I have a bad habit. I am always trying to match-make my friends. I always wonder, they are such nice friends, why aren’t they attached? I want to see them get married and attend their wedding dinner! So last week, I decided to bring Girlfriend R to meet two of my guy friends for dinner.

I used to match make Girlfriend R with another guy friend. But unfortunately, there was no sparks. To save everyone from all the embarrassment this time, I didn’t tell Girlfriend R this is a match making session. All I told her was, these two guy friends want to meet me for dinner but I do not want to go alone. Girlfriend R isn’t stupid, I guess she kind of knew my intentions but decided to play along.

So we headed BORNGA for our match-making dinner. This new Korean BBQ restaurant has just opened its doors in The Star Vista, firing up the stakes in Singapore’s growing Korean BBQ-dining scene. I thought, Korean BBQ quite casual, can talk to each other, so we spent our Friday night queuing outside the restaurant. (If you are wondering, this is NOT a tasting invite, we paid for the meal.)

Helmed by chef Paik Jong Won, his siganture dish is the Woo Samgyup ($22) – thinly sliced beef dressed with a special marinade. Unlike the typical Korean BBQ Bulgogi which usually appears dull after marinating for at least half a day in a dark-colours sauce, BORNGA’s Woo Samgyup is served shortly after being doused in a unique BORNGA dressing.

Using beef brisket that is hand-picked for its beautiful marbling, this light marinade retains the meat’s natural colour, while enhancing the traditional Bulgogi taste. Because the beef slices are very thin, it will cook very quickly.

Woo Samgyup is best enjoyed when dipped in the signature Woo Samgyup sauce ($9). This sauce is imported from Korea to all BORNGA restaurants to ensure consistency. This seasoned soybean paste is cooked with a variety of seafood. You may roll it up with scallions and dip into the special sauce. Then, finish by rolling the beef with various vegetables.

Besides the patented Woo Samgyup, there are also a variety of other BBQ dishes such as Ggot Sal ($38), tender prime beef cuts served non-marinated where we can enjoy the deep beef flavours.

The guy friends are non-beef lovers. So we also ordered Samgyupsal ($18) which is grilled pork belly. It has the right proportion of fat and meat. Don’t need oil for the grill, the meat gives out its natural grease.

Besides the Woo Samgyup sauce, there are three types of sauces available to accompany the BBQ meats: a simple dip comprising sesame oil, salt and pepper; Korean soya bean paste sauce; and a meat sauce.

With every meal here, the restaurant serves a long tray of fresh raw vegetables for us to wrap the BBQ meats or kimchi for a refreshing bite. We instantly felt very healthy when this long tray of vegetables arrived on our table. It has got about 10 varieties of vegetables!

Besides the BBQ meats, we also ordered a plate of Haemul Pajeon ($22) which is Korean pancake made from scallions and a variety of seafood. It is very thick and has generous toppings of seafood. There is accompanying sauce for the pancake, but I like it with Woo Samgyup special sauce.

Another house specialty we had was Born-Ga Naeng Myun ($15) which is buckwheat noodles served in cold broth. The chewy noodles are topped with fresh crunchy slivers of pear, slices of cucumber, tender beef, and crowned with a hard-boiled egg. Very refreshing.

To end the meal, each of us have a bowl of Omija, which is a five-flavoured cold tea which is said to help in our digestion after a meaty meal.

The food is not bad especially if you love to eat BBQ meats. But their meats either have very light marinade or no marinade at all, so this is where you can taste the real flavours from the meat. They are opening another outlet in Vivocity soon, so be sure to check them out!

The guys played a gentlemenly role by giving us a treat. So did the match-making succeed? Well, I guess I am still better off writing my blog!

Bornga
Address: 1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-24 The Star Vista
Tel: 66944696

Goodwood Park Hotel’s ever-popular Durian Fiesta is back again! This annual celebration of the king of fruits has been regarded as one of the most extensive promotions with many pastries and cakes made with the finest D24 durians. From 1 March to 21 July 2013, you can take away many durian treats such as:

This year’s new highlight is the Durian Chocolate Marquise Cake ($11 per slice, $60 for 1.3kg). This cake is made with a wicked blend of D24 mousse, rich chocolate with crushed biscuits and an almond sponge base.

Making a comeback is the Durian, Pandan & Coconut Cake ($11 per slice, $56 for 1.3kg). This light green cake has won many palates with a unique combination of delectable durian mousse, light aromatic pandan sponge and crunchy cocoonut flakes.

My all time favourite is Durian Mousse Cake ($11 per slice, $60 for 1.3kg) which I will definitely buy it for my birthday every year, without fail. This legendary cake is pure pleasure to a durian fan like me because every bite is filled with thick durian pulp.

Another back by popular demand product is the Durian Macademia Nut Crumble Tartlet ($10.80 for 2 pcs, $28.80 for 6 pcs) which has an addicitive crunch and nutty depth of flavour. Of course, there are Durian Puffs ($7 for 2 pcs, $19 for 6 pcs, $47 for 20pcs) made with light choux pastry sandwiched with rich durian mousse. If you want a premium puff, you can purchase Mao Shan Wang Durian Puffs ($16.80 per pc) from 1 June to 21 July 2013.

From now till 31 March, you can buy their Durian Combo ($35) which consists all of the above! From durian mousse cake, durian chocolate marquise cake, durian pandan coconut cake, durian macadamia nut crumble tartlet and 2 pcs of durian puffs. From 1 June to 21 July, Coffee Lounge at the hotel will also be serving Dessert buffet with durian pastries.

You can visit the Deli from 9am to 9pm daily to purchase the pastries and cakes. Alternatively, you can place your orders online at festivepromotions.goodwoodparkhotel.com. Tel: 6730 1786

Just 8 hours ago, I was celebrating the cousin’s 21st birthday at Bunker Restaurant. As it was very near to Changi Village, I grabbed this opportunity and ask the cousins to go for supper there.

Changi Village has just completed their renovation and the hawker centre now is very clean and has good ventilation. This place is famous for its nasi lemak. We reached at about 10.30pm and all the nasi lemak stalls have super long queue. The famous International nasi lemak is closed on a Saturday night, I have tried Mizzy’s Corner already, so we decided to queue at Sri Sujana.

One of the boss of the stall, Mr Rahman, is a very friendly man. He saw me taking photos and he told me proudly that they were awarded 4 chopsticks in the Makansutra book. Because they are opened from morning till midnight, his sister will be in the morning shift while he does the night shift.

The standard chicken nasi lemak set which costs $3.50, comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg and ikan biliss, sambal and a slice of cucumber. Unfortunately, the rice is not fragrant enough and it is too soggy.

However, I quite enjoy the sambal here. While some sambal tends to be sweeter, Sri Sujana’s version is spicy enough and is fragrant enough. Their ikan bilis was also super crispy and still hot. The chicken wings have a nice crispy skin. A piece of mackerel otak otak can be added for an additional $1.

We queued for 20 mins or longer for just two plates of nasi lemak. Actually, the diners mostly only buy 1 to 2 plates of nasi lemak, their service is really slow. My cousin attributed the long queues as a form of marketing gimmick. He says, when Singaporeans see long queues, they will join in. Well, what he says sounds logical. Whichever stalls you pick, they taste really similar. Just go for the one with high turnovers because that would mean their chicken wings are still hot and crispy!

