Tangs Market @ Orchard

So while the parents are in town, it is a good time to go trawling around Orchard especially since we were on a mission to find dresses for the mum and sister for the Big Day. The whole idea was to go to Tangs because my dad has always loved shopping there, whether its shopping or simply window shopping. Bottom line, we managed to get a dress for my sister (Hurrah!). Mum found hers elsewhere. 

But I digress...let's get to the goodstuff...FOOD!!!

Because we all need energy to shop right? And where better than the newly re-opened (OK, not so new but I am slow!) Tangs Market! I'm loving the new concept of old school Peranakan decor but I'm even more loving the fact that I think I just found the place for my Char Kueh Tiaw fix! More about that in a bit...

Yummy Laksa stall

I ordered the Laksa to try because I can never turn down that spicy, lemak plus sambal flavour. It didn't disappoint. First, at $3, it's so affordable for anyone to enjoy. Secondly, when I ordered the Laksa, the aunty actually puts in the gravy, stirs it around, drains it and repeats this process about 3 times. What you end up with is noodles that are nicely coated in the Laksa Gravy and the perfect amount of Gravy! Not like some places just dump the gravy on top...

$3 Laksa, choice of cockles (of course I said yes!)

And then everyone else wanted Char Kueh Tiaw. And so, reasons why I love the Char Kueh Tiaw here:

1) Only Kueh Tiaw, no noodles (because its Penang style)

2) The Jumbo Prawn...OMG! It's like prawns on steroids

3) The "Char" Taste

4) $5, need I say more?

Only 2 things can make this the BEST ever Char Kueh Tiaw - Ham and Lap Cheong!!! (cockles and Chinese sausages, pardon my spelling) and maybe some Sambal on the side?

Carrot Cake and Char Kueh Tiaw stalls...

Check out the steroid Prawns!

Carrot Cake (Chinese style)

Ok, last but not least, the carrot cake as you can see was good, but it was over shadowed by everything else I ordered. So today was not a Carrot Cake day...maybe one day I shall return for the Kueh Pie Ti and the Jumbo Pau and...OMG...I will be back!!!

Tangs Market

B1 Tangs Orchard

(no reservation needed, just patience)

Shiraz @ Clarke Quay

So the better half was craving his Middle Eastern cuisine and a Shisha hit today, where better to get this than at Shiraz @ Clarke Quay? We used to patron this place quite a fair bit when we were staying across the street from Clarke Quay, but since we moved, visits to Shiraz have been few and far in between.

We went early (before 7pm) to be able to score us a seat as the place does tend to get quite hectic after 7pm, especially since they have belly dancers that are a definite crowd puller (and pleaser)! It is definitely a place I'd recommend for a social gathering but be sure to try and make reservations as it can get quite busy- even mid week!

Complimentary Starter Plate served with bread

I had my usual glass of wine and we ordered the Shiraz Twin Platter (serves 2, $82) which comes with filet mignon, boneless chicken and minced lamb. Then finally a choice of the fish fillet, prawn OR quail. We ordered the fish. They use snapper and the fish is always so nicely done! Its very nicely flavoured and despite being grilled, the fish is never dry or inedible (this is the second time I've had it and it's pretty consistent). Despite being a major meat eater, the fish has always been a hit. I also really love the Basmati rice that they served with the platter or whatever dish that you order.

Lovely Meat Plate...Yumz!

As you can see, the portions are more than generous and we did polish off every single piece of meat and fish on the platter. Ugh! Feel so disgusted with myself now! However, Shiraz does pride itself on healthy methods of seasoning and char grilling their meat to perfection. So maybe I can stop beating myself up about it!

Shiraz @ Clarke Quay

3A River Valley Road 

#01-06 Clarke Quay

Tel: 8128 4770

Pidgin @ Dempsey

Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking an old friend out for a belated birthday dinner at Pidgin located on Dempsey Road. Although it was a little bit difficult to locate at first with me literally pacing up and down in front of Block 8 & 9, Jones the Grocer area, I finally located it a little further down where Block 7 was! It was the old Pamplemousse with the owners reinventing the space and turning it into a restaurant that focused more on local fare with a twist. Pidgin, meaning a simplified language with influences from different languages used for communication between people not sharing a common language, is a name that definitely fit a restaurant featuring dishes that to me were somewhat "Singlish".

The inconspicuous front...

