Note: The stalls in the temporary Hong Lim hawker centre are currently in the process of shifting to the newly rebuilt Hong Lim Complex. Don't be confused if you suddenly rush out and don't know where to go! They're only about 2 blocks apart anyway.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Random: Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee @ Hong Lim Complex
Note: The stalls in the temporary Hong Lim hawker centre are currently in the process of shifting to the newly rebuilt Hong Lim Complex. Don't be confused if you suddenly rush out and don't know where to go! They're only about 2 blocks apart anyway.
Random: Eat @ Bukit Timah Rail Mall
Decent Bak Chor Mee + tea/coffee set for $5! And they're open 24hrs a day, perfect for that late night greasy snack.
Note: Bak Chor Mee is a local minced meat noodle dish that is usually flavoured with black vinegar, pork lard and braised mushrooms.
436 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, The Rail Mall.
Tel: +65 6462 3034
Sunday, March 20, 2011
New Sensations @ 7 Sensations!
After our excellent first visit to this healthy vegetarian restaurant, Mky decided that she would love to bring her parents here and sample the other aspects of their wide and varied menu.
We ordered the Moussaka again, but instead of going for individual portions, we did a shared-dishes type of meal this round. We also had a platter of Gado-gado and Mango-Avocado Salad to kickstart the meal - both dishes were decent but nothing to write home about.
Moving on to the mains, we had one serving each of Korean Brown Rice, Petai Fried Rice and a bowl of regular brown rice as our main carbs, to go with the Tea-Flavoured Vegetables, Sambal Buah Keluak and "Mutton" Curry. Though we were already quite stuffed by then, the urge to order desserts was irresistible so we rounded off the excellent meal with some sweet treats - Chocolate & Raspberry Cake, Eggless Durian Cake and Avocado Mousse.
Since we had a larger party this time, we managed to sample a wider variety of delectables in the 7 Sensations menu. Overall roundup:
HITS:
- Moussaka: according to Mky, today's version of the Moussaka tasted even better than our last encounter. We surmised that it was cos we ate it hot, straight from the oven, rather than letting it stand till it got cold. Very good nonetheless! Mky: Moussaka was moister this time round, giving it a smoother, richer bite than our previous try (which was in itself good, but this time it was better!), where it was a bit grainy. The eggplant layer was also more discernable... a good thing!
- Korean Brown Rice: can't go wrong with this dish! Everybody liked it.
- Petai Fried Rice: slightly tastier than the regular plain brown rice.. Mky: the petai bits could have been bigger for more kick... by cutting them into slivers, there's hardly any petai taste in each bite unless one gets lucky and has a whole heap clustered together.
- Tea-Flavoured Vegetables: smelled great, loved the thick mushroom slices! Mky: thought it clever that they deep-fried thick-cut slices of mushroom stem. Created a taste sensation similar to fishcake which wowed us all. The greens were well-executed, no tough fibrous bits, only crunchy tasty goodness!
- Chocolate & Raspberry Cake: Excellent high density cake that Mky decided would likely be the cake that I will be having for my birthday in April =D Mky: Looking at Dky's expression when eating it, I knew for sure he'd love to have it as his birthday cake. Saved the very last bite for him, and boy was he gleeful. Cake had a decadent, almost velvety mouthfeel, liked very much that it was made of bittersweet chocolate enhanced by the pleasing tartness of raspberry jam. Definitely not a sugar-bomb confection. We love it!
- Avocado Mousse: Cool, soft and topped with a generous portion of gula melaka.
- Gado-gado - Mky: Not quite worth it's price tag, even if the sauce was made of cashews (or was it almonds??).
- Sambal Buak Keluak: Even though this is categorised under a "Miss", I must say you can't go wrong with Buah Keluak. Main issues was the sauce that was used - it had way too much vinegar, so it was overwhelmingly sour and mouth-puckering. The "chicken" bits were as good as the "mutton" though!
- Eggless Durian Cake: Mky's parents who are durian lovers, say that the cake here didn't match up. And this was quite obvious from the speed at which the other 2 desserts were being consumed, leaving the durian cake in the dust. Mky: Perhaps the durian cake would have benefited from the inclusion of some fresh durian pulp for texture and fragrance. The cake appeared to have been set with a gelatin or gelling agent, which affected its creaminess.
I must say that eating at 7 Sensations is a real happy-making experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the tastes that each and every single dish promised, especially since there is no MSG aftermath following it. I was practically bursting with joy while eating here! Mky: hear, hear! No MSG attacks!
Currently there is a promotion for Standard Chartered card-holders. Eating here on a Sunday gets you a whopping 20% discount. Spending over $100 gets you another 5% on top of that. That means you get a whopping 25% discount! Doesn't that make you want to just make a reservation there now?
(A caveat: being in Little India, there are a lot of foreign workers thronging the streets on Sundays, thus the large discount probably benefits only those who don't mind or aren't scared of walking in huge crowds. Finding a parking space can also be an issue.).
