tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46705441777057863132024-03-05T17:37:09.765+08:00We Eat to Livewe.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-49031392104984148032007-11-23T15:31:00.000+09:002007-11-23T16:13:34.864+09:00Reunion with DadLast Monday signalled the arrival of Dad in Perth and what better way to reunite with him than to whip up a simple yet delicious home-cooked meal in the comfort of a cool room amidst the sweltering heat of the nasty summer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2056049057_22d64022d5.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2056049057_22d64022d5.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My pesto spiral salad. Well-drained fusilli tossed with dollops of basil pesto, cherry and sundried tomatoes, peas and corn kernels, then drizzled with the simplest of olive oils. This is a real summer delight, sophisticated-looking but yet, so quick and easy to prepare. Eaten cold or warm, the pesto itself is the centre of attention. Pasta salads are equally flexible, so if you don't fancy peas or corn, feel free to substitute it with any garden vegetables that you like or maybe even capers or anchovies. For my salad, I love to use sundried tomatoes as the subtly scented infused oil tends to give the flavour an added boost.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/2056049517_c5dc2bc71c.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/2056049517_c5dc2bc71c.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Lemon honey chicken. I have to admit this fell short of my expectations. Using a mixture of lemon juice, golden syrup and rosemary to marinade the chicken, I should have used less lemon juice, while increasing the amount of honey to sweeten the meat. Well, one has to fail in order to succeed doesn't it? Nevertheless, despite the less than exciting flavour, the chicken was cooked perfectly with no pinkness in sight.<br /><br />Overall, it was a good meal with Dad's safe and blessed arrival. Good food, great company, what more can i ask for?we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-78125441728035416192007-11-13T20:21:00.000+09:002007-11-18T09:59:24.963+09:00Grilled VegetablesIt was on impulse that we stumbled on Corduroy Cafe. Although both of us have individually heard of the Cafe when it first opened at Bukit Timah, we have never had the chance to try its delicious offerings. Last Tuesday happened to be the golden opportunity when my girlfriend and I wanted to try something different and yet not too expensive. Browsing through the VivoCity's listing of food and beverages, we chanced on the cafe.<br /><br />You order at the cashier once you have decided on the decidedly large array of offerings. Everything except mains are presented in a long glass counter. Its strongest offerings are alads, appetizers, side dishes, soups, and, desserts - done in more of mediterranean style.<br /><br />My side order of four types of grilled vegetables was definitely something that I could easily get hooked. Costing only $4.50, it was delicious, healthy and yet filling.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1Sa5dYv6r5JrhfjF9HFX3BvsBuKDBpKLzBvP0uRQi_Uz8OKW8OwrWWyTzDa67J1tTdEFMZgZKzrdHWceoTAY2XYUHoScEKj_x2sITIRME5UnSR9CrZKaHFpo6FTjOzLeLWQVNvuBCtw/s1600-h/IMG_0178.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132284825362670690" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1Sa5dYv6r5JrhfjF9HFX3BvsBuKDBpKLzBvP0uRQi_Uz8OKW8OwrWWyTzDa67J1tTdEFMZgZKzrdHWceoTAY2XYUHoScEKj_x2sITIRME5UnSR9CrZKaHFpo6FTjOzLeLWQVNvuBCtw/s400/IMG_0178.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>The Cafe pays attention to details. Even the milk for the coffee came warmed and not cold (as in most other restaurants). </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XGXhBtnGj1JfLCoGvdFlUom71Fbn38lVEQ49PpWGxdgzm0By9ben7da7aSzYi0CN_PMPsF2J12zyi9o1XU65ujwU94Zu6ALdYLulPNgpvm9shyphenhyphenMwOG5sEUtFWUEWGKcc8GNZnLJviTY/s1600-h/IMG_0183.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132284829657638002" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XGXhBtnGj1JfLCoGvdFlUom71Fbn38lVEQ49PpWGxdgzm0By9ben7da7aSzYi0CN_PMPsF2J12zyi9o1XU65ujwU94Zu6ALdYLulPNgpvm9shyphenhyphenMwOG5sEUtFWUEWGKcc8GNZnLJviTY/s400/IMG_0183.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>Hmm, this is one place I must introduce my girls when they come back to Singapore in December. I can almost picture my two girls lounging so comfortably on the different types of sofas sipping Earl Grey with macarons!</div><br /><div></div><div>After the "grand" lunch, I chanced upon a bag that I could not resist buying. Shiny in patent and gilded in gold at correct places, coupled with the unusual shape, it surely capped a most fulfilling day!</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydRyKFCG5lHtvK0mbFwPz2wLWukZ-IJTzEOUI2uR3IXk5N9fuqvO-nKCo1EGe5qySxn1qjbqv4L1q_mKRCoiVlLz75gM6zsHH_emeRJ2lBkemyaa4gJFLOS25Lu6X7Wt_nx7uQT2cPfA/s1600-h/IMG_0187.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133799250350272450" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgydRyKFCG5lHtvK0mbFwPz2wLWukZ-IJTzEOUI2uR3IXk5N9fuqvO-nKCo1EGe5qySxn1qjbqv4L1q_mKRCoiVlLz75gM6zsHH_emeRJ2lBkemyaa4gJFLOS25Lu6X7Wt_nx7uQT2cPfA/s400/IMG_0187.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-23215982999794693122007-11-11T11:43:00.001+09:002007-11-11T13:18:55.277+09:00Pumpkin and Ham Risotto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2222/1957795108_f36b135b2a.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2222/1957795108_f36b135b2a.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One of my favourite quotes on food belong to Miguel de Cervantes when he stated that ''All sorrows are less with bread''.<br /><br />As sceptical as that might sound, I do believe it's true. No matter how quickly the world is going by, regardless of morning, day or night, there comes a standstill when time is simply just devoted to the pure, essential need to eat. People stuff themselves silly with chocolate when life does a 180 flip. Others go for junk food, sweets, weird cravings or anything which just about forms the theory of food.<br /><br />Recently things haven't been going well with my life. Maybe it's a wake-up call from God, maybe I haven't been cooking very frequently, or maybe I neglected this blog for awhile. Whatever the case, life goes on. Speaking about sorrows, I decided to pull my remaining energy to make a comforting meal - Risotto. A meal much loved by Italians for a fact. I've always longed to make risotto centuries ago, but never got to fulfill this plan of mine. But no, I wasn't deterred by the thought of having to stay by the stove and keep stirring the rice for eons. Hell, I could stay by the stove for over 2 hours if the stove will have me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/1957798060_be5d5c1e8e.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/1957798060_be5d5c1e8e.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pumpkin and ham risotto wasn't so much a combination I was inclined upon. The grocery pretty much only had pumpkin (when I wanted asparagus) and ham was a nice addition for a nice meaty bite. For a first-timer, my risotto was surprisingly not bad. The flavours of the ham and pumpkin came together nicely, like they were meant for each other. The only regret was it should have been a little wet and runny in texture but got a little tad dry towards the cooking process. Just a warning, the ham can be quite salty so you might want to use a salt-reduced stock or make your own stock so that it doesn't become overly salty.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pumpkin and Ham Risotto </span>(serves 2)<br /><br />200-250ml arborio rice<br />1 small yellow onion<br />600-700ml chicken/veg stock (salt-reduced)<br />3 slices of ham<br />1/4-1/2 small pumpkin<br />olive oil<br />parmesan (or any good hard cheese)<br />unsalted butter<br />salt & pepper to taste<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Pour the stock into a pot, heating it, while letting it simmer.<br />With a knife and a chopping board, finely dice the onion. Set it aside.<br />Slice the pumpkin into fairly medium blocks/cubes. Set it aside.<br />Chop up the ham into squares. Set aside.<br />Heat up a good large pot, pour a good glug of olive oil in and when it gets medium to medium-high hot, add the diced onions. Fry the onions for a good 1-2 minutes or so or until the onions turn fairly soft. Don't let the onions burn though.<br />Pour in the arborio rice and toast the grains, letting each one of them get coated with the oil and onions for about 2-3 minutes. At this point, you can add a glass of white wine if you want.<br />With the simmering stock, add a ladleful to the rice and stir, letting it get absorbed before adding another. Mix in the pumpkin. You'd want to keep stirring and adding ladlefuls of stock until the rice is fully cooked through (roughly about 15-20 minutes). About 5-6 minutes towards the end, add the squares of ham.<br />When the risotto is just about right, add a few cubes of unsalted butter and about a 100g of grated parmesan. Turn off the heat and mix the butter and cheese in until it gets rich and creamy.<br /><br />Serve immediately and enjoy.<br /></div></div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-11237039475451554272007-10-27T09:43:00.000+08:002007-10-27T16:28:03.392+08:00A Lesson on Food PhotographyAfter 2 weeks of attending an Executive Management Programme at NUS, the course ended on a high note with a buffet dinner at the Hyatt. The highlight of the nite is the free flow of wine and beer.<br /><br />What captured my attention though was the dessert spread. With an extreme weakness for cakes - especially the condensed hard versions (mousse-types are out!) - I was delighted to see two gleaming plates of brownies and strawberry cheesecakes beckoning to me.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVz0SGUeoZDsMvyoSHk1r1pMF2usO0oM5CpbUySeHnBVm00Wl9J6bALmFyTle8DAsf0A5_gMeFR0WHOQzM2aRn89uvISdCMcNRkERyU_E33zFGQLP-jGcYa1LmCAVdCUq_K1IFHv4gv2w/s1600-h/IMG_0160.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125830886862401074" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVz0SGUeoZDsMvyoSHk1r1pMF2usO0oM5CpbUySeHnBVm00Wl9J6bALmFyTle8DAsf0A5_gMeFR0WHOQzM2aRn89uvISdCMcNRkERyU_E33zFGQLP-jGcYa1LmCAVdCUq_K1IFHv4gv2w/s400/IMG_0160.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While the rest of my 50 over course mates and professors queued for the entrees, I made a definite beeline for the dessert corner.