Penang is truly a food paradise. It has a good mix of traditional Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan dishes and many of them can be found in hawker stalls throughout George Town. Throughout my 4 days in Penang, I had seen and ate as much as I could.

My mission: to enjoy as many of Penang’s famed dishes as possible in four days.

I have engaged a local tour guide to drive us around for a day. Just like what I did for Bangkok, I gave this tour guide a difficult task. That is, to bring me to places which sells good Penang food. Stomach space is very precious. I am obsessed with what I will have for my next meal and I researched as much as I can. I know I am definitely going to put on weight after my trip to Penang, so I want to make it worthwhile.

And here I am, happy to share with you what I have discovered. We combed about 20 hawker stalls and picked my favourite 10 out of them. I really love the fact that the hawker food culture is still going strong in Penang. Everywhere in the town, you can see many roadside hawker stalls whipping up dishes which they have been cooking for years. We practically walked with a heavy tummy in Penang every single day because there are just so much to eat. We gorge ourselves silly on char kway teow, prawn noodle soup, curry mee, assam laksa and so on. The hawker buzz is incredible. I don’t think you can see this anywhere else.

I am writing this as a perspective of a tourist. I understand that there are many many amazing hawker stalls and my 4 days stay in Penang is totally not enough to cover all the gems in the foodie town. But I hope to just serve as a guide for those of you who are visiting Penang for the first time.

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Mee Goreng @ Bangkok Lane

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Just the mention of Mee Goreng and most locals will direct you to the Bangkok Lane Mee Goreng. The mee goreng business has been passed down over several generations and does super tasty mee goreng. It is definitely entertaining to watch the owner / his worker fry mee goreng – one hand tossing and frying the noodles, while the other hand constantly turning the wok in a circular manner!

When served, just squeeze some lime, mix it and you are ready to savour. Even for someone like me who seldom eats Mee Goreng, I can’t help but to finish the whole plate of mee goreng. The noodles was moist and so fragrant, with some decent wok hei. The prawn stock and mashed potatoes gives it a balance of sweet, sour and spicy. And the mee goreng also have cuttlefish which makes it stand out from other mee goreng stalls. One fun fact, the owner knows Hokkien ok. Don’t play play!

Address: 270 Jalan Burma, Lorong Bangkok
Opening Hours: 8am – 6.30pm. Closed on Mondays

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Fish Ball Koay Teow Soup @ Carnavon Street

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This is not an usual bowl of fish ball soup. Because the fish balls here are MADE FROM EEL. Yes, the eel that we usually eat in Japanese restaurant. Instead of using the usual Batang fish to make their fishballs, the owner has creatively used eel to make into fish ball. Batang fish gives a more firm texture, but eel fish balls taste so much softer.

We ordered a bowl of dried noodles and fish ball soup to share. They uses a higher grade of dark soy sauce which makes the noodles super shiok. Unlike other fish ball noodles stall which usually adds in bak chor (minced meat), this stall uses handmade pork fillet which is unique. Their soup is boiled with duck and pork bones for many hours, hence giving it natural sweetness.

Address: 183 Carnarvon Street
Opening Hours: 9am – 4.30pm. Closed on Sun & Mon

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Asam Laksa @ Air Itam

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Situated next to Air Itam market, this stall is hugely popular for its authentic assam laksa. With only RM4, each bowl is packed with thick rice noodles, vegetables, spicy mackerel based soup and a generous amount of shrimp paste. Its main distinguishing feature is the asam which gives the soup a sour taste. The fish is poached and then flaked. There are other ingredients like lemongrass, mint, onion etc.

The soup base is very flavorful and filled with generous amount of flaked mackerels. The prawn pastes gives more depth to the laksa. And it is refreshing with the mint and onion. Don’t think this is the best bowl of Assam Laksa in Penang but it is pretty decent.

Address: 11500 Air Itam, Jalan Pasar
Open daily: 11:30am – 10pm

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Lor Bak @ Kheng Pin Cafe

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This Lor Bak stall at Kheng Pin Kafe located in the junction of Penang Road and Sri Bahari Road is another up and coming Lor Bak stall in Penang. Lor bak is usually served as an appetizer which consists of marinated five spiced pork wrap in bean curd skin. I think freshness is important in making Lor Bak.

The Lor Bak here has the perfect marinated meat, which makes it tender and delicately flavoured. The skin is also not as thick as it is only wrapped with one layer. So when it is being fried, you can see the golden brown crispy exterior. The lor bak here is not too oily, and only prepared upon order only to ensure freshness. The Lor Bak is eaten with a dipping of chili sauce and homemade thick starchy lor sauce with beaten egg swirls.

Address: Kheng Pin Café, 80 Penang Road
Opening hours: 7am – 3pm. Closed on Mondays.

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Penang Road Famous Teochew Cendol @ Lebuh Keng Kwee

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Cendol is one of Malaysia’s favourite desserts. But nowhere is the competition more keen than on Lebuh Keng Kwee, off Penang Road, where two families have been operating their stalls for decades. One is called “Penang Road Famous Cendol” run by the Loh family, while the other is called “Penang Road Famous Teochew Cendol” run by the Tan family.

We chose the Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul from Mr Tan, as recommended by our tour guide. They have been in this trade close to 40 years. Armed with a five-decade old recipe, the family roll up their sleeves everyday to prepare bowls of refreshing cendol and ais kacang for their customers. Even Gurmit Singh and Lim Guan Eng patronise his stall!

In a bowl of RM2 chendol, there is aromatic gula Melaka and fragrant coconut milk, certainly a perfect remedy for the blistering heat of Penang. You can have the cendol beside the stall, at the comfort of air con. Another nice thing about the shoplot is that you can get a delicious, hot bowl of assam laksa from the stall right in front of the door.

Address: Lebuh Keng Kwee, off Penang Road
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 10.30am – 7pm; Sat & Sun 10am – 7.30pm

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Kim Leng Loh Mee @ Perak Lane

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Loh Mee is one of the top 10 hawker food in Penang. Off Jalan Perak, there is this loh mee stall called “Kim Leng Loh Mee” that serves very good loh mee. Being a loh mee fan back in Singapore, I have my own expectations when it comes to a good bowl of loh mee. The most important part is definitely the gravy, which must be tasty, not like some brown coloured glue.

Kim Leng Loh Mee serves a good bowl of loh mee with thick, dark-coloured gravy cooked with pork rib stock, five-spiced powder and starched with egg white. It is then served with yellow noodle and bee hoon together with chicken feet, egg, bean sprouts and slices of barbecue pork. What’s more, they also serve CHICKEN FEET in the loh mee. The Loh Mee is priced from RM3 (Small), RM3.50 (Medium) and RM5 (Big).

Address: 336-G1 Lintang Slim, off Jalan Perak
Opening Hours: 7am – 4pm. Closed on Thursdays.

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Tua Pui Curry Mee @ Lebuh Kimerley

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We were dejected because by the last day of our trip, we still couldn’t find a good bowl of curry mee. But I never give up till the very end. On our way to airport, I was googling and found Tua Pui Curry Mee. It was already late afternoon and many stalls may have been closed. But the kind driver offered to drive us to the location to check it out. And…LAST BOWL OF CURRY MEE FOR THE DAY BELONGS TO US! YAY!

Tua Pui curry mee serves a generous bowl of curry noodles which includes ingredients such as taupok, coagulated blood, blood cockles, cuttle fish and more. The soup is enhanced with several types of curry, giving it a little more complexity. Not to forget their home made chili, which completes the entire dish but do not overpower the coconut in the soup. Their curry mee overall is as good as any.

Address : 23, Lebuh Kimerley
Opening Hours: 9am to 5.30pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

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Seafood Popiah @ Gerai Gerai Padang Brown

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Seafood Popiah at Gerai Gerai Padang Brown is one of the oldest in Penang with over 60 years of history. It is probably also one of the few stalls that had extravagant crab meat in its popiah. The ingredients here are simpler with only shredded egg pieces, ‘bangkuang char’, crab meat and fried shallots.

After the popiah has been wrapped, it will be drowned in stir fried turnip gravy. When I first saw my plate of wet popiah, I wasn’t able to accept. But after tasting it, I love it very much. The popiah becomes sweeter absorbing the gravy.

There are also other good food in Gerai Gerai Padang Brown, such as lok lok, ice kachang, char koay teow, yong tau fu and more.

Address: Stall 17, Gerai Gerai Padang Brown
Opening hours: 2pm – 7pm. Closed on Thursdays.

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Char Kway Teow @ Lorong Selamat

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I am sure many of you are familiar with this Char Kway Teow stall. Yes, this is the stall where the lady owner is recognized by her red hat and she sometimes wear goggle too. She is also, unfortuntately, the target of a Facebook boycott campaign after allegedly insulting a customer who complained about the price.

But, who cares? She really fries a very good plate of char kway teow! With RM9, you get a nice charcoal fried kway teow with large prawns and fresh cockles. She probably serves the most expensive char kway teow in Penang, but there are still local crowds constantly streaming in just to get their char kway teow craving satisfied.

