Mimolette : It's better to have shared and lost.

Behind the old colonial house where we got lost, I asked you to share the Benedict with me and you did, egg benedict that was.

I always wonder if egg benedict really means its literal sense – egg's blessings. If one needs blessing from eggs to survive, Mimolette's brunch menu sure offers lots. They have eggs benedict, croque madame, eggs saumon, free range eggs done in the way you want with sausages, steak and eggs, truffle omelette, cod flakes omelette and many more. Moreover, the place looks as though Martha Steward has waved her magic wand over, chic and comfortable, way to spend an idyllic morning.

I avoided our usual four cheese macaroni, mini wagyu burgers and eggs benedict because you were not there to share with me. Decided to try the eggs saumon ($22) and the two eggs turn up looking great. The eggs served on rye bread was as hearty and decadent as it should be. Cut into the egg, the luxurious yolk flowed out drowning the salmon and bread. The mellow yolk bended with crusty bread tasted heavenly. Reached the part of lightly fried egg white, the oil of the charred portion just merged perfectly with the oiliness and saltiness of the fish. Occasionally, I remembered the salad with vinaigrette, not the highlight but a good complement nevertheless. As I looked at the next table's mini burgers, I recalled how we enjoyed sharing them even though the patties were always dry. Food is always better enjoyed when it's shared.

I went to Mimolette myself and didn't get lost. If I were to be lost, I want you to be with me.

Mimolette
55 Fairways Drive
Tel: +65 6467 7748

Heritage - The North Indian Cuisine: Inheritance That Should Not Be Lost

Indian food, I am often intrigued by how it can seamlessly put on a modern air without being awkward nor losing its intrinsic properties.  As a hokkien, I often wonder how szechuan cuisine can take on a modern twist while hokkien cuisine can't.  I am still searching for an answer and like to eat indian food as research!  Hee hee, what an excuse!  There are some must-order for me when it comes to Indian food - any tikka, any masala, palak paneer and naan. I ate all of them today and left heritage feeling richly satisfied.

Chicken Tikka with Mustard Sauce (Love the sauce!)

Chicken Tikka ($18) - very very tender and the mustard sauce that came along with it was very shiok. I like the burnt parts and smoky taste of the chicken pieces which went very well with the mustard sauce. Presentation wise, this dish looks chic and modern. This is what I like about Indian cuisine - traditional yet somehow timeless.

Fish Masala

Fish Masala ($28) - the first dish that we swept up at the table. The amount of spiciness was just right and went very well with the naans (we ordered plain and garlic @ $4 per piece). Again, the tender and fresh fish immediately won our hearts.

Garlic Naan

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer ($12) - A hates spinach and I thought I need to finish everything by myself. But no, after repeated attempts to get him to try, he actually mopped up everything, EVERYTHING. Well, A said that if only his mum cook this for him when he was young and he will grow up loving vegetables. I guess this is the greatest compliment anyone can confer to a restaurant right?

Papadum with an assortment of chutney

Papadum (complimentary) - I left this towards the end because the chips were the only disappointment - a bit soft and chewy, not crispy. However, the mint chutney and shallot prickles were one of the best in town. Mint chutney was a bit spicy and of a good consistency.

Modern and clean interior

Service-wise - the staff were friendly and not too obtrusive. We were a bit apprehensive to see only 1 table occupied when we arrived at 130pm on a sunday but several other patrons joined us sometime later. All in all, when I asked A who is not as crazy as me about indian food if he is ok with the meal. He said heritage tasted "international" and he was not overwhelmed by the spices. I am an Indian food fan and love its spices and certainly hope that its new venue in a hotel will not result in further "internationalisation" of heritage . If you want to try indian food and busk in rich indian's heritage, I guess heritage is an excellent place to start.

 

Pond at the entrance of Heritage

Heritage-The North Indian Cuisine

214 Dunearn Road

Tel: +65 6875 0433

Nanxiang Mantou Dian (Shanghai): P.S. I Miss You Part III

I love xiaolongbao. I love the proliferation of restaurants in our sunny island of Singapore selling xlb.  I love my accessibilty to xlb. Sometimes I do think about xiehuangtangbao in Shanghai's yuyuan.  One day, I will love to go back to Shanghai to eat the xiaoyangshenjianbao too.