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m81XHSaIsNV8AtZRT-UpytSavT9ZT3k7Hkf5qLmbQb38YOEFWEsJBd7eBIqtx_yTqvpSZKWFAu2qb1cSg3UTCBKFV8t6WekAV6nP4AhQTXq_jPAb5EgETmJ1AaVcM7hJu_0mpuOSo80/s1600-h/IMG_0158.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125830818142924322" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m81XHSaIsNV8AtZRT-UpytSavT9ZT3k7Hkf5qLmbQb38YOEFWEsJBd7eBIqtx_yTqvpSZKWFAu2qb1cSg3UTCBKFV8t6WekAV6nP4AhQTXq_jPAb5EgETmJ1AaVcM7hJu_0mpuOSo80/s400/IMG_0158.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yummy and delicious! The brownies are nutty with just the right amount. The strawberries were large, sweet and the cheese were not overpowering. Together with red wine and coffee, I savoured two large pieces each!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZ6dlsF4UHmBWIL8kgJKBbBJ0itmTDN_3NDEL7BChAi109yVfsnQJZbCmpECAl1GT32GdO9iz_W6AIgyd4IwTIS7KPP0tKVvDgiRh85AXN8GPHvUepSrlBah4DCq5Q0qs2-Caoo3-TB0/s1600-h/IMG_0161.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125830951286910530" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZ6dlsF4UHmBWIL8kgJKBbBJ0itmTDN_3NDEL7BChAi109yVfsnQJZbCmpECAl1GT32GdO9iz_W6AIgyd4IwTIS7KPP0tKVvDgiRh85AXN8GPHvUepSrlBah4DCq5Q0qs2-Caoo3-TB0/s400/IMG_0161.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />What topped the nite though came unexpectedly. While I was trying to take the shots on the dessert spread, I was approached by the professional photographer hired by NUS. He kindly gave me advice on the best angles for the shots and also the lighting level to be used. You see the results of his advice on this page.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqWSglYUO1Un6Dsa__XJQ7UwEn2FXyMwjAgDWeaBjxqVjhqFYQ0WJmtB0-tLpBUHNvKZvjVmXR2gCTdYrShbvoxPg_torCFcTSbrRAm6ZeJ46QqQD5briAxvYLNAmvCX_vvfG1GfQdCQ/s1600-h/IMG_0163.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5125830989941616210" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqWSglYUO1Un6Dsa__XJQ7UwEn2FXyMwjAgDWeaBjxqVjhqFYQ0WJmtB0-tLpBUHNvKZvjVmXR2gCTdYrShbvoxPg_torCFcTSbrRAm6ZeJ46QqQD5briAxvYLNAmvCX_vvfG1GfQdCQ/s400/IMG_0163.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Do give me a holler on what you think of the final shots!we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-29598541257538843812007-10-24T07:28:00.000+08:002007-10-24T07:49:17.326+08:00Good Old-fashioned Comfort FoodHave any of you renewed your passports recently? What was your experience at the Immigration Department? From 1 to 10, I reckoned many would have given it a 1!<br /><br />Fortunately, to the rescue came the excellent mee pok noodles at Crawford Lane. My daughter Sam is definitely one of its fervent fans and I am in definite agreement with her. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitf0f7rmrKK_6PqB6YdLlrbRlVAv2fq2xr_Uv4GzcAY8GDokBJONhF-LrRskG1-h95Vqs_2gOpfnmqMC5XViTcCCK72CNEo4s-99g-ry_9uJiWxab95Ulfpc5uTkYumXFN-_M7B-rld5E/s1600-h/IMG_0148.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124679703526581954" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitf0f7rmrKK_6PqB6YdLlrbRlVAv2fq2xr_Uv4GzcAY8GDokBJONhF-LrRskG1-h95Vqs_2gOpfnmqMC5XViTcCCK72CNEo4s-99g-ry_9uJiWxab95Ulfpc5uTkYumXFN-_M7B-rld5E/s400/IMG_0148.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Last Monday, it provided a soothing balm to the ruffled feathers of my me and my hubby. From the lack of notification to collect the passport to the under-catered carpark lots, from the long queues at the application counter to the longer queues at the collection point, I really wonder how the Immigration people are turning a blind eye to the daily boiling pot within their very premises. But that is another story!<br /><br />Coming back to the mee pok, the family-run unit moved from Marina Square quite a few years back due to the Marina upgrading. With the move, the amount of noodles have increased with no damage to the purse-strings. The quality of the noodle also did not suffer. I love vinegar and I could really taste its flavour amidst the noodles. The pig's liver, pork slices and minced port are generous to a small eater like me.<br /><br />Good old fashioned comfort food!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2aL9CEZoCaV5xg8gxEO3vu4zNejdEC_PIGCvM8g9B5qlRftyil5ozdxEf1W3ycQJSMA2yyIe_dv5DHHl_4yJovHNpXzQlnyJ-cnnyAFCZTqHKxRHBpmJzaPVF_EAvJFClIhNjF254OE/s1600-h/IMG_0149.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124679712116516562" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2aL9CEZoCaV5xg8gxEO3vu4zNejdEC_PIGCvM8g9B5qlRftyil5ozdxEf1W3ycQJSMA2yyIe_dv5DHHl_4yJovHNpXzQlnyJ-cnnyAFCZTqHKxRHBpmJzaPVF_EAvJFClIhNjF254OE/s400/IMG_0149.JPG" border="0" /></a>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-58436748205829868532007-10-20T21:25:00.000+08:002007-10-21T11:35:53.885+08:00Waraku@StarhubAs my hubby needed to go to M1 to change his phone, we decided to have an early Saturday dinner to avoid the crowds along Orchard Road. Having heard so much about Waraku from colleagues and seen the many new branches in Central and Marina Square, we headed to the one at Starhub Centre. We were early and so had the privilege to choose a more obscure corner.<br /><br />The menu items were extensive. Even the drinks and desserts have their own menu cards! We decided to go a la carte so that we could try the many dishes. From the waitress' recommendations, we finally made our choices.<br /><br />First was the Sanma Sashimi. “Sanma” or Mackerel Pike is a fish with red meat rich with proteins. It is mainly caught off the north eastern shores of Japan as the fish swim down from Hokkaido. The flesh is fatty and sweet and the sashimi is served with grated fresh ginger and purple leeks. The taste was divine and delightful to the palate. Definitely a dish not to be missed!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAeIH2GUXuwuclLCe7KdDMB6czv5PdQab9V1MIP4LU7xfx_P21H9TfEsKqq7u-Ww3P50_TTtT5KM5Y0fJo4TpGJcJmIbcvFCB93sjwHKg7rqytGTXjbKNcDmAQvY-a6_inCCSsqPUHl8/s1600-h/IMG_0141.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123410663079885154" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAeIH2GUXuwuclLCe7KdDMB6czv5PdQab9V1MIP4LU7xfx_P21H9TfEsKqq7u-Ww3P50_TTtT5KM5Y0fJo4TpGJcJmIbcvFCB93sjwHKg7rqytGTXjbKNcDmAQvY-a6_inCCSsqPUHl8/s400/IMG_0141.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Next, was the miso ramen with minced pork. It was served with freshly grated garlic. The soup was sweet but on the oily side. The ramen was cooked with the right consistency and the pork slices were generously large. Our verdict was a dish that is value for money.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7TD4JNMTFtKXB2UcbOGVV1t7bJ8mYQhuaIePwnm-yYBGJO25zD8k2js_Osvbbo0D36W2XB0oyOg0pQDfEZiFBC_gOdCWIZRUofoB84BIY2J1EXoddIpYXuVmFq7Q8OY9vFe6HYFVlaI/s1600-h/IMG_0142.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123411530663278994" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7TD4JNMTFtKXB2UcbOGVV1t7bJ8mYQhuaIePwnm-yYBGJO25zD8k2js_Osvbbo0D36W2XB0oyOg0pQDfEZiFBC_gOdCWIZRUofoB84BIY2J1EXoddIpYXuVmFq7Q8OY9vFe6HYFVlaI/s400/IMG_0142.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The third dish was also recommended by the helpful waitress. It is some kind of cheese, potato and diced salmon mixture that was baked on an iron plate. Worth a try but not something to shout about!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgR2zreMxUjF79J6_ZV6RrHb3t8SNtXA5dhjNzEx5H2DALRNKIgq1tr8k4iSBPbRJeJZ6E63qCvzgYo5MBnZOzIBN49OMHAi4iYqJ4rh_cf9mbAn3TCxl8MFN3tq6kGq0dMkBJsTiZOw/s1600-h/IMG_0144.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123411573612951970" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgR2zreMxUjF79J6_ZV6RrHb3t8SNtXA5dhjNzEx5H2DALRNKIgq1tr8k4iSBPbRJeJZ6E63qCvzgYo5MBnZOzIBN49OMHAi4iYqJ4rh_cf9mbAn3TCxl8MFN3tq6kGq0dMkBJsTiZOw/s400/IMG_0144.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The scallop skewers that followed were grilled to perfection. I enjoyed chewing on the succulent pieces that were soaked in its own savoury-sweet juices.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-ogfo7-IjH0tsfhhMN5Zl5UNOO-NjD263McPXrWKK2hVKEIfiv0j1vzRSyxeOgbO33VHb7ut5Rg58r2TDwxuzJes3wTAPZpqD9sK4tmlD5t1t6gdEHvr2drTuwld0ut4i8JfrdTICG0/s1600-h/IMG_0147.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123411582202886578" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-ogfo7-IjH0tsfhhMN5Zl5UNOO-NjD263McPXrWKK2hVKEIfiv0j1vzRSyxeOgbO33VHb7ut5Rg58r2TDwxuzJes3wTAPZpqD9sK4tmlD5t1t6gdEHvr2drTuwld0ut4i8JfrdTICG0/s400/IMG_0147.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The perennial favourite of ours: chawan mushi was a tad disappointing. Although the pix showed pieces of eel, fish cakes, ginko nuts, etc, the real dish was a micro version of the pix. In fact, I couldnt even locate the eel and did not waste time to reveal my disappointment to the waitress, Serene. The porcelain bowl was however a feast to the eyes!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaklv_2189eDduHCrTTsbXzzeo97G-65ScQuiROkCS4shPQedwCFH_tX5A8zqq-fH25avMORv_YNpxys3IKDLoRuC3izT9FScrX2RkroHehodawp4saQxGtrNNdRgzf2mpkxgTRZQZ7Q/s1600-h/IMG_0139.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123410671669819762" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaklv_2189eDduHCrTTsbXzzeo97G-65ScQuiROkCS4shPQedwCFH_tX5A8zqq-fH25avMORv_YNpxys3IKDLoRuC3izT9FScrX2RkroHehodawp4saQxGtrNNdRgzf2mpkxgTRZQZ7Q/s400/IMG_0139.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhaXCF8UfSJ1VvW6GRBCaMFqhl6EGzWRoWT3BXxSs5x-ZfiaNRKa-DM4hjmon9WWk2owwfh1LGfiNvyz589wCXWCUDUTP77C2klO-RWIxtKEuBahVxfKP5QvIEO0JrnV94TiUqASgV0c/s1600-h/IMG_0140.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123410680259754370" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhaXCF8UfSJ1VvW6GRBCaMFqhl6EGzWRoWT3BXxSs5x-ZfiaNRKa-DM4hjmon9WWk2owwfh1LGfiNvyz589wCXWCUDUTP77C2klO-RWIxtKEuBahVxfKP5QvIEO0JrnV94TiUqASgV0c/s400/IMG_0140.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div> </div><div></div><div><br />Overall, our Waraku experience is only average. There are definitely better Japanese restaurants elsewhere in Singapore!</div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-87396984471694874582007-10-15T21:15:00.000+08:002007-10-16T16:18:44.594+08:00Alfresco Dining@Mango LingoMy broker raved about the fresh mango pieces. Another gym goer is particularly partial about the coconut combination. The children are keen on its ice concoctions. What am I talking about?<br /><br />Why? It is the Mango Lingo and its array of ice-cold fruits and ice-cream offerings, of course!