Ok, I haven’t eaten all the famous Char Kway Teow stalls to have a conclusion but her char kway teow has a good wok hei with all the flavours perfectly balanced, which is often missing in Singapore. Her wok is charcoal fired, with a small fan at the bottom blowing to keep the flames hot. It was very smooth and infused with the umami flavour of the prawns.

Address: 108, Lorong Selamat
Opening Hours: 11am – 6pm. Closed on every Tuesdays.

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Hokkien Mee @ Jelutong Night Market

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Because we went during the period of Nine Emperor Gods Festival, many stalls were not opened. But thankfully we managed to complete our hunt for Hokkien Mee at Jelutong night market. This is really a hidden gem because they sell a very good bowl of Hokkien Mee for the locals but not as well known to the tourists as compared to some other stalls.

Slices of prawns and well balanced stock are the key ingredient to the Hokkien Mee, with the chili paste providing the wow factor. The soup is bursting with prawn flavour, while our noodles are cooked just right. What’s the best thing, you don’t have to wait for long before the Hokkien Mee arrived!

Address: Jalan Penaga, Jelutong
Opening hours: 7pm – 12am

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I hope this gives you a good list on where to eat in Penang. I leave Penang with some regrets because I didn’t manage to try some of the hawker dishes which were in our plan. One of which is the famous Lim Sisters’ Curry Mee at air itam market. The 80 over year-old elderly sisters crouched around their cauldron of curry, ladling out bowl of their curry noodles. Sock Peng, a fellow food blogger whom I met during the trip, specially recommended it. We took a cab there but unfortunately they were closed during the period of Nine Emperor Gods Festival. They are usually opened daily from 8am to 1pm daily.

Not forgetting the Penang Super Hokkien Mee behind Penang Plaza which needs to queue at 7am in the morning. We never wake up early enough to grab a bowl of it. And Batu Lanchang Nyonya Kuih Stall which only opens at 3pm but closed on Sunday, which happens to be the day of our visit. But this gives me a reason to go back Penang again to conquer another round of hawker food. I WILL BE BACK!

Read about my other Penang posts:
Guide to Cafes in George Town // Street Art in Penang // 41 Living Story // Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa // Pulau Tikus Market.

I love to discover hidden gems! First, it was Tamashii Robatayaki. Sweetheart Amanda then introduced me to another new Japanese restaurant along Carpenter Street called “Shinzo”. I was surprised to find out that this new Japanese restaurant is opened by Chef Lawrence Chia, who used to be from the renowned Japanese restaurant Hinoki!

With Chef Lawrence Chia at the helm of this culinary gem, not only are you guaranteed the freshest produce flown in from Hokkaido and Kyoto, but you can also hear a tale or two from his varied experience in the food and beverage industry. He was a graduate from the famed Nogawa School, and has always been the most earnest of chefs.

We went for lunch that time and ordered a Unagi Lunch Set ($38) and Wagyu Beef Lunch ($45). Appetizer was Century Egg Tofu which had cntury egg puree smothered on a cube of silky soft tofu, topped with tobiko roe, nice! And I ordered an extra truffle chawanmushi and love its smooth texture.

There’s a good reason for my not always liking unagi: When not done right, it is fishy. So I only eat it at good restaurants and Shinzo passes the test. The girlfriend had grilled fresh water eel with rice, served in a simple bento box. Not bad, it had an appealing shiny texture, which comes with moist and tender meat.

My stir fried wagyu beef & vegetables with rice was alright. Tender slices of beef was paired with Japanese rice and vegetables. I think I can do with more sauce. By the way, apologise for the low quality photos, I was using an iPhone.

Shinzo is not fashionable, but it serves good food. Its lunch set is not the most pocket friendly, but I left feeling satisfied. Get the counter seats if you can so that you can get a close look at the chefs at work. The soothing lighting makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. A full omakase is available for dinner along with a range of traditional sushi, I will definitely be back. Go quickly before it becomes crowded.

Shinzo
Address: 17 Carpenter Street, #01-01
Tel: 6438 2921
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm; 6.30pm-10pm

Hello world. I am starting a new column on my blog called “Juicy Tuesday” which I hope to share some of the fruit juices, tea and soy milk concoctions I have been drinking.

Why decided to do this? Just a few weeks back, I fell sick. I thought it would be okay within 1-2 days but it just got worse with running nose and sore throat. Plus the amount of festive food which I have been eating lately, it is taking a toll on my body. I feel a need to eat and drink healthier but most of the time, I am just too busy to really prepare proper meals.

So I decided to drink regular fruit juices which is so much easier and faster to prepare. “Juicy Tuesday” was created, to share what I have been drinking and what you can prepare at home.

I have bought many books on this topics just so that I can have more variety. I ain’t an nutritionist but I will also share some nutritional information on the ingredients I used. The ingredients are simple and the steps are idiot proof. Hope some of the recipes will interest you and motivate you to create some healthy drinks for yourself and your family.

Ever since I started blogging, I have been starring at the computer more often than usual and it is always for long hours. As a consequence, both my short-sighted and astigmatism have deteriorated.

Carrots are high in vitamin A, a nutrient essential for good vision. Eating carrots will provide you with the small amount of vitamin A needed for good vision, so I decided to create a glass of Carrot Wolberry Juice for myself to help soothe some tiredness in my eyes.

Moreover, wolfberries is one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits around. It is supposed to contain more beta-carotene, a type of antioxidant, than carrots. Antioxidants may have anti-aging and cancer-fighting effects.

Recipe for Carrot Wolfberry Juice (胡萝卜枸杞汁)

Ingredients:
150g carrots
25g wolfberries
some honey to taste

Method:
1. Rinse wolfberries and soak in water for 5 minutes.
2. Rinse carrots and cut into pieces.
3. Place both ingredients into a juicer.
4. Add some honey to taste.

If you are new to juicing, this Carrot Wolberry Juice is a great juice to start with. Just close your eyes and sip away!

References:
Goji Berries: Health Benefits
7 Things You Should Know about Chinese Wolfberries
Carrots – The World’s Healthiest Foods

Ok, I got to admit this. I have walked past Coffee Stars by Dao many times but I always thought it was just a dessert place selling some western food. It was until a few weeks ago, when I had lunch with the TAT ladies, that I realized it was actually a Thai restaurant!

Coffee Stars has its humble beginning as a small cafe in a family owned condominium back in Thailand. It is owned by Mdm Nattaya Pangputhipong, also known as Dao. She is a former pageant runner-up and a qualified chef from Le Cordon Bleu culinary school.

Inspired by Dao’s frequent and far flung travels, Coffee Stars offers an international menu infused with Asian flavours. It has close to 10 outlets in Thailand and 3 years ago, it has set up its first outlet out of Thailand, right smack in the middle of our busy Orchard Road.

The menu here has a very impressive range of over 200 items, ranging from Thai, Western to desserts. To be frank, I get lost trying to read through every page and choosing what to eat. But since it originated from Thailand, I guess you can’t go wrong with Thai food!

We had a good variety of appetizers ranging from Pomelo Salad with Shrimp ($17), Chicken & Shrimp Coconut Rillettes & Crispy Rice Crackers ($11), Stir Fried Glass Noodle in Spicy Soy Bean Paste with Seafood ($16) and Crispy Shrimp Rolls ($14).

Pomelo Salad is one of the most famous of all Thai salads, and a favorite among Thai food fans. This salad makes a terrific lunch, side salad, or even a beautiful starter to any Thai meal. The pulp has a crunchy and popping texture that goes well with the typical Thai flavorings. It has a balance of hot, sour, sweet, and salty. Crispy Shrimp Rolls is packed with flavour and every bite has some shrimp in it. Stir Fried Glass Noodle is unfortunately less appetizing than the rest but it is sure spicy.

If you fancy a soup with a difference then this Thai Laksa with Crab ($16) is perfect and makes a healthy and warming dish on a cold day. In fact, I have eaten too many Singaporean laksa that I find this very unique. For sharing, you can place some thick rice vermicelli, salted vegetables, egg, bean sprouts and bitter gourd into a bowl, and drizzle with some laksa sauce. This actually reminds me of Khao Soi I had in Chiang Mai. It is rather unique to see bitter gourd in this dish, but the bitterness was mellowed down to a tolerable and plesant extent. And the laksa sauce? Be careful of its spicicness.

You know I love Pad Thai right. For every Thai restaurant I visited, it is a norm for me to order a plate of Pad Thai. Confirm plus chop, I must have it. At Coffee Stars, things are little different. We had a plate of Crispy Wonton Pad-Thai Chicken ($16) which is rather unique. Pad thai flavours remain the same, but instead of using the typical type of noodles, it is replaced with fried wonton. Do I welcome the change? I think it is rather interesting!

Aromatic Grilled Pork & Sticky Rice ($16) is done Isan style, which is the northeast region of Thailand. What makes Isan food different is, they use lots of chili peppers, lime, peanuts, dried shrimp, sticky rice, mint and other fresh herbs. Though flavor layers are very complex, food preparation is often quite simple. There you have it, simple marinated grilled pork which is tender and served with sticky rice and spicy chilli sauce.