Kudos once again to cousin Dawn for introducing this delightful restaurant to us.
16 Madras Street S(208413)
(Just behind The Verge at Tekka)
Tel: 6298 8198
We ordered the Moussaka again, but instead of going for individual portions, we did a shared-dishes type of meal this round. We also had a platter of Gado-gado and Mango-Avocado Salad to kickstart the meal - both dishes were decent but nothing to write home about.
Moving on to the mains, we had one serving each of Korean Brown Rice, Petai Fried Rice and a bowl of regular brown rice as our main carbs, to go with the Tea-Flavoured Vegetables, Sambal Buah Keluak and "Mutton" Curry. Though we were already quite stuffed by then, the urge to order desserts was irresistible so we rounded off the excellent meal with some sweet treats - Chocolate & Raspberry Cake, Eggless Durian Cake and Avocado Mousse.
Since we had a larger party this time, we managed to sample a wider variety of delectables in the 7 Sensations menu. Overall roundup:
HITS:
- Moussaka: according to Mky, today's version of the Moussaka tasted even better than our last encounter. We surmised that it was cos we ate it hot, straight from the oven, rather than letting it stand till it got cold. Very good nonetheless! Mky: Moussaka was moister this time round, giving it a smoother, richer bite than our previous try (which was in itself good, but this time it was better!), where it was a bit grainy. The eggplant layer was also more discernable... a good thing!
- Korean Brown Rice: can't go wrong with this dish! Everybody liked it.
- Petai Fried Rice: slightly tastier than the regular plain brown rice.. Mky: the petai bits could have been bigger for more kick... by cutting them into slivers, there's hardly any petai taste in each bite unless one gets lucky and has a whole heap clustered together.
- Tea-Flavoured Vegetables: smelled great, loved the thick mushroom slices! Mky: thought it clever that they deep-fried thick-cut slices of mushroom stem. Created a taste sensation similar to fishcake which wowed us all. The greens were well-executed, no tough fibrous bits, only crunchy tasty goodness!
- Chocolate & Raspberry Cake: Excellent high density cake that Mky decided would likely be the cake that I will be having for my birthday in April =D Mky: Looking at Dky's expression when eating it, I knew for sure he'd love to have it as his birthday cake. Saved the very last bite for him, and boy was he gleeful. Cake had a decadent, almost velvety mouthfeel, liked very much that it was made of bittersweet chocolate enhanced by the pleasing tartness of raspberry jam. Definitely not a sugar-bomb confection. We love it!
- Avocado Mousse: Cool, soft and topped with a generous portion of gula melaka.
MISSES:
- "Mutton" Curry - The "mutton" pieces were actually very well-done, with realistic grain and texture and without the greasy sheen one usually associates with mock meats. However, the curry gravy was a letdown as it was thin and tasted too strongly of curry powder. One-dimensional.- Gado-gado - Mky: Not quite worth it's price tag, even if the sauce was made of cashews (or was it almonds??).
- Sambal Buak Keluak: Even though this is categorised under a "Miss", I must say you can't go wrong with Buah Keluak. Main issues was the sauce that was used - it had way too much vinegar, so it was overwhelmingly sour and mouth-puckering. The "chicken" bits were as good as the "mutton" though!
- Eggless Durian Cake: Mky's parents who are durian lovers, say that the cake here didn't match up. And this was quite obvious from the speed at which the other 2 desserts were being consumed, leaving the durian cake in the dust. Mky: Perhaps the durian cake would have benefited from the inclusion of some fresh durian pulp for texture and fragrance. The cake appeared to have been set with a gelatin or gelling agent, which affected its creaminess.
I must say that eating at 7 Sensations is a real happy-making experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the tastes that each and every single dish promised, especially since there is no MSG aftermath following it. I was practically bursting with joy while eating here! Mky: hear, hear! No MSG attacks!
Currently there is a promotion for Standard Chartered card-holders. Eating here on a Sunday gets you a whopping 20% discount. Spending over $100 gets you another 5% on top of that. That means you get a whopping 25% discount! Doesn't that make you want to just make a reservation there now?
(A caveat: being in Little India, there are a lot of foreign workers thronging the streets on Sundays, thus the large discount probably benefits only those who don't mind or aren't scared of walking in huge crowds. Finding a parking space can also be an issue.).
Kudos once again to cousin Dawn for introducing this delightful restaurant to us.
16 Madras Street S(208413)
(Just behind The Verge at Tekka)
Tel: 6298 8198
Monday, March 14, 2011
Ming Jia Korean Food
Ming Jia Korean Food: Fast & satisfying
We stumbled upon this hole-in-a-wall restaurant at Bukit Timah Plaza last year. If you enter the shopping centre via the grove of trees under the flyover, it'd be hard not to see it. It's a pokey place and the owner looks fierce, but the food is tasty and worth a try!
For about $5 onwards, you can get anything from a bento-type meal (pre-cooked bulgogi meats with rice and veg) to Bi Bim Bap and my new-found favourite dish - Korean Jajangmyeon aka Zha Jiang Mian!