<br /><br />Never one to turn a blind eye to desserts, my palate was tickled when my broker and gym friend spoke in no uncertain terms about their experience at Mango Lingo. After a particualr strenuous yoga workout, they have stumbled upon the brightly-lit unit on level 2 of Square 2 recently and lived to tell their tale. Amidst their enjoyment of the fruity sensations, they were joined by artistes from MediaCorp! Certainly, what better testimony for Mango Lingo than these self-professed authority on anything food!<br /><br />That particularly day, my hubby and I shared the Lovers' Paradise: a mountain of diced strawberries, gooseberries or kiwi fruits and mango topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Very high antioxidants to scare away the harmful free radicles in your body. This means you get to eat delectable desserts and yet protect your health!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOqgO_rULIPrO9SHq3KLQaOc1F1dpAU0zQ98DhouJPn77iX6522ApE7kL2waBmPdkTs8fcPXBs2bXGgDE0_SkpzyiZMslk465nJYROj_x1VNeAu0CyyI2ZNuIV8Z3nzUswn7dr05i9Qs/s1600-h/IMG_0134.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121552711767243074" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOqgO_rULIPrO9SHq3KLQaOc1F1dpAU0zQ98DhouJPn77iX6522ApE7kL2waBmPdkTs8fcPXBs2bXGgDE0_SkpzyiZMslk465nJYROj_x1VNeAu0CyyI2ZNuIV8Z3nzUswn7dr05i9Qs/s400/IMG_0134.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another plus for the place at Square 2 is the open-air cul-de-sac that adjoins the unit. With a water wall providing a soothing and zen-like background, surrounding greenery and the wooden planks making up the flooring, this is one place to head for for a stress-relieving experience.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7C2s1JFx04o9y8mjwS52Zm7JOstcMGjkisQZED3_eU7tKN0p7twngZpOKA_95ejg-brS6jAs0hfGQmEoQJvjBvDpRwOCdU7194pLhWwnZ7ResHOuS5bukvkLGqa5nuz8yq_WzYXssgU0/s1600-h/IMG_0138.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121552720357177682" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7C2s1JFx04o9y8mjwS52Zm7JOstcMGjkisQZED3_eU7tKN0p7twngZpOKA_95ejg-brS6jAs0hfGQmEoQJvjBvDpRwOCdU7194pLhWwnZ7ResHOuS5bukvkLGqa5nuz8yq_WzYXssgU0/s400/IMG_0138.JPG" border="0" /></a>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-64772518220114552722007-10-14T20:55:00.000+08:002007-10-15T21:14:11.758+08:00Rice Balls with FillingsThe shop is styled like the EC House chain of hair salons - with clear 3-step instructions.<br /><br />First, you choose the kind of rice you want. There are five types - purple rice, brown rice, mixed grain, wheat (almost like couscous) or white. The lady behind the counter explained that purple rice is actually black glutinous rice! All the rice were kept steaming hot in wooden buckets.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_0jKDciokRhrpI8P73FP35KF3gJkVveVzBQqOZl1VpSZTyw7DLjLwoBEPB8cok4nFZRBWTa6KtHtcDrHMBSjIf2kpc1vWL3YE-bnWMNqxaL6oZru91cVuzFZVyw5osFEazB7wWxyMdw/s1600-h/IMG_0133.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121184353897101602" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_0jKDciokRhrpI8P73FP35KF3gJkVveVzBQqOZl1VpSZTyw7DLjLwoBEPB8cok4nFZRBWTa6KtHtcDrHMBSjIf2kpc1vWL3YE-bnWMNqxaL6oZru91cVuzFZVyw5osFEazB7wWxyMdw/s400/IMG_0133.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Secondly, you get to pick five different fillings from a choice of 46. The range is wide - from meat to vegetables, you think it, they have it! There are helpful hints on what makes a good combination on the lighted neon signs place above the counter. We picked mixed grain rice with tuna, spicy shrimp paste, asaparagus, mushrooms and chick peas. The guy behind the counter balled everything up neatly and wrapped it in transparent plastic.<br /><br />The third step is really optional - depending on whether you need a drink. We decided to try the purple glutinous rice drink.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdnXQBzvI7sA9EDKuBtOFBJzO1gzvMC-9mF6NDPXgcS2JJ-OErsvNjiqdxOshZyexx0WEmyrUJhIFN-4sEzHyA6VqnoCpNsChgoaeG-9M1vchJOjpNozwbz9Zx8asX_E0q09t58Md3j4/s1600-h/IMG_0137.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121184358192068914" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdnXQBzvI7sA9EDKuBtOFBJzO1gzvMC-9mF6NDPXgcS2JJ-OErsvNjiqdxOshZyexx0WEmyrUJhIFN-4sEzHyA6VqnoCpNsChgoaeG-9M1vchJOjpNozwbz9Zx8asX_E0q09t58Md3j4/s400/IMG_0137.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The result was a definite thumbs up - both for the rice ball and drink. Certainly one helluva healthy snack or meal for you to consider the next time you are down at Square 2. I luv the rice grains which were hot, grainy and non-oily. The lightly sweetened glutinous drink was refreshing and filling by itself.<br /><br />Will we come back to try the rest of the rice combinations? But of course!we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-9662055408918875502007-10-06T22:59:00.000+08:002007-10-07T13:27:38.788+08:00Martha Stewart's Beef Stew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/1502321595_b907e8ff2a.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2107/1502321595_b907e8ff2a.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After much idleness in the kitchen for the past few weeks, owing to pain-in-the-arse projects and whatnots, living on packets of instant korean noodles to satisfy an increasingly ravenous stomach, my body finally protested and declared it was time for some healthy, brow-sweating, time-consuming home-cooked dinner.<br /><br />Searching for a suitable recipe was another matter. I wanted to do something new, but not entirely new when one doesn't have a proper kitchen or equipment, like a food processor or a dutch oven. Hence, I finally settled for Martha Stewart's Beef Stew. The essential reason was the fact that I only required a large pot or a slow-cooker, and there is no doubt that a good pot of stew would definitely fill up a much carnivorous girl. As rustic as it sounds, I would think that the method of stewing meat in a water-based broth would have hailed from centuries ago, being prepared in so many ways, from an Irish stew to a Hungarian goulash.<br /><br />This particular stew, showered with love and care, was a delight to make. It's operandi was hardly demanding. However, the result reaped was oh, so gratifying. The warm, slightly dense gravy was a matchmake to a spoonful of fluffy white rice. Soft tender chunks of beef chucks paired with the softest of potatoes and carrots made the palate craved for more.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beef Stew - Martha Stewart</span><br />3 pounds of beef chuck<br />1/3 cup tomato paste<br />3 tbsp balsamic vinegar<br />2 tbsp all-purpose flour<br />salt & pepper<br />1 pound medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks<br />1 pound small white or red new potatoes, halved<br />1 pound carrots, cut into chunks<br />6 garlic cloves, smashed<br />2 bay leaves<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In a large pot, combine beef, tomato paste, vinegar and flour, season with salt & pepper.<br />Add onions, potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves and 3 cups of water.<br />Stir, making sure all the flour on the bottom of the pot has dissolved, otherwise you'll get burnt patches of flour.<br />Bring to a boil. Simmer till meat is cooked for about 2 to 2 1/2hours.<br />Do check on the stew at least once every 15 minutes to skim off the scum formed on the surface.<br />Season with salt & pepper to taste if desired.<br /><br />Serves 6.<br /></div></div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-19500371936638358722007-10-03T21:09:00.000+08:002007-10-05T21:41:37.024+08:00Nothing Angelic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNhWSPZO8Yot6m9v_-i3hyO5lmVynkLaMaOWge6_5qEsE98ymnUfIvJnBuxM_Nx1M7jb8-QuNQlmo-hVD-ShV1IHx_BNasu-pqhYIS6lFw4R5d0k3-gOdrhcgZwbuevopi0y_5e4OosI/s1600-h/IMG_0101.JPG"></a>With a moniker like Archangel, one would expect superior wait staff in the restaurant. After all, in hebrew, the name means superior or chief angel. However, our experience was nothing angelic at all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhN4CiAutPoM1PiJUHFNwPzE6wOkosEJBJc5-yCKJBbn9ZslZcGxIo27GvSBfzX3JMLCMsHuJp6X7d5PBvQmSXE24lNfnwzemccRM69BcfjuwoHO6gHjiHPk4uFCZlz1bm0TVSr5byhs/s1600-h/IMG_0102.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117098495673841794" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhN4CiAutPoM1PiJUHFNwPzE6wOkosEJBJc5-yCKJBbn9ZslZcGxIo27GvSBfzX3JMLCMsHuJp6X7d5PBvQmSXE24lNfnwzemccRM69BcfjuwoHO6gHjiHPk4uFCZlz1bm0TVSr5byhs/s400/IMG_0102.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It started off rather well. My friend and I arrived about the same time and plonked onto one of the 5 tables placed in front of the cafe. Glancing at the menu and the items on the chalkboard (which also doubles as a partition separating the kitchen and the front counter), we figured that there was nothing to lose to opt for the chocolate fudge cake and apple tart. (Come to think of it, there was everything to gain - especially unwanted calories!)<br /><br />However there was a snag. This 'tea-break set' of cake/pastry plus coffee/tea is only valid from 3 to 5 pm. Despite this writing on the wall, we went ahead to ask the one and only wait staff. Nothing venture, nothing gain! Her reply was music to our ears. She agreed to give us the offer though it was only lunch hour. Top marks for her flexibility.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAzugcojPK5I2761hJOy1hJJ4aVJY4AIUgkLbE0aZVtWwGDg-agaG3z9ZkZ5s4Wx18MMr3F6Mexh00iH8xVlufiAO_hv4SJSsR7mnK6sOZGZV3htxsdzwYH20MtxqiIKWZovdi3EtxLU/s1600-h/IMG_0100.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117097945918027874" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAzugcojPK5I2761hJOy1hJJ4aVJY4AIUgkLbE0aZVtWwGDg-agaG3z9ZkZ5s4Wx18MMr3F6Mexh00iH8xVlufiAO_hv4SJSsR7mnK6sOZGZV3htxsdzwYH20MtxqiIKWZovdi3EtxLU/s400/IMG_0100.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then it was downhill all the way - the very long wait for the cake and pastry; and the even longer wait for the coffee. With customers numbering less than 10, the wait time was definitely unforgivable. Finally, the cake/pastry came - warmed just right. By the time, we finished them, the coffee have yet to appear. Hence, though the fudge cake was certainly one of the best that I've ever tried, the lack of accompanying coffee really spoilt the experience.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnqOFXR6swNLLK5GJlTZqbmfOX3utQhZEKdOnU803I8vvYMgLT8bbyTOuOZVTPaibF-cFkXpdsEUCXEpXkspVfDEhb6VoY1gRG02-Owy3seO3cYU1Nwv7A3ogrvtjf7ohM-US_3B6Mvc/s1600-h/IMG_0098.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117097920148224066" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnqOFXR6swNLLK5GJlTZqbmfOX3utQhZEKdOnU803I8vvYMgLT8bbyTOuOZVTPaibF-cFkXpdsEUCXEpXkspVfDEhb6VoY1gRG02-Owy3seO3cYU1Nwv7A3ogrvtjf7ohM-US_3B6Mvc/s400/IMG_0098.