If you are game to try fusion dishes, how about having a plate of Pasta Green Curry Chicken ($17). I personally still prefer my classic bowl of green curry. This whole dish is too heavy for me.

Since they are famous for their cakes, please leave some tummy space for them. They have a good range of cakes from New York Cheesecake, to Coconut Cake, Taro Cake, Apple Crumble, Vanilla Crepe, Coconut Pandan Roll, Carrot Cake, D24 Durian cake… each piece ranging from $7 to $9. From 2pm to 6pm daily, they are also offering afternoon tea set with scones, sandwiches, small bites with a choice of tea or coffee at $45 per set.

Coffee Stars by Dao
Address: #01-37 to 41, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, 435 Orchard Road
Tel: 6733 3881
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm daily

Christmas is approaching in less than a month. If you are planning to eat out this yuletide season, you had better be quick because tables are filling up fast.

I am honoured to join the food&travel magazine team and readers on a food trail at The Star Vista to try out the Christmas sets at 4 different stores. Come on down The Star Vista this Christmas and enjoy loads of festive rewards and treats lined up especially for you this celebratory season.

Let’s take a look at what these shops have to offer!

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JAMAICA BLUE

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In Jamaica, there is a saying – “wan wan coco ful baskit” (“one one coco, full basket”). It simply means that if you slow down, stop rushing and take your time, you will achieve your goal. At Jamaica Blue, they believe that everybody should take a little timeout of their day to recharge, relax and reflect.

Taking their name from the majestic Blue Mountains in Jamaica – among the world’s best coffee-growing regions and the origin of one of their exquisite coffee blends, we must definitely order a cup of coffee to try. Jamaica Blue Signature Blend Latte uses a blend of 100% Arabica beans with medium intensity and a well-balanced body. There is a strong finish with a hint of chocolate. In addition, the cute barista does really creative latte art.

Jamaica Blue offers fabulous Christmas delights to complement the coffees. Enjoy French Bread & Butter Pudding. The warm pudding cake is drizzled with some dark chocolate ganache and paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Classic chocolate mousse pots served with a dollop of whipped cream and strawberry are not kids’ stuff; they are mysterious, dark and titillating. This is a delightfully unique creation whose flavours perfectly reflect the holiday season. Perfect for late nights.

• Unit #01-32/K1
• Tel: 6694 4592
• www.jamaicablue.com.sg

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BROTZEIT GERMAN BIER BAR & RESTAURANT

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Good Bavarian food is hard to come by. That’s why fans will be happy to know that Brotzeit has opened its fourth outlet at Star Vista Mall at Buona Vista. In Brotzeit ‘s food menu offerings, one can find culinary specialties inspired by traditional Bavarian cuisine, with a douse of influence from modern Germany. All the favourites are there.

This Christmas, Brotzeit has come up with a range of Christmas dishes from 16 Dec 2013 to 5 Jan 2014. One of them is Beef Wellington ($46), served with sautéed beetroot, parsnip, spinach and slow cooked baby. This utterly delicious 200g of prime cut tenderloin is wrapped with fine leg ham and mushrooms encased in a crispy puff pastry, easily takes centre stage at any Christmas dinner table. It is cooked to a perfect medium so that the meat is warm, juicy and a dusky pink within and comes with deeply flavoured gravy that my dining companions and I lapped up greedily. The buttery sweetness from the pastry stunningly too, rendering flavours that were intense but not overwhelming.

The Brotzeitplatte ($88), or Brotzeit Platter, is a monster of a main course that consists of Brotzeit’s signature tender pork knuckles, an extensive variety of flavourful sausages, pork schnitzels and two side dishes of your choice. This dish will easily satisfy the cravings of a group of four and is perfect for gathering.

Foodies may be familiar with Brotzeit’s popular German beers. It continues to expand its drink menu to include refreshing lagers, pilsners, wheat beers and dark beers from some of the finest German breweries in the world. But this Christmas, let’s have something different! They have come up with homemade mulled red wine Heisser Gluwein ($12.50), which is a traditional German warm red wine spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

• Unit #02-17/19
• Tel: 6694 3652
• www.brotzeit.co

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OWL CAFÉ

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Owl Coffee, better known for its instant coffee sachets, opened its first Owl Cafe at The Star Vista mall in Buona Vista as a way to reach out to younger customers. The 85-seat cafe looks like an indie coffee place, with industrial-looking metal chairs, wooden tables and naked light bulbs hanging from the ceiling like raindrops.

Delight in their wide range of coffees along with their snacks and toast, main courses or desserts, which are saturated with the rich diversity of the cultures along and around the Straits of Malacca.

From now till 29 Dec 2013, enjoy their 3 course Christmas Set at $14.80 (UP $18.80) with Mushroom Cheese Baked Spaghetti in Creamy Sauce, Thai Styled Chicken Strips Salad and Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream. I enjoyed the Thai Styled Chicken Strips Salad which has a combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavours. The Mushroom Cheese Baked Spaghetti is creamy but not too heavy.

• Unit #02-10/11
• Tel: 6694 3537
• www.owlcafe.com.sg

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MARBLE SLAB CREAMERY

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Since 1983, Marble Slab Creamery super premium ice cream made fresh in their Central Creamery, and they hand-roll our freshly bake waffle cones in the store. When an order comes in, the ice cream is scooped onto a frozen marble slab, where your choice of fruits, nuts and candies, will be skillfully blended in, until the whole concoction is finally piled high on the delectable waffle cone of your choice; eating your very own, one-of-a-kind dessert. All together, it’s a special ice cream cone that’s made just the way you like it, just when you want it.

This Christmas, Marble Slab Creamery has an awesome Christmas Star Specials, only at The Star Vista outlet. One of them is Christmas Star Indulgence ($10) which features vanilla ice cream with kinder Bueno, brownie & walnut in a dipped chocolate waffle bowl. I had fun making my own Christmas Star cup and I think I did a pretty decent job at creating my own Xmas tree!

If the usual log cake bores you, be sure to try their Christmas Star Layered Log Cake ($58.80). They are not made from sponge cake; they are made from ICE CREAM! Yes, I am not kidding. You get a combination of salted peanut, red velvet, cool mint and double dark chocolate ice cream. Can you resist? I can’t!

• Unit #B1-42
• Tel: 6694 1927
• www.marbleslab.com.sg

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We had fun at The Star Vista. What’s more, from 15 November to 31 December 2013, stand to win shopping and dining vouchers in their SURE-WIN Lucky Dip with minimum $80 spent.

Other Christmas treats include complimentary gift wrapper and sticker with a minimum of $60 spent. Top up to $120 ($90 for CapitaCard members) for a specially designed Xmas mug. In addition, immerse yourself in the atmosphere of jolly jingles in The Star Vista with a series of creative Christmas craft activities. For more information, visit www.thestarvista.com

Thank you food&travel Magazine for organizing this food trail. Check out their magazine for more acitivites!

Located at the prominent Shaw Centre, Les Amis is the perfect place for a serious mealtime. Since its opening in 1994, Les Amis has established itself as an acclaimed French fine dining, renowned not only for its fine cuisine, but also for its award-winning wine list and impeccable service. This month, the restaurant celebrates two milestones – the appointment of Sebastien Lepinoy as Executive Chef; and the unveiling of a brand new menu specially designed by him.

A protégé of legendary chef Joël Robuchon, Chef Lepinoy is best known for his gastronomic creations as Head Chef of the Group’s Michelin-starred CÉPAGE in Hong Kong, before joining Les Amis. With Chef Lepinoy in the house, he has crafted a new creative and contemporary haute French cuisine comprising bold yet elegant dishes with Japanese influence.

Partnering Chef Lepinoy in the kitchen is pastry chef Cheryl Koh, who was trained at two Michelin star Lasserre in Paris and has been working with Chef Lepinoy for two years since CEPAGE. Complementing Chef Lepinoy’s cooking techniques with her artisanal approach to desserts, the duo has designed a series of menus for Les Amis, using the finest and freshest ingredients with stylish presentation and exceptional attention to details.

Even the table butter – from a small producer called Bordier – is top drawer. We can’t help but to keep eating their freshly made bread just so that we can try different butter flavours – namely sweaweed, salted, unsalted, sweet, chilli and smoked.

Our first appetizer was a beautifully plated French Caviar from Sologne balanced on cold angel hair pasta with chives and seaweed, which kinda reminded me of Gunther’s. If you have a softness for caviar, this cold angel hair pasta is a delightful luxury. It comes with a side of Scallop Maki.

As said, Chef Lepinoy’s french dishes has some Japanese influence and this is seen strongly in the Steam Blue Crab and Hokkaido Sea Urchin on Lobster Custard in light and delicious fennel foam. Using sea urchin which we usually have in Japanese restaurants, the ingredients are paired with flavourful lobster custard, presented in a Japanese style tray. Simple presentation, yet complicated flavours, totally enjoying it.

Made to look like a fried dumpling, the crispy cornouaille langoustine looks a little like a miniature lobster and is finger licking good. It is balanced with a bowl of overflowing ‘folichonne’ side salad.