Sri Sujana Muslim Food
Address: 2 Changi Village Road, #01-30 Changi Village Market and Food Centre
Opening hours: 8am to 2am, closed on Mondays

March’s Makansutra’s Dinner was held at Tonny Restaurant. Chef Tonny Chan has became a culinary superstart when he was still a chef with Sha Tin in Geylang Lorong 3 and Dempsey’s Grand Hong Kong. A few years back, he decided to start his venture in Joo Chiat Road. And now, he is back at the original premises at 8-10 Geylang Lorong 3.

Fans of Chef Tonny will know that his signature dish is “The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” which is lobster puree cooked with egg white. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to eat that dish that night, but we had some other interesting dishes!

Appetizers started with Panfried Dace fishcake, Crispy Yam with Truffle Oil, Hong Kong Wontons with Spicy Sauce. The Crispy Yam with Truffle Oil has won the approval among the foodies in our table. The yam is very crunchy and its flavours is intensified by truffle oil.

Claypot Chicken with Chinese Wine is my favourite. The marinade is simple but when cooked with chinese wine, it brings out the flavour. Meat is very tender.

We also had (from left) Deepfried Prawns, Eggplant stuffed with Kurobuta meat, French Beans with Homemade Waxed Meat and Fried Green Wrasse fish fillet with Crab Roe.

I am not a fan of eggplant, but I thoroughly enjoy the Eggplant stuffed with Kurobuta meat. The kurobuta meat is known for its rich marbling. This makes it extremely tender when it is added to the eggplant.

Braised Duck with Winter Bamboo Shoots should be awarded for its presentation. This lipsmacking dish comprises wonderfully tender duck which has been marinated and braised.

Because there were hundred of us hungry people at the restaurant that night, service was abit slow and some of us wanted to leave before the final course. But the restaurant saved the best for the last and the Braised Fish Noodles with Goose Liver Paste is a dish you must try. Fish noodles is probably very common in China and Taiwan but I hardly get to eat them in Singapore. The noodle dough is made from fresh fish and flour within the restaurant and it is springy and impressive.

Tonny’s Restaurant
Address: 8-10 Geylang Lorong 3
Tel: 6348 9298

Located along the quieter stretch of Bukit Timah, Blu Kouzina is a little gem of a restaurant specializing in delectable Greek cuisine. This nifty four-storey establishment is characteristically Greek in decor – clean lines and traditional blue and white colors drawn from the palette of a beach ‘taverna’ makes this a beautiful venue for lunch.

Blu Kouzina was born out of the founders’ love of sharing a hearty meal with friends, spiced with quality olive oil and accompanied with good wine. Owners Effie and Dennis Tsakiris married their passion for the food of their native Greece and the family’s signature olive oil to set up this restaurant 3 years ago.

The dishes served here are traditional Greek recipes with the freshest of ingredients, some especially flown from Greece. You feel like you are transported back to Greece!

Our lunch began with some Pita Bread ($3) sprinkled with sea salt and paprika. You can go with their homemade dips such as Fava (yellow, $11.80), Taramosalata (white, $13.80) and Melitzanosalata (grey, $13.80).

Fava is actually yellow lentils with fresh onion, oregano and extra virgin olive oil; Taramosalata is cod roe dip with capari green beans; Melitzanosalata is smoked eggplant mixed with herbs. The fava dip is an unexpected winner for me; it is light, yet filling and perfect with pita bread.

Cheese lovers should never miss Grilled Feta ($12.80). Sliced feta cheese are grilled with oregano and extra virgin olive oil, leaving it firm and moist. Eat more and you may become more wealthy (*spot the dollar sign).

By the way, everything here is cooked with her family’s own brand of extra virgin oil called Green Gold, which she imports from the olive farms in southern Greece. It is also for sale at the restaurant.

Looking just like our local version of Samosa, Spanakopita ($12.30) is a thin phylo pastry filled with generous amount of spinach, feta cheese and herbs. It is mostly eaten as a snack in Greece, and oven baked till it is crispy brown in colour. Suprisingly “simple” but utterly perfect, spinach and cheese is a good combination.

Meat platter seems to be their signature because almost every table has a plate of grilled meat. Kreatika Anamikta ($83.80 for 2pax, $166.80 for 4pax, $248.80 for 6pax) comes with meat balls, kalamaki, bifteki (beef patty) and lamb chops, accompanied by fresh onion, tomato and lemon.

While some of the meats were too dry on that day, we particularly love the lamb which comes fresh and unfrozen from New Zealand. It has scored almost everything right. It has got the right amount of seasonings, with a subtle sweetness from the meat and a flavoursome grill, every piece is juicy and succulent.

I enjoyed Psari Stin Sxara or Greek Grilled Fish (Sea Bream 400g $39.80, Sea Bass 1kg $88.80). The sea bream is flown in fresh from Greece every Friday. It has a nice smoky flavour and the meat is moist.

We should end our meals by now but I was dying to try their Mousaka ($24.80) because the table next to us ordered it and it smells so good! This traditional Greek dish of oven baked eggplant with potatoes, minced meat and bechamel sauce was really hearty and comforting.

I seldom taste Greek food so I do not have a yardstick to compare it with. However, I really love the vibe of this place, it’s almost as if you are in Greece for an hour or two, enjoying a delicious meal accompanied by great conversations. My suggestion for you is to come in a big group so that you can have a little of everything. If you come at night, try sitting at the alfresco area, it is quite windy!

Blu Kouzina
Address: 893 Bukit Timah Road
Tel: 6875 0872
Address: www.blukouzina.com

One of the great things about Singapore, is the fabulous food that is found here. Speak to anyone who has lived in Singapore for more than 50 years and they will tell you how they helped their mothers with the making of Hakka Stir Fry Taro Dumpling “Suan Pan Zi” or standing by the steamer to wait Chinese steamed sponge cake “Ji Dan Gao” to be ready. Just like the people in Hong Kong will definitely remember their roast goose and braised pork belly which they have been eating since young.

These traditional dishes play an important aspect in our family bonding but unfortunately, in some cases, they are already disappearing in the menu. Not all is gloomy because Hong Kong-born Chef Alan Chan has brought back his fond recollections of the plethora of authentic flavours he grew up on in the “Days of Nostalgia” menu.

Making a debut in Jiang-Nan Chun from 1 to 31 March 2013, travel through time to understand the earlier influences that define Chef Chan’s current menu selection.

My lunch started with some exquisite dim sum such as the Steamed Chicken Puff ($8/pc). Inspired by the traditional “Chicken Nest Bun” (literally translated from 鸡窝包) which is a beehive-shaped bun with bite-sized chicken cooked in a starchy gravy of onions and mushrooms, Chef’s modern version of the bun is in a pretty inverted dome shape, served with Baby Ablone, diced mushrooms, shrimps, spring onion and ginger. The bun is white and fluffy and goes very well with the filling.

Another dim sum I tried was the Teochew style Steamed Minced Pork Dumpling ($3/pc). The steamed dumpling starter had a filling that nearly burst through the “sexy” translucent wheat flour skin. Encasing with shrimp, peanuts, preserved vegetables and mushrooms, it is light with a good bite texture.

Double-boiled for a minimum of eight hours, the Chicken Broth ($34) served with sea horse, sea dragon and sea coconut is a nourishing start to the meal.