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Because of the long wait, we had time to look at the other offerings on the counter, and spied on the squid-ink and sesame seed bread baskets. The loaves certainly look very tempting and despite the experience, we agreed to make a return visit to try the sandwiches.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWYcAn3ZxjJQCAOxkA9SCC_tlB-rg3zOZasirvjIfI-NuA32pbkeg7MG4OuQdqgKlK7QNjYiOJ0xSd8Bt8oe0WKBTT9ivFKu-UyBTlq03MMaujlUqNzOX_JacKax3-MjJrnPwMIU8Ijc/s1600-h/IMG_0099.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117097941623060562" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWYcAn3ZxjJQCAOxkA9SCC_tlB-rg3zOZasirvjIfI-NuA32pbkeg7MG4OuQdqgKlK7QNjYiOJ0xSd8Bt8oe0WKBTT9ivFKu-UyBTlq03MMaujlUqNzOX_JacKax3-MjJrnPwMIU8Ijc/s400/IMG_0099.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-89034756902175702342007-10-01T13:12:00.000+08:002007-10-01T14:09:13.730+08:00An Unexpected Summer DrinkOne of my absolute favourite summer drinks is, embarrassingly, bubble tea. I know the mention of bubble tea might ignite memories of overly sweetened tea with the ever familiar black tapioca pearls which I honestly find, quite diverting to chew. Strangely, as weird as it sounds, my cravings for bubble tea appeared out of the blue when I arrived in Perth.<br /><br />I often patronise Formosa Cafe in Northbridge, Perth, for my occasional fix of bubble tea. Run and owned by Taiwanese, the bubble tea here has heaps more potential than the ones back in Singapore. They do a good range of flavours, from milk teas, to sorbets and smoothies. As for the tapioca pearls? A mellow honey-like taste erupts once you sink your teeth into the glutinous black flesh.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/1421995211_049843eaea.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/1421995211_049843eaea.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My favourite flavour - Grapefruit Green Tea. One sip of this envelopes your senses in sweet and sour heaven. Introduced to me by a dear Taiwanese friend of mine, I've never regretted ordering this ever since.we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-72382786756792240722007-09-29T21:18:00.000+08:002007-09-30T11:45:46.570+08:00Singapore's First German CafeWith 4 events to organise between now and 6 Nov, coupled with a raw recruit and another celebrating the birth of first daughter, I have had zero time for blogging this week. My apologies to all of you who had come and left in disappointment!<br /><br />In vengence, my hubby and I decided to throw caution to the winds and indulge! Hence this evening we drove to Werner's Oven at Upper East Coast. According to their name card, this was the first German bakery and cafe in Singapore.<br /><br />For drinks, we debated whether to order the German beer but my hubby decided to opt for the ice chocolate instead - thus giving us a reason to make a return visit!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukxbeDrq0Mf4QHR9YwcmHKW1IXomWlenc6PjbqlhDPnpek4AEREcs-GNTq8gklYBpAkUJDlxOV4kwXkO4rdq8gQ6uflVOmxJl9y3xjptcjgwJhRjLMThzgK9itLC0e6-DuDh-SMpDDj8/s1600-h/IMG_0083.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115619588109973522" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukxbeDrq0Mf4QHR9YwcmHKW1IXomWlenc6PjbqlhDPnpek4AEREcs-GNTq8gklYBpAkUJDlxOV4kwXkO4rdq8gQ6uflVOmxJl9y3xjptcjgwJhRjLMThzgK9itLC0e6-DuDh-SMpDDj8/s400/IMG_0083.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For food, we had three dishes. First we had the popular ox-tail stew. The meat was bone-tender (to borrow my daughter's word). With only two apiece of ox-tail and potato, it was a bit steep for the price. Nevertheless, it sure brought back memories of my mummy's top-class version which was not only richer and tastier but came brimming with carrrots, onions and potatoes.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOajuJx4e-TmyxSBqiyyAKPc5slP4LVFTWA1A5VhQ9h3TssFwM0BdqeP_ZZ0sdKw2IEHNr4I5dgonwpVkBZ2DCbzZKv3bHLSyRnnSKghtsIylJWHGN2HBTGOO4FYI46IMlFGik-79qOJE/s1600-h/IMG_0086.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115619592404940834" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOajuJx4e-TmyxSBqiyyAKPc5slP4LVFTWA1A5VhQ9h3TssFwM0BdqeP_ZZ0sdKw2IEHNr4I5dgonwpVkBZ2DCbzZKv3bHLSyRnnSKghtsIylJWHGN2HBTGOO4FYI46IMlFGik-79qOJE/s400/IMG_0086.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The boiled bratwurst sausages were served with potato salad. I spread the sausages with the mustard provided and popped them into my mouth. Mmm...it sure tasted crunchy, fresh and succulent. Non-oily and thus nutritious. By the way, 'bratwurst' means sausage made from pork or beef. Brat means fine chopped meat, and wurst means sausage. My hubby finished the entire potato salad! You form the verdict yourself.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrEc5nCwFfl-GXzZn9z-HDnxUrNz4ibfua3XgSmTJPuU5DJx921UMp_YFrs1D9XWm7ht2FgmBl_lI61ICt-pbwJ0fFYyS72xSaxZjvBWK3YZWTG_uqKc3A2uMPLhOAyIKRULBlyjCJFY/s1600-h/IMG_0087.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115619596699908146" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrEc5nCwFfl-GXzZn9z-HDnxUrNz4ibfua3XgSmTJPuU5DJx921UMp_YFrs1D9XWm7ht2FgmBl_lI61ICt-pbwJ0fFYyS72xSaxZjvBWK3YZWTG_uqKc3A2uMPLhOAyIKRULBlyjCJFY/s400/IMG_0087.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The recommended meat loaf comes with bread dumpling, sauerkraut (cabbage fermented in red wine) and potatoes (not again!). Nevertheless, this was the indeed the highlight of the evening!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFS9axRLwRjO6SayJu6gTYc7XKtRHoEVjPectixgi-DrvwQZv5JhzApvm2CXWCujKOHt4lhcPk83Ndh_7YiWKZFWyzBjWy2lnL2j0-JGucBnppXlbLSszK46Zt8ckK5xK2WUA5Guh8xw/s1600-h/IMG_0089.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115617655374690274" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFS9axRLwRjO6SayJu6gTYc7XKtRHoEVjPectixgi-DrvwQZv5JhzApvm2CXWCujKOHt4lhcPk83Ndh_7YiWKZFWyzBjWy2lnL2j0-JGucBnppXlbLSszK46Zt8ckK5xK2WUA5Guh8xw/s400/IMG_0089.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Surprisingly, the bread dumpling was tasty and rich! Did I say this dish certainly provide another reason to come again?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RN3NnmJjxwacFa5h4XYcqbNktF_hXMColfLYpGWZIaA3m6wqEuz4NUCx1-VMaIMOJi7tU_t2ENaa9wi2qmvRTdw1OezpF90zhVuC7fA1ENKxQohIeXNHHFH4ltCHsvd-S4-O73f4ZTE/s1600-h/IMG_0091.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115617659669657586" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RN3NnmJjxwacFa5h4XYcqbNktF_hXMColfLYpGWZIaA3m6wqEuz4NUCx1-VMaIMOJi7tU_t2ENaa9wi2qmvRTdw1OezpF90zhVuC7fA1ENKxQohIeXNHHFH4ltCHsvd-S4-O73f4ZTE/s400/IMG_0091.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For dessert, we went to the bakery 2 doors away and ordered carrot cake, apple cheese cake and walnut brownie. Ooo-la-la, am I in heaven or what? Let me worry about the tummy tomorrow. Today, I am in German Heaven!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbutQD8tve0pyFPrEf4PXt_7bFQFRhx1qhS0PST5IVXPNt_eI67HTx7J0qGvbDB6DhXtUW3D61yrIWlnQwj3euFp42KMvjDXuxjrajR97_bdPi-PkqTDKtLAVnLuxYVxjd1LRuehqBmM/s1600-h/IMG_0094.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115617663964624898" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbutQD8tve0pyFPrEf4PXt_7bFQFRhx1qhS0PST5IVXPNt_eI67HTx7J0qGvbDB6DhXtUW3D61yrIWlnQwj3euFp42KMvjDXuxjrajR97_bdPi-PkqTDKtLAVnLuxYVxjd1LRuehqBmM/s400/IMG_0094.JPG" border="0" /></a>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-19859354980975217972007-09-22T18:37:00.000+08:002007-09-22T20:33:33.814+08:00Hog's Breath Cafe - The Real DealHave you ever tripped over yourself, just trying to find the perfect steakhouse for a perfect slab of good ol' char-grilled meat?<br /><br />Well, look no more, that is, if you're in Perth. (Or any aussie state for that matter)<br /><br />Yesterday, Sam and I had a good opportunity to dine with Uncle Paul and Aunty Lily (friends of my father's), and an earlier decision was made to lunch at Hog's Breath Cafe at Northbridge.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1100/1422856762_5b3860bfb0.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1100/1422856762_5b3860bfb0.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Stepping into the surroundings made me feel like I was back in the 1960s, with cowboys and ranches and Clint Eastwood for that matter. The entrance was one of a vintage entrance to a typical cowboy's pub - very Hog's Breathish and no fuss-like nonsense. Wooden chairs and tables line the premise with old signboards and vintage car plates punctured here and there on yellow-washed walls.<br /><br />Hog's Breath Cafe's specialities are undoubtedly their prime steaks, slow-cooked for up to 18 hours in a hot oven and char-grilled at the end to seal in maximum flavour. But for those not particularly fond of steaks, they do serve burgers, wraps, sandwiches, and other meat like poultry and fish. However, don't expect any vegeterian options, except for the salads, Hog's Breath is definitely for the carnivorous of appetites.<br /><br />Whilst Uncle Paul & Aunty Lily opted for the Hickory Smoked Prime Rib, I opted for the Blackened Prime Rib. Sam, not a big fan of steaks that day, went for the Hickory Lamb Shank.<br /><br />We decided to go for a serve of their garlic and herb bread for the appetizer, and boy, was it fricking good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/1421995175_347acca025.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/1421995175_347acca025.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love their garlic bread immensely. The garlic scent wasn't overpowering as compared to other garlic bread I've tasted. I liked how the bread was firm but not overly crispy and tough in texture. Just perfectly soft in the middle. One's definitely not enough for this greedy girl.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1025/1421995201_24592c8fb1.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1025/1421995201_24592c8fb1.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hickory Smoked Prime Rib - I didn't get a taste of this so no views about it, but from how frequently it gets ordered by Uncle Paul & Aunty Lily whenever they patronise Hog's Breath, it must be something good, isn't it? Topped with Hog's Breath own smoked BBQ sauce and an accompaniment of curly fries and fresh veggies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1021/1421995197_837b2971bb.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1021/1421995197_837b2971bb.