Pan seared foie gras melts in the mouth and is seared to perfection, while the french river eel gave it a different matching flavour. It is accompanied by citrus fruits and dashi broth.

Grilled dry aged beef with bitterherbs, mushrooms and a rich jus is my favourite for the night. It’s Kagoshima A5, by the way. Which means it has fine fibre, marbling and a good combination of beef taste and fat which melts in your mouth. Cooked medium, the meat was tender, juicy and full-flavoured, it brings tears to the eyes.

I have a soft spot for souffle, that is an open secret. The dessert, however, is not for the impatient – it usually takes about 20 minutes for the kitchen to whip it up. A perfectly baked souffle should have a luscious crust fully risen well above the lip of the ramekin. Les Amis’ Dark Chocolate P125 Souffle has a very light texture, with the strong flavours from the dark chocolate expressed in the luxurious texture that only a souffle can provide. Paired with Tahiti vanilla ice cream, hot and cold combination brings a perfect ending to the night.

It was a really good meal, period. Chef Lepinoy surely lets his ingredients do most of the talking, with each dish presented simply yet creatively. Their lunch menu starts from $45++ per person, and their dinner starts from $150++ per person. Sure, it isn’t as cheap; but you’re definitely getting a lot more.

Les Amis boasts one of the most extensive wine lists in Asia. With more than 2000 labels housed in two temperature-controlled wine cellars, the award winning wine list is designed to complement the modern and contemporary cuisine at Les Amis. Most of the wines are from France, mainly Burgundy and Bordeaux. New and Old World wines displaying high level of quality are also available.

Les Amis
Address: 1 Scotts Road, #02-14/16 Shaw Centre
Tel: 6733 2225
Website: http://www.lesamis.com.sg
Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays Lunch 12 noon (Last seating at 2 pm); Dinner 7 pm (Last seating at 9.30 pm). Closed on Sundays and certain public holidays.

Over the years, the popularity of Thai cuisine among the locals has inspired many local restaurants to come up with their own Thai menu, to meet the local craving for sweet, sour and spicy Thai cuisine.

The latest to join the list is Siam Society at Jalan Riang, which opened about a month ago. Located in a tranquil residential area off Upper Serangoon, Siam Society took over the shop space of The Fat Cat (they have moved to holland village). Even though they are new to the neighbourhood, the team is definitely not new to the F&B industry. Young owner SS owns a Thai eatery “Soi Thai” in Tampines and he is very insistent on keeping the Thai flavours as original as possible.

We had been eating alot of Thai cakes in other Thai eateries and this time round, we chose Prawn Cake Balls ($11.50). These handmade Thai prawn cake balls are plump, crusty and absolutely addictive, served with Thai sweet sauce.

Deep Fried Pork Knuckles ($35) is marinated for one full day in Siam Society’s special sauce before being deep fried to perfection. It has a crispy crackling exterior, which reminds me of suckling pig. However, this is one of the days when I cannot bear the thought of eating anything with a thick layer of skin and fats. It will probably less “threatening” if the pork knuckles is cut into smaller pieces before serving.

Steamed Seabass in Chilli Lime ($32) is my favourite. It is a dish that packs with garlic, lime, chilli, together with the sour, spicy and savoury flavours that are synonymous with Thai food.

Legendary Thai-style Weeping Tiger (Grilled Sirloin Beef, $24) is served with their homemade side sauce that simply pops with flavours. Why is it called weeping tiger? My Thai friend told me it is because the accompanying sauce is so spicy that it makes tigers weep. I was hoping the sauce here will be spicy enough to make me cry. But anyway, the meat is well marinated, leaving it extremely tender and full of flavor. I would gladly eat it without the sauce because the meat is already packed with flavours.

Cabbage with Fish Sauce ($9) is a simple yet delectable dish. The cabbage is stir fried with fish sauce for a crunchy and delicious after taste. It is a wonderful dish the chef has created out of such simple and cheap ingredients.

Clear Tomyam Seafood Soup ($10 small, $16.50 large) came loaded with squid, fish fillet and tiger prawns. It looks harmless but trust me, it is packed with flavours and spicy to the palate. I love how the boyfriend describes it “This soup tastes like Golden Mile! Very Thai!”

Enjoying Thai cuisine in a quiet residential estate gives us a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Jalan Riang has many inexpensive and worth-your-while cafes/restaurants waiting for you experience it. And Siam Society is definitely one of them.

Siam Society
Address: 15 Jalan Riang
Tel: 6286 8603
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm; 5.30pm to 10.30pm daily

Hello world, it’s Juicy Tuesday again! When I first introduced this column last week, a friend told me that he thought it was going to be a gossip blog post because of the word “juicy”. Haha! Sorry to disappoint, it is a healthy blog post!

If you have been reading my twitter or dayre, you should know that I have been looking for soy milk maker for the longest time. You see, I really love drinking soya milk and have been wanting to get a soy milk machine to make my own soy milk at home because the ones at retail stores are too sweet. I was searching for one and many bought Joyoung soy milk maker.

I went to 2 electronic stores and was very disappointed that I could not find that brand. I posted on their Facebook to ask where can I buy it and the helpful staff Jonathan told me that I can find it in Bukit Panjang Plaza, Jurong Point, Tampines Mall, all of which is too far from my house. I mean, I won’t take an effort to travel all the way there to get the soy milk maker and lug it all the way back. While I was shopping Best Denki in Junction 8, I saw that Philips also had a soy milk maker. And it fulfill my needs, that is to make soy milk, so I bought it. They have 2 years warranty and can also make soup!

Black beans are one of the best foods for your health, your budget, and your waistline. They are packed with fiber and protein. That means they’ll satisfy even the most intense hunger, and will keep you feeling full and energetic for hours. For the recipe, I state that you can filter the beans fiber through the sieve. But I skipped that step because it is my lunch. You can also replace the beans with other grains such as rice, millet, oats and wheat.

Recipe for Five Grains Soymilk （五谷豆浆）
for 4 pax

Ingredients:
15g soybeans
20g black beans
20g black eyed peas
15g red beans
10g green beans
1300ml water
some sugar

Method (if you have a soy milk maker):
1) Wash and soak the beans for 6-8 hours. Rinse and drain well.
2) Pour soaked beans into soy milk maker.
3) Add water till the desired level.
4) Cover the lid, turn on the power, and select ‘five grains’ function.
5) The machine will beep when the soy milk is ready.
6) Pour the soymilk and filter the fiber through the sieve provided.
7) Add sugar to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

Method (if you DO NOT have a soy milk maker):
1) Wash and soak the beans for 6-8 hours. Rinse and drain well.
2) Blend/puree the beans with water until it become a smooth blend.
3) Pour the blended beans into a muslin cloth over a pot, and squeeze the milk out.
4) Bring soy milk to a boil. You can add some pandan leaves for extra fragrance.
7) Add sugar to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

Advertorial

Good news for everyone! Did you hear that you can enjoy 11 days of Free Travel on the new Downtown Line? It’s all day and unlimited. You just have to enter or come out from any Downtown Line stations to enjoy the free ride.

So what does this mean to foodies out there? More opportunities to explore the various parts of Singapore to seek out eating places that we wouldn’t have otherwise gone. Check out my guide to the restaurants/eateries near these 6 Downtown Line Stations.

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DT14 Bugis

• Go shopping at Bugis Junction, or explore Kampong Glam & Haji Lane from here, or check out the National Library. Also connects with the East-West Line.
• Featured Restaurant: Artichoke Cafe & Bar, about a 10 minute walk from DT14 Bugis Station

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Singaporeans love brunch, don’t we? But if you are getting bored with the usual egg benedict, perhaps Artichoke Cafe & Bar will surprise you. Tucked away in the courtyard of Sculpture Square, Artichoke’s cuisine can be described as modern Moorish café fare; food spiked with the gutsy flavours of Syria, Greece, North Africa, Turkey, Lebanon, and all those other Eastern Mediterranean countries once part of the Ottoman Empire.

We ordered a Mezze Platter ($28) with a selection of little things that they feel like serving today, like Japanese style omakase. Haha! So for the Mezze Platter that day, it has chickpea & tahini hummus, beetroot tzatziki with pistachio dukka, Turkish string cheese and pumpkin jam, smoked anchovies and tomatoes, smoked chicken terrine, Lebanese mixed pickles and za ‘atar toast.

My favourite is the Lamb Shakshouka ($26). A traditional breakfast meal in the Middle East, the name “shakshouka” roughly translates as “mixed up”. At its core is a dish consisting of a cast iron pan of roast lamb, homemade labneh (yoghurt cheese), yummy pistachio dukka (Egyptian dip made of herbs, nuts and spices), za’atar (Middle Eastern spice mixture) toast and two local eggs cracked over. The flavours are rougher and bolder, bursting with rich flavours that you have to try!

Artichoke Cafe & Bar
Address: 161 Middle Road, Sculpture Square
Tel: 6336 6949
Website: http://artichoke.com.sg

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DT15 Promenade

• Suntec City, Milenia Walk and the Singapore Flyer are accessible from Promenade. Also connects to the Circle Line.
• Featured Restaurant: Commune Café, about 5 mins walk from DT15 Promenade Station, inside Milenia Walk

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Commune Cafe is a cafe which serves great coffee and cakes. It is located uniquely on the connecting bridges of Millenia Walk.

