginally better. Still, an affordable option during this festive season!

$268.80++ per table of 10

Paradise Inn
Suntec City

Chingchong New Year - Dragon breathes fire

2012-01-27T16:00:00.000+08:00

A delayed shoutout to everyone - Happy New Year and Huaaaaaaaaat ah!

For this year's Chinese New Year, we decided to change the table snacks quite abit - change is good for sure! Instead of the usual pineapple tarts, kueh bangkit...and suggee cookies, we headed different. Takashimaya Food Square is a good avenue to sample as much as I need to and make the purchases within the day. Nothing beats having a whole row of pineapple tart shops and trying them all until I reach the eureka moment. Alternatively, the family will usually head to the market next to Fu Lu Shou Complex to stock up on dried goods and during CNY, there are tons of knit knacks going for a fraction of those found at Takashimaya.

Fried Rice Paradise ($45)
Cookie Museum

Savoury cookies seem to be inching their way into the cookie platter this year with quite a number of places offering. I reckon this is easier to accept than savoury mooncakes, somehow. Herbs or meat in mooncake still needs more getting used to. Cookie Museum has long had a range of savoury cookies with flavours like laksa, fried rice and even nasi lemak - Uniquely Singapore I say! Down to the last 3 tins, this cookie cleverly captures the flavours that makeths a plate of fried rice paradise.

I have to admit this is probably the most expensive tin of cookies ever purchased and I never quite got the reason for its following - at $1.40 each, it is mad pricey but so very worth it.

Prune Lapis ($48)
Blue Magnolia

Tightly wrapped.

I only know Blue Magnolia for its outlet at Macpherson and recently chanced upon it at Market Street. Not much is known to me about them but their kueh lapis was arguably the most memorable. Buttery and moist, fattened with a generous portion of prunes.

Pork Floss Knots ($16/kg)

Incredibly crunchy and tasty, sore throat alert for this one! No oily taste either, two thumbs up. Instead of lobster rolls which seemed to have faded off the radar in the last couple of years, this year's new addition are these knots.

Sweet Macadamia Nuts ($32/kg)

These tasted a tad oily though still crunchy.

Sweetened lotus seeds for a good year ahead, always!

Loveletters, Giant

As much as I love my cheap and good Giant love letters, these were a tad over baked.

I lamented over twitter on the neverending queues at bak kwa shops and even questioned the need for it over a festive period that not only inflats the price but causes much emotional upheaval - a friend queued eight hours for her lim chee guan and suffered swollen legs because of that! Unfortunately, bak kwa completes new year, whether I like it or not. Unless a substitute gets discovered soon enough to relieve us all of this stressful purchase.

Kim Peng Hiang

They ran out of pineapple bak kwa this year, by the time we got to the store. Down to the last 1.5 kg of regular bak kwa - take it or leave it. These were originally a tad saucy, methinks they were packed too early since demand would outstrip supply anyway. After some panfrying, these were alot better - tender and fragrant bites. Still as delish but pineapple is still a personal fave. I wonder how more tender can their kurobuta bak kwa taste!

Bee Cheng Hiang

For novelty's sake and possibly one of those without a queue at all - thanks to their online ordering system, buying from Bee Cheng Hiang is a breeze. Yet, standard has dropped so drastically - too salty for comfort though has the bite I love.

Let the dragon year bring us all the fire we need in what we do - meanwhile, I am back to tucking into these yummies till the new year ends!

Taiwan, Hualien and Taichung Souvenirs

2012-01-26T13:30:00.000+08:00

Pineapple Tarts were the main must-buys in Taipei. Truth be told I had a laundry list of places to get the pineapple cakes or tarts (however they are known)...which ranged from Chia Te to Lee Chi or even SunnyHills but none of which were near us.

Headed straight for Jiu Zhen Nan, available at the airport at the highest recommendation of a dear friend who loves Taipei as much as I love Hongkong.

Royalty packaging - from the purple box to ingot like boxes.

At NT400 for 12 pieces, this was pricey. Yet worth every penny - rich butter fragrance engulfs the senses, the pastry by itself is divine. Pineapple jam so pulpy and decadent. If the expiry date were any longer, I would have lugged back boxes!

Travelling out of Taipei to the other countys proved to be quite a rewarding experience, though some would insist "see one see all", I beg to differ on that. Hualien for Taroko Gorge and Cingshuei Cliff while Taichung was for Sun Moon Lake though Cingjing Farm did not materialise due to unforeseen circumstances.

Hualien

Just opposite Hualien Station is an entire row of their local products - handmade mochi!

Ah Mei Mochi was quite a stand alone, found their mochi a tad hard. Seemingly pricier than the rest too.

曾记's!

http://www.tzen.com.tw/

They have both freshly made mochi and pre-packed ones. These freshly made ones have to be consumed within 24 hours.

The latest brown sugar jelly-like confectionery, denser than mochi and refreshing to taste!

Mango jelly which we fell in love with at Jiu Fen but did not buy.

Best eaten chilled but these had a certain plasticky smell about it.

Handmade nougats with a variety of flavours - macadamia, peanut and almond.

Moo printed wrappers!

I like how these nougats are not too sweet though only available soft. I very much prefer my nougats crunchy but these are way cheaper alternatives to the Aussie imports. They do harden rather quickly over time but I guess that is the downside of freshly made anything!

Red Date Sweets with Walnuts are my favourite. I usually get my sugar fix from Hongkong but these from Taiwan are a lot friendlier on the gums - not too sweet and easy to chew.

Their handmade fresh mochi had to be consumed within the day which was perfect for the trainride back to Taipei but also meaning we could not bring any back home!

All ready for the train ride!

Green Bean mochi.

Fresh chewy mochi skin with a generous ball of green bean paste.

Same floury mess.

Utterly delicious.

Thankfully they had prepacked mini mochis with a longer expiry date - just in time for CNY!

No samples were given for this so we were under the impression that they will be as good as the freshly made ones. It could be the flavours but the fruit flavours had cream and a slice of preserved fruit inside making it too sweet. Yam flavour also repeated the sweetness, all too sweet!

Colourful!

Yellow.

Mango with cream.

Yam! The fresh one far exceeds this in taste.

Strawberry.

Melon.

Somehow these did not fare as well as the freshly made ones, certainly miles away from the Japanese equivalents too.

Souvenirs are relatively cheaper here, each packet went for approx NTD 100. Perfect for gifting too!

Taichung

一福堂

http://www.iffood.com.tw/index.htm

Only available in Taichung, this particular outlet was isolated.

檸檬餅

Shaped like a lemon, this zesty lemon cake was uber fluffy with a lemon chocolate shell. Best eaten chilled.

太陽餅

Their sun biscuits are way different from those I have been gifted. Flaky pastry with a molten filling within! Not too sweet once again, we all loved it.

Emperor Cake

One of the stall's specialities, this milk custard cake is best eaten at room temperature. Pleasant tasting custard meets milky pastry.

The next most famous Taiwanese export after pineapple cakes!

Sunshine pastry for this was so very different from the rest attempted, the molten filling was uber delicious though the fine layers were a tad plain tasting.

Taiwan

Convenience stores

2012-01-25T18:00:00.000+08:00

Family Mart, Hi-Lite and 7-11 are probably the more well known convenience stores around Ximending. Trust me to raid them for localised products to attempt.

Chocolate Milk Tea by Lipton! The chocoholic thought the consistency of milk tea was too thin.

Undetered, Strawberry Milk Tea next which also faced the same sorry fate!

I stuck to their milk variations - papaya milk! The cool thing is these can be reheated in the microwave if you want them warm. Loved the papaya flavour here, down to the last drop I really enjoyed this!

Almond milk was pretty good too! I love almond-flavoured anything so this worked for me.

Everyone whom I know that has been to Taiwan has raved about their instant noodles big time - so much so, lugging back a couple is completely not an option.

Started off at supper with 花雕雞面...as herbal as it sounded, it really was herbal!

Completely floored - look at those chicken chunks and wolfberries thrown in too! Talk about making it as real as possible. Tastes just like my Mom's homemade noodles - goodness all thrown in.

These are priced more premium than the regular instant noodles, well worth the price I say! NTD 50 onwards per bowl which may be the equivalent of a piping hot bowl of noodles in the night market, convenience overrules for me.

Herbal Duck

Priced much cheaper than the rest, this came without the chunky meats, only cubes like above. Nonetheless, still delicious though lacking in wholesome.

A winter specialty - Sesame Chicken flavour!

I really do not know how they nail it, but they do it so well right down to the colour, fragrance and taste! This was great as well but a pity noodles went soggy too fast. Would have been better if noodles were thicker in consistency.

Here comes 维力's Braised Beef Noodle!

Matching the picture completely - they did deliver what they said they will afterall! Thick noodles with a bite and uber hearty broth.