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sam‘s Hickory Lamb Shank according to her was fall-off-the-bone tender and utterly delicious. Acompanied by side dish of Dianne-amite sauce, mashed potato and fresh veggies.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1311/1421995193_4585d7ce36.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1311/1421995193_4585d7ce36.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oooh, just looking at this picture makes me hungry again. Ordering the Blackened Prime Rib left me with no regrets. Deliciously moist and tender, this steak definitely puts all the other steakhouses to shame. Seasoned with Cajun spice, the salty flavour of the meat just permeates through my tastebuds upon chewing a chunk from my fork. The cut definitely has a good balance of fats and meat, and oh goodness, the fat immediately melts in your mouth with a salty, smoky flavour. Mine was medium-well, and I got what I ordered, so props to that. Accompanied by a special side dish order of mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.<br /><br />I was enormously bloated nearing the end of my dish so we didn't have the chance to order any desserts but apparently, the mud cake is totally wicked as well according to Sam, so I shall be ordering that at my next visit!<br /><br />One thing to note though, although Hog's Breath Cafe has a few franchise outlets in Singapore, reviews of the food served at the Singapore outlets doesn't look really appetizing and a blow to Hog's Breath Cafe's reputation as Australia's best steakhouse yet. Once again leading to me, shaking my head heavily, and wondering whether steakhouses in Singapore are capable of cooking perfect steaks. No one wants a steak rock-hard on the outside and all red and raw in the middle do they?we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-13494354586453631122007-09-20T21:23:00.000+08:002007-09-22T11:47:09.138+08:00Kaiseki Meal at KuriyaKaiseki is a traditional multi-course Japanese meal analogous to Western haute cuisine. Usually the meal courses are served in various ways of cooking methods. At Kuriya, Great World City, where I had my Kaiseki lunch, the 6-course meal comprises an appetiser, a fried item, a steamed item, sushi, soup, dessert and coffee. The dishes are served excellently by the polite and knowledgeable staff. In fact, they had the foresight to place the kaiseki menu on the table so that I can follow the courses and identify the various items in each course.<br /><br />The appetiser, itself, consisted of 5 items: scallop and flying fish roe jelly, french beans tossed with sesame sauce, braised sardine with plum, brised japan chilli leaf, conger eel and cucumber. I like the refreshing and cooling scallop and flying fish roe jelly best.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CU-UzLFBilF55V3dsJTXHjDTvsA9PmUqYFIyM7Zb8ZPj8czBlRSuxiUteAhUv-56wes2Eg_UK0eLYw_jdSLYJo4cylak5RYJHsg8U_b1SaeOdcXb5isxNfgrIntCVR-XFsdToCW-GGM/s1600-h/IMG_0071.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112279686214595938" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CU-UzLFBilF55V3dsJTXHjDTvsA9PmUqYFIyM7Zb8ZPj8czBlRSuxiUteAhUv-56wes2Eg_UK0eLYw_jdSLYJo4cylak5RYJHsg8U_b1SaeOdcXb5isxNfgrIntCVR-XFsdToCW-GGM/s400/IMG_0071.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The second course was the fried item. Essentially, tempura, the deep fried dish comes with prawn, potato and other vegetables. What was unique: the three gingko nuts that were placed strategically around the dish. Healthy and decorative!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxz5S0gCUIJxSa9UlDu6CU_Uh2tH3ly9djHjIcwu1OtZc3TMv3yuCh67LvZu3KQYuMutr3p1mjPDSnXAInAsEDUKtS8kuMp6JNBqrtbfqT6wRUdGlqfycUBZVpV698t0tRR8ercpdgV8/s1600-h/IMG_0076.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112279711984399746" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxz5S0gCUIJxSa9UlDu6CU_Uh2tH3ly9djHjIcwu1OtZc3TMv3yuCh67LvZu3KQYuMutr3p1mjPDSnXAInAsEDUKtS8kuMp6JNBqrtbfqT6wRUdGlqfycUBZVpV698t0tRR8ercpdgV8/s400/IMG_0076.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The steamed item was salmon and mushroom with chrysanthemum sauce. The mushroom pieces were mixed with broken japanese rice to form an almost gruel paste.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AoaL0kZ0vKoclqCkS2N6_lmIdfF3dQ5fJWGS3AjblT_FAUNI0SXi8Nj1JQgGECtMLEltLJiQTOIimWmQRsorWrblVLEDCuXmQn9HD8P_pEr14pf4rp73mXW5B6Hg-76Gkk5bMDwJvfY/s1600-h/IMG_0077.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112281198043084178" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AoaL0kZ0vKoclqCkS2N6_lmIdfF3dQ5fJWGS3AjblT_FAUNI0SXi8Nj1JQgGECtMLEltLJiQTOIimWmQRsorWrblVLEDCuXmQn9HD8P_pEr14pf4rp73mXW5B6Hg-76Gkk5bMDwJvfY/s400/IMG_0077.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Nigiri or hand-pressed sushi was filling! This was served with the soup: minced crab meat and prawn in clear soup with egg white. This was one of my favourites!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBEaGL1s8Jt_TkcnjDtinBCVsXQsK8sRokRHao2jpbLpIJpmyoYsDDa2BSwTX8ZujBJOukZ58qENz4QBlJZq_UVCI4AMT7xmrQ2nDxA0yhyzqarNGoUtIBHfC5zvyp7rD2JAB71XrQyQ/s1600-h/IMG_0078.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112281202338051490" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBEaGL1s8Jt_TkcnjDtinBCVsXQsK8sRokRHao2jpbLpIJpmyoYsDDa2BSwTX8ZujBJOukZ58qENz4QBlJZq_UVCI4AMT7xmrQ2nDxA0yhyzqarNGoUtIBHfC5zvyp7rD2JAB71XrQyQ/s400/IMG_0078.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Finally, the dessert which almost took my breath away. Not expecting much, I was unprepared for the magnificent sight that was in front of me. The waiter described each item: vanilla ice-cream, mocca mouse cake and assorted fruits. Together, with the coffee, I was completely satisfied with the entire lunch experience that day! The entire 7-course meal: $35++.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_xoGmnP4C5lBwxjX0f1_qy7a2AVgA0RhPk2VmSl70u8KZC5vHFofIcS3GH5qskIWCquoxlSRhXmNTszU8TVg9gsX9o49BjR1d_rsWLAJsSq817wB-WYZ0iPrHd3zBfTQSv6RoNULpbc/s1600-h/IMG_0079.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112281215222953394" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_xoGmnP4C5lBwxjX0f1_qy7a2AVgA0RhPk2VmSl70u8KZC5vHFofIcS3GH5qskIWCquoxlSRhXmNTszU8TVg9gsX9o49BjR1d_rsWLAJsSq817wB-WYZ0iPrHd3zBfTQSv6RoNULpbc/s400/IMG_0079.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My lunch partner had the teriyaki salmon set at $24++. The salmon was done with crispy skin and no bones. The set comes with a smaller dessert (but equally well-presented) and coffee.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqngFftYzbuwjySO6vwqyYAVuGV1GiXU7tiHhL4jaQ1WGyC2kJikra1qDz_nx4rvumBuytK9DUK1o1hinEij5jT-Un1agx8qaL5EWS1MG2VzBLbWQpjNwqCLKKOQrhIDJk-MJqLCahHE/s1600-h/IMG_0073.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112279699099497842" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqngFftYzbuwjySO6vwqyYAVuGV1GiXU7tiHhL4jaQ1WGyC2kJikra1qDz_nx4rvumBuytK9DUK1o1hinEij5jT-Un1agx8qaL5EWS1MG2VzBLbWQpjNwqCLKKOQrhIDJk-MJqLCahHE/s400/IMG_0073.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLNd29Bd_gLAgpN_xOhPj-o_OUV92qVu2vlIY1QVTF07zOXzE4rn-ERtLfH8Rgs2nJhtnutVEjRKuY5ShMY6zTA25tE1ssX125rDyyMbnNWW-mZPNO5Ojc0bcNqgBMsKlLu9XH5P3QB8/s1600-h/IMG_0081.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112281219517920706" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLNd29Bd_gLAgpN_xOhPj-o_OUV92qVu2vlIY1QVTF07zOXzE4rn-ERtLfH8Rgs2nJhtnutVEjRKuY5ShMY6zTA25tE1ssX125rDyyMbnNWW-mZPNO5Ojc0bcNqgBMsKlLu9XH5P3QB8/s400/IMG_0081.JPG" border="0" /></a>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-38716181084450081612007-09-15T20:54:00.000+08:002007-09-15T21:34:49.255+08:00Tiramisu and Ben 10If you are thinking what is the connection between tiramisu and Ben 10, wonder no more.<br /><br />'Twas two nights before my father's birthday, i.e. today, that my sis saves the day...or more correctly night!<br /><br />My hubby and I were watching TV at my father's when raps were heard at the door. Sis and her family entourage appeared with a cake to celebrate our father's birthday!<br /><br />From Breadtalk, the tiramisu cake was burdened with candles galore to signify our ageing and senescent father.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJSXlJAck3QwFDK7Qx4j6cpCynT0c82agXjo3aB8PIoO4K5qmJXQ8xJ_d5fG4se0xAhtjAP8yH7vi73IMMLgOElWFrSarVbSleN08Dl2xiaIVN7RUWCTWnZTPwUloikny0KFiXnJwEMc/s1600-h/IMG_0067.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110414262869164786" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJSXlJAck3QwFDK7Qx4j6cpCynT0c82agXjo3aB8PIoO4K5qmJXQ8xJ_d5fG4se0xAhtjAP8yH7vi73IMMLgOElWFrSarVbSleN08Dl2xiaIVN7RUWCTWnZTPwUloikny0KFiXnJwEMc/s400/IMG_0067.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now, it has been a number of years that I've tasted a cake from Breadtalk. Surprisingly, the cake was light and not very sweet. The cream and cocoa combination was a counterfoil to the soft vanilla sponge. However, the cake could do with some rum.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NZ1eEZOw4L8MhSD2p_MWpemEyFzHKdQ76agIB6uxiXoDQvmM4HftxzG9DokBo_Oy1XnpnPjsa-CAvz6r_4qAfgXDIFEmH61cN-Pmk3mQ1X2IzKbHSDYGOLjVJ8OSfWESbqUqFrWSE-w/s1600-h/IMG_0070.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110414267164132098" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NZ1eEZOw4L8MhSD2p_MWpemEyFzHKdQ76agIB6uxiXoDQvmM4HftxzG9DokBo_Oy1XnpnPjsa-CAvz6r_4qAfgXDIFEmH61cN-Pmk3mQ1X2IzKbHSDYGOLjVJ8OSfWESbqUqFrWSE-w/s400/IMG_0070.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As usual, my nephew demonstrated his appetite by downing 3 pieces...while giving his aunt a short course on Ben 10. 'Tis the story of 10-year-old Ben Tennyson who discovered a mysterious device, and gained the power to change into 10 different alien heroes, each with uniquely awesome powers. Shown on cartoon network, the series is the latest hit for Singaporean lads!we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-19440947934371057422007-09-13T17:14:00.000+08:002007-09-13T18:21:23.811+08:00Sis Comes A-Knocking!Staying in an apartment without my family gets me missing times when me and my sister used to rule the house back in Singapore. As for my sister, staying in a hostel without a proper kitchen isn't the sort of environment one would like to cook in.<br /><br />Therefore, Sam came over to my house today to cook spaghetti bolognese, an utterly simple but favourite dish for both of us. According to wikipedia, bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce for pasta. However we twisted the recipe a little and threw in some mushrooms with our minced beef as well.