What food tastes better than comfort food? Sometimes, it’s that simple dish that satisfies the most. I mean, how else did those sausage stands all over the world survive and thrive? At Commune, they offers Bockwurst sandwiches which has thick and savoury smoked meat sausages sandwiched between warm and fluffy soft buns topped off with generous portions of either American-style or Mexican-style toppings. It was a raining afternoon, so I chose Chicken Sausage Sandwich with Mexican toppings ($7.50) which is zesty.

The unconventional Waffle ($8.50) is filled with banana, chocolate and ice cream. While the combination may sound a little daunting, they do a decent job of balancing one another out. They serve pretty good coffee too.

Commune Café
Address: Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard #02-50
Tel: 6337 1038
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Communecafe50

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DT16 Bayfront

• Lets you get near Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands and the Art Science Museum. And another connection to the Circle Line.
• Featured Restaurant: Satay by the Bay, about 10 mins stroll through Gardens by the Bay

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Remember the times when going to Marina Bay = eating cheap BBQ steamboat and flying kites? To relish the younger days, we went to Satay by the Bay to enjoy our BBQ and steamboat!

Sandwiched between the picturesque domes of Gardens by the Bay and Marina Barrage, the relatively remote Satay by the Bay aims to recreate a feel of the old Satay Club of the ’80s and also pay homage to the old Marina Bay area. I still clearly remember the old Marina Bay area, where we fly kite, play arcade and eat cheap steamboat.

Our dinner at Bay Front Steamboat Buffet feels like a trip down memory lane but prices have since doubled. For $25, you’ll get your own steamboat pot and free-flow of fresh vegetables, meat and seafood. It is hearty and comforting dinner. A free shuttle bus loop service is available from Mondays to Fridays, during lunch hours and from 6pm to 12am.

Satay by the Bay
Address: Gardens by the Bay #01-19
Website: http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/dining/satay-by-the-bay.html

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DT17 Downtown

• Gets you into the new Marina Bay Financial Centre, and also Lau Pa Sat.
• Featured Restaurant: Doutor Coffee, about 3 mins walk from DT17 Downtown Station

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Doutor Coffee opened the first European styled café in Harajuku, Japan, 23 years ago. Today, it has more than 1200 outlets throughout the world. The selection of coffee beans is one of the most critical aspects that make DOUTOR coffee exceptional. Doutor coffee beans mainly come from our own plantation in Kona, Hawaii and they also import from 11 different countries around the world.

In general, a majority of roasting plants adopts the method of roasting using hot air. But at Doutor Coffee, uses open flame roasting, which best retain the flavour of the coffee beans. You can also enjoy a plate of pancakes with bananas and chocolate cream at $6.80.

These pancakes are fluffy and delicious with my favourite maple syrup, perfect for an everyday breakfast. Don’t forget to order their Doutor Coffee from $3.50 onwards. Note that the café is closed on weekends.

Douter Coffee
Address: Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, #01-05
Tel: 6604 6082
Website: http://www.doutorcoffee.com.sg/

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DT18 Telok Ayer

• Makes it easier to check out restaurants, cafes and bars around Tanjong Pagar & Ann Siang Hill.
• Featured Restaurant: The Market Grill, About 5 mins walk from DT18 Telok Ayer Station

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Opened by renowned hotelier and restaurateur Loh Lik Peng, The Market Grill is a rising star at Telok Ayer. Helming the kitchen is Executive Chef Colin West who formerly plied his culinary skills at Les Amis, Le Saint Julien, Braise and Swiss Grill. The Market Grill features charbroiled steaks, live Atlantic Lobsters as well as Colin West’s (CW) Signature handcrafted Burgers that are hearty and robust.

Whetting up the appetite, our lunch started off with the Wagyu Teaser ($19) that is served with thinly sliced 4 hours slow roasted wagyu rump complemented with peppery rocket, pickled onion, vine tomatoes and balsamic shallot dressing. The plate had a symphony of flavours that worked harmoniously.

For something different from the burger menu, we love the CW Cod Fish Burger ($26) which came with perfectly grilled succulent and buttery Atlantic Cod in pommery-marinate with a parmesan bun and lemony herbed mayo served with vine cherry tomatoes and romaine lettuce on the side. The burger is truly divine with its own unique personality that burst with every mouthful in light and fluffy buns. No reservations allowed for this restaurant so be early!

The Market Grill
Address: 208 Telok Ayer Street
Tel: 6221 3323
Website: http://themarketgrill.com.sg

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DT19 Chinatown

• Chinatown Point & People’s Park Centre, and the interchange for the North-East Line.
• Featured Restaurant: K ki Sweets, about 10 mins walk from DT19 Chinatown Station

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Tucked at a small corner of Ann Siang Hill is K-ki, a small café that sells excellent cakes. Shaped like a teardrop, “Antoinette” ($8.50) is a light white chocolate mousse with mango centre. The white chocolate mousse had a subtle sweetness and the sweet tangy mando gives it a unique touch.

“Nao” ($9) offers strawberry mousse with soft pistachio cream centre. In a lovely shade of pink, the strawberry mousse gives a sourish yet refreshing taste while the nutty pistachio cream balances it.

K-ki cafe is a nice place to enjoy a slice of cake while reading your favourite book. But on weekends, they are more busy so be prepared to eat your cakes fast because there will be people waiting for seats. There is also The Little Drom Store, a quirky vintage store selling all sorts of random things.

K ki Sweets
Address: 7 Ann Siang Hill
Tel: 6225 6650
Website: http://www.kki-sweets.com/

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And that’s it, 6 recommendations for good eats around the Downtown Line.

If you don’t already know, this is just the first stage of the Downtown Line.

When it’s fully open in 2017, it will be Singapore’s longest automated underground line. It’ll be 42km long, connecting the Northwest and Eastern parts of Singapore, to the city centre. And there’ll be 34 stations, which will intersect at 10 interchanges, and will take you to the financial district, and many places of interest, as well as shop-and-dine hubs and schools.

For the latest updates about the Downtown Line Open House, “like” LTA’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WeKeepYourWorldMoving or follow @LTAsg at http://www.twitter.com/LTAsg

Only a few more sleeps until Christmas – a time of fun and magic, elves, flying reindeer and most importantly, Santa Claus – that jovial chubby man in red suit who brings JOY to all children (and those who are kids at heart) with his sacks of toys and everything nice.

Have you ever written letters to Santa Claus before? I did! I got the address from some newspaper cuttings. Once in a while, I would buy those pretty letter pads and write a letter to Santa. Receiving a reply from Santa after a few months makes me a super happy girl, as if I strike a lottery! It sure makes me look forward to Christmas every year!

Even though I don’t send letters to Santa anymore, I still love Christmas as much because this is the time of fun and gatherings with friends and family. Best part of all? The feasting! And nydc is definitely one of the places you can enjoy a hearty Christmas feast!

This Christmas, nydc has come up with many interesting and delicious festive goodies. One of which is Elves’ Salmon Logs ($9.80), nicely decorated with pink peppercorn and dill, all Christmas colours! These are crepe rolls rolled up with smoked salmon and cream cheese filling, an appealing savoury appetiser. I am sure Santa’s elves are happy with this!

The elves also love their meat loaves on toast - Elves’ Mini Meat Munchies ($9.80) are topped with either brandied cherries or a dollop of cranberry jam. Cheery treats fresh from Santa’s workshop.

My perfect Christmas meal is having a few Big Plates to share with my loved ones. It is best to have a variety, just like the Merry Merry Mixed Grill ($26.80) with a heaping of delights such as beef sirloin, lamb ribs, king prawns and sausage served alongside grilled pineapple, salad, fries and a lip-smackin’ pepper sauce dip. I love their lamb ribs. Unlike the conventional way of grilling, nydc’s lamb ribs are fried till golden brown with a hint of spices. It is so addictive that I was telling the nydc folks that they should serve it individually as Small Plates too. On top of that, the lamb ribs do not have a gamey taste, so it was really enjoyable!

I like the Traditional Cornish Hen ($16.80) which is slowly roasted to perfect tenderness, accompanied with cornbread stuffing and complemented with Brussels sprouts, carrots, a caramelised pineapple ring, red cherries and giblet sauce. The cornbread stuffing has a wonderful aroma and flavour!

You love steak? Santa also loves steak. Santa’s Wagyu Steak Frites ($28.80) is offers a hearty 230g Wagyu steak, drizzled with trio peppercorn sauce and served with mesclun salad and skin-on fries. You’ll be going “Ho, ho, ho” too!

When you think of nydc, you will think of… MUDPIES! This Christmas, nydc has a new unique flavour – Tutti Frutti Mudpie ($11.80). Sprinkled with colourful gummies, this Tutti Frutti ice cream on a Graham crackers base is the undisputed way to end your meal. It is so colourful, like a fruit cake in ice cream form.