Now for the big brother of all brothers, 满汉大餐's range of instant noodles! They do retail in Singapore at a select of food fairs.

These satchets that make the huge difference.

A complete meal on its own - look at the pile of ingredients!

Mamma mia kind of good. I really regret not lugging back a carton's worth!

What's going to a country without trying their beer? No Tsingtao, I headed for their Gold Medal beer, loved lager! Not too bitter and a tad too fizzy but one of the preferred lagers around.

Taiwan

Mister Donut @ Ximending

2012-01-24T19:00:00.000+08:00

Mister Donut and Dunkin Donuts are the two donut franchises dominating the 甜甜圈 industry in Taiwan and with only one convenient outlet near me, I spent most of the time after dinners indulging in these sweet treats. Did not help they issued a loyalty card which I did not finish collecting! Prized at NTD 35 each, I only zoomed in on their mochi donuts having tasted the rest in Bangkok.

Promotional offer!

Soybean - Mildly flavoured and dusted with soybean flour.

White Chocolate - Just a white chocolate shell around the donut.

Double Green Tea - Two layers of green tea, green tea infused donut with frosting.

Strawberry - Delish strawberry shell.

Double Chocolate - Once again double layers!

The taiwanese really know how to do their QQ products so well, from tapioca pearls to mochi donuts yet the irony is Mister Donut is a Japanese donut franchise.

Mister Donut

Sun Moon Lake Eats @ Taichung

2012-01-24T10:04:00.000+08:00

The rock that symbolises having step foot on the gorgeous Sun Moon Lake.

I thought only skies like these belonged to Europe.

More of the lovely skies.

Understandably why Sun Moon Lake is such a picturesque spot for wedding photos. The cruise that we hoped on had two stopovers and in the pamphlet, each stopover had a sightseeing spot and some recommended eats.

First stop!

The only recommended eat was Granny's Mushroom Tea Egg! Looks like even Coca Cola is also being endorsed.

Priced at NTD 10 each, considerably a steal! Word has it at they have sold a record breaking 15,000 eggs on a certain New Year's Eve. I wonder how many chicken farms they need to work with.

Close up of the banner.

Simmering in the herbs and tons of mushrooms.

If only they sold the mushrooms alongside, I would have gladly eaten them!

Scalding hot tea eggs!

No different from tea eggs except they were overall salty. The fragrance of the mushrooms were well infused.

The designated yacht picked us up 45 minutes later, so it was time to visit yet another stopover. The stopover featured attractions like a cablecar ropeway to a certain Aborigine village. As much as I would have loved to spend tons of time at this particular stop...I soon realised how much of a dead town it was.

Recommended by TVBS but closed.

Yes, a handmade mochi was a recommended eat but those open were clearly swapping flies.

More stalls recommended stalls but they decided to shut the doors too!

The only signs of activity...but these had visitors because they were amongst the first few stalls that visitors would see upon setting foot on the island.

Finally one that was crowded!

A delayed Halloween treat!

Pumpkin Bun with an oriental twist - Wild Boar Meat, Preserved Vegetables, Onions and Cheese. Yet another of those chinese hamburgers but it was all too mushy to even make sense of the flavours. For the testosterone-raging teenage boys who were ordering this in the dozens, I figure they just wanted something to fill their stomachs more so than taste.

Tea18 was recommended!

A Sunmoonlake menu!

Quaint shophouse.

阿薩姆紅茶 had a certain fragrance I cannot identify what exactly but otherwise was ordinary. The hilarity of the situation is a bunch of other Tea18 shops also popped up along the way so you really cannot tell which is the recommended tea house.

Handmade loveletters using the fragrant tea leaves too!

Sweeter than those tried elsewhere.

Too crumbly!

So that wrapped up the half day tour of the gorgeous Sunmoonlake! It was a great pity the foodstalls were mostly closed, makes you ponder if the list of recommended eats was all part of a gimmick.

Sunmoonlake

Banana New Paradise @ Taichung

2012-01-23T15:30:00.000+08:00

It is no open secret how much a fan I am of all things nostalgic - I cound Food Republic and the food court at Singapore Flyer as my favourite food courts because of the decor. Likewise, Yokohama Ramen Museum blew me away with the old fashioned time casule concept that got me all giggly and excited. Until Banana Paradise came along to complete the picture, that is.

Aimed to replicate old Taiwan in the 1920's or older, there are so many antiques stored in this place that makes it a mini-museum on its own!

Totally looks like a set up in some old film. Details, details!

They could have just used wooden chopsticks.

A sprinkling of black sesame seeds on top a bowl of rice (NTD10)...artistic much!

油淋去骨雞(NTD 138)

Fried chicken with a scattering of fried chives! Super delicious.

果律明虾球(NTD 228)

Fresh prawn balls with an equally appetizing mayo sauce to match.

三杯板豆腐(NTD 168)

Enough wok hei even in a hotpot like this. Tasty max.

Even with a tasty meal like this, I still gobbled down my food for more time to explore the place!

Old photos that line the walls.

Even the toilet does not resemble one!

A collection of toys, magazines and posters.

Such impressive details they pay attention to.

Movie tickets?

Dentist!

Utterly charmed.

Doctor?

And my favourite part of the tour - candy shop!

At least I could identify with some of the candies.

More!

Truly a perfect haven for those in love with all things nostalgic. Does not hurt that food is equally good and prices are so very affordable.

http://www.vernaldew.com.tw/

Banana New Paradise
111, Shuang Shih Road, section 2

Bubble Tea in Taiwan!

2012-01-22T16:00:00.000+08:00

Taiwan is the motherland of bubble tea which is no known secret by now. Bubble Tea to Taiwan is as iconic as Singapore Sling to Singapore. Okay, the equivalent. Not that I would drink Singapore Sling everyday!Yet with brand names like Koi and Artease flooding the shores the second time round with taiwanese support being spinoffs from brands like 50 Lan, I was still apprehensive of our local drinks not matching up in standard.

As fate would have it, a daily bubble tea was required to keep the doctor away and of course, with those weighing scales stashed beyond sight. The good news is, you can choose the level of sweetness and amount of ice to go with the drink which does help you manage the sugar intake quite a bit. Tempering with the sugar levels also do mean one thing - if it does not taste as good, it's your fault!

OTea
http://www.otea.com.tw/

OTea outlets are not as common as 50 Lan or Ding Tea, in fact, I only spotted one in Jin Shan District throughout the trip.

Milk Tea with bubbles, the only way to gauge its authenticity. I adore how their milk tea leaves a fragrant and milky trace. QQ pearls were chewy. I did not feel the urge for a second cup after this though!

Specialised Tea Club

Located in Shih Lin night market, Specialized Tea Club's existence was also quite niche.

Has to be the best of the lot - from the chewy pearls to milk tea, just the right balance of tea and milk. Most of the milk teas consumed had alot more milk taste than tea.

50 Lan

50 Lan, found after the week in Taipei whizzed past. Truly, it's when you stop hunting it down that they start appearing every where. As ubiquitous as Koi.

Grape Yakult with Boba

Unlike the other bubble tea shops, 50 Lan gives you the option of toppings: Boba (Huge pearls), normal sized pearls or coconut jelly. Grape Yakult with less ice was not quite the best option for a sweltering day that averaged at 31 degrees (in winter no less!). The boba was honestly, not much bigger than the usual pearls. Disappointment!

Chocolate Milk Tea with Boba

Thin milk tea with boba, I say stick with their traditional milk teas. Odd that when flavours are added in, taste changes quite a bit though the milky finish is still evident.

好口杯

A popular choice in Ximending with most customers carrying at least a cup from this particular stall.

Honeydew Milk Tea

The second time our point was proven - stick with the traditional milk tea though the colours make it look better.

橘子工坊

The only shop that specialises more in fruit based drinks than milk tea. Healthier presumably.

Lemon Juice with Aiyu Jelly

I opted for 30% sugar and less ice - hence a really sour juice but particularly loved the aiyu jelly! Slurpworthy and mildly sweet. Tasted like sea coconut jelly with a lot more wobble.

福哥牛肉麵 Fu Ge Beef Noodle @ Ruifang

2012-01-22T08:00:00.000+08:00

We were in complete luck with this particular beef noodle store - 30 years in heritage and guaranteed good by the cabdriver. I trust the cabbies quite a bit when it comes to sussing out great eats, afterall they are on the road most of the time and surely know what is good...no? 福哥牛肉麵 in Ruifang we headed!

The humble stall that specialised in beef noodle.

An appetizer of century egg (NTD 15 each) served chilled and absolutely tasty.

I have to point out there is a stark difference between 牛肉麵 and 牛肉汤麵. As Singaporeans would interpret is as noodle dry and soup respectively, the taiwanese's interpretation is literally 牛肉汤 with 麵 for the latter, loosely as beef soup with noodle. Hence, the latter would not get any beef in it!