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NUVyjypIZ65QgzXV_-so2ql0xE4K3x1r_Ipht0mQjefZ9QN_us3JT90XydRcMwG_K3vlylRD_gTNndWuiQ-5BJNi-QErnSKZTZPTu_L_pmw0jOUqV0JXmlrpvuABrBbnxRfVr554Dpw/s400/DSC01876.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109628167889879746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I love red onions. Sweeter than brown and white onions, they impart the most incredible sweet fragrance to the bolognese sauce.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGBoar4BG_NE-wES8nL69L72Sxu1SAgaRu58ABp4iTdYjwPwNHNuu9q0D2UZ0_BNxi0UiyQaLT9dt10Ps7GkfF9RMhuOu_tqQ0iKN1f23EcvRt7Hz5o7JaTpirgzD1H3V05MofvDbhHc/s1600-h/DSC01877.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimGBoar4BG_NE-wES8nL69L72Sxu1SAgaRu58ABp4iTdYjwPwNHNuu9q0D2UZ0_BNxi0UiyQaLT9dt10Ps7GkfF9RMhuOu_tqQ0iKN1f23EcvRt7Hz5o7JaTpirgzD1H3V05MofvDbhHc/s400/DSC01877.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109628601681576658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Button mushrooms are fantastic. Perfect for salads, soups and stews, this thing we term a fungus just goes to prove how important and flexible it is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBF0VKm9sRjMf_ojGaqWB0SZPdEPzZIAQclvc_htM66FIzqakdIi0z9U3EFPk0EQR-y1-ob9npOqz0mk2db3PAYek28xhcvchdBZEdDWQNSqVzHLLAff4aGv36vIk6VNdD8BDB2Oy-Pg/s1600-h/DSC01891.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitBF0VKm9sRjMf_ojGaqWB0SZPdEPzZIAQclvc_htM66FIzqakdIi0z9U3EFPk0EQR-y1-ob9npOqz0mk2db3PAYek28xhcvchdBZEdDWQNSqVzHLLAff4aGv36vIk6VNdD8BDB2Oy-Pg/s400/DSC01891.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109629031178306274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our lip-smacking result. The flavours of the tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and beef simply combined together like they were made for each other, producing a glorious beefy stock. Common ingredients in every supermarket and absolutely easy to prepare, spaghetti bolognese is a winner with everyone, from kids to full-grown adults.we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-31009712698629353402007-09-09T13:54:00.000+08:002007-09-09T15:20:55.059+08:00Blueberry Yogurt Muffins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NXb4ADdqbOhodnlTSk3zpZa1dGi92MOo8L-Xg1pFrZIplBjRfnVtvWJAmEC8GlES18YPJ8_6g1svf2JjxQkSNpQ103ahxmfgK3cu1ZRL9WZtBABGODkFbE6ASog4mz2cmHUT7p1EdSE/s1600-h/DSC01799.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NXb4ADdqbOhodnlTSk3zpZa1dGi92MOo8L-Xg1pFrZIplBjRfnVtvWJAmEC8GlES18YPJ8_6g1svf2JjxQkSNpQ103ahxmfgK3cu1ZRL9WZtBABGODkFbE6ASog4mz2cmHUT7p1EdSE/s400/DSC01799.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108088324992362546" border="0" /></a><br /><br />What happens when you can't differentiate the labelling on a product, thereby foolishly buying plain yogurt instead of a vanilla-flavoured?<br /><br />Why, you make blueberry yogurt muffins of course.<br /><br />Upon lifting the lid off my Mundella product and licking a spoonful of the creamy white substance, I found, with a blow to my stomach, that I had purchased a 99.7% fat-free plain/natural yogurt instead of my favourite vanilla-flavoured one. Disappointed and mentally abusing myself for my stupidity, I placed the yogurt back in the fridge, leaving the matter aside. Couple of days later, while on the net, I decided to browse through recipes which could utilise my abandoned bottle of yogurt, sitting like an outcast in the cold room. From yogurt dips to toppings for mediterranean pilafs, plain yogurt was pretty flexible in its use. People subsitute yogurt for milk in curries and creamy sauces, which begs for healthier and less fatty dishes.<br /><br />Uses aside, I finally decided to make blueberry yogurt muffins. I love muffins, and blueberries even more. So what can be better than having two at one go?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8eQRkDmIHyMQlthyj5_Ivgk-RDcxVWXPFv0D0TPqOAXG4vZms0lu-QRX8zivOlTwBjXbD3eSyb319lbyw-rvfaWxeVUipZQQHumycPlZftNVWrIAWSO0u519tAubselT9TCy0qiqLK4/s1600-h/DSC01808.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8eQRkDmIHyMQlthyj5_Ivgk-RDcxVWXPFv0D0TPqOAXG4vZms0lu-QRX8zivOlTwBjXbD3eSyb319lbyw-rvfaWxeVUipZQQHumycPlZftNVWrIAWSO0u519tAubselT9TCy0qiqLK4/s400/DSC01808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108097451797866578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3gO4FlsfaHsOI4GTP64OANxSvQAtdDh2K1F33fwt-AnUP5RRsacoO9AMtOJ_5HVlsRr8syf6dnoh2lTUPi9NAIXNg8-oX7L_iU6OgI3p1zP2YjtExoirBNe9v0w6Uz5f4KuvYwBlFTI/s1600-h/DSC01811.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3gO4FlsfaHsOI4GTP64OANxSvQAtdDh2K1F33fwt-AnUP5RRsacoO9AMtOJ_5HVlsRr8syf6dnoh2lTUPi9NAIXNg8-oX7L_iU6OgI3p1zP2YjtExoirBNe9v0w6Uz5f4KuvYwBlFTI/s400/DSC01811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108099491907332210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1211/1344874612_060ea4c298.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1211/1344874612_060ea4c298.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Fresh-out-of-the-oven muffins are just breath-taking. They smell so amazing and they have the most wondrous colour ever. Once you look at these, you'll never go back to making muffins out from those muffin mix boxes again!<br /><br />The blueberries lend a natural sweetness, making the muffins not overly sweet but enriched with a blueberry flavour. Texture-wise, not very crumbly like those bakery-style muffins, leaning towards a cross between a muffin and a cupcake. Light and fluffy, these muffins are so delectable, you can eat them everyday for brekky!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPq5iddsBYB55I2NEiRmUy6yiyI-8RfbdnTrs18hVN74btlKe5lCLc1eLja6qZFDqmaB_bFVwVAyEcxqs5ALaQ4TZMDpCV6bg_pUtYr8mwobhEq9gKC5GRod7pkxkfcEt6EiNiiiGC7M/s1600-h/DSC01843.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPq5iddsBYB55I2NEiRmUy6yiyI-8RfbdnTrs18hVN74btlKe5lCLc1eLja6qZFDqmaB_bFVwVAyEcxqs5ALaQ4TZMDpCV6bg_pUtYr8mwobhEq9gKC5GRod7pkxkfcEt6EiNiiiGC7M/s320/DSC01843.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108094479680497730" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><u>Blueberry Yogurt Muffins</u></span><br />2 cups plain flour<br />1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries<br />3/4 cup plain yogurt<br />1/2 cup white sugar<br />1/4 cup oil<br />1 egg<br />3 tsp baking powder<br />1/4 tsp salt<br /><br />Preheat oven to 200 dC.<br />Line muffin pan with paper cups<br />Beat egg, then stir in yogurt and oil. Mix in dry ingredients until well-combined/fully moistened. Fold in blueberries. Fill paper muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.<br />Makes 12<br /></div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-50603397852968762992007-09-08T17:47:00.000+08:002007-09-08T18:20:26.154+08:00Power ProteinSaturday breakfasts are looked forward eagerly by my hubby and I. 'Tis the time to catch up on the latest news, gossips, movies,...etc; and plan the weekend activities. Do we need to go to the grocers? What shall we eat for dinner? Whose parents are we visiting this week? When shall we call our children?<br /><br />Over unlimited cups of coffee, we pour over our newspapers and scan the IS magazine for the newest food joint to appraise. We people-watch the customers inside and the passers-by outside our breakfast joint.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLI9-GRsBI-wpKV7hP1suvLq7AqIYYPvb4Ws5hPDLL8uYTRanXfKjIg60c_2irbQ5DYqgK0JIFfMz4bMMdqYLyyBaEEIoX9zhDJhx6HOl2KuRouukOc_pWfYHLGVz0o9exnNaBTdyCu0/s1600-h/IMG_0064.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5107769281936713746" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLI9-GRsBI-wpKV7hP1suvLq7AqIYYPvb4Ws5hPDLL8uYTRanXfKjIg60c_2irbQ5DYqgK0JIFfMz4bMMdqYLyyBaEEIoX9zhDJhx6HOl2KuRouukOc_pWfYHLGVz0o9exnNaBTdyCu0/s400/IMG_0064.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br />This morning was no different. At our favourite Coffee Bean outlet, my husband who has a penchant for protein ordered his usual salmon and egg muffin. This is truly one of the most economical yet wholesome breakfast one can find in Singapore. At only $6.50, my husband can have his fill of protein to power his lean, mean frame. The accompanying side salad. doused with french dressing, provides some of the fibre for the day.we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-29784702293650257602007-09-07T11:03:00.000+08:002007-09-07T11:35:58.986+08:00Ready-Made Roast Chicken & Balsamic SaladHave you ever had days when you're just absolutely reluctant to drag your lazy self to the kitchen and make a satisfying meal from scratch? Well, yesterday was one of those 'on strike' days for me.<br /><br />Yesterday found myself browsing the aisles of Woolies after a day at uni. I thought of making gnocchi for dinner, but then you have to get the minced beef, the packet of gnocchi, the herbs and spices, and suddenly, it wasn't very appealing. All of a sudden, some Woolies staff announced that they were selling whole roasted baby chickens at $5.50 each, and I drooled, yes upon the price, but not least the smell of these ready-made darlings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1137/1338846855_b40b42bfba.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1137/1338846855_b40b42bfba.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For a side, I made some salad (baby rocket and mini roma tomatoes) with balsamic dressing (recipe below) to go with the roast chicken. I adore balsamic vinegar and therefore cannot do without my frequent dosage of balsmic dressing with simply any kind of salad.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/1338848383_ffc49a0bf1.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/1338848383_ffc49a0bf1.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Absolutely heaven and easy on the bucks.<br /><br /><u style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Balsamic dressing</span></u><br />olive oil (or extra virgin)<br />balsamic vinegar<br />wholegrain mustard<br />salt & pepper<br /><br />Mix concentrations of ingredients above to taste. Drizzle on salad.we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-14572560889786039172007-09-05T16:26:00.000+08:002007-09-05T20:53:22.792+08:00A Double Celebrative AffairThe HengHua (or Xing Hwa in Mandarin) people are from Putian, Fujian, China. Heng means lucky, whereas Hua means people. For our 23rd wedding anniversary and my nephew Timothy's 9th birthday celebrations, my husband, sister, nephew and I chose to have lunch at Pu Tien Restaurant along Kitchener Road. Recommended by a friend who raved about its tasteful yet healthy and non-oily dishes, we decided to take a chance on Pu Tien to celebrate this momentous occasion.