In addition, let me show you the cutest gingerbread man I have ever seen! You must order Gingy’s Butter Rum Bath Elephanccino ($8.80)! We slowly dipped Gingy into the hot Butter Rum Elephanccino and the whipped cream on top makes it look like Gingy is enjoying his favourite bubble bath in this cold season. Gingy is also available individually at $4.80/pc, great as gifts.

For a cool scrumptious drink, have a glass of Christmas Carollers’ Cheer ($8.50) – a refreshing blend of fresh strawberries, bananas, strawberry cheesecake ice cream and milk with a hint of mint. This will have you singing carols in no time.

A Christmas feast is only complete when you end your meal with log cakes! Holly Choco Log ($6.80/mini log, $48/800g) is covered by creamy dark chocolate ganache and filled with buttery chocolate cream. This simple, old fashioned cake is a time-tested recipe for a holly jolly Christmas! I prefer Jolly White Choc Cheese Log ($6.80/mini log, $48/800g), a snowy looking cream cheese centre and white chocolate cream coated log is slightly sweeter.

PROMOTIONS

Come on, people! Now let’s start singing “You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout, I’m telling you why… Santa Claus is coming to town!” Christmas is all about joy and sharing, so here are some promotions for nydc.

Log Cakes promotion: SUTL Life Members & Citibank Cardmembers, enjoy 10% off orders placed between 1 – 20 Dec 2013. If you wish to order in advance, you may download the Order Form here or pick up the forms from the stores.

Other promotions from now till 31 Dec include:
• Enjoy a ‘Mudpie of the Day’ on the house when you order 2 Christmas Big Plates and 2 Christmas Drinks!
• Buy 5 Mini Logs and get 1 free!

Lastly, nydc is also going to do a 12-day countdown from 14 Dec to Christmas by rewarding the first 12 customers who spend $80 and above with a gift from Santa’s sack daily (SUTL Life Members spend $75)!

FOR MISS TAM CHIAK’S FANS

Get a COMPLIMENTARY Mini Log Cake (any flavour) with every order of 1 Christmas Big Plate and 1 Christmas drink. To redeem, just mention “Holly Jolly Tam Chiak Christmas at nydc” or flash this blogpost on your mobile device when you place your order.

nydc outlets are located at:

Holland Village
30 Lorong Mambong
Tel: +65 6469 2998
Sun to Thu & PH: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Fri, Sat & eve of PH: 11.30am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village

Wheelock Place #02-19
501 Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6736 3253
Sun to Thu & PH: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Bugis Junction #02-47/48
200 Victoria Street
Tel: +65 6333 3161
Sun to Thu & PH: 11.30am – 10pm
Fri & Sat & eve of PH: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Located at the Hyatt Regency by University station in Sha Tin, Sha Tin 18 Chinese restaurant is not the easiest to get to. But it is worth it once you do arrive. Named after the hotel’s street address number “18″ which also means good fortune in terms of Feng Shui, the restaurant serves authentic Dongguan and northern Chinese cuisine in a lively show kitchen environment. You can take a close look at chefs at work and the large windows let you enjoy the gorgeous view of the mountain.

Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I would always stuff myself with lots of dim sum. So at Sha Tin 18, I also stuff myself with their Steamed shrimp, pork and crab roe dumplings (HK$56). Very juicy with plump prawns! Pan-fried cod fish and black truffle rolls (HK$68) is crispy and an interesting twist to our usual spring roll.

Chilled avocado with Chinese basil, black vinegar and garlic (HK$138) is a thoughtfully crafted and tantalising appetizer. It has a pleasantly sour flavour, while avocado is an excellent source of fibre. Marinated cabbage, onion and coriander in spicy sesame paste (HK$98) is another refreshing salad.

Double boiled minced pork and hairy crab soup is a signature pick from Shanghai. Originating from Sui Dynasty more than a thousang years ago, the large meat ball is made with minced pork and further enhanced by the hairy crab roe and flavour from the double boiled soup.

Sha Tin 18’s most famous dish is the Peking duck (HK$538 whole, HK$328 half). A signature dish enjoyed by emperors in the olden days, the hotel has specially invited 2 chefs from Beijing to be at the restaurant permanently to prepare Peking duck. The dish is prized for the thin, crisp skin, serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of us by the chef. The skin was unlike any Peking duck we’ve had – it was so delicate it melted in the mouth. It is served in three stages:

1. First, the skin is served dipped in sugar.

2. The leg meat is then served with steamed pancakes, spring onions, cucumber sticks and garlic sauce. Place all the ingredients on the pancake, wrap it and eat it by hand.

3. The remaining duck breast meat may be made into a broth or fried with noodles. But in this case, because the meat is so tender, we just eat it on its own with sweet bean sauce.

Steamed scallop and okra in preserved shrimp paste (HK$328) is as delicious to the palate as to the eye as okra matches perfectly with the freshness of seafood.

Located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan is famous for freshwater catches. One example is the Braised garoupa belly cooked with ginger and spring onion in preserved clam paste (HK$268).

I didn’t think much about Tossed mustard greens with beancurd sheet and shallots (HK$138) but after trying it, it is surprisingly good. The vegetables are crisp-tender, the slightly chewy bean curd skin absorbed the flavourful sauce and the shallots are sweet.

And last but not least, a plate of Dougguan wok-fried rice vermicelli with prawns and shredded pork (HK$155) to end off the savoury part.

Putting a sweet ending to our gastronomic lunch is the red date jasmine cake that excudes the natural tea aroma; and the smooth and creamy Chinese preserved plum and meringue cheese roulade.

Sha Tin 18
AddressL 4/F Hyatt Regency Sha Tin, 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin
Tel: +852 2723 1234
Opening hours: 11.30am-3pm; 5.30pm-10.30pm

This Lunar New Year, Yan Ting Cantonese restaurant offers exquisite yet hearty oriental delicaceies specially crafted by new Executive Chef Mak Kip Fu. Chef Mak comes with impressive credentials. He has been the executive chef of Lung King Heen in Hong Kong and executive sous chef at Zi Yat Heen in Macau, both of which are Michelin-starred restaurants.

Toss to an auspricious start with Prosperity Yu Sheng with Norwegian Salmon (鴻運發財魚生, $88 Large, $48 Medium). Made with the freshest ingredients, the yusheng creates a harmonious texture and intense natural flavours.

Braised Superior Bird’s Nest Broth with Crab Meat (紅燒蟹肉官燕盞, $78) contains chunks of luscious crab meat and abundance of premium bird’s nest. A little sweet in taste, the crab meat is a delight.

Abalone is an ingredient that every Chinese family recognises as a symbol for wealth. Welcome a flourishing year with Braised Whole 5-Head African Abalone with Seasonal Greens (蠔皇原隻5頭鮑魚, $52). Lovely abalone sauce with huge abalone!

Hong Kong-Style Steamed Coral Trout (清蒸海東星柳, part of a set menu, no ala carte pricing available) is nicely presented in a steamer with lotus leaf. The fish meat is soft but I find the ginger slice kinda overpower the sweetness of the dish.

For a hearty serving of rich delights to share, go for the Prosperity Oyster with Moss and Conpoy (發菜扣蠔豉柱脯, $42). This big plate of intense goodness features the huge oyster, conpoy and moss.

Chef Mak’s Baked Rack of Lamb with Chef’s Signature Coffee Glaze (咖啡汁焗羊扒, part of a set menu, no ala carte pricing available) is unforgettable. The secret is in the coffee glaze which has a complex blend of sweet and savoury, rich and robust flavours from the coffee to mask the gamey lamb with sweet apple accents. Tender meat with crunch leaves to give a different texture.

Braised Ee-Fu Noodles with Seafood in XO Sauce (酱海鲜伊面, part of a set menu, no ala carte pricing available) is full of ingredients and I think I can only see a few strands of noodles. LOL. Not complaining, who would mind eating the whole plate of nicely stir fried see food?

Fragrant Home-Made Almond Tea with Hashima & Glutinous Rice Cake (杏仁茶雪蛤拼年糕, part of a set menu, no ala carte pricing available). The nian gao is slightly oily but so soft and chewy. Needless to say, of course I finished my bowl of Almond Tea with Hashima. Cheers to a more beautiful skin in 2014!

Yan Ting offers 8 divine menus this CNY which is available from 2 January to 14th February 2014.

• Dine-In Set Lunch & Dinner Menus (min 2 pax): 6 course menu at $108 / $138 / $168 / $198; 8 course vegetarian menu at $108.
• Dine-In Set Lunch & Dinner Menus for 10 guests: 8 course menu at $1288 / $$1688 / $2088

Yan Ting Restaurant
Address: 29 Tanglin Rd, The St. Regis Singapore Level 1U
Tel: 6506 6887
Email: yanting@stregis.com
Website: www.yantingrestaurant.com

As I moved to my late twenties, I am starting to feel my metabolism rate getting slower. Even though I go the gym quite often, it is very difficult to lose weight. I used to be able to eat A LOT and not gain weight. Now, I am worried about every single pineapple tart that entered my mouth. Since I cannot change my genes and I am so tam chiak, I have to be cautious when I eat.