These golden, bite-size Deep Fried Shrimp Cake ($24) with Chinese Cabbage has a flavourful and moist prawn paste. The flavour was good enough on its own without any helping on the accompanying sauce.

Pork belly is one of the most popular dishes in Cantonese cuisine and it can either be served roasted or braised. By ensuring that the classic flavours have been kept intact, Chef Chan’s repertoire of Braised Pork Belly with King Oyster Mushrooms and Honey Bean ($24) served in a claypot imparts an authentic dining experience.

The ingredients may be inexpensive but they tasted rich. The pork belly is thoroughly braised in spices not too over powering. It gives a good chew but not rubbery. The oyster mushrooms are soft and juicy, it absorbs the essence of the sauce giving it an intense aroma.

If you are craving the sweet and creamy yolk center of a different variety (that is, not the typical Liu Sha Bao), Steamed Rice Cake ($3/pc) with Coconut Milk and Salted Egg Custard is something worth trying. These delectable and chewy glutinous cakes are addictive. It’s the yellow egg custard filling that I drool over. It is not too sweet and it is made into a lovely fish shape. Perhaps they can consider selling this for next year’s Chinese New Year.

For a more savoury dessert, the Deep-fried Sweet Potato Pastry ($3/pc) which is stuffed with Lotus Paste and coated with sesame is equally elegant and absolutely delicious. It rounds up the meal on a fragrant note.

Jiang-Nan Chun @ Four Seasons Hotel
Address: 190 Orchard Blvd
For reservations, please call +65 6831 7220 or email jnc.sin@fourseasons.com

Continuing my quest to eat all the Thai food in Singapore, I visited Ah Loy Thai in Shaw Tower, a small eatery that serves economical and delicious Thai dishes. Opened by an old couple whom the wife is a Thai, this restaurant has been around for about 7-8 years.

We came at 5pm for dinner so as to skip the dinner crowd. Even so, there were already some early diners and we have to wait for a while before the food arrived.

One of Ah Loy Thai’s signature dishes is Butter Calamari ($8.50). If you like butter crabs, this will definitely knock your socks off. The calamari is fried well with a good crunch. It is then dripped with butter and chilli which will whet your appetite. For your information, Ah Loy Thai makes their own sauces everyday. And if the sauces run out for that day, you probably won’t get a chance to eat some dishes.

For sharing, we ordered Thai Lemongrass Steamed Fish ($13.50). The fresh Red Tilapia is drenched with a tangy sauce made up lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, spring onions, very refreshing!

My favourite in this meal is the Pad Thai ($5.90). Ah Loy’s Pad Thai is dry and sweet, with generous amount of eff, tofu, bean sprouts, prawns, peanuts and chilli. Very flavourful. I love it so much that I went back a week after to eat it.

Another typical Thai food – Tom Yam Seafood Soup ($7.50) packs with fiery goodness. The soup is generous with seafood such as fish, prawns and sotong.

If the soup is too spicy for you, have a glass of Thai Iced Tea($1.60). For such an unassuming restaurant located at Shaw Tower, it’s quite amazing to see queues during dinner time. Reservations are recommended.

Ah Loy Thai Restaurant
Address: 100 Beach Road, #01-39/40 Shaw Tower
Tel: +65 9165 1543
Opening hours: 12pm to 8pm, closed on Sundays and public holiday

Happy Saturday! I finally have some free time this week so I made a bento for the boyfriend. Sometimes when I make bento, I run out of ideas. It is easy to cook the ingredients but it is not easy to create those cute designs. Thanks to Jmama&baby for the Lace Cutters, they are really pretty and easy to use. Especially when I run out of ideas, these cutters are of great help!

I used to work in student care and childcare centers, and food is very important especially when the kids come back to the center from school, they need good and proper meal. If you are packing lunchbox for your kids, remember to provide a healthy, balanced lunch.

Typically, a balanced packed lunch should have:
- bread, pasta or rice
- meat, fish or eggs
- vegetables

Bread, pasta or rice provides energy. Avoid foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat. Be inventive and encourage your children when they try something new.

This lace cutter is great for ham, cheese, vegetables, bread and cookies. It comes with 6 cutters of different designs in a set and you can buy this set of lace cutter from www.jmamababy2.blogspot.sg

Hope this bento gives you a nice change from the usual cute-sy bento which I have been doing. Have a great Saturday!

Spathe Public House is the latest restaurant along Mohamed Sultan, serving a trend-setting European ‘share plate’ menu to offer guests a chance to experience multiple flavours throughout the meal.

Named after the large leaf-like bracts surrounding a flower cluster and signifies the blossoming of new beginnings, Spathe believes that good food is meant for sharing. Hence, its signature creations are even designed to come in ‘mammoth portions’ to feed groups of friends and families.

Its interior radiates a whimsical Bohemian vibe that is enhanced by a raw brick-graffiti design and red booth seats. Upon entering the space, we walk pass a tempting retail showcase of freshly-baked pastries, breads and an array of gourmet products like Italian balsamico and hand-harvested sea salts.

There is a counter next to the espresso machine displays the day’s sweet temptations from cakes to desserts. These can be enjoyed with a cup of coffee that features Spathe’s own blend of specialty Australian coffee beans. Conventional water jugs are replaced by funky watering cans, and gardening forks and spades double up as sharing utensils or curios.

At Spathe, popular young chef Claudio Sandri (formerly of Brasserie Wolf) helms the kitchen. Originally from Switzerland, Chef Claudio brings his European culinary expertise to crafting the menu.

Confit Duck Puff ($38 sharing / $18 individual) has buttery and flaky pastry that is wrapped with a generous filling of savoury stewed pulled duck. For an additional S$9, you can a topping of pan-fried foie gras.

Love hotdogs? Try the scrumptious Mohamed Sultan Meter Dog ($55 sharing / $18 individual) which features a whole metre strip of veal and chicken curry wurst (customised from a specialty butcher using Chef’s recipe) with wasabi mayonnaise and caramelised onions. It can be shared with groups of 4-5 persons.

If you are game enough, take the Mammoth Challenge – diners who can finish this enormous hot dog within 10 minutes will get to eat it for free!

Timeless crowd pleasers not to be missed include the Yellowfin Tuna Poke ($18). It is a French-meets-Hawaiian appetiser of yellowfin tuna sashimi mixed with creamy avocado chunks, tangy shiso-yuzu vinaigrette, and crispy shallots.

Besides the Confit Duck Puff, another of my favourite starter is the Sous Vide Spanish Octopus Salad ($38 sharing / $18 individual) which is a delightful mix of lightly-grilled Spanish octopus, baby spinach, orange, garlic soil, honey, and wholegrain mustard vinaigrette.

Octopus can be very tough and bland, but when it is cooked in sous-vide method, it is tender and flavorful. It is unique to see orange in salad but it brings a citrus tangy taste to the salad.

Chicken & The Sea ($78 sharing / $25 individual) is a lip-smacking dish of creamy Spanish paella rice. The rice is soaked in rich seafood stock and served with NZ mussels, prawns, squid, chorizo, free range chicken from France and saffron.

Signature Spathe Australian Angus Burger ($22) is another hit at our table. It has a stack of juicy, hand-chopped grass-fed Angus beef patty, sunny-side-up, and red pepper chutney sandwiched between toasted homemade brioche buns – served with Cajun spiced garlic fries for some zing. The beef patty is tasty and succulent. I didn’t quite like the Cajun fries though, I thought it was too overpowering.