Here's 牛肉麵 with the beef. Incredibly tasty broth, methinks it has been simmering for hours and absorbing all the wondrous flavours. Slurpworthy bouncy noodles and for the first time, beef with tendons that was melt in my mouth. One thing though, I am a fan of five spices powder which they used quite generously in the noodles so for non-fans, it may be an overkill.

福哥牛肉麵
台北縣瑞芳鎮民生街21號

Train Bento Set!

2012-01-21T21:47:00.000+08:00

Since Europe I have been intrigued by trains and stations. Not until Japan did I get fascinated with train bento sets.

Train stations in Taiwan are a lot less impressive architecturally but still has that old charm about them!

Had the privilege to dine at a restaurant with a nostalgic theme (will be covered separately!) but they had a replica of the old train stations.

Counter tickets anyone?

Loosely translated at Metal Bento Sets as they used to be served in round metal containers.

I bought mine just outside the station. Unlike Japan, there are no price differences if you were to buy outside the station or inside or even on board. Not much choice, there were just two. Either 4 or 6 dishes.

排骨饭 with greens, beancurd and a braised egg! All for NTD 60, I found it delicious even with the soft rice, hard pork rib and egg. Tastes really homemade but it is really just the experience of having a bento set on a train ride that makes the whole difference.

六洲面线 @ Behind Taipei Main Station

2012-01-21T10:00:00.000+08:00

Finding food in taipei is not difficult, given the number of pushcarts selling food - legal and illegal. Especially on a shopping rampage in Wu Fen Pu or whole sale markets like the one behind Taipei Main Station...having mobile hawkers like this one is godsent!

Mee Sua with prices lower than Ay Chung's!

Does not lose out in terms of taste. Opted out of the innards so this was just a bowl of tasty mee sua! I thought it was cute sitting infront of the cook as he prepared your food. Pretty interactive and informal too. Dawned on me that Ay Chung may be famous but the other mee sua stalls may not be too far off either.

See if you have the luck to chance upon this makeshift stall!

六洲面线
台北市大同區太原路22巷4號（後車站附近）

Shenkeng Tofu Street Eats

2012-01-20T15:59:00.000+08:00

Many moons ago, Mediacorp formerly known as TCS and SBC had a television serial 豆腐街. The name somehow stuck on until the cabbie casually mentioned he would be dropping us off at 深坑豆腐街 for a glimpse of their tofu shops that I became uber excited.

The front of the street undergoing some construction, hidding a happening street completely. Until this day, it baffles me so when heavy construction is going on and the shophouse opposite continues selling his dishes - part of the cleanfreak in me thinks that the additional flavouring would come from the dust particles and - okay, I shall not indulge in such thoughts.

One of the first few restaurants that line the entrance. Decided to make it our dining place - the crowds seemed to be a good gauge of its standard.

Set menus perfect for the confused - we opted for tofu done three ways and topped it off with a smelly tofu order too!

Mini bowls.

肠旺麻辣臭豆腐
Stinky tofu when simmered in broth not only loses its stench but also the texture of the beancurd. In exchange I got a rough beancurd with a broth that reeked of gameyness. Not a fan of the intestines here nor pig's blood which had a really odd texture.

豆腐捲
Fried tofu fritters stuffed with pork and fat. A completely "ewww" moment when the inedible bits turned out to be hardened fat.

臭豆腐
Some form of normalcy resumed with stinky tofu! Crispy exterior with soft tofu.

豆腐羹

Quite a delish soup after the initial frights we had.
A beancurd meal like this set us back by NTD 340, while the rest of the diners seemed to enjoy every bite, we found it acquired.

Muah chee and loads of it in various shapes and forms lined the streets. We found one with a really pretty lady who also had a glib tongue.

All sorts of shapes and colours.

Orh Kueh as I know it - a savoury one with yam bits. Yum!

This, takes on a tale of its own. Fluffy egg white sits on top red bean chunk. Not quite what I was expecting in all honesty, the egg white blob had a rough texture and sweet.

The more normal and familiar muah chees. The fillings though substantial were rock hard - yam, peanut and blacksesame in that order.

I had these in Japan before and the Taiwanese replicated this quite brilliantly. Soft chewy chunks of cold mochi in artificially enhanced flavours (pink for rose, yellow for lemon).

Every store usually begins with handmade.

The colours which makes buying them so irresistible.

Peanut candies that Taiwan seems to be famous for, spotted them throughout the tourist attractions that we visited! 郭金山 was one of the more popular ones down the lane.

Work in progress as their nuts got packed.

Samples so generously given out as they were working on a fresh batch of roasted peanut candies.

Came in tubs like these or bags like those further in the picture.

Lost count of how much I ended up buying. I remember chewing till all of them tasted roughly the same.

Peanut with white sesame block! Love how mildly sweet these are.

The only store selling handmade black sesame paste.

With promises of jet black smooth shiny hair amongst others...not that either of us were tempted.

How about some freshly made loveletters? I found them too crumbly and sweet.

Oooh and century eggs too!

Totally Yung Kee equivalent - molten center and all. At 7 for NTD 100, complete steal!

Some other shops that lined the walk way - perfect for those seeking nostalgia!

Stole a peek of someone's unattended shop!

Apart from being a food street that would please any tourist, they do have just one umbrella shop which retails really affordable and technologically advanced umbrellas! Those that can withstand even a typhoon! I am so tired of buying $5 brollies only to have them flip belly side up during torrential rains.

Shenkeng Tofu Street

Modern Toilet Restaurant @ Ximending

2012-01-19T14:30:00.000+08:00

I am a fan of themed restaurants. Okay, depending what theme actually. Modern Toilet is at Ximending but not within the central area though so it look us more than one concentrated attempt to find this!

Hard to miss poop mascot!

Poop surely runs throughout the restaurant. Details like lamps and bathtubs that double up as tables. There is a minimum purchase per person again, though depending on the amount per dish they may not be that anal.

Fancy a drink out of the latrine? Honey lemon with aloe vera drink was not too bad.

Appetiser platter of overfried cheese sausages, chicken nuggets and french fries. None too spectacular but we were simply too stuffed to attempt their famous hotpots.

Poop icecream! The only association will be the poop icecream swirl and the design of the plate - made to look like a serious case of diarrhoea. Would have been far worse with strawberry sauce and icecream! Pretty to look act, almost impossible to finish. One portion can easily feed 3 and the shaved ice was more of an ice kachang consistency than their melt in your mouth snow ice. Dang!

For a cheap thrill, a visit may be suggested but I would not suggest setting your expectations so high.

Modern Toilet
Ximending

Din Tai Fung @ Taipei 101

2012-01-18T16:30:00.000+08:00

To be honest, Din Tai Fung in Singapore does not impres inspite of their neverending queues across their outlets. Friends have been nudging me to give Din Tai Fung a try especially in Taiwan, where they have been awarded 1 Michelin Star. I am not too sure which particular outlet was awarded but here's the outlet at Taipei 101. Packed to such madness, queue numbers are issued together with the menu.

The queues moved quite briskly, I reckon it is the turnaround time that is hugely shortened since your orders are collected way before you are seated and food is served almost immediately.

Their signature open concept kitchen for prying eyes to check out the making of the 18 fold delicacy!

Very thoughtful gesture of having bag-coat chairs for every table. Comes with a napkin to cover it too!

Every table gets a side of ginger and vinegar for obvious reasons.

The famous xiaolongbao!

It probably is brilliant marketing on their end - every time I eat a xlb I am so tempted to see if the skin breaks being lifted by its tip.

Two steamers worth - the original and crab roe.

Crab roe is richer in flavour though it is really just crab roe topping. Credit to be given for their xiao long baos tasting so much better than those in Singapore. Call in quality control? Whatever it is, loved them juicy buns! Each xlb still remained as delicious up to the last remaining lone ranger - shame on you paradise dynasty.

Dumpling Soup Noodle

Hearty broth meets smooth noodle and equally tasty pork wantons.

Fried Rice that I hardly understood everytime the companions used to order. Slightly oily, the rice grains are pearl shaped and tastes just like glutinous rice. Tasty combination here.

DTF is definitely worth a try in homeground, prices are slightly cheaper too and service is miles better. I am not sure if merchandise is available in Singapore but they do have quite a cute range in Taipei!

Ding Tai Fung
Taipei 101

Melange Cafe @ Zhongshan Rd

2012-01-17T16:00:00.000+08:00

Melange Cafe was highly recommended by 食尚玩家 and their must-eat waffles are described as waffles that even celebrities would wait 2 hours for! Even blogs raved about them so I had to squeeze it in, at the expense of a two hour wait. It is a stone's throw away from Zhong Shan Station. Even at an early 9am, the cafe was bustling with people who were there for their breakfast menu.

Melange Cafe!