I read that this Celery Tomato Orange Juice improves metabolism rate so I decided to make a cup for myself. Celery is a great choice if you are watching your weight. One large stalk contains only 10 calories! So, add celery to your shopping list and enjoy it in your salads, soups and stir-fries. In addition, tomatoes can also work overtime to flush fat, as they also contain citric, malic, and oxalic acids, which support your body’s kidney functions, which helps your body eliminate more waste and fat from your system. Hope you enjoy this juice as much as I do!

Recipe for Celery Tomato Orange Juice (西洋芹番茄橙汁)

Ingredients:
50g celery
150g tomato
100g orange
Some honey

Method:
1. Rinse all ingredients and cut them into small pieces.
2. Place all ingredients into a juicer, some water and blend. Add some honey to taste.

References:
8 Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
Increase Your Metabolism — And Start Losing Fat
11 Super Health Benefits in Just One Celery Stalk

Everywhere in social media, everyone is talking about Miam Miam, the new Artisanal French cafe in bugis Junction. So last Saturday, the boy and I decided to give it a try. No reservations were allowed so we arrived at about 5.45pm for an early dinner. We waited for about 15 mins for our turn.

Sorry I couldn’t get the name correct. I keep thinking it is Niam Niam or Diam Diam until I have to whatsapp my friends to ask for the correct name. LOL! Anyway, it is uniquely named as Miam Miam which means “yum yum” in French.

I ordered Miam Miam Spaghetti ($15.80) which is sauteed with frankfurters, tomatoes, baby spinach and bacon! It is said to toss with french butter, secret broth and shoyu. Unfortunately, our spaghetti was undercooked and it was pretty hard. Plus we couldn’t really taste their secret sauce.

We wanted to order Souffle Au Curry but it is not available, so they boy had Riz Au Curry ($15.50) instead. Baked rice with homemade Japanese curry, pork frankfurters, broccoli cheese and egg. It is dense and bursting with strong flavours.

Famous French Toast ($9.80), known originally as Pain Perdu is an all-time classic as far as French dessert goes. An all-time favorite in Miam Miam! The beautifully charred toast is fluffy and has a hint of sweetness within. It tastes even better when smothered in sweet maple syrup and whipped cream.

We were told that our french toast and Vanilla Souffle ($9.80) takes about 30 minutes to arrive, which I thought would be timely after we finished our mains. But our souffle was served together with our mains, while we waited for 20 mins for french toast to arrive after finishing our mains. So we had to eat the sweet souffle and savoury curry rice altogether. Quite a rush to finish my souffle before it collapse.

The consolation is, they serve really nice souffle. Beautifully risen, their Vanilla Soufflé was abundant flavorsome. The texture was light and airy to my liking. Not the fluffiest state but the golden brown French souffle is all-round pleasant! You can also order their chocolate souffle or matcha souffle.

Pretty good souffles and French toast. But they certainly need more improvement on their savoury offerings. I heard that their Souffle De Nuage and squid ink pasta is not bad, will probably give it another chance.

Miam Miam
Address: #02-14, Bugis Junction, 200 Victoria Street
Tel: 6837 0301 (Note that the restaurant does not allow reservation)
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 11:30am – 10pm; Sat – Sun 10:30am – 10pm

Usher in the Year of the Horse with unique and delicious ‘Lo Hei’, celebratory reunion menus and scrumptious takeaway goodies at Feng Shui Inn in Resorts World Sentosa. From 20th January to 14th February 2013,

A must-have at every Chinese New Year celebratory feast, the Yu Sheng has been given a makeover by Chef Li Kwok Kwong. Meticulously plated to resemble the shape of a horse, Salmon & Mackerel “Lo Hei” with Italy Balsamic Vinegar (三文鱼马鲛鱼陈醋捞生, $128 per order, available for dine-in only) symbolises ‘galloping’ towards a bright future (马到功成) and features a medley of refreshingly sharp flavours and colours with fresh salmon cubes, crispy-skinned mackerel and silver fish as well as strips of bak gwa. Instead of using the usual plum sauce, chef has replaced it with Italian balsamic vinegar or mint dressing, which is a bountiful combination of unique taste and textures.

For a fruity vegetarian version, try the Mixed fruits and Water Chestnuts ‘Lo Hei’ which is filled with mango slices, honeydew, dragon fruits, rose apples and a generous portion of water chestnuts drizzled with homemade strawberry sauce. ($38 for 3-6 pax or $68 for 7-10 pax).

Apart from these scrumptious ‘lo hei’ options available at Feng Shui Inn, there are also celebratory dishes brimming with premium and auspicious ingredients such as the Sautéed Grouper Fillet with Fish Roe (鱼子炒东星斑球, $58 per portion) topped with fish roe and asparagus shoots.

The dish is available as ala carte dishes or part of a luxurious 8-course spread starting from $1118++ for a table of 6 persons to $1688++ for a table of 10 persons.

For something a little more extravagant and to impress guests, enjoy Feng Shui Inn’s Braised New Year 8 Treasures Pen Cai. Tuck in to exquisite ingredients such as abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, fish maw, mushrooms and fatt choy.

Feng Shui Inn
Address: Resort World Sentosa, Crockfords Tower Level G2
Tel: +65 65776688
Website: www.rwsentosa.com

Back at Platypus Kitchen again to have lunch with friends. This time, they have introduced a lot more different items!

We started off our lunch with a plate of Crispy Duck Salad ($10.90). I was intrigued by the name, imagining it to be some duck confit with greens. Half right I would say, because deep fried duck is shredded till fine texture. Orange slices and orange vinaigrette gave it a sweet finish.

When 90% dark chocolate meets rich chilli beef ragu, Dark Chocolate Beef Chilli ($11.50) is born. Pretty unique, but I can taste more of the chilli and spices rather than chocolate.

Crab Cakes is a serious business in Maryland. Platypus’s Maryland-style crab fritters ($12.90) are stuffed with large chunks of real crab claw meat, served with lemon. Really got crab meat one hor!

Platypus is known for their handmade pasta and I really love the Squid-ink Scallop Ragout ($16.50) which features squid-ink tagliolini served with seared bay scallops in a light garlic and lemon zest sauce. Don’t worry about your teeth getting black because the squid ink is added into the pasta and not flavoured in the dish.

Angry Chicken Ragu ($15.50), on the other hand, is a simpler dish with rustically chopped spicy chicken arrabiatu ragu over pappardelle pasta. Sounds like angry bird? Lol. The pasta was too rubbery for me though.

I am delighted to know that the restaurant has introduced more main dishes besides pasta. One of which is Pressed Pork Belly ($19.90) served with braised apples, garden vegetables and honey cloves apple glaze. The apple glaze gives a refreshing touch to the heavy filling meat.

Pork belly is too fatty for me, so I prefer Sticky Tomato Chicken ($17.90) which features oven-roasted chicken leg glazed in sticky tomato chutney. I like the names of all these dishes! It’s so hard to imagine what will appear on my plate.

Highlight of the dessert is Seasalt Caramel ($6.90) with lush layers of peanut and almond brittle, French sea salt, caramel and rich butter cream. The most interesting part is the popping candy. And I only realize it when I place one slice in my mouth and there was a loud sizzling sound.

Another dessert with popping candy is the Yuzu Sensei’s Lemon Gelato with imported Yuzu coulis tops a refreshing yuzu and lemon semifreddo (semi frozen custard). Decent end to the meal!

We also ordered some non alcoholic drinks such as Mint & Lime cooler ($6.50) with freshly squeezed lime and calamansi juice in fresh mint and sparkling water; and Basil Lemonade ($6.50) featuring hand-squeezed lemonade with generous servings of fresh basil, with sparkling water.

Platypus Kitchen
Address: 200 Victoria Street, #03-29/29A Bugis Junction
Tel: 6333 4434
Opening hours: 12pm to 10pm daily

Chinese New Year is the most important festival for where families come together to rejoice over a culinary feast. Having a reunion dinner at Dian Xiao Er adds the festive feel. Catering a homely sumptuous meal in an inn-themed dining concept, expect Yu Sheng, Fish Maw Soup, Roast Duck and many other delectable CNY dishes that are second to home-cooked food.

A part of good ol’ tradition is the mandatory Yu Sheng to honour this festive season of Chinese New Year. Toss to a good 2014 with Smoked Salmon Yusheng ($22.80 small, $39.80 large). Pour in the different ingredients at their specific timings, while yelling the different Mandarin idioms. Then toss it around and shout out wishes for the brand new year! It gets messy, but it gets joyous as well. A little sweet, a little hearty, a little crisp, HUAT AH!

Leaving me with a warm tummy is the Fish Maw Soup with Crab Meat & Conpoy. With a sauce that is savoury and richly flavourful, this is the soup to go for. The fish maw is thick and gelatinous, combining with generous amount of crab meat and conpoy, it is evidently a mix of culinary goodness altogether.

Whenever you dine at Dian Xiao Er, the first dish that comes into your mind is definitely their HERBAL DUCK which is prepared and roasted in the display kitchen daily. To infuse an exotic cacophony of flavors into the specially bred ducks, they are first marinated in a myriad of herbs and spices for hours. They are then roasted just right such that the skin is crisp to the touch and golden brown in appearance while the flesh remains tender and bursting with juicy herbal goodness.