To end our lunch, we had the Poached Pear Charlotte Royal ($11) which is an elegant dome of silky Madagascan vanilla custard, crowned with pear slices that have been gently poached with spices and sugar, and ringed with lady fingers. Pour a pot of chocolate over it, let the chocolate lingers in the mouth.

Good food and good company should always be accompanied by good drinks, enjoy refreshing cocktail creations such as the Spathe Sangria ($55) or The Garden Pimms ($56) specially prepared for you. If you are working nearby, you can look forward to the affordably priced 2-course Weekday Lunch Set (from $13), which includes a Mixed Leaf Salad with a choice of main – Lasagna, Spaghetti Alla Salsa Rosa, and Scottish Smoked Salmon Tartine.

Spathe The Public House
Address: 8 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01 Singapore 238958
Tel: +65 67351 035
Website: www.spathepublichouse.com
Operating hours: Monday – Friday 11am – 11pm; Saturday: 9am – 11pm (Brunch from 9am to 5pm); Sunday 9am – 5pm (Brunch from 9am to 5pm)

Awarded as the winner of the Malaysia Ministry of Tourism’s Malaysia International Fabulous Food 1Malaysia Blog Award 2013, Tony from Johor Kaki is a very talented food blogger. He lives in Singapore but travels to Malaysia almost every other day to explore and share the good food in Johor. Derrick and I have been talking about planning a Malaysian Food Trail since last year and we finally did it last Monday, all thanks to Tony for bringing us around Johor! We conquered more than 10 dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

1. Roti Canai Bukit Chagar

Our breakfast was at Bukit Chagar Roti Canai. I like their prata because it is thick, crispy outside, softer inside, and not-too-oily. The prata goes very well with their dhal which is mild and not too spicy. For those who like it hot, you can add a dab of sambal chili for that extra oomph. Tony expected us to only share two pratas as it will be a long day of makan, but in the end we ordered 5! LOL! And guess what, the total bill is only RM$7.80!

Roti Canai Bukit Chagar
Address: Junction of Jalan Bukit Chagar and Jalan Ungku Aziz (next to Pine View Apartments and PDRM Apartments, map here)
Opening Hours: 6:00am to 11:00am (breakfast only, roti canai often sold out by 10:00am)
Halal

2. Restoran Tua Thow

We were supposed to head to Taman Tasek Kway Teow Kia but unfortunately, it was closed. We drove past Restoran Tua Thow and Tony said this is one of the best Kway Teow Soup for him, so we decided to try it. For a RM$10 bowl of kway teow soup, it had many many ingredients in it, including prawns, sea bass, pork, fish ball, fish maw etc. The spork and fish bone based soup was clear and naturally sweet. It does not have any MSG.

Restoran Tua Thow (Kway teow soup stall)
Address: Susur 4, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak (next to Shell petrol station, map here)
Opening Hours: Daily 7:30am to 2:30pm (closed on Fridays)
Non Halal

3. Restoran Lai Kee

47-year-old boss, Ah Lai (亚来) started this business when he was 22 years old and his fishballs are made purely from ikan parang (Xi Dao). Ah Lai’s fish balls are freshly hand made every day at the shop. No MSG, no preservatives, each fishball is very springy. Everyday, they use 60kg of fish meat to make the fishballs. Their fishballs are so good that it attracted many tourists on Sundays, and you have to wait for at least 30mins. They also make their own fishcakes, and it is very Q. Be sure to try their dry version because the chilli takes 6 hrs to fry to give out the fragrance. Each bowl of noodles costs RM$4.50.

Restoran Lai Kee 来记西刀鱼丸
Address: 90, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (TUTA), Skudai, 81300 Johor Baru (map here)
Opening Hours: Daily 7:00am to 4:30pm
Non Halal

4. Restoran Wah Cai

Also a supplier to our local Jurong Point’s Malaysian Boleh, Restoran Wah Cai is famous for its 3-in-1 Fried Nian Gao (RM$1.50). Everything here is homemade, especially the nian gao which contains no egg at all, sandwiched between yam and sweet potatoes. The fried nian gao undergoes two deep frying, one is to make sure it is fried till cooked while the second deep fry is to ensure it is crispy. Another of their specialty, is the fried durian (RM$2.50) which is made with premium durian pulps. Once you bit it, the strong durian aroma lingers in the mouth.

Restoran Wah Cai
Address: 86, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (TUTA), Skudai, 81300 Johor Baru (map here)
Opening Hours: Daily 7:00am to 4:30pm
Not Certified Halal

5. Restoran Lima Ratus

Restoran Lima Ratus is a humble shop in Taman Perling run by Mr Low and his wife with an elderly helper. 75-year-old Mr Low had been a noodle seller since the Japanese Occupation in the 1930s, when he was in his early teens. Being a Fuzhou man, the one and only dish he learnt from his mother was the classic Foochow red rice wine mee suah and it has brought many praises to the foodies at the table. The mee suah was silky smooth, with tangy and sweet homemade red rice wine broth. Beside this, the stall is also famous for its wanton noodles. Their make their own noodles with duck egg, which we hardly see it nowadays! The wanton noodles are on the dry side, but it tastes good with some stirring. FYI, Mr Low has a hidden talent for mimicking bird songs!

Restoran Lima Ratus
Address: 4, Jalan Undan 18, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru (map here)
Opening Hours: 7:00am to 3:00pm (Closed on Weds)
Non Halal

6. Restaurant Teck Sing

After eating so much food, we were too full and decided to take a walk around (AEON) JUSCO Tebrau City Mall before trying the paper wrapped herbal chicken in Restaurant Teck Sing. Wrapped with many layers of parchment paper, when we slowly tore open the paper, it has a nice herbal aroma that we could not resist. The kampong chicken meat is very soft and tender and it can be removed from the bones easily. Each herbal chicken costs RM$18.

Restaurant Teck Sing 德星
Address: 3 & 5, Jalan Sutera Satu, Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru (map here)
Opening Hours: 11:00am to 10:00pm daily
Non Halal

7. Joo Yee (Tan Kee Pelangi)

Tan Kee Ice Kacang (Ais Kacang in Malay, or short form ABC) is a favourite among students because it is near Chinese High School. The red beans, corn, and attap seed were buried in a mountain of crushed ice, while the hawker pours generous amount of chocolate sauce on the ice. They made their own chocolate sauce from cocoa powder and you can ask for unlimited supply. They also sell yummy rojak which only has crispy youtiao and taupok. Total bill RM$9.

Joo Yee (Tan Kee Pelangi)
Address: Jalan Biru (stall in hawker centre opposite San Low seafood restaurant), Taman Serene, Johor Bahru (map here)
Opening Hours: Daily 7:00am to 5:00pm
Not certified Halal no pork, no lard served

8. Restoran Woon Kiang

Kway teow kia is only of the signature hawker food in Johor and it is definitely a pity if we miss it. Hence, Tony brought as to Woon Kiang for dinner. Kway teow kia is just like Singapore version of Kway Chap. The pork innards here are naturally sweet and tender, with subtle herbal sauce. The duck is very tender and the garlic chilli sauce has a spicy kick.