As I walked in to the restaurant, who should greet me but an old friend who had recently just started working there! Having said that, we definitely had a lot of good recommendation of dishes which resulted in us ordering more than we should have for a party of 3 but walking out thoroughly satisfied with our taste buds tingling! I have to mention that a party of 3, odd number as it is, is the perfect number of people to go for dinner there as most the appetizers were served in 3's. Perfect for everyone to taste and try nearly everything. The menu is a simple one page menu (Check out: http://www.pidgin.sg/food.pdf) but with everything described so well, you really can go overboard with the orders!

Top: (L) Crab Otah Croquette, (R) Chicken Rice Arancini
Bottom: (L) Sambal Escargot, (R) Spicy Tuna Tartare

Foie Gras with Rojak Sauce

We started with all of the above! The Crab Otah Croquette was nicely done- very flavourful with a nice crabby feel to it. I kept scooping up the sauce with my Otah because the sauce was delectable. We all agreed that while the Chicken Rice Balls sounded interesting at first, its nothing to shout about. It lacked the chicken-y flavour I was hoping to taste but I guess that it would be hard to beat the original Chicken Rice that one can get at hawkers center's all around Singapore. The Sambal Escargot was featured on the specials menu and I loved the twist on the traditional garlic butter Escargots. I do wish that the Sambal had a bit more bite to it but then I love my spicy food so again this is very subjective. The tuna tartare was introduced as a "I kid you not, you HAVE to order it" dish and honestly, no regrets! There was a perfect balance of flavour and the tuna was extremely fresh. Its something I would definitely go back for! The Foie Gras, oh what can I say...I finished the whole dish by myself? For any fans of foie gras, this is a MUST have- creamy, fatty, balanced with the sweet tangy rojak sauce...SINFUL!!!

Top: (L) Uni Tagliolini, (R) Duck Confit
Bottom: Lamb Rack

We were extremely pleased with our mains! I tried Uni for the first time, again by recommendation. No Regrets! I shared that dish and it was perfect for two to have about 2 forkfuls each. I couldn't get enough of the sauce and this dish is better finished while hot! If I could, I would have licked the plate clean to save them some washing! The Duck Confit was fall of the bones, melt in your mouth, super duper good! Served with a side of potatoes cooked in duck fat which was perfectly crispy on the outside and well done on the inside. You could taste the lychee in the duck sauce but it only served to bring out the flavour of the meat. My friend who is a lamb fanatic, enjoyed her order of Lamb Rack. It was served on a bed of eggplant something which made the dishe even more appealing as she is the type who loves a lamb anything and an eggplant anything. Having said that, the portion of lamb was huge! Unlike the measly portions you get at some restaurants, this was like lamb rack on steroids! I later found out that most of the ingredients are imported fresh from the respective countries (duck/foie gras- France, tuna/uni- Japan, you get the gist) and that is probably why the food taste just so damn good!!!

(L) Milo Dinosaur, (R) Pear Terrine with Red Wine Sorbet

Ok I have to admit I was pretty stuffed by the time dessert came around but that didn't stop me from enjoying the Milo Dinosaur which they had nicely adorned with birthday wishes for the happy girl. It is a nice finishing touch if you enjoy chocolate! We got 2 cute old school tumblers, MINI tumblers of single scoop Lychee sorbet which cleansed the palate nicely after such a huge meal with so many contrasting and bold flavours. Especially nice was the pear terrine which was complimented with the red wine sorbet. The sorbet was nicely done and wasn't too sweet at all, this is also another "Special of the Week" dish.

Overall, I would definitely come back with friends who enjoy good food. Short of being rolled out of the restaurant, I had a lot of fun with all the dishes because I never know what to expect from some of them. With wine (by the glass), its about an average of $100/person which is quite good considering the amount of food we ordered!

Pidgin Kitchen & Bar

7 Dempsey Road, 01-04

Tel: 6478 0080

Tsukune Ichigo, River Valley Road

After a long and tiring day, I cheated...on my diet. But it was all worth it. A little bit of sake goes a long way. 

We've been meaning to try Tsukune Ichigo for the longest time. Every time the taxi stops at the traffic lights in front of the restaurant, we always comment "We need to try this one day". Well one day finally came. It's an added bonus that it's walking distance from home. 

Those daunting doors loom before you and I used to envision pulling them open or using the big knocker and being led to a magical area. Ok, no such drama. On the contrary, when we pulled the doors open, there was only one other family there and the place was pretty much empty. Granted, it was Tuesday and we were early. The rest of the patrons (mostly Japanese) started to arrive at about 7.45pm onwards. When we left the place was 80% full. For a Tuesday night and a small restaurant with about 50pax capacity, I would say that they are indeed doing fairly well.