Nanxiang's Tangbao (You need to go all the way up to level 3 of the outlet to get this)

Nanxiang Mantou Dian

Yuyuan Lu 85

Westshore of Teahouse Lake

TeL: 021/6355-4206

Miao Yi: Mocking with Mushrooms

Vegetarian food makes me fat.  1) It is full of carbo. 2) I tend to binge on the fried stuff. 3) I always over order because I do love carbo and fried stuff. :P   Miao Yi is a different story though.  Most of the mock meat dishes are made from mushrooms therefore I can just let go and EAT! Oops.  There is an exception.  The fried mock goose and fake luncheon meat are gluten = protein (still not carbo hee), is one of my must-order at MY.

Fried mock goose platter

It really quite sad that the plate of sambal kang kong with "dry shrimp" is mercilessly cropped off by me for asethetic purpose.  It is the "best mock" executed by MY. The "dry shrimp" made from minced mushroom is totally like the real mccoy which can easily sneak itself into a tze char stall without being detected.  The herbal tofu claypot is unique, the herbal gravy goes well with plain rice and tasted almost like herbal chicken soup.

Herbal Claypot Tofu

Black olive fried rice is very good and full of wok-hei.  I do like the musky taste of olive but I agree with WC that it is cultivated taste.  For the less adventurous, MY serves ginger rice (taste like chicken rice lor) on the 1st and 15th of lunar calendar. Finally, the sweet and sour hotplate fish (although taste nothing like the real thing) is very tasty.  The mushrooms masquerading as fish are really good and chewy.  Good for people who like sweet and sour pork or fish but hate the taste of pork or fish.

Olive fried rice(background), Sweet and sour fish (foreground)

Well, my photos did no justice to the food for it really taste better than how it look here.  Didn't think of bringing a proper camera because I eat at MY quite often.  But food is so good that I just need to share with all of you.

Miao Yi Vegetarian
587 Bukit Timah Road
#03-01/02 Coronation Plaza
Tel: 64671331

Novus: Catch Me If You Can

Have the chance to drop by novus today after hearing about its risotto for so long.  Did not manage to taste it as I was just skiving around in a lazy late afternoon, hoping that no one important enough will find out.

Nevertheless, the drinks are pretty enough to be posted.

Iced Mint Tea

Latte

White Chocolate Macademia Milkshake

Let's just say that the white choc milkshake is good enough for me to render this place a second visit.  And if anyone catch me at novus skiving again, I will be having the risotto too!

Novus
93 Stamford Road
#01-04/05
National Museum of Singapore

Home: Orange Semolina Cake / Sugee Cake

I grew up in a chinese family of unorthodox culinary habits. I used to think that everyone eats ngor hiang, babi ponteh, chap chye, hee peow soup, roast chicken, fried hokkien mee, pineapple tarts and almond sugee cake during chinese new year.  It was not until later years that I found out many of these dishes are distinctively penarakan and not just hokkien delights.  Just last month, I have a heated discussion with my proud eurasian friend, M on whether sugee is an eurasian cake served during xmas or chinese cake served during cny.  She won! After intensive research, misled and ignorant me have no choice but to admit sugee cake belongs to the eurasian - their festive cake served on their festive days.   

Nevertheless, I decided to put the dusty recipe of a simple orange sugee cake (hand-written by my maternal grandma) and my dusty kitchenaid to use this weekend after a long baking hiatus.  The end result is a textured yet moist, buttery yet tangy sugee cake.  This has encouraged me to try out the almond version soon. 

Sugee Cake waiting to be cooled

Sliced Sugee Cake waiting to be eaten

Recipe
Ingredients
250g unsalted lurpark butter
160g caster sugar
4 eggs
120g semolina flour
120g orange juice
grated orange zest from 2 oranges (zest = coloured part of the rind - bitter white part)
150g of top flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder (sift together)

Steps
1) Soak the semolina in orange juice for 1/2hr
2) Beat the butter and sugar for 10mins.
3) Add egg and beat for 2mins
4) Add semolina and orange peel into the mixture.  Mix.
5) Fold flour into the mixture
6) Preheat oven to 180 degree.  Bake at 180 degree for 40mins.