Restoran Woon Kiang
Address: #G-06, Jalan Pandan 1, Pangsarpuri Impian, Stulang, Johor Bahru (map here)
Opening Hours: 6:00pm to midnight (closed on Tuesdays)
Non Halal

9. Mobile Penang Rojak Stall

We went to a mobile Pasar malam at Taman Century (only here on Mondays) to burn some calories and eat more food. One of it is the Penang rojak, which is usually along Jalan Maju next to Pelangi shopping centre. The rojak man comes from Penang and the fruits are specially picked by the rojak man every morning to ensure that they are all fresh, juicy, and crunchy. This sauce is very unique, it is very thick which subtle sweet and savoury flavour. Very shiok.

Mobile Penang rojak stall (on motorbike)
Address: Along Jalan Maju next to Pelangi shopping centre in Taman Maju Jaya (map here)
Opening Hours: Mobile – only hours of the Pelangi location given here. Mon and Tues – 12:30pm to 3:45pm; Weds to Sun – 12:30pm to 5:00pm. Off on Thurs
No pork, no lard

10. Sin Kee Ikan Bakar

Our last stop for the day was at Sin Kee Ikan Bakar because their grilled seafood is really tasty. The sambal is not too spicy but savoury. We also had a plate of petai (irresistible stinky beans) and lady fingers which was crunchy.

Sin Kee Ikan Bakar @ Cedar Point Food Centre
Address: Jalan Musang Bulan 2-16, Taman Century, 80250 Johor Bahru (map here)
Opening Hours: Daily 6:00pm to midnight
Non Halal

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I enjoy eating all these food. Eating so many dishes in a day is seriously not easy but I am glad that we did it (although I have to do lots of exercise for the next few days). If you have tried some of the dishes above, drop me a comment and tell me if you like it! Alternatively, if you are thinking of driving to Johor for makan, hope this food trail gives you some good recommendations to go. I will blog about specific stalls and the pasar malam soon. Meanwhile, happy Monday and have a tamchiak week!

A friend of mine commented that I have not been blogging about hawker, so I decided to share one hawker stall today.

It was a weekday late morning. While I was queueing for Hon Ni Nasi Lemak, I saw a long queue at Joo Chiat Chiap Kee Fishball Noodles. I changed my mind and join the fishball noodles queue instead. Opened since 1965 (according to their signboard), Joo Chiat Chiap Kee does very good fishball noodles.

I don’t usually eat fishball noodles when I am in a hawker centre for a meal. Mainly because most of the hawker stalls get their fishballs from factories which I didn’t quite like it. But when I see queues forming at fishball noodles stall, I know there should be something good from the stall (For example Ru Ji Kitchen).

WHY SHOULD YOU QUEUE FOR THIS STALL?

Reason #1: They make their own fishballs! It is so difficult to find a fishball stall that still makes their own fishballs everyday. Their fishballs are not exactly round, but they are in a dome shape. Nevermind about the shape, each fishball is fresh, chewy and gives a satisfying homely taste! They also sell their raw fishballs at 7 for $1.

Reason #2: Their sambal chilli is to die for. Super shiok, and I can easily finish my bowl of noodles.

Reason #3: Very cheap leh! For $2.50, I get 5 fishballs, 1 meatball and 1 dumpling. Cheap right?

True enough, Joo Chiat Chiap Kee did not fail me (apologize for my dirt chopsticks, I was too hungry). I was probably the 8th person in the queue, but I do not have to wait very long for my bowl of fishball noodles, which shows that the long queue is NOT a reason for its slow service, but because they cook good food!

Joo Chiat Chiap Kee
Address: Blk 216 Bedok North Food Centre #01-31
Closed on Wednesdays

Before Chinese New Year, a few of us gathered at Shabupot for a mini reunion dinner. This family-run restaurant is a newly opened restaurant along Upper Thomson Road, where the few famous Teochew Porridge shops were located. When I look at the name of the shop, I expected it to be Japanese style Shabu Shabu steamboat. But after trying it, it was apparently not so.

The owner and her daughter are steamboat fans and they particularly love Taiwanese steamboat because they are very healthy. So before setting up their own steamboat place, they actually traveled to Taiwan and tried as many steamboat places as possible within 2 weeks, came back to Singapore to create their version of healthy steamboat.

Dinner started with Fried Fish Skin ($4) which is crispy and pleasantly savoury.

At shubupot, individual mini pots were served. There are 7 different kinds of soup base for you to choose from. Choices include: tom yam, chicken, spicy (bak kut teh alike), kimchi, ginseng herbal, miso, vegetarian.

It took me some time to decide because I wanted to try alot of different flavours. They use chicken soup as a base, and if you choose Tom Yam soup, they will give you a saucer filled with their homemade tom yam paste and lemongrass. If you herbal soup, it comes with a pack of herbal ingredients.

You can order their mini steamboat set which has Mini Beef Set ($14.80), lots of vegetables, beef and beef balls.

Mini Fish Slice Set ($12.80)

Shabupot’s Mini Yong Tau Foo Set ($12.80) is worth trying. Their yong tau foo are made in house and it does taste fresh and good.

There is also a Mini Pork Set ($12.80).

What is really interesting about this restaurant is their homemade chilli sauce. It is a mixture of a variety of secret ingredients in it, the obvious ones include garlic, chilli, sesame, soy sauce, spring onion etc. It has a balance of sweet and savoury flavours. I hope they bottled this for sale.

Service may be slow during peak hours, perhaps because the family is totally new to the F&B industry and they need some time to get used to it.

Shabupot
Address: 10 Jalan Leban, Sembawang Hills Estate
Tel: 6300 9300

The only reason I will travel to Fusionopolis is probably because my gym is nearby. If not, who will seriously travel all the way there (unless you live nearby or work nearby)? Alright, I may also visit Penang Place since their fried kway teow is to die for. But now, I have one more reason to visit the place, that is to have a Korean meal at Koryo Korean Restaurant.

One fine day, we decided to travel to Fusionopolis to have dinner. It is almost like a dead town after office hours. But up at Koryo, the restaurant is still opened, waiting for diners to come and have their dinner. The fact that this restaurant can exist more than 4 years in Fusionopolis speak so much about the restaurant.

Our dinner started with a Kim Chi Cake ($13). The restaurant was generous with the kimchi and seafood in the pancake. It was moderately thin with crispy corners. Very flavourful and I don’t feel like I am just eating something full of flour.

We wanted to order their Fried Chicken but it ran out. So we ordered their Fried Squid ($10.50) instead. This squid dish is one of the most popular spicy dishes in Korean cuisine. The squid is cut into bite sizes and stir fried in a slightly sweet gochujang (fermented chili pepper paste) along with some vegetables. This dish is perfect for those craving a tasty and spicy meal. The red chili sauce adds a burst of spicy flavor to the tender squid!

It was a raining night when we were at Koryo for dinner. So hot pot will be great. We ordered the Seafood Hot Pot (small $24) which can feed 2-4 pax. I think this is very worth it because there were so much ingredients. There are fresh prawns, crabs, sotong, mushrooms, vegetables etc. Cooking this is no chore because you just have to wait for everything to be cooked. The broth is hearty and intensely flavourful that warmed us from the inside out.

I was impressed with the food served in Koryo Korean Restaurant. Especially for the Seafood Hot Pot, it’s quite worth the money!

Koryo (Korean) Restaurant
Address: 1 Fusionopolis Way, #02-10 Fusionopolis
Tel: 6469 1079
Opening hours: 11am to 9pm

In such a dynamic city as Singapore where the pace of life is so fast, there is always a reason to rest and relax. Besides treating yourself to a restaurant, how about having some FUN dining?