Feeling all festive.

A reminder on the minimum beverage expenditure of NTD 100.

Take a queue number for waffles as non-breakfast items get served only after 930am and it was at a separate cafe a couple of doors away! Thankfully no 2 hour wait was required!

Jars and bottles of ingredients.

Liked the cosy ambience the cafe exuded.

Newspaper-like menus, so very Skinny Pizza.

Different types of sugar to flavour the drinks.

Hot Green Tea Au Lait (NTD 120)

Rich in green tea, the mellow creamy undertones of this made it one of my favourite green tea drinks around. Surprisingly good warm beverage!

Passionfruit Lemon Juice (NTD 130)

I realise how much of a non-passionfruit fan I am, did not like the seeds nor the tingly sensation that the drink evokes.

Iceblended Fruit Tea (NTD 160)

I would consider this a summer drink with all the tropical fruits from limes to apples and pineapples soaking in one tea drink. Best of all, there was an unmistaken fragrance too!

Iced Coffee (NTD 120)

Seriously good coffee too!

Ham and Vegetable Quiche (NTD 130)

Sweet potatoes formed the vegetable component for this quiche, while the buttery crust was evident I thought it lacked bite and flavour.

Club Sandwich (NTD 140)

I am usually wary of club sandwiches or triple deck sandwiches that come with off the can ham. Not to say the quality of ham was subpar but it was not that great either. Loved the combination of salad and omelette as well as teriyaki chicken. The amusing bit of it is, this came with exactly four pringles.

Strawberry Waffles (NTD 150)

The star of the meal and very rightfully so! Unlike any other waffle eaten, this packs a lot more bite...almost cake-like and dense! This ain't no belgian waffle but has taken waffles to an entirely new dimension. Paired with juicy strawberries and strawberry icecream with custard...this is one mighty set of waffles worth getting out of bed for!

Hardly resistible vanilla macaron (NTD 50) that was served in a champagne glass. Too crumbly and was filled just with buttercream. Unimpressed.

The breakdown of the bill.

Tea time specials!

I am usually a stickler when it comes to eating western breakfasts in Asian countries. Would prefer to head for their soyabean curd or doughsticks in this case. It was one truly memorable and hearty breakfast! Head straight for the waffles to get the maximum experience. If I can, if there will be a second visit...waffles only!

http://www.melangecafe.com.tw/

Melange Cafe
Zhongshan Road

Aoki Sadaharu @ Bella Vita

2012-01-16T14:30:00.000+08:00

From Paris to Japan and finally Taipei, Aoki Sadaharu has been on the list of "to-track-down". Paris mainly because of the macaron madness that I was inflicted with, Japan because that's where Aoki came from but they ran out of eclairs and macarons (like what are the holy odds?) and Taipei, I had to just track it down and stuff just one macaron down the system.

Tracking Aoki Sadaharu down is no brainer, head to to the basement of Bella Vita in their posh shopping district and you are refused photography, almost immediately.

Sneak shots as you can tell further into the entry.

In the basement full of temptations, Aoki Sadaharu stands out for having crowds like that. Mull over what you want and probably have to fight tooth and nail for a seat in their small cafe. Complete tea or tunch within 2 hours, you are gently reminded.

As much as I was rushing for time, I could still spare enough time for a clueless waitress who had the ~~audacity~~ ~~cheek~~ ~~nerve~~ ettiquette to nod so intently without jotting down our orders only to forget every single item the moment I finished babbling.

Getting a glass of water took quite forever, as with the laying of tea table.

Finally our orders arrived in such pretty colours, all unhappiness went up in smoke.

Bamboo Eclair (NTD 140)

Famed for eclairs and matcha no less, we had to have it! I wish I could take a bite of everything under those glass counters. For a wish, will always remain a wish.

Eclairs are by no means simple pastries, or so the rest of the confectioners or bakers claim they are. Aoki Sadaharu must be quite a genius then.

An eclair with density and flavour - chockfuls from the green tea frosting on top to the green tea filling. Completely floored. The best eclair ever stuffed into my mouth? Amen. Flavours hardly contradicted with the frosting being lighter than the filling.

YUM.

Moving onto the macarons which were hollering out so loud at me.

Personal favourite of the lot - Caramel Sale (NTD 90). Enough savoury infused into the macaron. Nailed it! I am a total fan now.

Sesame Noir, Pistache and Rose, all flavours well captured within.

Flavours wise, Aoki Sadaharu is not as audacious as Pierre Herme but the macarons are done well. Did not fancy the crisp shells and texture of the innards though, it could do with some bite though.

There you have it, the personal favourite on take-away! Sigh, even the nothing-fanciful packaging gets me going gaga.

Here's the streets of Hermes, Chanel and Mitsukoshi departmental store at night. Love!

And of course the lovely Taipei 101 which looks so much better at night than in the day.

Aoki Sadaharu
Bella Vita

于記杏仁豆腐 (Yu's Almond Tofu) @ Ximending

2012-01-15T20:57:00.000+08:00

Yu's Almond Tofu caught my eye - located in the next lane from the hotel. I was secretly hoping a Laoban-equivalent.

They promise all things healthy and good.

We were the first customers for the day! Procrastination usually ends up with me missing out completely as history would prove.

熱杏仁豆腐(冬季限定) (TWD 58)

Almond milk with almond tofu served hot. A seasonal new dish which they very annoyingly officially launched the next day with a 1-for-1 promotion! The crunchy almonds gave it a crunchy bite but the tofu had a weird texture. Like kueh, almost. Almond milk was too mild too.

yustofu.com.tw

Yu's Almond Tofu
Ximending Station (Exit 3)

赵記菜肉馄炖大王 (Zhao Ji Wanton) @ Ximending

2012-01-15T09:30:00.000+08:00

Searching for breakfast in Taipei's version of Orchard Road is pretty limiting to fastfood options like KFC and Mcdonalds. We were lucky to chance upon a whole lane of dumpling stores!

Spick and span.

The lady boss was busy wrapping her ingot shaped dumplings outside. More vegetarian than carnivore.

Price list with a website too!

Huge vegetable pork dumplings! Particularly love the QQ skin, miles off better than our wanton skins.

The rest of the hearty medium bowl breakfast.

One thing about their noodles - incredibly smooth. Broth is cleart tasting too!
http://www.chao60.com.tw/

赵記菜肉馄炖大王
台北市中正区桃源街5号

Yeh Liu Souvenir Market

2012-01-14T20:00:00.000+08:00

Yeh Liu is one of the must-see attractions in Taipei..for a better idea of nature's best. They conserved an area with preserved rock formations. The famed queen's head was alas, a fraction of what it used to be. Nonetheless, we found time to do some shopping at the marketing just acoss it.

Like any other wholesale market, the wares are so repeated.

Piles of fish floss.

Or fried fish snacks?

Cod fish slices that were perfect train ride snacks. Sweetened and absolutely chewy, yum!

Or sesame-speckled preserved fish? These were a tad sweet.

The more adventurous may want to head over to their row of seafood shops just nearby for seafood meals. I hear the main source of income of these people is fishing.

Yeh Liu

Partyworld @ Ximending

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000+08:00

Partyworld in XMD is huge, with an entire building dedicated to them. At least being an anchor tenant, the brand name is plastered all over. Piqued to try out their ktv since it is their national pastime. Rates are more competitive especially past midnight though there are minimum food and beverage expenditure requirements.

For two, the room was big enough to accomodate up to 6 people and they charge you by room rate which is awesome for big groups. I remember ever paying $50 per pax for kbox past midnight!

Easy to navigate system but I admit defeat with the way they romanize their chinese characters, more like dialect? Either way, I still made my way through 60 odd songs for our three hour song-a-thon!

I hardly pay attention to karaoke-food because they are usually overfried and greasy. Potato wedges (NTD 60) or termed french fries were pretty good!

Deepfried Chicken Dice (NTD 120) with mayo was finger licking good. Crisp meaty bites, seriously I would not mind having dinner in the ktv at this rate!

Worked out to be SGD40 for 2, close to 4 hours of singing and such decent food...do give their ktvs a try! Oh yes, the room came with a private toilet too which got me really impressed. One minor grouse though, they do use non-official mtvs for some dated songs which really is not such a great deal.

Partyworld

Gayke @ Ximending

2012-01-13T15:38:00.000+08:00

Trust the taiwanese to come up with something so outrightly vulgar! Hard to miss in Ximending, especially with huge boards like these being propped up at strategic locations.

Hidden in an alley of nail parlours, this stands out for the crowd. Gayke - stands for gay cake (or so I read online, apologies I forgot whose blog!).

The media naturally picked it up - much to the amusement of the public. Naturally with detractors saying it is too vulgar for comfort. If this concept ever made its way to Singapore, I trust it'll be forced shut down faster than you can say Abercrombie and Fitch.