<br /><br />Although it was a weekday lunch hour, the place was 80% full. The waitress was quick to highlight a $56 set lunch for 4 which comprises 6 dishes including sea bass, prawns in bamboo, tau kee with vegetables, and complimentary longan dessert. We decided to ask the waitress to recommend the place's most popular dishes and finally settled on:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHQpP8rS0ZTI_mOZQD4s7fZnweo_LGZlIYlrB7rQ3f3hrrbq9ImibdNmrpJVp_2Jp2ZSLNguRBy0rQNOLg7GeFrUdlVQUGTuWIjv83tH1TEzzMcku03VECLFu5EjJe1oHS7mEQVL4Z3M/s1600-h/IMG_0053.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106634538692208626" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHQpP8rS0ZTI_mOZQD4s7fZnweo_LGZlIYlrB7rQ3f3hrrbq9ImibdNmrpJVp_2Jp2ZSLNguRBy0rQNOLg7GeFrUdlVQUGTuWIjv83tH1TEzzMcku03VECLFu5EjJe1oHS7mEQVL4Z3M/s400/IMG_0053.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />- cockles steamed with garlic and chilli<br />- mee sua fried with mushroom, taupok, clams, prawns, pork belly, peanuts and vegetables, and topped with deep-fried seaweed,<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dOQ9-DZecL_CjH16qEIAJSVnYTPJeL6PD6HjNe_eTotug04JTb61uMLQp1I2wToELxdnQZBZ0BwxuTGvlQ2lp2rv1ZNOj1a6UF4EOQvOZfhcKvPFtjZj2nvJ-j87tN7jgqOoBHeG6Dk/s1600-h/IMG_0055.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106634525807306722" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dOQ9-DZecL_CjH16qEIAJSVnYTPJeL6PD6HjNe_eTotug04JTb61uMLQp1I2wToELxdnQZBZ0BwxuTGvlQ2lp2rv1ZNOj1a6UF4EOQvOZfhcKvPFtjZj2nvJ-j87tN7jgqOoBHeG6Dk/s400/IMG_0055.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />- fried duck wrapped in yam,<br />- fried pau with pork strips<br />- home-made bean curd stewed with mushrooms and carrots<br />- oh-nee or sweet yam with gingko nuts<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaToHF5vWbu2-Rrgz9nt7QXy98YdrWMYi2cA9iZRAFuCZ8S9_gBqWna8v-58mzH91nwj3i7eAKWckQIuCFqYPVxN0oxbFaTp8hl55kYNChHz7BbJDOG9LSjteWkOfOWgCGCr29ukw_Js/s1600-h/IMG_0054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106634547282143234" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaToHF5vWbu2-Rrgz9nt7QXy98YdrWMYi2cA9iZRAFuCZ8S9_gBqWna8v-58mzH91nwj3i7eAKWckQIuCFqYPVxN0oxbFaTp8hl55kYNChHz7BbJDOG9LSjteWkOfOWgCGCr29ukw_Js/s400/IMG_0054.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The homemade Bean Curd is so smooth it practically slips down your throat; the cockles sizzled with garlic was pungent and reminded my sis and I of our childhood when our mum used to steam an entire plate of cockles for dinner; the yam with duck was smooth and acted as an effective counterfoil to the duck's strong taste, the pork strips were pounced on greedily by my nephew while the fried bun or mun tou, with white sesame seeds, were a refreshing change from the usual steam kong bak pau version. Finally, the wet mee sua was simple but choc-a-bloc with ingredients and I have to admit that I had more than 1 bowl of it! Of course all four of us enjoyed the oh-nee, including Timothy, who reached out to have second helpings from his mummy's bowl.<br /><br />We left the restaurant satiated and eager to come back to try the rest of the dishes in the menu. I must also add that the service standards are relatively good. The waitresses were observant to your needs (eg. changing plates, filling up tea) yet not intrusive.we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-45722186053805623462007-09-03T13:46:00.001+08:002007-09-03T14:31:07.245+08:00Tuna Saves The DayOne of the more common fishes around in supermarkets, canned or otherwise fresh tuna is low in fat, doesn't increase your cholesterol and mighty rich in omega-3 fatty acids (which are the good kind of fats).<br /><br />I didn't used to like tuna when I was a little girl. Whether it was a tuna sandwich/bun or anything tuna-related, my mouth wasn't that enthusiastic about it. I suppose the only meal that had me eating tuna out of my hands were weekly tuna paninis at Coffee Bean. Man, those guys really know how to make picky little food eaters (like me) eat their fish. Anyway, that feeling hasn't gone, which is rather ironic that tuna saved my day. Maybe one of the reasons why I wasn't really fond of tuna was how grainy it was coming out of a can. They weren't soft and tender like cod or other white fish. Rather abit like salmon, another fish with a sort of grainy texture.<br /><br />To cut a long story short, I got inspired by Jamie Oliver's recipe, 'Jools' Favourite Saturday Afternoon Pasta '(Jools, being his wife). The thought was if his wife's favourite pasta had tuna in it, there couldn't be any harm could it? Besides, the ingredients could be easily manipulated and more importantly, only simple ingredients were required.<br /><br />And?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1250/1308622905_be1dc79f43.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1250/1308622905_be1dc79f43.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The result was fantastic. The aroma of good quality tuna with that hint of olive flavour after being canned in olive oil was unmistakable. Canned tomatoes and canned tuna make an absolute perfect pair. Using red onions instead of white/brown allowed instant sweetness to permeate through. It was by far, and I do not exaggerate, the best and simplest spaghetti I have ever eaten yet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1320/1309511672_53f8a24dae.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1320/1309511672_53f8a24dae.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Supper was another affair. I made onigiri and sushi while using leftover tuna pasta sauce and tuna flakes in oil. Cooking the sushi rice in a pot was quite a disaster, something which I will definitely never attempt again. I suppose it was bad karma on me for forsaking my good old buddy - rice-cooker. The rice grains were still a touch hard in the middle, leaving me to microwave the rice for about 3 minutes. This is the first time I made an onigiri (without a mold) and I'm pretty proud of my result!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/1309515542_ead1b78a1b.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/1309515542_ead1b78a1b.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Kawaii!! ^_^we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-28940701831301964882007-09-01T17:38:00.000+08:002007-09-02T15:13:57.450+08:00Vietnamese CoffeeYesterday, I had my first cup of gourmet vietnamese coffee at a chic restaurant along Club Street.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8EmPc2wQ8tcYgkZvNV1iXYNbf6BEkG5CBY5PkVGAUDujWIFoETm9iy3YeXv__qbVRWCuMPIDyIaQpTvGBsdnb20Sd35JQdmUkGOyostw7ZvpqL3iiGUcXfOsA53D16b3iO29BDlUjTE/s1600-h/viet+coffee.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105168636289312578" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8EmPc2wQ8tcYgkZvNV1iXYNbf6BEkG5CBY5PkVGAUDujWIFoETm9iy3YeXv__qbVRWCuMPIDyIaQpTvGBsdnb20Sd35JQdmUkGOyostw7ZvpqL3iiGUcXfOsA53D16b3iO29BDlUjTE/s200/viet+coffee.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The coffee was served in a tall glass. On top of the glass was a metal filter pot. Into the filter pot, the efficient waitress poured the stream of freshly brewed unfiltered coffee. The entire sequence was done with great showmanship or should I say, show-womanship! The taste was not as strong as Columbian coffee and provide a fitting finishing touch to a 4 course meal comprising :<br /><br />Gỏi Cuốn – <em>Rice paper rolls with poached prawns, lettuce, bean sprouts, chives, mint leaves and rice vermicelli. Served with traditional sauce</em> <div><br />Bún Tôm Nướng <em>– Grilled tiger prawns with rice vermicelli, cucumber and lettuce. Garnished with mint leaves, basil, crushed peanuts and served with a unique sweet and sour chilli sauce</em></div><div><br />Ca Tuyet Hap Oliu – <em>Fresh cod fish fillet steamed with crushed black olives, garlic, ginger, spring onion, chilli and mix capsicums.</em></div><div><br />Dau Hu Chien Toi Ot – <em>Pan fried tofu with chilli and garlic</em></div><div><em></em> </div><br />While my lunch partners prefered the cod fish and prawns, I was thoroughly enjoying munching into the cunchy vegetables and prawns wrapped in the fresh rice paper. You dip the rolls with the accompanying sauce and pop them into your mouth. For a light eater, the dish can be a meal by itself.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruEznx6PJabY2bdkpc4_S8xJdSub8w_pi0815PgM6GOs-j8F4a-m2zimA1n2QKrVvvz7s0W8p605-wBUje5D-CvQkNEaFt_YrYa0_JEnqcsNW5YuiPIW5glMOnkDH1O_T_2A2hsJx7jM/s1600-h/indochine+int.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105168640584279890" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruEznx6PJabY2bdkpc4_S8xJdSub8w_pi0815PgM6GOs-j8F4a-m2zimA1n2QKrVvvz7s0W8p605-wBUje5D-CvQkNEaFt_YrYa0_JEnqcsNW5YuiPIW5glMOnkDH1O_T_2A2hsJx7jM/s200/indochine+int.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If you have not guessed by now, the restaurant belongs to the IndoChine Group. The restaurant chain focuses on viet-thai food. On Club Street, the restaurant is located on the 2nd floor. They also serve a $35 net 5 course set lunch.<br /><br />I made a definite resolution for a return visit.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5L60ht0tfvPbU1q_7MuF0fO5GNNX1zw8sBlCpHz-GveOjtVMbUYKqsVYo63Ax8myKXmeRHjEwLHzckjkUejDBP5ES3xmZHdhZpVePYuy0lISC3BmeOnexICuOW34BHsFeJGyDx0rGuU/s1600-h/indochine+ext.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105168640584279906" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5L60ht0tfvPbU1q_7MuF0fO5GNNX1zw8sBlCpHz-GveOjtVMbUYKqsVYo63Ax8myKXmeRHjEwLHzckjkUejDBP5ES3xmZHdhZpVePYuy0lISC3BmeOnexICuOW34BHsFeJGyDx0rGuU/s200/indochine+ext.bmp" border="0" /></a>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-8620823418693343252007-08-29T14:06:00.001+08:002007-08-31T11:06:02.670+08:00Pisang Goreng (Fried Bananas)<div><div><div>When I was a mere child, my parents often took me and my sister to Lau Pa Sat, a huge hawker centre stocked with stalls of every Singaporean delicacy you could think of. Think laksa, hokkien mee, chicken rice, mee goreng, char kway teow, etc. Food was alright, nothing special, just everyday really fatty food one could find almost anywhere around Singapore.<br /><br />What strikes me most deeply about my childhood visits to Lau Pa Sat would definitely have to be the Pisang Goreng, an utterly sinful infatuation of mine back then and now. Pisang Goreng or otherwise Goreng Pisang, are over-ripe bananas slathered in thick batter and deep-fried in oil.