(Makes apprx. a 9x5 inch tray)

Marmalade Pantry : The Perfect Date

It is not easy to find a perfect date.  Nevertheless, there is always a perfect sticky date...pudding to fall back on.

Me and My Sticky Date Pudding

Bought some vanilla pods with the help of XM (my most helpful colleague and world-class-baker-in-the- making) from phoon huat the other day.  It reminded me of my first taste of ice-cream with real vanilla bean was at pantry some 10 years ago.  I decided to go pantry to treat my tastebuds with pure vanilla taste and creamy ice-cream first before I embark on my baking adventure this weekend.  Sometimes I am not sure if I love the vanilla bean ice-cream or the date pudding more. Whatever it is, pantry's sticky date pudding never fail to cheer me up. A took this photo because I look so happy when my pudding arrived :P

Marmalade Pantry

2 Orchard Turn

#03-22

ION Orchard

Ji Xiang Confectionary : Of Kuehs and Tea

I am guilty of liking and knowing "western desserts" more than traditional chinese ones. It seems to be so much "cooler" to talk about tiramisu and souffle than baos and kuehs in my teenage years spent in a jc near holland village.  I only started to appreciate ang ku kueh not too long ago and found ji xiang confectionary.  Thank goodness it is not to late to start liking these soft, chewy and pretty things with a wide range of fillings to choose from - peanut, sweet bean paste, savoury bean paste, yam, durian, corn, coconut etc.  By the way, it may be too late to go buy after lunch for these kuehs are usually sold out by then. 

Thanks to very free (freer than me) WC for getting me the kuehs today.  Although the sudden downpour has ruined our plan to exercise but hopefully a cup of gryphon no13 black tea can wash down some of the saturated fat in these very soft kuehs. 

Gryphon's Sumatran Black Tea

Ang Ku Kuehs from Ji Xiang

The 2 other popular stalls for ang ku kuehs are Poh Cheu at Bukit Merah and Tiong Bahru Teo Chew Kueh.  There isn't really any great difference so just go to one that is most convenient to you! Oh, you may want to check out my review on hungrygowhere here.

Ji Xiang Confectionary

1 Everton Park

#01-33

Tel: 62231631

Dallas : Fly Me to Dallas

 

Went to dallas a grand total of 4 times in less than 3 months.  Kinda hooked on their ribs which goes on 50% off every mon and tue.  So only need to pay $14 + gst + service = $16.48 for a whole rack of baby back ribs which you must share with someone to finish.  Who can resist such good lobang?

Very tender ribs (1/2 rack of fiery ribs + 1/2 rack of berry ribs)

Amazingly, the potato wedges can stay crispy for the loooooooongest time on earth.  So, always finish the yummy ribs first. 

No matter how good and cheap the ribs are, I think I am getting tired of them.  But it's just a personal thing.  So, go try it and here is my initial review on hungrygowhere, probably the most accurate reflection:

I went to Dallas last night with a conniving thought; I want a response from the management. Was researching what to eat in Boat Quay and happened to see that Dallas replied to most reviewers. By sheer probability, I will get a response(...I hope).

Dallas is a fantastic choice in terms of food, ambience, value and service! We, 2 girls ordered a set dinner ($28++) and THE RIBS ($22) to split because tex-mex is known for its heartiness and serving size (...hoping to stay slim).

Was a bit disappointed at first sight of the caesar salad as it seem plain and unappetising. But hey, the lettuce was fresh, crunchy with the right amount of dressing, the shaved parmesan and croutons acted as an interesting foil to the raw vegetables. The bacon however had an odour of re-used oil (...hoping to get a reply on this).

THE fiery RIBS turned up on a gorgeous platter with potato wedges and coleslaw as sides. I knew that THE RIBS will be great the moment I sank my knife in them. The meat was soft and I easily tore the whole rack apart. I will not say that THE RIBS are of the fall-of-its-bone -type (like one other tex-mex restaurant with its over liberal use of tenderiser created a fake softness). THE RIBs was in perfect tenderness, achieved through sincere cooking process. While the intense flavour of THE RIBS was enough to get me stuck in Dallas forever, what I loved most was the layer of fat found at the tip of the bone, tasted like roasted butter and yet not oily at all. I want to eat this everyday while (...hoping to stay slim).