Gourmet lovers are increasingly looking for something a bit less stiff but more entertaining and engaging. Traditional fine
dining – with its classic, ritualistic model – is still valid, though in many places on a retreat, while “fun dining” – emphasizing “the feel good” experience in a creative setting and an enjoyable atmosphere – is on the advance.

I was invited by Clubvivre last Saturday to spend an afternoon art jamming and eating high tea. Clubvivre takes fun dining approach to the next level by introducing private gourmet experiences with top chefs in Singapore in people’s home, office or somewhere else altogether. Twice a month, they throw open events of diverse fun dining concepts.

In February, they turned an Indonesian art gallery in Gillman Barracks (the newest art cluster in Singapore) into a pop-up restaurant for an exclusive group of 20 or so diners. Chef Sawarto brought in a mobile rotisserie and presented a 4-course Balinese Babi Guling feast, paired with rare premium wines from Argentina and Croatia.

And this time, they organized Art Jamming in an artist’s studio with High Tea. Doing art while enjoying high tea, sounds like a FUN thing to do on a weekend, isn’t it? Especially when I hope to furnish my future home with all my art pieces!

Delphine Bernard from Del Fine Art Gallery is a very experienced abstract art painter. She used to be a journalist and one night, in her late twenties, she saw a documentary on the Action Painting pioneer Georges Mathieu. Thanks to the French Master’s “Lyrical Abstraction”, Delphine discovered how emotions could be expressed through art.

Delphine guided us through a creative, hand’s on session of abstract painting. We learnt the various ways of painting abstract arts and learnt that painting is not an expensive affair. We used tools such as fork, roller, sponge, brush etc to play with different effects and used the three primary colourx – red, blue, yellow – to create our artwork. No thinking, no “learning”, just experimenting and going with the flow.

We started painting on papers to get ourselves familiarize with the different tools. It is always crucial to begin with simple doodling (whether open-minded or have a vague idea), you will get a glimpse of where your ideas might lead.

When we are confident enough, I began to paint on canvas. I do not have a photo of me painting because my hands were dirty and I do not want to disrupt my creative process. So if you are keen, these were some of the tools I used.

TADEH! This is my artwork. I didn’t have any idea beforehand, it was really about going with the flow. And if you are keen, here’s sharing with you some tips for art jamming:

- Don’t wear nice clothes. Wear something you don’t mind getting paint on.
- Use colors according to the feeling you wish to paint.
- Sometimes the best pictures you make are the ones with your eyes closed. So don’t be afraid to close your eyes and just have fun with it.
- Don’t be afraid of drips. It might add texture to your painting.

While waiting for our abstract masterpiece to dry, we had some high tea!

High tea was prepared by Chef Sam and his team from www.personalchefsingapore.com, featuring cupcakes, macarons and delicious deserts.

Savoury treats include Carrot-Pumpkin Veloute Shooter, Slow Smoked Norwegian Salmon Bruschetta and Herbs Chicken Egg Mayo Choux Puffs.

Sweet treats include Mini Assorted Cupcakes, Macarons, Diamants, Lemon Madelaines, Classic Scones, Fresh Strawberry Tartlets, Petite Tiramisu and 56% Dark Chocolate Mousse. It was pure indulgence and there was sparkling wine to accompany our conversations about art and expression. I had fun, thank you Clubvivre for this experience!

If you are keen to try their open events, Clubvivre are throwing a STEAK PARTY at a secret location in 13 April! Beefsteak parties were initially all-male gathering in rustic taverns or dingy cellars where, sitting on crates or stools, they would sing, tell stories, eat steaks, and drink ale with abandon. In these ‘dungeons,’ etiquette was set aside. No knives or forks were allowed. The participants ate tender morsels of beef steak, wiping the grease on large napkins or aprons.

Chef Bjorn will present his contemporary interpretation of the ‘beefsteak’ dinner, with his selection of prime beef cuts, special sauces and condiments, sprinkled with a touch of his native South African cuisine. Revisit the beefsteak craze of 1920s, drink the best craft beers in town and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

If you want to have some steak fun, visit www.clubvivre.com for more information!

Mookata is one of the most popular get together meal among the Thai. Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to eat it when I went Bangkok the other time. But it has become a trend to eat mookata in Singapore over these two years and we have been finding good mookata places to eat locally. There are many places in Singapore that provides Mookata nowadays, but the other time when we went to eat Nana Thai Food, we passed by New Udon Thai Food and there was this very yummy steamboat / skillet aroma in the air, so we were so determined to come back to try it.

Shaped like a dome, Mookata literally means “pork skillet”. At the bottom of the pot, hot charcoal is used to cook the meat. Surrounding the dome is a space where soup are stored. A kettle of soup is provided for you to keep adding water.

We ordered the set for 3 pax which included a variety of seafood, meats and vegetables. When the waiter brings you the mookata pan, she helps us to place a piece of pork lard at the center to lubricate the dome. After the pork lard oils the whole pan. you can start cooking your meat!

The food is slow-cooked over the stove to achieve a barbecued flavour. By using the pork lard to oil the pan, the meat will not stick to the pan. The oil from the pork lard and drips into the soup and this makes the broth even tastier.

The soup is used for cooking fish balls, meat balls and vegetables. It really requires some skills to cook the mookata because once in a while, our meat will fell to the soup. But the Thais next to our table were very good with this and they could stack their mookata. Chopped garlic, red chili padi and a Thai sweet chili were served which paired very well with the meat.

Dining here feels like I am in Thailand. And it is very crowded. Be sure that you aren’t going for some important events after your dinner here. Because we left the eatery with a lingering smoky smell. We paid about $60 for our mootaka here. After our dinner here, we proceeded to Golden Mile Thien Kee Steamboat for second round.

So we have tried Na Na Thai Food, and New Udon Thai Food. The next one on our list: Diandin Leluk!

New Udon Thai Food Mookata
Address: 5001 Beach Road, #01-55 Golden Mile Complex
Open daily 9am to 6am

Known for its marbling characteristics and quality, Wagyu Beef delivers a distinctive rich and tender flavor compared to other beef which makes many people drool. The most exclusive Wagyu in the world comes from Kobe, Japan. We don’t have that here but beef lovers can now enjoy the freshest top quality beef at Ito-Kacho.

Founded in 2009, with its first store in Tokyo, Ito-Kacho is a subsidary of a large Japanese corporation known as Sumikin Bussan. It was first established in 2009 in Japan with the sole intention of providing people an opportunity to taste top-grade barbequed beef.

Ito-Kacho uses only authentic Japanese Black Wagyu beef from Kyushu, which is air-flown and delivered to the restaurant regularly. They are one of the first Yakiniku (BBQ) restaurants in Japan to use chilled meat instead of frozen meat. Due to the temperature at which the beef is stored at, its marbling is retained and thereby giving a better overall consistency.

We were first served Kimchi Moriawase ($9.90) and Namuru Moriawase ($8.90). Kimchi Moriwase was made up of pickled Chinese cabbage, cucumber and white radish. It is only mildly spicy which opened up my palette to welcome the upcoming BBQ meats. Namuru Moriawase is another platter of vegetables making up of lightly seasoned white radish, bean sprout, cinnamon fern and spinach. I like the cinnamon fern most.