To start with we had the Torikawa Kyuri (chicken skin and cucumber with mustard sauce), I like the way the skin was nicely boiled and didn't feel like skin. The cucumber gave it a nice fresh crunch and the mustard sauce lightly coated the dish without being overwhelming. We also had some of the Yakitori which was normal and nothing to rave about.

Top: Torikawa Yuri, Bottom L: Momo with Mentai Mayo, Bottom R: Momo with Original Sauce

They are most popular for the Tsukune (Japanese chicken meatball, cooked yakitori style) so I ordered a set which gave us a variety of 5 different sorts of Tsukune: Okonomi Yaki, Cheese, Original Sauce, Black Pepper and Avocado Mayo. My bf and I couldn't decide which one was better. He said to start in the above direction because one tastes better than the next. I beg to differ, I thought they all tasted different and therefore deserved their own merit. I order two more Tsukune after: Ume Shiso and Shiso Mentai. Again, both were just as good and worth a try. All Tsukune dishes cost from $5-$8.

Left: Tsukune Set, Top Right: Ume Shiso, Bottom Right: Shiso Mentai

We also ordered the Soboro Don which was recommended but I wasn't overly impressed. Quick tip- let the rice stick to the pot a little after its been mixed if you like that crunch and texture in your rice. The one thing I WILL RAVE about is the Saba Aburi (lightly grilled vinegar mackerel). I love that fishy mackerel taste and this was done to perfection. Not too vinegar-y and so fresh! The slices were nice and thick...Oh the thought and I am drooling here. 

Top: Soboro Don, Bottom: Saba Aburi

In the end, we paid about $112 for two persons which included 2 orders of the Hot sake ($11each). I thought it was reasonable and I'm already deciding what to order for my next visit there. Ordering there is also much simpler because you have a menu that has a nice selection of food but you are not spoilt for choice. Point to note- when I first opened the menu, I nearly broke out in cold sweat because everything was in Japanese...fortunately, either the page beside or the following page has a description in English! Phew! Saves me from being an annoying patron.

Tsukune Ichigo
399 River Valley Road (beside Tony's Pizza)
Tel: 6736 1340

Kam Heong, Petaling Jaya

So I think this place is called Restoran (Restaurant) Kam Heong and I'd like to be really sure (and I can't read Chinese) but every time I look it up or check the location, the only thing that seems to be mentioned about the place is the amazing braised duck rice (which I unfortunately did not get to try). However, what brought us (my sister and I) to the place initially was a craving for Sarawak Kolo Mee and the fact that it was literally 5 minutes from my sisters' place made it too good an opportunity to pass up.

So off we went hoping to get a taste of home (within 5minutes?) however that place is like a maze of small lanes. We did eventually find it after doing 2 loops around the area and I am so happy we didn't give up. Also don't be deceived by the word restaurant- it really is more like a coffee shop. We got pretty lucky with getting a seat and a table but sitting there and watching the patrons that came after us, its probably just first time luck that we got one so conveniently. 

We went with the intention of having Kolo Mee but I got sidetracked by the yummy looking Char Kueh Tiaw and decided to go with that seeing as good Kueh Tiaw is hard to find here in Singapore. I do NOT like the mix of Char Kueh Tiaw and Mee. I prefer my dishes savory and the yellow noodles just make it sweet and takes away from the actual flavor that I like. The noodles were not swimming in a plate of grease and had cockles and Chinese lap-cheong in it- PERFECT!!! It made my day. 

My sister ordered the Hainanese Chicken Curry Bee Hoon which was also really good. The broth was rich without being too thick. A nice surprise was the generous amount of cockles they served with the dish. 

In the end we decided to try the Kolo Mee if only for the sake of killing the craving. It was only average sad to say but I am trying to justify that maybe it's because I was full and happy.

I would definitely go back to try it again. I hope I can stick to the game plan! 

Kam Heong Restaurant 

8 Jalan Tengah 

(Off Jalan Yong Shook Lin, beside UOB Bank)

47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 

Breakfast at Nassim Hill

It was nice to have an old friend visit and to be able to brainstorm and have chats with her about what our potential options are for future mischief. Last night it seems like I was coerced into starting my diet a little bit earlier than I would have liked. Bummer! Thank God all around Singapore, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to making the healthier choice. So as all the ladies int he office have decided to do a salad week, I too have started my first week of the Scarsdale Diet. In the end, what I hope to achieve is a change of lifestyle more than anything else. All this yo-yo weight is wrecking havoc with my booty.

I have to say it was hard to say no to the bread basket served up at Nassim Hill Bakery as they have one of the yummiest bread in Singapore (and I am not such a big bread fan). Brunch was a lovely quiet affair reminisce of our times in Melbourne.