The beef fajitas was great too. The ribeye was tender and well-seasoned with a tinge of cumin. It was good enough on its own. Furthermore, its impressive quotient was elevated with 4 different condiments (sour cream, salsa, guacamole, bean paste) to go with 3 pieces of tortillas. Talk about being spoilt for choice! While I prefer a stronger taste of avocado for the guacamole but I think most people will be happy with Dallas's version (...hoping to get a customised dip).

Cheesecake time was happy time, though again not as cheesy as I prefered. But I respect Dallas's interpretation of cheesecake, slightly sweeter with a stronger presence of cream. I swept most of the cheesecake off as my friend was full from the generous serving (...hoping to stay slim still)

Sevice was great with 2 young waitresses tended to our needs and answered our queries. On a Friday night, Dallas wasn't really crowded on the classy 2nd level but downstairs was a whole new world. We were also very happy to get a 20% off for ordering just before 7:30pm (...hope such good practice will continue)

Just an aside, I bumped into the blonde celebrity blogger, Xiaxue, asking for directions to Dallas on my way out (...hope she will enjoy her meal as much as me).

Management Response: 20 Jul 2009

Dear Puff,

Thank you for choosing to dine at Dallas.
I shall not disappoint you and respond to your review, just as I have to everyone as I think it is certainly importantly to engage my customers and get their feedback. On your feedback on our salad, oil is indeed used to fry the bacon but there should not be any distinct odour and I will certainly check up on that. I am however, glad to hear that you enjoyed our ribs and our beef fajitas, which are indeed popular items at our restaurant and I look forward to serving you again soon.

Have a great day ahead!
Yours Sincerely,
Jason

Dallas

31 Boat Quay

Taste is subjective but keep an open mind(mouth)

I know someone who think the world of a certain chain that specialises in canton roast meats.  The person cannot really give a reason but keep repeating the family loves it so much that they patronise the restaurant frequently.  I know taste is very very subjective but in my mind I have a list of places selling similar stuff which are much better.  Below are some of the places I like.  Some I have been to only once, some more than once.  No matter how good they are, I don't think I will ever go to any restaurant regularly.

1) Cherry Garden for its cubes of roast pork belly which looks too neat to be eaten.  The skin is crispy, thin and I like the soft layer of fat right below the skin.

2) Majestic Restaurant for its roasted duck with foie gras.  Forget the foie gras just give me the duck skin of the whole duck.  For once I wish presentation is not so important to a restaurant. 

3) Pine Court Chinese Restaurant for its very fatty peking duck.  Price is reasonable in this restaurant and the duck is lightly browned.  Quite unlike the others where loads of malt candy is used to achieve the colour and taste.

4) Royal China at Raffles for its pipa duck.  This is one lean duck which I like for the skin is so good that I can ignore the lack of a thick layer of fat. 

5) Imperial Treasure for its crispy tea leaves duck is so oily and fatty that I don't mind eating with the bun provided.  Usually I just eat the duck skin and give whatever carbo to my dining partner but this fried duck is worth all the extra carbo.

Taste is subjective, choices are personal, life is about experiences so the search for good food will continue and continue.

Demel (Vienna): P.S. I Miss You Part II

Was thrilled to see caffe cova's sachertorte featured on sunday life.  I really like the cake - rich, moist with just the right bit of apricot jam.  The article also evoked my memories of the 2 places to grab the original sachertorte - hotel sacher and demel in vienna.  I do not particularly enjoy hotel sacher's version and did not try demel's version when I was there.  But I did miss what I ate at demel's.  It's a shame that I could not remember the name of that wonderful and dense piece of cake. I often console myself with this photo.