Perfect for those who want to spread the love at home!

Merry Christmas anyone?

Most of the customers were there for this 大雕燒. Penis-shaped cake with a german sausage and cheese. Graphical as it is and perhaps invoking all sorts of naughty thoughts, this is truly all in the name of fun. They could have trimmed off the excess for a more exact replica though!

Finish it off with a squirt of mustard, gayke is really delish! With a thick like cake-consistency dough which was also sweetened, I found the german sausage a more palatable alternative to their fat-laden taiwanese sausages. The mustard gave this snack a much needed punch, yummy.

NTD 50 for a bit of fun, why not? Reminded me of the really hilarious visit to Amsterdam's sex museum, life sized male genitalia. Within ear shot, a couple of local army boys pre-ordered seven boxes for the next day's breakfast!

Gayke
Ximending

Jiu Fen Eats

2012-01-12T16:23:00.000+08:00

Word has it that Jiu Fen, north of Taipei rains 11 out of 12 months a year and I guess we were in luck. Jiu Fen Old Street is famous for its alleys and shops and for being located on top of a hill, chilly temperatures for a weekend getaway from hot Taipei in Summer!

Torrential rains that averaged the day's temperature at a freezing 9 degrees when all I was prepared for was 15 degrees. Fog that plagued most part of Jiu Fen and made photo taking cumbersome. Not to include the throngs of tourists that got offloaded into the already narrow streets every now and then. Shopping within the area became problematic when shelter is not their greatest strength - imagine raindrops trickling down your neck every now and then.

The doorway into Jiu Fen.

The only souvenir shop that has quite a huge variety of snacks ranging from mochi to nuts to jellies. One of the stops by tourist groups.

The lovely parrot that caught my attention! Poor fella was terrorized by the crowds.

Pre-packaged mochi that came in so many flavours - if only the expiry dates were not so close! We had a taste of the fruit jellies here and on hindsight, should have bought them! Penny wise pound foolish move by purchasing them elsewhere cheaper.

The stop that snitched the most out of our wallets. 张师傅 for handmade pastries, tarts and...nuts!

Gifts of freshly made pineapple cakes - a clear indication how much splurging was done at the shop!

Piping hot pineapple tart - buttery crisp crust with a mildly sweet pineapple jam within. Anything fresh off the oven is a good friend of mine.

Amongst the pile of damage done, bought them in two thickness.

Somewhat poetic packaging.

All that glitters is gold.

Little boxes of yum.

Which we promptly devoured on the train to Taichung and Hualien. I would have kept them for CNY if possible.

Unlike Kee Wah, this is not so sweet. The buttery fragrance gets stronger as the days go by and for now, I am a bigger fan of taiwanese pineapple cakes to hongkong's!

Peanut candy (NTD 80) that was not too sweet, the priciest of the lot we bought!

Chewy taro balls alert! This is one of the two stalls in Jiu Fen.

Very old school indeed, from the outlook to the making of the balls to decor of the place.

Chef hard at work with such a huge mass of sweet potato dough.

Something oldish about this shot that I like!

Get what I been by downright oldschool? Tables and chairs even!

Ginger soup with balls (NTD 20)

Perfect antidote for rainy weather and even winter! Ginger soup warms the tum greatly and their balls come in various flavours - yam, black sesame and sweet potato. Love how substantial these taste; very chewy but the fibres of their root vegetable origins can be tasted too! It is a mystery why this is not as crowded as

Here's another called Lai Ah Po Yu Yuan just further into the street.

Packed with tourists.

The mess of balls!

Claiming authenticity, this was alot sweeter and less chewy than the first stall. Preference goes to the other stall!

Chockfuls of bland tasting glutinous balls.

Time for some fishballs as this was possibly the next most famous Jiu Fen eat!

Spot 古早? Traditional olden ways of making a particular dish, this is exceptionally popular amongst the street eats throughout Taiwan.

Famous given the numerous snaps that the owner put up, I am assuming they are celebrities.

Hordes of people crowd the shop, so much so we had to head upstairs.

Get thrust a menu and make your way downstairs to pay.

Bowled over by the owner's narcissism. Tons of self taken photos.

Mismatched tables on the second floor.

A bowl of everything - five different flavoured fishballs and tung hoon (NTD 70). Not the most memorable of fish balls, these had too much flour.

貢丸湯 (NTD 50) comprised of just 3 pork balls! These mushroom infused pork balls were still better than their famed fish balls. At least these had a bite!

Simply too stuffed to make an attempt on their popiah icecream.

Watching them prepare the dessert was quite therapeutic!

I wonder how many icecream popiahs have to be made for that entire peanut candy block to be shaved down to its last bit.

A sweet take on our usual savoury delight.

The trip to Jiu Fen was fulfilling though the rain did mar the experience quite a bit. The night view would have been gorgeous for phototaking!

Tam Shui Old Street Eats

2012-01-11T19:00:00.000+08:00

Next to Fisherman's Wharf is Tam Shui Old Street when it comes to the iconic of Tam Shui. In fact, the old street is pretty much a night market of its own that spans 3-4 streets worth. The signatures of Tam Shui are
阿給, fish balls, iron eggs, 虾卷 and icecreams.

Soon I realise 阿給 was so ubiquitous and queues were no longer a good judgement of its standard.

I sell, you sell...everyone sells the same!

Decided to go with the one with more crowds.

Takeaway or dine in goes through the same queue.

All the flavours available.

原味阿給 (NTD 35)

Simply beancurd stuffed with tung hoon and doused in sweet sauce. Nothing too fantabulous about this snack.

Fishballs next! With 40 years of heritage...oh well, nearly every other stall has that long history.

I bet the menu hardly expanded since the day they started business.

Fishball Soup (NTD 30)

Further reaffirmed, whether it is at Tam Shui or Jiu Fen their fishballs have too much flour in them.

Pork Bun (NTD 10)

My charsiew pau would be a better option anyday over this. Minced meat which made this all too soft for comfort.

Even for 虾卷, every single one was a 阿香franchise!

Ended up buying from this stall. Brush the prawn fritters with a garlic sauce - crunchy delight!

How to tell which one is good?

I remember an ex-colleague microwaving her prized bull-horn croissants lovingly brought back from Taiwan by her husband. The fragrance emitted was drool-inducing and in the most cruel manner ever, she had none to offer me.

Paper packaging.

金牛角 so gorgeously browned but hard as a rock. Was bread based rather than layers of buttery pastry. Mega disappointment!

The only 阿婆铁蛋 shop! Each packet of small or large eggs went for NTD 100.

Macau portuguese egg tarts and crepe cakes were quite a mismatch in this place. Well, at least there was a sweet faced lady selling them!

Shih Lin brought to Tam Shui!

Fried quail eggs!

I honestly wonder how she manages to flip such small eggs.

All over Tam Shui.

Finally settled for the cheapest at NTD 10.

Mango and Yam though described as milk icecream barely tasted like any milk was added.

Queues like these are too distracting to ignore.

NTD 10 each!

Look at the mountain of fillings.

Red Bean Pancake so stuffed with fillings, every mouthful was red bean. Complete dream come true, those in Singapore have too much though. This had enough filling and the crisp dough was just so good.

No, it is not a hattrick, the same magic continued with the custard.

I tried pork sausages but how about wild boar sausages?

Watching and hearing them sizzle under fire...oohlala!

A ridiculously cute packaging.

NTD20 is a ripoff to pay for a sausage filled with so many fatty chunks.

Even on the way out, the eyes were kept peeled for this shop! Traditional cake shop.

Freshly made!

Salty?

Sweet?

Claims of no preservatives and a promise of a bite of tradition.

That's NTD 50 worth.

Not a butter cake, this foamy spongey cake was as described 綿密. Really good stuff!

Tam Shui

阜杭豆漿 (Fu Hang Dou Jiang) @ Huashan Market

2012-01-10T15:33:00.000+08:00

Undeterred by the crowds as seen below, we returned for a second visit as early at 830am to beat the morning office crowds if any!

阜杭豆漿 is the country's and tourist's favourite for traditional breakfast. The insane queues over a weekend.

There is only one reason to be at Huashan Market.

阜杭豆漿 very cleverly draws us the queue plan, just in case the crowds get unruly.

Clear signages in place for the blur.

Unbelievably early they open! Very clear ordering instructions they have; the first two ladies will only entertain soyabean drink orders.

An easy queue for a weekday.

Closed every monday!

Do make a mental note what to order - having a bunch of taiwanese ladies firing off at you in chinese what you want to eat can get too mindboggling. I ended up with too much of the same thing.

Doughsticks - done really well, not too oily and chewy!

Soyabean savoury and sweet! The sweet soyabean milk was thick enough and mildly sweet.

The savoury came in a beancurd form topped with crunchy doughsticks and a dash of soya sauce. A hearty morning perk me up.