~Sharing the moment~

Luxury of Time

Oh to finally be able to sit in front of the computer and let my fingers fly over the keyboard and simply type my thoughts down! Despite my resolve to be prudent with my blog postings, it feels like its been forever since my last blog post and it probably has. Good news is that there is a gap in my schedule and so here I am doing what I enjoy doing. 

December means having visitors in and out of the country visiting and me entertaining. This means lots of eating and very little time to myself. I'm getting nicely fattened up like most people do over this festive season but I also have so much to share with all the foodies out there.

Today I was able to make it back to Tiong Bahru Bakery at Raffles City and have a nice sit down brunch without a care in the world. It least now I know that the name of my favorite "better than sex" pastry is called  Kouign Aman. I ordered quite a fair bit this time and had to take away my pastry but I couldn't resist taking a couple of bites before we left the place.

Brunch was quite delicious and while we probably ordered more than we should have it was good to be able to try the rest of the items on display. As we queued and made our selections, the waitress asked if we would like to try the soup and that the soups were VERY nice. So we took one each of the Pumpkin Soup and the White Bean Cappuccino (which was supposed to be like a mushroom soup). The Pumpkin Soup was smooth and flavorful but I prefer savory soups so I probably won't order it again. The "mushroom" soup was basically pureed white bean with truffle oil. It didn't taste as mushroom-y as I'd hope it would but tasted very bean-y (white bean?). I conclude that I shall save my calories for more Kouign Aman in the future.

However, hats off to their selection of sandwiches! They have something for everyone. What I loved about the sandwiches, was that each and everyone had a generous helping of greens on it. We ordered the Sun-dried Tomato and Bacon on Paprika bread and the Tuna Focaccia. I personally prefer soft bread so my Paprika/Bacon bun hit the spot. The combination of salty bacon, the tangy taste of mustard and the sweet sour of the sun-dried tomatoes accompanied with the softness of the paprika bun...What a mouthful of flavors! For 3 people who ordered too much, our bill came up to SGD$56. The coffees- while pleasing to the eye are nothing to rave about.

I have to say that for a person who prefers Asian carbs (rice/noodles/etc), today has been a day of bread, bread and more bread. I conclude, that a french bakery is only as good as the croissants they make!!! No contest there...the soft, buttery, flakiness...puts a smile on my face and the inches on my hips!

Top left to right: Paprika/Bacon Bun, White Bean Cappuccino
Bottom left to right: Pumpkin Soup, Tuna Foccacia

Saturday Browday!

Today I woke up with a sense of foreboding! Today is the day I chose to go get eyebrows. Get them? (meaning I don't have any?) Actually to make them more visible. I have very light eyebrows and even though it takes less than 5 minutes to draw some on, laziness prevails and it seems like I chose to suffer rather than be a bit more efficient with my time.

I'd actually paid and signed up for the package awhile back but its taken me about 6months to gather the courage to go through with it. The whole process took approximately an hour (which makes me look like a lamer for waiting so long) and I had a very good therapist who despite the language barrier understood pain and made sure my eyebrows were always numb enough for her to scratch on (even going as far as to apply numbing cream for an extra 10minutes)! In the end, after all is done, I can proudly say I survived, now all I want to do is stick my face in a tub of ice cream!

Before & After

Time to start gathering courage for the "touch up" session which is done within 3 months after the first month. In the meantime, to be extra careful with my brows for the next two weeks. I did however think that the after care kit was packaged very nicely. But its such a rip off that they charged me an extra $150++ for it.

Contains 1 anti bacterial, 1 anti scarring, 1 bowl for mixing and 1 small spatula.

Onwards after that to meet up with Ina for lunch, we had planned to go to Suntec City for sushi until we found out that the place we used to frequent (not so anymore) has been closed for 4 months now! So instead we ended up at Sakae Sushi in Marina Square and what a big mistake that was. They should change their name to Sucky Sushi! Firstly, the menu was rather limited. Secondly, the service wasn't that fantastic even thought it was way past lunch hour and 2/3 empty. Here's the reason why I will never ever visit Sakae Sushi again on my own accord- we ordered the Fried Salmon Skin which was served cold. And everyone knows there is nothing that taste worst that cold oily food. So I asked if it could be sent back to be fried again and the waiter responded that he will microwave it. MICRO-WHAT??!? Was this how our food was being prepared? That's insane! And when I insisted that he either fry it again or get us a new one, he said he had to check. Urgh. Also when I ordered the sashimi from the set menu, the pieces that were served were the lousiest cuts of sashimi ever. Just because I didn't order the regular sashimi, that allows them to serve me gross slices? Sign OFF! Never again Sucky Sushi!