When Dashimaki Tamago ($6.80) appeared on my table, it immediately reminded me of the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The movie is about Jiro Ono, who is considered the world’s greatest sushi chef, and his restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat sushi bar located deep in a Tokyo subway station. It is the first restaurant of its kind to win a 3-star Michelin Review and has become so popular that Jiro is now taking reservations months in advance. There was a scene in the movie where an apprenticeship spent 10 years with Jiro just to learn how to make tamago.

So when I met Ito-Kacho’s head chef Michael, my first question to him was,”how long did he take to learn make a tamago?” Of course I wasn’t expecting 10 years lah! He took a few months to perfect it and now he only takes a few minutes to do it. Each piece of Dashimaki Tamago has a total of 4 layers of egg. It is not as smooth as what we usually had in Japanese restaurant but the mild sweet and eggy fragrance made me put a thumbs up.

Our BBQ dinner started with Wagyu Tongue ($29/80g, $39/120g). It was only slightly seasoned with salt and pepper to let you fully experience the flavour of the meat texture. Tip for you: you only need to grill 30 seconds for the tongue to be cooked. It has a nice marbling with a bouncy texture.

Ito-Kacho takes pride in their beef. There is a wide range of cow parts available, accompanied by a stamp of its origins. To allow customers to taste the full, original flavour of the beef, there is a limited range of condiments to go along with one’s meal. In fact, the beef that is served are only lightly marinated with shoyu sauce and it floods one’s palate with a rich flavourful sensation.

To let us have a feel of the difference in the meats, we were given an assorted meat platter with Jo-Karubi ($22/80g, $29/120g) from US, Wagyu Kainomi ($22/80g, $29/120g), Wagyu Sasami ($50/80g, $69/120g), Wagyu Tomo-Bara (80g for $36/80g, $49/120g) and Wagyu Toku-Jo-Bara (80g for $50/80g, $69/120g) and were advised to eat in this order so as to see the difference in the texture and marbling of the meats.

There are different grades for Wagyu beef and A5 is the highest grade given only to the finest beef. “A” of “A5″ means the yield grade, while “5″ shows the quality grade. The quality grade is marked by marbling, meat color and brightness, firmness and texture of meat, and color, luster and quality of fat.

At Ito-Kacho, the restuarant uses A4 wagyu meat and it has smooth velvety texture, gorgeous marbling, juicy flavor, delicate but rich taste will linger on the palate. Especially Tomo-Bara, there was this lovely tenderness in the meat and it was my favourite among all. Wagyu Sasami was not bad too, for people who do not want too much marbling in the meat.

Besides beef, Ito-Kacho also offers other top-grade meats such as Tzubo-Tsuke Kurobuta ($19/180g) which is marinated black Berkshire pork. It is known for its disputable tenderness and most importantly, the lack of the tainted smell some might associate pork with. It was nicely marinated with miso BBQ sauce in a big pot for at least 24 HOURS and each piece taste like char siew. It is chewy and very juicy, they are good enough to be eaten alone with any dips.

After an hour of meaty affair, we finally had some seafood for a change! The waiters took an effort to change the grills before Kaisen Moriwase ($56) was served. It is an assorted seafood platter with king crab, giant tiger prawn, Hokkaido scallop and squid. The scallops & squid are neatly packed in an aluminum tray with leaks & a sweet marinade. What you have to do it to put the entire aluminium plate into the grill to let it cook for 7 minutes. Perhaps I was overwhelmed by the meaty flavours from the meat, this set of seafood wasn’t as good. My advice is, just go for the meats.

My dinner ended with a hot pot of Ishiyaki Bibimbap ($15) and Ishiyaki Sundubu-Chige ($15) which is just tofu, clam and mushrooms in spicy soup served in sizzling stone bowl. As much as I love eating Sundubu-Chige, it was quite a challenge to eat this as it was rather spicy for me. The bibimbap has assortment of minced meat, Namurus topped with Shredded Dry Seaweed, Kimchi, bean sprouts with an egg cracked in the centre. They are quite generous with their ingredients and it was rather delightful.

For customers who are worried for the smoky smell from the BBQ, don’t worry, the convection system built into the barbeque pit sucks out any air that rises above the cooking food, leaving you with no smell. Will I come back? Yes, for the tamago and the BBQ beef!

Ito-Kacho
Address: 333A Orchard Road, #04-08/09 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: 68360111

Now that everyone is talking about healthy eating, I am also starting to make healthy cakes. If you realized, I have stopped baking for quite a while. Not because I lost interest already, but whenever I think of the amount of butter and sugar I add into a cake, it kinda scares me and I would constantly remind my Grandpa not to eat too much.

So when Derrick bought me a recipe book “大口吃也不怕胖：讓你年輕10歲的營養美味磅蛋糕” as a Christmas present, I thought it would be a perfect reason to bake a cake. But the next problem I had was, swallowing and understanding the recipe in Chinese. Even though I usually converse and write in Chinese, but having to grasp the baking terms in Chinese is definitely not easy. So after spending 30minutes translating, I decided to bake a HEALTHY EARLY GREY GRAPE CAKE!

The author of the recipe book is a very lovely Japanese lady who follows a macrobiotic diet. The term macrobiotic is taken from the Greeks. The term macrobiotic means “long life”. The basis for a macrobiotic diet is whole grains, combined with other unprocessed fruits, vegetables and other whole foods.

The good thing about having a macrobiotic diet is that, whole grains, fruits and vegetables makes this a very high fiber diet. They are rich in many nutrients. However, the diet is quite limited and may be difficult to stick to if you crave variety. And also, some of the ingredients may not be readily available in bakery supplies shop.

Healthy Earl Grey Grape Cake
for two 15×6 baking trays

Ingredients A:
100g cake flour
100g wholemeal flour
60g almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp early grey tea leaves, pounded into small pieces
a pinch of salt

Ingredients B:
6 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp grapeseed oil
100ml soya milk

Method:
1. Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius for 15 minutes.
2. Sieve the cake flour and mix all the Ingredients A together.
3. Mix all the Ingredients B together.
4. Fold in Mixture A to Mixture B.
5. Add in grapes.
6. Pour the mixture equally into each baking tray and bake for 40 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake come out clean.

** Cake keeps at room temperature up to 3 days and can be put in the fridge up to 5 days. Upon consumption, just microwave it for 2-3 minutes.

I followed the steps very closely and the end result is somewhat similar to bread, perhaps because I used wholemeal flour. It is not like a soft pound cake. And the essential of eating this macrobiotic cake is to eat slowly and chewing food thoroughly, as well as avoiding overeating. It provides a good afternoon tea alternative, especially when you pair it with some tea. And now I don’t feel so guilty when my Grandpa eats my cake. If you are wondering, I did not overbake the cake. It looks tough and dry on the outside but actually it tasted okay. Perhaps next time I will try with some other ingredients and steam it instead of bake!

Sponsored

Cameras are getting smarter nowadays. Thanks to Samsung, I get my hands on experience with their latest Samsung GALAXY Camera. What’s the best thing this camera can do? You don’t have to wait until you get back home to properly review and edit your photos because the GALAXY Camera allows you to shoot, edit and upload instantly!

This compact superzoom camera has a 23mm wideangle, 21x zoom lens and pop-up flash that offers the ability to edit images on the go, share them wirelessly via Wi-Fi or 3G data connectivity and install a plethora of apps from the Google Play Store.