<br /><br />Yesterday was one of the days I suddenly had an urge to make something well, eatable. So pouncing upon the fact that Pisang Goreng consist of the simplest ingredients ever, I had a rather 'battery' kitchen that day.<br /><br />Now Pisang Goreng is really just a simple dessert on the eyes. Bananas and batter, period. So what would make a Pisang Goreng stand out would irrevocably, have to be the batter. From my childhood experiences and simple research, Pisang Goreng originated from the Malays. The type of batter they used differed from what the Chinese would produce, in that, the Chinese use egg in their batter, whereas the Malays don't. I did a batter experiment that day, using one with egg and another without any egg, and the result was significant.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUOjmebgnNmRCntJViU5qnorveCgIYnWzst5WFDXO4RUeiuxt5m9DVBVnwSYsKPAwb5jE5v9WD45TrNlf20fjMoYx9EGJFaEyf1asrVL4iO4ovebTyXvyLqTk4AO_omllbGh0P3p6MdE/s1600-h/DSC01737.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104693754640295714" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUOjmebgnNmRCntJViU5qnorveCgIYnWzst5WFDXO4RUeiuxt5m9DVBVnwSYsKPAwb5jE5v9WD45TrNlf20fjMoYx9EGJFaEyf1asrVL4iO4ovebTyXvyLqTk4AO_omllbGh0P3p6MdE/s200/DSC01737.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJg0Zi_CUQTUpHNYjGf-15pJgN0W7CdWP3i__LmPmbX2Lay9I4t8VEcBIU-u35zw_nIXAe9tNhPoqTW444oIj5lWcxTvuQP_xFvqNw7JqEcQHpT_5pBBhKnwRQcs9vCpx90TySRzcCik/s1600-h/DSC01739.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104694742482773810" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJg0Zi_CUQTUpHNYjGf-15pJgN0W7CdWP3i__LmPmbX2Lay9I4t8VEcBIU-u35zw_nIXAe9tNhPoqTW444oIj5lWcxTvuQP_xFvqNw7JqEcQHpT_5pBBhKnwRQcs9vCpx90TySRzcCik/s200/DSC01739.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The batter with a deeper yellow colour(with egg), produced a heavier, richer, more crunchy exterior. <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"></span>The Pisang Goreng had a more golden brown colour to it, probably caused by the colour of the egg yolk (<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">below, first pic).</span> On the other hand, the almost off-white batter(no egg), produced a lighter and chewier texture. The crunchiness was almost absent but the chewy bit definitely made up for it. I instantly developed a deeper love for it as opposed to the Chinese-style Pisang Goreng (<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">below, second pic</span>). I might add though, that I did not deep-fry the Pisang Goreng but pan-fried them instead as I ran out of oil. But deep-frying would definitely give them that extra crunch.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30da8REHSEiII9jJd3TO2YpNTbWKO15guomNZ3agcE7eiYJIj2rL9lBu_OQgn5j9WM5i6YQ84XbL9H7b74tJvafeIKWMmgiqKFLqY9zn7K-mkhsJXPEYb7GMo8k6QAf1gvM6HCO3qdtE/s1600-h/DSC01717.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104692779682719506" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30da8REHSEiII9jJd3TO2YpNTbWKO15guomNZ3agcE7eiYJIj2rL9lBu_OQgn5j9WM5i6YQ84XbL9H7b74tJvafeIKWMmgiqKFLqY9zn7K-mkhsJXPEYb7GMo8k6QAf1gvM6HCO3qdtE/s400/DSC01717.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEx06mZlUOPLod2iFqXSw_5A2KYrnOfpKAL5gQxF7WasLa2BjRABxvqA2bYSdWMMHuJYyTMmKZIzf6skV0CceRlYI2DMhSXmpGmccRx8azzkSV-EspNVkaHigivKBghphfdM0sZizyxQ/s1600-h/DSC01748.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104692105372854018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEx06mZlUOPLod2iFqXSw_5A2KYrnOfpKAL5gQxF7WasLa2BjRABxvqA2bYSdWMMHuJYyTMmKZIzf6skV0CceRlYI2DMhSXmpGmccRx8azzkSV-EspNVkaHigivKBghphfdM0sZizyxQ/s400/DSC01748.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />What can I say - even though I'm studying overseas, nothing can withstand my love for these delectable fried bananas. Try making it, I bet you it'll be super easy. </div></div></div>we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-11200385571001801832007-08-28T22:14:00.000+08:002007-09-02T15:12:38.277+08:00An Eclipse ExperienceAcoording to astronomers, an Eclipse of the Sun will occur today. The Moon will fall into the Earth's deep shadow, taking on an orange hue during the second total eclipse of 2007.<br /><br />How appropriate then, that I had lunch with my very good friend Sandra at the Sun with Moon Japanese Dining Cafe at the Central Mall.<br /><br />Although the restaurant had grew from its first outlet in Wheelock Place to its present third outlet, this was my maiden visit to the much heralded place. Having heard so much of its fantastic desserts, a quick glance did not disappoint. The desserts ran the gamut from ice cream to cakes, with varieties and colours galore!<br /><br />Since this was a working lunch, we chose to order from the set lunch menu which is reasonably priced and comes with coffee/english tea. In keeping with the day's rare lunar event, we ordered rice with shredded pork topped with egg (cooked sunny-side up).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrCSFAP8qvNJT2yQ-P7XpVA44gH65pfC5p23JS_98tDLc-2WhsUhQ3wZloDUNQahiga8KN5pWVZscAFIVOL0Dv716t2tjNji7v8jlvkqwo79DsMdE-TJz22zWEaZeaV7-zN0YbP0-tV8/s1600-h/IMG_0043.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103756962143495794" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrCSFAP8qvNJT2yQ-P7XpVA44gH65pfC5p23JS_98tDLc-2WhsUhQ3wZloDUNQahiga8KN5pWVZscAFIVOL0Dv716t2tjNji7v8jlvkqwo79DsMdE-TJz22zWEaZeaV7-zN0YbP0-tV8/s400/IMG_0043.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The entire pork/egg dish almost convinced me that I was in the middle of an eclipse! The surrounding egg white and the central yolk, almost bursting from its confines, projected a strong resemblance of the earth covering the moon!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykOylnQSl_iD1leVF3e_RVrh9ARWXP01pReaqWP0FBMab7g2VKkzH5vPm-H5kBudEibt61nmiX366RA-PBjTJ0fnbp66_Q64yVhAmEfjI9gHzTvIV3D8Ws3DoGoE_BAqpIA3PA2YK1V4/s1600-h/IMG_0044.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103756979323364994" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykOylnQSl_iD1leVF3e_RVrh9ARWXP01pReaqWP0FBMab7g2VKkzH5vPm-H5kBudEibt61nmiX366RA-PBjTJ0fnbp66_Q64yVhAmEfjI9gHzTvIV3D8Ws3DoGoE_BAqpIA3PA2YK1V4/s400/IMG_0044.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There was a good lunch crowd. Service was good especially with the experienced staff. Our initial encounter was a friendly waitress who was not able to respond satisfactorily to our questions about the menu items. Fortunately, an experienced staff took over to sustain our experience. While the menu is certainly ambitious, the food is average.<br /><br />Will I come back? May be - but not so very soon!we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670544177705786313.post-76446559038793189232007-08-26T19:35:00.000+08:002007-09-02T15:14:28.601+08:00Say Cheese, Again!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxWFtpVIkOQG6Cbwk2NnYepiMnn6M1W-Ww7t3dR463TT5U7MBN-T84Yl0GEzvBwss9E2uubQhUMBTGcgQsr6eKts9EKxlS1etRIaBoiB03S0HQ8VIeQpa-eawXN6IL7TT7CKJFVcoTKc/s1600-h/IMG_0038.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102973036122695202" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxWFtpVIkOQG6Cbwk2NnYepiMnn6M1W-Ww7t3dR463TT5U7MBN-T84Yl0GEzvBwss9E2uubQhUMBTGcgQsr6eKts9EKxlS1etRIaBoiB03S0HQ8VIeQpa-eawXN6IL7TT7CKJFVcoTKc/s400/IMG_0038.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One week into my first visit to SayCheezeCake, two of my colleagues and I decided to have our inaugural networking lunch together at the same place. This time, I took up my daughter's suggestion not just to focus on the food but also the surroundings - especially since the decor is indeed strikingly red and shouting for attention! But not just the seats, look at the ceiling too! The yellow-red combination makes a fashion statement that is almost like an abstract piccasso painting! Yet, it is not garish and revolting. In fact, the entire restaurant is bright yet warm - like a flower attracting bees to its honey centre.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwM3gZrPx3ExTxARSY7YjkqVtcvOFHIhkswYHJLEQ0tMVYmaOUnQ6sqrTJqfK4dKoXg2JK1lKkiF7GdYnYuNphCn734w8woB7Dv69DZ3JsWWurL0IZe8nNNnlEmarTF0BG3yg3HRDqLhs/s1600-h/IMG_0036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102973044712629810" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwM3gZrPx3ExTxARSY7YjkqVtcvOFHIhkswYHJLEQ0tMVYmaOUnQ6sqrTJqfK4dKoXg2JK1lKkiF7GdYnYuNphCn734w8woB7Dv69DZ3JsWWurL0IZe8nNNnlEmarTF0BG3yg3HRDqLhs/s400/IMG_0036.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At the SayCheeseCake, one of its signature dishes is the chicken rice. The rice is cooked with a secret recipe using state-of-art machines! Yes, machines and not the usual steamer/wok used in chinese cooking. The result is a truly delicious taste of traditional chicken rice. You've got to try it to believe. For a person who is not into rice (i.e. myself), yet, I got to admit that it is certainly comparable to the best chicken rice stalls in town. To top this, the restaurant offers a chicken selection of white, soya and yin-yang combination (that is half white, half soya!). So now you have no excuse not to order that plate of chicken rice.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJJUxpbOhWsJeoMhdnT4uNEBOoKxhqFbVW7tOcwdXyGPWcEIrq72ohGkYkfE0PTpr0jJFJmx-HtNWN8WnEBdNbFVFbWws2jOFPXrUqaXTu2N6eZKrjeI8azxUsFFI-r0-bnQQiURO70c/s1600-h/IMG_0040.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102973053302564418" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJJUxpbOhWsJeoMhdnT4uNEBOoKxhqFbVW7tOcwdXyGPWcEIrq72ohGkYkfE0PTpr0jJFJmx-HtNWN8WnEBdNbFVFbWws2jOFPXrUqaXTu2N6eZKrjeI8azxUsFFI-r0-bnQQiURO70c/s400/IMG_0040.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The dessert of the day was pulot-hitam cheesecake. At first, we were quite hesitant in ordering it but due to the persuasive waiter, we decided to take up on his recommendation - with no regrets. The cake was not heavy, in fact just right - and one can bite into pieces of red bean found atop the cake!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3Dr_ATAJdR-Xr2q1i6gFvCkQ2iljGK0oyFxobxhT7f_4aNH_vBouaCAjIrW0fGTPbj6CDafMTFiJKBEbLNxOmy1291mNR3dBxp-gK-g1326ahrVo4L6U9Hx0v5iAqPWzey0pl3mU0Jo/s1600-h/IMG_0041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102973057597531730" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3Dr_ATAJdR-Xr2q1i6gFvCkQ2iljGK0oyFxobxhT7f_4aNH_vBouaCAjIrW0fGTPbj6CDafMTFiJKBEbLNxOmy1291mNR3dBxp-gK-g1326ahrVo4L6U9Hx0v5iAqPWzey0pl3mU0Jo/s400/IMG_0041.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yes, you've guessed it. This is certainly not my last visit to the place!we.eat.to.livehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07647506123440475986noreply@blogger.com0