I got lost in the world of 烧饼. Fu Hang confused me with a thick and thin version anda myraid of similar stuffings. This is probably the thin 烧饼 with egg and doughstick.

And this is the thick 烧饼 with the same ingredients. Chinese burger, I would conclude. Loved the density of the carb here, doughsticks eaten slightly soggy actually taste quite good.

烧饼 without anything, even on its own I laude it for not being greasy and so easy to eat.

More of them buns - sweet and savoury. I prefer the sweet one, tasted just like lotus paste tau sar piah!

I can only imagine how the weekend crowds are like. With 阜杭豆漿 dominating the floor, I should think they deserve the long queues.

It was one really hearty and wholesome breakfast, miles better than Yong He!

阜杭豆漿
Huashan Market

永和豆漿大王 @ Fuxing South Rd

2012-01-09T15:30:00.000+08:00

Soyabean drink and doughsticks are quite the national breakfast staples common in Taiwan. Locally, we do have a Yong He spinoff as well, supposedly from Taiwan but its authenticity remains questionable especially since their standards seemed to have dropped at such alarming rates.

According to the few taiwanese cabbies we spoke to, most claim that 永和豆漿大王 is an overfranchised brand, in fact none of which are related to each. 永和, a part of Taiwan does not even specialise in soyabean! Smart branding on the part of the founder methinks, whoever he or she is.

Nonetheless, we still gave 永和豆漿大王 a go since 阜杭豆漿 just opposite, threatened with an hour over wait.

Seemingly empty but was soon filled with people doing takeaways.

They even have xiaolongbaos!

Everyone has a designated job.

Getting a table was no monkey business, simply wait around and you should get one in 5 minutes flat.

Thin soyabean milk which was okay, not great. Jollibean would have been a more gao option.

燒餅 - light flaky layers that was surprisingly not oily!

油条 that was not too extraordinary either.

蛋餅 was the closest to our egg prata only with spring onions tossed in for better fragrance. This was on the oily side though but otherwise the yummiest of the breakfast table items.

小籠包 that was no Din Tai Fung standard or intricacy, I gave up trying to spot even 8 even folds. Rough workmanship but these were quite decent - chewy skins, soupy fillings and of course, the meatball.

永和豆漿大王 does triumph the Singapore outlet tons but on its own, it's just ordinary Taiwanese breakfast fare at best.

永和豆漿大王
Fuxing South Rd

Jin Shan Old Market @ New Taipei City

2012-01-08T21:00:00.000+08:00

Jin Shan Old Market was one of those adhoc attractions that was kindly included in the itinerary by the driver who insisted that we gave the duck stall a try. Located just outside a temple, business was too brisk for comprehension, yet with utter orderliness.

Hard to miss sign.

It's all about the duck, folks.

Rest of the menu.

Plates and plates and plates of piping hot dishes get churned out by the kitchen so readily. Most of which include innards which until the very last day never quite developed a love affair with.

The more friendly dishes.

Duck is sold at a separate corner, diagonally from the main stall.

So here's the deal, grab plates of what you want and find a seat in the separate coffee shop. They trust you not to bail on the meal. Absolute trust - loving that!

Stir fried cabbage with white bait

So simple, yet so good! Two plates of this.

Their famous duck. Just like the yellow skinned chicken, the duck tasted super tender despite being marinated in what tasted like brine.

Stir fried noodles which was a tad soggy and less appetizing than the other dishes. NTD 360 for a meal like this, value for money!

Do save your stomach for more goodies that line the street which drags on for quite the equivalent of eternity.

Fresh yam kueh anyone?

I wonder who ever buys yam kueh in such huge blocks!

Each morsel was filled with grated yam and panfried. Delish! Should be served with sweet sauce or chilli!

How about some souvenirs?

Generous samples of peanut or black sesame flavoured rice crispy balls.

I succumbed to the friendly salesman!

Like 米通, this hollow snack had a chewy caramel-ish flavour to it. Not too sweet too!

Stumbled upon a homemade muah chee stall and...

These bags of muah chee were irresistible.

I would prefer kneading them myself from the bags as these prepacked ones turned out slightly harder than those sampled.

Spotted at least 3 stores selling the same at different prices.

3 scoops of ice-cream, not quite icecream I must add. More like slurpee only in a more solid form.

Cactus - Coloured a shade of purple, this was eye catching but not distinctive in taste.

Salted caramel - Not too bad!

Pumpkin - My favourite of the lot with pumpkin shards embedded.

Huge pineapple tarts anyone?

Hawkers like those above are a dime too many, from fruits..

To crabs even!

Peanut candy anyone?

I wish I had a go at these brown sugar cakes - mega spongey and chewy!

This old market was totally worth the while with a lot more other food options that the night markets do not normally offer and prices are a fraction lower too!

Jin Shan Old Market
New Taipei City

刘家肉粽 @ Taipei

2012-01-08T09:17:00.000+08:00

We were privileged to have a foodie for a cab driver and he insisted on letting us try as many flavours of taiwan as possible. Pulling up next to 婚紗廣場 which is quite a pretty spot for those taking wedding shots. We witnessed a couple braving the cold for their memories.

Right opposite is the famous dumpling shop!

At NTD 10 each, these were insanely cheap! No bigger than our palms, these are different from the heavy weights in Singapore.

The rice is chewy and not as sticky as the glutinous rice grains we use here. Flavoured with five spices powder, one needs to adore the ingredient to consider this yummy. Stuffing consists of just one pork cube and the rest rice, simple tasty rice dumpling which tastes quite different from the nonya bak zhangs or Ho Kee ones!

http://www.liujiarice.com.tw/

石門富基店:02-2638-0888 Fax：02-2638-3667
新北市石門區崁子腳58-18號
石門店:02-2638-1088 Fax：02-2638-0538
新北市石門區中央路30號
士林分店:02-2832-4060 Fax:02-2835-2503
台北市士林區文林路726號
板橋環球專櫃:02-8969-3638
新北市板橋區縣民大道2段7號B1

天祥餐厅 (Tian Xiang Eatery) @ Hualien

2012-01-07T20:53:00.000+08:00

It was a choice between Aboriginie cuisine and 天祥. Had I known it was an eatery with zi char, I would have opted for aboriginie food! Our hualien guide insisted that she only provided her customers with economical and good tasting meal options, well...here's a review of what proves to be taste is continents-apart subjective.

Packed for some reason and strangely, mostly Singaporeans.

Zichar.

Or order off the menu and get them cooked on the spot. Choose to fill the plate with half dishes or full dishes and each plate cost NTD 60 if memory serves me well.

Reeked of the sea, this seaweed looking cousin was crunchy and slippery.

Cold pickled cabbage which served as a better appetizer than mains.

Bamboo rice that was plain tasting save for the few scattered shrimps.

Our request for the dishes to be reheated either fell on deaf ears or they do not believe in reheating till you see steam. Brinjal - okay at best.

Pork cutlet that was way too oily for comprehension.

A combination of beancurd strips and beancurd rolls, though neither struck a chord.

White bitter gourd and some taiwanese vegetable which tasted the best of the lot.

Service was horrible, hardly prepared for a crowd at all. The lady boss was frying her rice all over the place, out of sheer frustration and panic methinks. They may be better off selling prepacked meals.

I was dumbfounded with the guide's food expectations by the end of the meal. Surely there were more options in Hualien! The cabbie simply brushed it aside as Hualien had nothing delicious to offer. 扁食 and 公正包 that the Taipei cabdriver had told us to took out for? Disappointing food-expedition in Hualien.

鬍鬚張 (Formosa Chang) @ Yong Ji Road

2012-01-07T11:00:00.000+08:00

魯肉飯 was one of the must-tries for me in Taipei, having heard the taiwanese hosts rave heaven and earth about it. One claimed he could consume it every single day. Formosa Chang was one of those that specialised in it with outlets all over Taiwan. This was strategically opposite Wu Fen Pu outlets.

Packed at night and every table had at least an order of it.

Menu on the wall for easy reading.

Everything is branded...right down to the chopsticks.

魯肉飯(小) (NTD 30)

For 魯肉飯, the pricing is considerably higher than the night markets which usually price it between NTD 15-20. I thought this was quite decent, after the disastrous attempt at Raohe Night Market. Richer in flavour and colour, the lard and meaty bits were easier to consume somehow! Rice was on the chewy side. Now I get what they mean by slurping it down so easily - everything is so soft...chewing is hardly needed.

Will I eat this every other day? Thinking twice about it.

http://www.fmsc.com.tw/

Formosa Chang
台北市永吉路533號

Rao He Night Market Eats

2012-01-06T17:30:00.000+08:00

Getting to Rao He is no easy feat...especially if you are walking from Houshanpi station like we did. It is more convenient for commuters taking the railway though, being right smack outside Zhongshan Railway Station. Be prepared for an approximately half and hour walk during winter. I would love to think that Rao He was exceptionally crowded because of the weekend when we were there.