It has a super attractive 4.8” HD SUPER CLEAR LCD Touch Display which allows you to have full control of the menu. It has an ultra sharp 308 pixels per inch and the full spectrum of glorious colours. You can view your HD movies at a golden 16:9 ratio! Android™4.1.1 (Jelly Bean) platform facilitates a smoother multitasking.

There are three basic mode: auto, smart or expert mode. If you want things to be simpler, go for the auto or smart mode. If you want to have more control over your photos, you can try using the expert mode which allows you to change your ISO, shutter speed and aperture.

They have 15 different modes under the “SMART” mode such as macro, night, panorama, landscape, action, beauty, best face, best photo, waterfall etc.

It has an assortment of filters for you to choose from under the “AUTO” or “EXPERT” mode.

You can finally use a true zoom lens to compose your images and use apps such as Snapseed, Photoshop Express or Perfectly Clear to edit directly on the device and then share via Instagram or EyeEm, without the need to transfer to a computer first.

TADEH! My miniature fruit basket made from clay, shot, edited and uploaded using Samsung GALAXY Camera!

I don’t know about you, but I like to play with filters. And when a camera has many many filters, I get very excited. The GALAXY Camera offers an assortment of filters so you can customize your photos before you ever even shoot them. Tint them in sepia, make them look like an old photograph or a comic, add pastel sketch marks, and more. All you have to do is to swipe right or left to scroll through filters and touch the desired filter to select it.

One mode which I like to use with the GALAXY Camera is the Best Face mode which the camera captures multiple images of a shot and allows you to select and change facial expressions instantly. There is also a Best Photo mode which takes eight shots of the subject and highlights the best one, allowing you to select your favourite.

The user interface is a android phone interface, which is not a stranger to anyone who uses an android mobile phone. You can install any editing applications or games on Play Store, which allows you edit photo directly on the camera and upload almost immediately to any social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It lets you share your pictures with up to 8 other Wi-Fi direct devices within range.

You don’t have to go home, plug your camera to your computer, download the photos and take hours to edit. Because of the big screen, you are also able to do a sharp edit. It is a plus point compared to mobile phone, because the quality of photos is better than a phone.

Besides the camera, you can also check your email, surf net, use Google Maps, play Candy Crush on this camera! Just slot in micro SIM card or micro SD card and it works like a charm!

These are some of the photos which I have shot, edited and uploaded directly to Instagram.

And this is what my family had for dinner during Chinese New Year. I shot, edited and uploaded directly to my Facebook using this GALAXY Camera.

Here’s a summary.

What I like?
- Super huge touchscreen which allows us to view and edit the photos comfortably.
- Comprehensive sharing options and ability to upload the photos directly to the internet.
- Besides taking photos, I can also surf net and check emails.
- Has many different filters
- Interesting smart modes such as Best Face & Best Photo.
- Full manual control over shutter speed and aperture
- Flexible zoom range

What I hope it has?
- Faster processing time for some scene modes
- Better low light performance
- Better battery life
- Better control over noise reduction
- Front facing camera

Conclusion:
The Samsung GALAXY Camera has been designed to edit and share images on the go. The ability to install many apps, flexible 21x zoom lens and a decent built in flash makes it fun to use. If it has a better low light performance and faster processing speed, it will be a perfect compact camera for me. Here’s the video review I created for Samsung GALAXY Camera!

WIN A GALAXY CAMERA!

If you love the GALAXY Camera, here’s your chance to win one! Over the past few months, Samsung has organized a “I WAS THERE” campaign to socialize the benefits of GALAXY Camera by sharing unique experience instantly based on Singaporeans’ passion points – Eat, Shop, Travel and Music.

One of the interesting events they did was to ask Samsung GALAXY Camera users to do a photoshoot with Mediacorp artiste, Desmond Tan. How these winners won was that they submit an idea of how they want to dress Desmond Tan in.

Even though the event is over, but you still have a chance to bring home a Samsung GALAXY Camera! What you have to do is very simple. Go to Samsung Facebook page, like, comment, share and invite friend to the Capture Desmond Tan Event Gallery, and you may be the next LUCKY WINNER!

GOOD LUCK!

After 2012′s sell-out event, SAVOUR 2013, Singapore’s largest gourmet food festival, returns with an all-new line-up of culinary adventures seeking to thrill and tantalise the senses of foodies here and around the region. As the Presenting Partner and Official Coffee, NESPRESSO will be offering Atelier and Mixologist Class at SAVOUR 2013.

I attended the Atelier Class last year where we learn to appreciate a good cup of coffee and it is really nice to do my own coffee concoctions this time! Mark shares the secrets of mixology through the live demonstration of three irresistible concoctions.

Cappuccino A La Rose

Ingredients:
1 Dulsao Do Brasil Grand Crus Coffee capsule (40ml)
100ml fresh cold milk
10ml rose syrup
1 piece of white chocolate

Method:
1. Add a piece of white chocolate and rose syrup in the cup.
2. Prepare your Nespresso Dulsao Do Brasil Expresso directly onto the chocolate.
3. Prepare the milk froth using the steam nozzle of the Nespresso machine or Aeroccino milk frother and pout the froth into the cup.

Mocca Latte with Coconut

Ingredients:
110ml Linizio Lungo Grand Cru Coffee Capsule
70ml liquid chocolate
60ml fresh milk
15ml coconut syrup

Method:
1. Froth cocoonut syrup with milk.
2. Pour liquid chocolate into glass.
3. Layer in coffee.
4. Layer milk over coffee.
5. Garnish with chocolate shavings or powder.

Nespresso Mint Caipiroska

Ingredients:
40ml Indriya from India Grand Cru
30ml vodka
15ml coffee liquer
15ml sugar syrup
30ml fresh lime juice
5 sprigs fresh mint

Method:
1. Add vodka, liquer, syrup & juice into mixing glass.
2. Extract espresso and pour into mix
3. Slap mint to awaken oils and add to mix.
4. Shake well with ice and strain into glass.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Savour 2013 will be held from 11-14 April 2013 at F1 Pit Building and Paddock. For more information about Savour 2013 and the masterclasses they offer, log on to http://www.savour.sg for more details. I will also be sharing more about the event next week and a surprise is coming your way!

Hello everyone! Happy Saturday! So what did you do during Earth Hour? Well for us, we were having great dinner at Keropokman’s house! It was a long overdue makan which was supposed to happen before CNY but all of us were too busy so it was pushed back till last weekend.

It was supposed to be a Chinese dinner but the Keropok family decided to change the menu and we are having some good western food, inspired by their recent holiday in London. Here is the yummy 64 degrees egg with crispy bacon and buckwheat as starter. That reminds me, I have not start using the sous vide machine (in fact, it is still in the box!).

Serene’s mix

Mushroom risotto

French herbs roast chicken (similar recipe here)

Roast beef with French herbs

Jaime backed Tart Tartine, Jonathan came with his homemade Orange Basil Cake and me? I thought it was Chinese dinner so I came with Yusheng! HAHA!

Last but not least, here’s Popcorns with muscovado sugar as snack to go with my tea!

Thank you Keropokman, Kopikosonggirl & Jaime for inviting us over! Great food and great company! I can’t wait for my new house to be ready so that we can have a gathering there! Look forward to the next!