The dark-coloured sauce is filled with potatoes, onions and little bits of meat, garnished with a small portion of thinly shredded cucumbers. The noodles are purportedly homemade with flour imported from Korea and taste unusually good. Nice springy texture with good bite and flavour. It would probably be one of those things I'd fit into my weekly must-eats if Bukit Timah Plaza wasn't so out of the way for me (unless Mky is on another of her Fairprice Finest supermarket runs).
Mky: Definitely a go-to place for yummy home-cooked Korean food, especially when on an austerity drive. Love the bibimbap with its fresh pile of veggies (Ming Jia's version has shredded curly lettuce which I like!) and the side of wakame soup that comes with it. Healthy and refreshing!
1 Jalan Anak Bukit
Bukit Timah Plaza, #B1-07
Saizeriya
Saizeriya: Good Japanese Western food that tastes much better than what you pay for. Cheep Eat!
This joint was an old fave of Mky's when she was studying in Tokyo. There was a Saizeriya right outside her dorm, populated by students and families alike. It was a great dine-in for post-kendo chow cos they serve beer as well. Best of all, it was so affordable!
So when Saizeriya opened in Singapore, at Liang Court, we HAD to give it a try - and we were not disappointed. It brought back the memories and feeling of being a student in Tokyo again. Complete with hilarious translation errors in the menu.
On this visit, Mky went with a Hamburg Steak, while I chose my favourite Squid-Ink Pasta. To me, Mky's home-made Hamburg Steak, with our own proportion of minced beef and pork still tasted the best, but hey, for a rate that was much cheaper than Ma Maison's, this was worth it too. Best eaten with stream rice.
The Squid-Ink Pasta still rocked, of course, you are advised to keep a napkin handy after every bite - the black sauce makes Goth Loli-s out of the eater.
Mky: Oh, this place brings back fond memories of cheap beer, cheap salad, cheap pasta, cheap pizza, cheap appetisers... you get the picture. Exactly what every girl (boy, woman, man and everything in-between) needs after a 2-hour beat-'em-up session of kendo.
A favourite hangout place of poor uni students, I remember they used to sell cheap table wine by the glass or carafe, and we'd just spend all evening quaffing back cheap drinks while munching on their glorious pan pizzas! Brings back memories of (second) home in Japan! Saizeriya BANZAI!
Liang Court
#02-22
177 River Valley Road
Tel: 6337 9001
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Notice: Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Relief
Yoga In the Park becomes Yoga from the Heart
Our friend Sabina is running a by-donation yoga class this Saturday. It is a 90 minute class - Pay whatever you want, all of it goes to earthquake/tsunami relief via www.globalgiving.org because the local Red Cross doesn't have anything yet. Sabina chose the International Medical Corps who are sending a team and need supplies. Details here.
So if like us, you want to help in some way, but are feeling helpless cos you want to help in this time of crisis, but you don't know what to do, here are 2 ways:
1) Attend the Yoga from the Heart session (19 Mar '11 at the Singapore Botanical Gardens);
2) Give online via GlobalGiving.org.
Our friend Sabina is running a by-donation yoga class this Saturday. It is a 90 minute class - Pay whatever you want, all of it goes to earthquake/tsunami relief via www.globalgiving.org because the local Red Cross doesn't have anything yet. Sabina chose the International Medical Corps who are sending a team and need supplies. Details here.
So if like us, you want to help in some way, but are feeling helpless cos you want to help in this time of crisis, but you don't know what to do, here are 2 ways:
1) Attend the Yoga from the Heart session (19 Mar '11 at the Singapore Botanical Gardens);
2) Give online via GlobalGiving.org.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Upcoming - 8 Mar '11
Welcome readers, watch out for our upcoming commentary on Annalakshmi, LivinGreens part deux and possibly some local cheap eats in Chinatown. Do also keep an eye out for our special feature on Santi's Winemaker Dinner!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Home-made Vegetable Potage with Fish
Mky's Vegetable Potage with Fish:
Hand mashed (much effort!!), no oil or MSG (garlic was roasted in oven) was used. Tasty n quite healthy! Best part is, my lunch for tomorrow (a fish pie), was made together with this dish. How's that for efficiency? =)
Stuff in it: sweetcorn, fish, cauliflower, sweet peas, fresh peas, carrots, roasted garlic, cabbage, zucchini and lots & lots of potatoes, and a dollop of sour cream.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Home-made Irish Ice Cream
Justin's Irish Ice Cream:
Justin is a good friend of mine and a bit of an experimental home chef. Actually, he was experimenting with methods of cooking within the confines of a hotel for quite a long period, coming up with some pretty fantastic food for his other half. Fantastic-looking anyway, since I'm not sure how it actually tasted =P. Although I must admit, the Assam Laksa he put together last year was a definite winner!
Anyway, here's his rendition of Irish Ice Cream. The strong alcoholic taste of Baileys made this quite good. A once-off thing only.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)