胡椒饼 spotted before the entrance but the famous one is located behind the entrance arches!

Through and through so famous, from the moment we stepped in till the moment we stepped out, queues were unforgivingly long!

Hands made for kneading-twisting-moulding of buns!

Prized buns.

With a texture of a crispy bun and doughy innards, the black pepper only hits you much later into the juicy meat bun. Well worth the queue and definitely a must eat at Raohe!

The news featured a popular winter dish earlier in the day - 麻油雞. 麻油王 is one of the many stalls selling it at Raohe.

Everything with sesame oil!

麻油雞 and noodle (NTD 110), generous portions of both noodle and chicken! Only sesame oil fans need bother.

More of the hearty portion. Taiwanese chicken are much bigger than our kampung chickens and juicier too.

Call me weird but the craving for 滷肉飯 superceded that of pork ribs so we ended up with a bowl from a pork rib stall?!

Boring looking 滷肉飯 (NTD 20). Totally disgusting with almost no meat but all lard bits and the bowl reeked of the pork smell. Completely baffles me how all the pork rib diners could pair this with pork ribs! First attempt that was super disappointing.

Can you guess what was next on the agenda?

At a stall that specialised mainly in smelly tofu and duck's blood...

Yes, oyster egg (NTD 50)! Increasingly so, we found outselves fulfilling the must eat wishlist from places that hardly specialised in them!

Just the way I envisioned it - more goo than egg and oysters. The orange sauce was more sour than savoury actually and the starch was honestly quite delish.

Next on the list...was icecream popiah (NTD 40)!

Well by this time I have learnt not to trust queues nor paper clippings nor television mentions anymore but I feared I may have to leave Taipei without trying this.

Wrapped so snug just like a popiah.

Amazing how chewy the popiah skin is, and how finely grated the peanuts are...the vegetables tossed in actually taste quite good and finally icecream that goes so well.

Two thumbs up!

My favourite couple highly recommended 狀元糕! He seems to have moved from the end of the market to the beginning so watch out for him!

Black sesame or peanut.

Almost like kueh tutu but chewier and the fillings are more evenly spread out. Of the two, I actually preferred peanut better.

The thing differend about Raohe Night Market is, they have alot of stalls encouraging diners to sit down for a proper meal. What I disliked most was the throngs of people making their way through the night market - I literally inched my way in and out of the maze.

And of course braised meats which are a common sight across all nightmarkets.

I'm undecided if Rao He or Shi Da is a personal favourite. Rao He specializes more on food whilst Shi Da encourages shopping and eating at the same time.

Rao He Night Market
Near Houshanpi Station

Shida Night Market Eats

2012-01-05T15:52:00.000+08:00

Getting to Shida Night Market requires a fair amount of walking needed from Taipower Building Station. Famously patronised by Cat B taiwanese actresses (won't name who but if you follow 女人我最大, you'd know who exactly!) for accessories and bags, Shida Night Market caters mainly to the university students studying nearby. What differentiates Shida from the other Night Markets is, things have to be cheap and good since students have an eye for value-for-money anything!

Right at the entrance lies two stationery shops which were impossible to penetrate or even attempt to buy anything - really cheap stationery and festive related paraphernalia. Queues were insane.

Here's one of the few stalls that allows you to quickly grab a bite whilst seating down.

30 holysmokes years of history!

Tasty broth with radishes and fishballs. A more decent fishball than those attempted throughout the trip, at least the level of flour was not over powering.

A tip to note, any stall with a queue - whether food or not, usually is worth the while with exceptions. Patronise at your own discretion!

Hsu Ji dishes out advice for first timers.

MUST TRY!

Since 1984, they must have done it so right to last through the years and only specialise in 生煎包.

Say hello to these uniformly kneaded buns.

Queue number, I felt really bad ordering just one when even the ang moh next to me gamely went for eight! With the copious amount of food scheduled for this night market visit, you'd understand why I stopped at one by the end of this entry.

Yes, I kick myself for ordering one of this. Chewy exterior with a really appetizing minced meat filling. Flavourful pop of heaven this is. Stopping at one should never be an option. I wish I had thirds of this.

The amazing bit about night markets is, having a paperbag of something hot in hand and shuffling through the crowds to the next eat-stop.

I would not even classify this crowded - hordes of people.

Lantern Braised Meat! The stall that garnered most raves online and join the queue we did!

Redefining mind-boggling but at least there was some order in terms of ordering and the lady behind the counter hollering out recommendations on their best sellers.

A rather sheepish selection of greens, some signatures and 王子麵. Supposedly taiwan's famous brand of instant noodles.

Pass over your basket and wait in line.

So your basket of goodies gets placed in line in the most extraordinarily orderly fashion, gets cooked according to your place in line. Almost like a magician pulling off a trick, after that cloud of steam...

Your dish gets cooked after saying V-I-O-L-A. A quick squirting and bathing of gravy and sauces together with a scattering of preserved vegetables and chives, your dish is presented back to you.

NTD 100 for a plate of this and that and all things delicious. I like 王子麵! Chewy and bouncy that did not succumb to the boiling temperatures of the gravy. Preserved vegetables were appetizingly good too. Thumbs up for affordability and tasting so hearty!

Punishment for not taking away - every diner needs to order NTD 30 worth of drinks, yet the irony is nothing in the menu costs NTD 30!

Honey lemon which tasted mountains better than milk tea - the worst milk tea attempted so far.

Slightly further down the street is yet another outlet selling the same - 大台北.

Does not lose out to Lantern in terms of queues.

An equally maddening range of ingredients though somewhat similar.

YES you guessed it right - join the queue we did! The experience at 大台北 was alot less orderly, infact they seemed to thrive on chaos. I lost sight of my basket of goodies but the workers could identify, thankfully. The trick is trying to remember what you even put into the basket...what if someone really does order the same combination?

Stand around and literally wait till you can identify and recall what you really ordered. I'm not too sure if prices are the same as Lantern but we did not order the same fare for a fair comparison.

The same pile of ingredients that gets tossed in too.

The same Prince Noodle here was soggier beneath the pile of ingredients and gravy.

Somehow I love the taiwanese greens which are different from those we have in Singapore. This was alot more shoddy than Lantern, parts of it were tastier than the rest.

The same requirement for drinks.

Comes from the stall just next to it.

Nothing memorable.

Every meal without dessert is sin so trot we did till we found one!

i-Baked (http://ivybaked.com/) is unique in a manner that there are no other competing stalls. Cookie icecreams they sell! Apparently this is opened by a celebrity called Ivy, not that I know who she is!

I smell christmas already.

Choose your cookie flavours over the counter.

And then icecream flavour.

Find a seat in their cushy cafe and enjoy the dessert!

Sticky Hicky - Almond Cookie with Toffee Candy
Eat My Nuts - Walnut White Chocolate Cookie

Both cookies were soft baked cookies and were hinging on the suicidal sweet, honestly with both equally sweet it is quite hard to differentiate the flavours. Vanilla ice was milky though not the bestest icecream eaten. Not too bad a dessert (NTD 90) - you need to throw the calorie counter out for this one!

Crepes or 可麗餅 as they are known as forms one of the longest queues at the entrance and queues for this are more insane than maddening. Order from one counter and wait at the other.

Two helpers manning the exterior grill and I was hoping so bad that this dude would be making mine - the lady ended up with overbaked crepes!

水粿樂園 (NTD85) consisting of strawberries, peaches and bananas, a generous dollop of whipped cream, biscuits and marshmellows and two scoops of mango icecream. The icecream tasted more like sorbet though. Huge portion of what looked better than it tasted.

Special mention goes to this uber duper freaking cute corgi called Ma-lu! Very tame sweetheart!

Shida Night Market

Shih Lin Night Market Eats

2012-01-04T16:39:00.000+08:00

Shih Lin Night Market has to be Taipei's most famous. Located near Jian Tan Station and not Shih Lin, of the few I headed to, this is the closest to the station.

One of the most famous - Aptly named Hot Star Large Fried Chicken. In fact, franchises of this can be found at other night markets too, the most touristy thing to do however is, buy it where it originates from!

A rather brisk queue.

Massive sized chicken cutlets at NTD 55 each. They insist on no chopping or cutting it up, saves time for sure!

Fried till golden brown and dusted with spices.

Thick juicy chunk of chicken with a really spicy flavouring to make this night market favourite so good! The main grouse is it does get soggy towards the end. One draw about this - the portion of chicken is unbelievably huge, I wonder where these chickens are from. Besides, these patties are not blended ones, comes with the soft bones intact!

Just two doors away is their "Big Sausage Wrap Small Sausage". I skipped "Big Bun Wrap Small Bun" after hearing all the negative reviews.