Hilarious motto that they live by! IF ONLY!

The afternoon was not wasted as on the way back, I stumbled upon- TIONG BAHRU BAKERY!!! Smack in the center of Raffles City Shopping Centre! I remember having a conversation with a friend about it just yesterday and I couldn't resist joining the queue to try the flaky pastries on display. I decided to bring home a Pain Au Chocolate, custard and raisin bun and a round swirly thing that ended up being my favorite and I'm gutted I don't even know what its called!!! I'm sure that whatever it is its not good for any diet but then again what good food is? Doesn't hurt that the chef is as yummy looking as his croissants either.

The round swirly thing on the right is my new sugar fix! 

browhaus
Raffles City L1
Facing North Bridge Road
(near taxi stand, outside Dockers)
#01-15 Raffles City Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6333 5875

Sakae Sushi
Unit: #02-207
Marina Square,
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6336 8201
Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm (Daily)

Tiong Bahru Bakery
56 Eng Hoon #01-70
Tel: +65 6220 3430

Raffles City Shopping Centre #B1-11/12
Tel: +65 6333 4160

Saturday Shenanigans...

You know you have a problem when you wake up thinking of food and the need to go to that exact place to eat or else...sulky face syndrome or bitchiness strikes!

And this is how I woke on Saturday, thinking of CHICKEN RICE! So I decided to take a walk down to Maxwell Food Center to try out Tian Tian Chicken Rice that I've been wanting to take my boyfriend to. Being as OCD as I am, I usually do a little bit of research on the net to see the reviews, opening hours,etc and what should pop up but a story about "Chicken Rice Wars"...WHAT?! And it was quite recent too. Read it here: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_791438.html

Hmm, More reason to go and have Chicken Rice today!!! I decided to try Ah Tai's Chicken Rice and was glad I did. The chicken was definitely more moist and flavorful. I also liked that the cucumber that lined the base was nice think cuts. The rice is not as oily as some chicken rice stalls. And the chili was perfect as I like mine a little spicier. I also appreciated that fact that when I went to ask for extra soup, the guy kindly asked if I wanted a big or small bowl AND didn't even utter anything about extra charge...this is indeed rare in Singapore! 

Our order of half chicken...

Because my boyfriend does not take oyster sauce, I was able to taste the real flavor of the chicken as well as douse it in sauce on the side...either way it taste pretty damn good! I'm lucky that I went there just at the right time because immediately after we ordered, a line started forming behind us. While it wasn't as long as the queue at Tian Tian, Ah Tai's definitely did have a following. 

Surprised to see that the original Tian Tian now occupies 2 stalls!

After that nice little meal, I was ready for a slow stroll through Club St to visit a friend. As we were passing through I stumbled along the destination of my next pay check!!! Pantry Magic is now at 44 Club Street. Oh I had to stop and walk in and enjoy the smell of new kitchen tools! Honestly I thought the prices were really reasonable! 

They were kind enough to let me take some photos- I was like a child in a candy store. Upon speaking to one of the ladies there (her name eludes me now), she mentioned that Pantry Magic is actually a franchise from Hong Kong and they just opened up this outlet on 18th July 2012. They will also be starting cooking classes in September. JOY!!!

What a happy Saturday which ended in my heading home and attempting to bake a Swiss Roll cake.

Followed by my boyfriend taking me out for a simple Carbonara dinner and a bottle of wine at Cellarbrations@ Boat Quay. We wanted to try it out because they opened up the area next door so you could purchase your wine @Cellarbration and drink it next door! 

The food is ordered from "The Straits" across the street and sent over if you wish to have dinner. While dinner was nothing to brag about, the company more than made up for it. And even though I liked the concept, I do hope the management looks into putting a seal at the bottom of the door because for the 2 hour duration I was there, I had to be alert because 3 Kukaracha had already made their way in. While both regular patrons and staff didn't blink at the sight (in fact made a game of getting rid of them), I myself don't care for our little friends very much!!!

It was still a perfect Saturday :) I hope I have more of these days...

Ah Tai Chicken Rice

Stall 7 Maxwell Food Centre

Open: 10.45am-8pm (or until sold out)

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Stall 10 Maxwell Food Centre

Open: 11am-8pm

Closed Mondays

Pantry Magic 
44 Club Street 
Tel: +65 6224 4055
Open: Daily 10.30am-7.30pm

Cellarbration@Boat Quay
25 Circular Road
Tel: +65 6532 2089