You can choose from 3 delicious options:

• Duck Roasted with Angelica Herb ($12.90 small, $24.30 medium, $34.60 large, $42.30 whole): Nourishes the blood, promotes blood circulation and removes blood stagnation.
• Duck Roasted with Ten Wonder Herbs ($13.60 small, $25.30 medium, $35.90 large, $43.90 whole): Comprises of 10 herbs including codonopsis root, foxglove root, licorise root etc. It revitalises energy and relieves mental stress.
• Duck Roasted with Wild Ginseng ($13.90 small, $25.90 medium, $37.30 large, $45.30 whole): Cooling and revitalizing, it promotes the secretion of body fluids, reduces heatiness and restores energy level.

Since we can no longer pop those fire crackers anymore, how about savouring the “Firecracker”rolls? Wrapped with thinly sliced lean meat and fried to perfect, the sweet and sour “Firecracker” symbolizes the ushering in of a new beginning.

Instead of steaming, the Silver Cod Fish ($25.90) is deep fried and drizzled with superior soy sauce and fried garlic.

For a hearty serving, go for the Luxurious Seafood in Claypot which signifies a year of abundance and prosperity. The claypot of intense goodness features sea cucumber, mushrooms and many more. It is heavier in taste and hence, best to go with rice.

Dian Xiao Er’s CNY dishes have come more deftly executed with each passing year. My clear favourites are definitely the Roast Duck, Fish Maw Soup and Seafood in Claypot. Whatever I had above are part of the Abundant Fortune Set menu. The price starts from $178 for 3 pax onwards.

CNY set and ala carte menus are available from 18 January to 14 February 2014. Prosperity Treasure Pot have to be reserved 2 days in advance. Takeaway pre-orders are also available at all outlets for collection on eve of CNY, till 26 January 2014.

If you have DBS/POSB credit card, GOT DISCOUNT!!!

1. 10% off with minimum spending of $50 on ala carte menu (valid only till 28 Feb, not applicable from 30 Jan – 14 Feb)
2. Complimentary abalone gift set for spending above $448 (before GST and service charge), with use of DBS/POSB cards. (valid from 9 Jan – 14 Feb)

For more information, please visit www.dianxiaoer.com.sg. For more updates on their promotions, follow them on www.facebook.com/dxesg

What do you like most about Chinese New Year? When I was still a kid, this was the only holiday I looked forward to. Because I get ang baos and I get to see my cousins. As I grew older, I began to love all holidays because I get to have a break, which is much needed. But I certainly look forward to CNY reunion as we get to eat many dishes with our loved ones. If you are still planning for CNY meal, how about having it at Forest森?

Braised Superlative Imperial Birdnest with Crab Meat and Crab Roe (高汤珊瑚扒官燕) is a good alternative to shark fins soup. Delicate and premium ingredients in superior stock, it was indeed comforting.

Served in young coconut, Baked Japanese Pearl Rice with Seafood and Cheese (椰盅海鲜芝士焗饭) is served with rice crack with Thai dips. The fragrance of the melted cheese and the sweetness of the coconut meat went well with the rice.

I cannot resist the Chilled Coconut Jello with Aloe Vera and Black Pearls served in young coconut (芦荟珍珠椰汁冻). It was not only refreshing, each mouthful came with aloe vera cubes and black pearls.

This Chinese New Year, Forest森 has introduced two 5-course reunion set lunch priced from $68++ to $88++ per person showcasing contemporary Chinese cuisine with a premium touch. Three 6-course set dinner menus are also available during the festive period priced from $178++ per person to $388++ per person.

Forest森
Address: Level 1, Equarius Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa
For reservations, please call 6577 6688
Website: http://www.rwsentosa.com

Whenever I visit Maxwell Market, I would always queue for a stall. Not Tian Tian Chicken Rice, but Xing Xing Tapioca Kueh! I thought I blogged about this place already but soon realized it was my illusion. So I quickly grab my phone to take a few shots while queuing for my tapioca and ondeh ondeh.

I didn’t quite like tapioca when I was a kid. My aunt would always make it at home but I just didn’t find it appetizing. But as a I grew older, I began to fall in love with it and whenever my aunt makes it now, I will be a happy girl.

Here, the steamed tapioca cake is absolutely delightful and lovely. It is first steamed and served with grated coconut. It has an amazing texture and not very sticky (the one we make at home is too sticky).

Because I went to buy this after my hot yoga lesson, so I rewarded myself with ondeh ondeh too. These little coconut-coated glutinous rice balls are addictively chewy and stretchy. The best part is definitely the filling inside, which literally explodes in your mouth with a squelch of gula melaka. You tell me, how to stop at one!?!?!?

Each of the above item is selling at 40 cents. If you are going there to grab some ondeh ondeh or tapioca cake, go earlier ah because they normally sell out by lunch.

Xing Xing Tapioca Kueh/ Ondeh Ondeh
Address: Stall 31 Maxwell Food Centre
Operating times: 8am to 2pm (sold out before 1pm), Closed on Sundays

THIS IS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE CNY TREATS I HAD IN 2014. In keeping with the traditions of Lunar New Year, Executive Chef Kwan Yiu Kan from Man Fu Yuan at Intercontinental Singapore have created specialty dishes and reunion menus steeped in symbolism of the occasion, with themes of prosperity, longevity and happiness woven into each dish.

During the media preview, we had a HUGE “Horse-shaped” Properous Yu Sheng to herald in the Year of the Horse. It is so huge that we have to use a long spatula to toss for prosperity.

Of course that was just a surprise for us lah. The actual serving is not so huge! Man Fu Yuan’s signature yu sheng offers a mouth-watering combination of salmon, hamachi (yellowtail), ikan parang and crispy fish skin ($168, serves 5 pax). It is available through February 6.

The lavish dish fo tiao qiang (Buddha jumps over the wall) has become more popular nowadays for families celebrating Chinese New Year. The dish takes a long time to prepare. Man Fu Yuan’s Double-boiled “Fu Zhou” Buddha Jumps Over The Wall is a time honoured dish resplendent with delicacies like whole abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, dried scallops, goose web and panax ginseng, cooked over low heat for 48-hours to gently coax all the nutrients out of the ingredients, creating a luxuriously thick broth rich in flavour. It comes in a $688 set (serves 5 pax) that includes Yu Sheng and Wok-fried Glutinous Rice.

I love Man Fu Yuan Deluxe Treasure Pot which is most ideal for family reunion dinner. It is filled with 25 premium ingredients such as whole baby abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, goose web, scallops, and preserved meat sausage, and a new ingredient – Boston lobster symbolising good fortune and strength – all arranged layer by layer and enriched in a savoury broth.

Each Deluxe Treasure Pot comes in an exclusively-designed claypot, with an exquisite lattice design inspired by Man Fu Yuan’s welcoming entrance with flowers signifying a blossoming beginning to the New Year, amidst butterflies to bring good luck; and served with Yu Sheng and a bottle of Man Fu Yuan’s
homemade ‘extraordinary’ XO Sauce.

Order a set of Deluxe Treasure Pot & Yu Sheng at $398 (serves five persons) or $618 (serves eight persons) and you can get a complimentary bottle of Homemade ‘Extraordinary’ XO Sauce.

Braised Australian Dried Green-lip Abalone with Spiky Sea Cucumber

If you wish to have a premium steamboat at home, Man Fu Yuan’s selection of premium steamboat ingredients are fresh and good. These includes handmade specialities such as Fresh Crab Meat Shrimp Ball, Minced Beef With Water Chestnut Ball, Sea Moss Dace Fish Ball, Fresh Prawn Dumpling and Dried Oyster Minced Pork Ball (all $18 for six pieces), ideal for the quintessential steamboat reunion feast at home.

Braised Tunghoon with Fresh River Prawns

Steamed Garoupa with Home-made Black Bean Sauce

Man Fu Yuan Stuffed Glutinous Rice in Whole Suckling Pig ($488, serves 5 pax) is a good set to buy for a CNY gathering. It has a lovely crispy skin.

Last but not least, a pampering Double-boiled Superior Bird’s Nest in Coconut to complete the fine dining experience.

Man Fu Yuan has a selection of auspicious menus ranging from $108++ per person for a 6-course vegetarian set, and $118++ to $668++ per person for a six-course set menu. For bigger gatherings, menus start from $628++ for a 6-course menu for tables of 5, and $988++ to $5388++ for tables of 10, available from 17 January to 14 February 2014.

Their take-home set menus, with choice of 6-course prosperous or vegetarian set at $198+ for five persons, comes complete with Yu Sheng and other delectable dishes, ensuring a memorable reunion meal, so the only thing you have to do is sit back and celebrate.

Man Fu Yuan is definitely one of Singapore’s finest Chinese restaurants. It has a wide range of festive dishes perfect for celebrations at home and they do most of the cooking for us.

Man Fu Yuan
Address: #02-00, Hotel Intercontinental, 80 Middle Road
Tel: 6825 1062 / 6825 1059
Visit facebook.com/ICSingapore to purchase online