Busy at work.

Two specialties - diced sausages or the rice sausages with meat sausage.

Accreditation.

Long and fat.

So here's the deal, at NTD 50, you get a bak zhang equivalent of a glutinous rice roll brushed with a delectable sauce and filled with pickled vegetables. The cherry on top of the icing - that chewy meaty grilled pork sausage. Arguably the best across all night markets. I kid you not when sheer disappointment sinks in when all there is within the sausage are fatty chunks.

Crowd favourite and probably so because of the novelty - coffin bread!

Tools for temptation.

Everything at NTD50, when in doubt go for the one with all flavours.

Nicely deepfried - oh so love the golden brown!

Abit of this and abit of that.

Swiftly it gets cut with such precision.

Everything goes into the coffin.

A ladle of goo, literally. A starchy gummy blobby mess.

For as long as the theatrics lasted, it was interesting to watch.

CHEY! Honestly, tasted like chunky soup with bread. Bread bowl would have been more wholesome but I guess, novelty does sell.

Innovative way of keeping the chopstick wrappers from being littered all over.

Possibly the only peanut candy store there is within the main Shih Lin Market grounds. Freshly made on the spot, this was also the most expensive of the trip. My suggestion - head elsewhere!

Oh hello you!

Soon you'd realise so many stalls have stamps of approval from all over - it's just how familiar you are with these variety shows and the hosts.

Walking away from the main building just diagonally across brings you to almost two full streets of eats. Good heavens!

We literally squealed in delight when we spotted Prince Cheese Potato from afar. Read on...

Loads of toppings.

Easy to order menu.

These two folks are on 食尚玩家, used to be in a boyband called Tomorrow. Anyway, we spotted this online and tracked it down.

What goes into the delectable cheesy topping.

Decadence much!

Final product with everything you can imagine in it and on it.

Simply a deconstructed potato spud, they deepfried the mashed potato to recreate the spud, topped it off with a mountain of ingredients and drenched it in 4 cheese sauce. Yet, it was all mush. Soft-soft-soft and saucy. Flavours were not distinct and disappointing. At this juncture, we were already beginning to question the validity of all the raving reviews these taiwanese food hosts gave.

Fried milk!

Cubes of solidified milk.

Final product after all that frying.

Crisp shell hides a molten milky stuffing - sweet! I actually liked it.

卤味 is one of the must eats and this Kao Hsiung stall is a definite must try!

Take your pick in all that pile.

They refry it, chop it up and toss it into a bag. We were probably the only ones in the queue with such a miserly portion!

Caramelized duck wing was finger licking good! Loved how the spices permeated every bite. Duck tongue too wowed, soft and tasty...yummy!

Some random sugarcane stall.

Comes with a sugar cane bottle too!

The rest of the stalls at the main night market.

Spotted along the streets - fried pumpkin balls.

The eating continues...anywhere, everywhere.

If eating is not quite your thing, how about some childhood carnival games?Shih Lin Night Market is the grand dame of all them all, not quite in history but popularity amongst tourists. There are snacks that are only available there but by and large, most of them are available at the others as well.

Ay Chung Mian Xian @ Ximending

2012-01-03T16:30:00.000+08:00

I had a laundry list of things to eat as usual, and Ay Chung Mian Xian ranked tops...even more so when the hotel we stayed was just located minutes away! With quickening footsteps, the crowd outside this national favourite is hard to miss. Patrons sitting outside with haphazardly strewn chairs slurping mee sua is quite a sight.

Watching him scoop out bowls of mee sua was quite a sight - the theatrics he did with the ladle and bowl. Not just simply scooping and dishing out.

Make a beeline for payment before heading over to the next counter to collect your order.

Make your way to the side to lace the piping hot bowl with either their signature chili sauce (retails at NTD 120 per bottle), garlic sauce or what looked like soya sauce. Find a seat and slurp away.

I am not one who adores food that can be slurped, for the simple reason it lacks bite. Yet for Ay Chung, a totally different story awaits. Served tongue scalding hot, slurping becomes the only way to eat this. Waiting for the bowl to cool is not quite an option - eternity may be the answer for a growling tum. Though slurpworthy, the mee sua has quite a bite on its own. Paired with a broth so rich and tasty, methinks they included squid and probably scallops in it for such a wonderful broth! For the first time ever, I relished the intestines. Chewy innards without the gameyness, I actually liked it.

Oh yes, chilli sauce that doubles up the lip burning sensation and sets the nose on fire, awesome stuff! Seconds we returned for, though I really wish there was more time for thirds, forths and more!

Well worth the hype and returns.

Ay Chung Mian Xian
Ximending

SIN-HKG-TPE: Cathay Pacific

2012-01-02T17:00:00.000+08:00

Time for the annual year end holiday again and this year, we ended up in Taipei! It is one of those places like Korea that at some point in time I would have traded off my tresses even to go because of their idol dramas. Well, I was there almost a decade too late.

Flying Cathay again, one of my favourite carriers to fly by...awesome landing and take off! Been through enough ear shattering landings to pay for a good one. The entertainment onboard fell short of expectations though - nothing much to catch nor listen too!

There was an option of Fish Congee or Omelette for breakfast and we all headed western.

Came with Meiji Strawberry Yogurt which was different from all the other Meiji Yogurt products bought off the supermarts. Raisin croissant was unfortunately dry and fruit salad was boring.

Lunch onboard turned out to be refreshment - still miles better from UA's meal packs! Heated packs of ham and cheese bread. Loved the toasty sides, chewy texture and cream cheese. Orange juice and delish bun makes me a happy traveller.

On the way back, we had refreshment once again in the 1.5 hour flight. This time chicken ham bread with BBQ sauce which I thought was not too complementary.

Peanuts were served as appetizers after the plane delay - by the time proper dinner was served...was almost 11! Supper methinks.

I still cannot figure out where does the meal trolley honestly start - the front or back? Every time I choose a seat near start of the row, the trolley starts behind, so on and so forth.

Fish with Rice and Chicken with Potatoes were offered but by the time it reached us, the latter ran out. The very kind steward took the initiative to help us search high and low and most apologetically returned with Business Class options - brownie points for Cathay Pacific!

Duck with Rice or Fish with Potatoes - we tried them both! Sounds super noob saying this but every differentiation is made for each class of cabin - right down to the porcelain plates. Until someday I decide to pamper myself completely - business class shall remain a frivolous dream.

Well simmered duck with yam and bean curd skin, this oriental dish was well executed.

Likewise with the fish, though mildly fishy was no usual dory fish, adored the grilled potatoes and vegetables too.

Pity they had no other dessert choices but chocolate icecream. We ended the flight back on a lucky note - awesome light as a feather landing...! Kudos Cathay Pacific once again!

Tatsuya Revisited @ Goodwood Park Hotel

2012-01-01T16:30:00.000+08:00

Back at Tatsuya's for a christmas lunch, reservations are still highly recommended judging from the crowds. Counter seats and table seats were equally popular.

Back at the same cosy corner!

One of the many dignitaries who also adore Tatsuya.

Hand towels.

Toothpicks and soy sauce, though no relation.

Flip it over for lunch bento sets or head ala carte and be pampered by the chef!

Chawanmushi that accompanied all sets. Liked the faint zesty fragrance and taste which reminded me of Japan, greatly. Light wobbly custard with an unmistakenable fragrance.

Sashimi Unajyu Bento ($30.90)

The main draw of this set - sashimi air flown from Tsukiji and Fukuoka market. I miss Tsukiji market so! Never ever look at sashimi the same way again, most unfortunately.

Sushi Bento ($30.90)
Likewise, the sashimi is so fresh, sushi hardly tastes the same again. The companion was pleased as punch.

Ladies Lunch Set ($26.80)

The ladies lunch set came with sushi and seafood pancake. Sushi once again wowed. Seafood pancake had korean hints to it but I loved the juicy seafood chunks and how this was still crisp after laying out in the cold.

Raw quail egg to mix in with the dipping sauce - does wonders to it! Though I would never eat an raw egg without gagging.

And a portion of inaniwa udon. Sooooo good!

Slurp it all up!

Portion of fruits that came with it. Possibly the only part of the meal that fell short of expectations.

The waitresses took eternity of a lifetime to present a dessert menu and waited for us to decide on cheesecake and pudding, only to be met with a straightfaced "We are only left with icecream."

Honestly, then say so earlier!

Black sesame icecream and green tea with red bean both had their fans. I personally favoured black sesame for the rich creamy taste and fragrance.

The great thing about their bento sets is the numerous compartments of bite-sized heavenly portions which comes at pocket friendly prices. The amazing part about their bento sets is, everything tastes so good! Having a bit of everything is still my notion, until the next visit for ala carte perhaps. I have heard so much about their famed ala carte dishes that it is high time for one!

Tatsuya
Goodwood Park