Demel, Wien

Demel

Kohlmarkt 14
1010 Wien, Austria
+43 1 53517170

Home: Spaghetti Aglio Olio + Pacific Dory Baked with Mustard

The packet of dried mixed herbs (marjoram, thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano) from Kakulas Brothers has brought me to a whole new very convenient world ever since its entry into my humble little kitchen.  I thank my always-in-the-know friend, G who brought me to the shop while we were in Perth.  I will also be doing the amazing shop a great disservice if I do not mention that they sell, take a deep breath - 30 varieties of lental, 50 over varieties of olives, 70 over types of dried fruits, 80 over varieties of nuts, 80 over strains of grains, 90 over kinds of cheese, cooking oil, condiments, herbs, spices, canned food, pasta, cold meat etc.  (see stocklist)

Recipe
Spaghetti Aglio Olio
1) Bring a saucepan of water with a pinch of salt to boil.  Add appr 80g of spaghetti.  Simmer for 12mins.
2) Sliced a garlic and a chilli padi, throw them in appr 10ml of extra virgin olive oil.  Mircowave the garlic, chilli and oil for 60secs.
3) Once the spaghetti is ready, drain and pour the oil mixture in , sprinkle on desired amount of mixed herbs.

Pacific Dory Baked with Mustard
1) Season 2 slices of dory with 1 tablespoon of english mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper for at least 1hr (I use frozen pacific dory and waitrose mustard).  Line the 2 slices of fish on a aluminium foil. 
2) Sprinkle some mixed herbs on the fish, leave an opening with the foil and bake for 10-12mins. 

Serve dory with spaghetti.

(Serves 2)

Spaghetti Aglio Olio + Pacific Dory Baked with Mustard

Jules Verne: Proletariat Setting Bourgeois Pricing

Unless you are a bourgeois, if not prices (be it high or low on priority) will somehow be a consideration when comes to eating out.  I have said this before and I will say this again - I work in a place where food is really bad so hunting for cheap and good lunch around the area is rather essential.  Read that there WAS a $14.50 set lunch on hungrygowhere and persuaded some of my colleagues to check Jules Verne out.  Ok it's my fault for not checking as the review dated end Aug is obviously obselete and we didn't manage to enjoy the deal.

As it was really a normal, usual, typical workday lunch, I searched the menu for a reasonably priced entree.  The prices are really steep for lunch in a non air-con setting along a void deck in sunset way.  I was rather interested in the schnitzel but it's under the kid's menu.  Very sad indeed.  We end up eating the poor men's food, cheapest on the menu - weisswurst ($14), currywurst ($18), bratwurst ($12) and frankfurter ($12).

My very delicate bavarian sausages 

My weisswurst (bavarian sausages) tasted too delicate for my liking.  The German bread that came along with it was warm and crisp on the outside with soft and chewy interior, nice.  The currywurst was good with its sauce.

Flavourful currywurst

Bratwurst smelled good and frankfurter looked ordinary.

Frankfurter

I know I should not judge a restaurant based on its sausages but I felt very bad to see my colleague spent $12 on a sausage for he left the potato salad and sauerkraut almost untouched.  I tried and found the salad too plain and sauerkraut too mushy.

Sauerkraut (Good if you do not like yours too refreshingly sour)

Potato Salad (I took these photos of sauerkraut and salad AFTER our meal)

And my friend who used to work for a famous coffee chain in her pre-uni-days found the foam on her wiener melange ($3.90) too thin and inconsistent. Lunch was ok for me but I am sure the 2 growing boys will find the portion too small but was too polite to comment.

Wiener Melange (Probably the most reasonably priced item)

I know sunset way is supposed to be hip and happening but the pricing of Jules Verne is definitely beyond what I want to pay to eat at the void deck.  Though food was fine but we just experienced Germany rather than Europe during our stay at Jules Verne.  Conversation during lunch centred around our previous trips to Europe. Our memories were nearer to other parts of Europe than our tummies. With the prices and quality offered, I am not sure a proletariat like me will ever to go round Europe in my 80mins of stay at Jules Verne.  What I am sure is I will not be back at Jules Verne in the next 80 days.

Jules Verne
Blk 106 Sunset Way
#01-380
Tel: 67772275

Since we are on the topic of sausages and Berlin.  Curry 36 at Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg and Konnopke Imbiss in Prenzlauer Berg are two most well-known joints there. Tell me which one you like!

Le Bijoux: My Love Affair with Bread

One of the greatest motivation to set up this blog is that it allows me to talk about my obsession with bread, scones and muffins.  I tend to buy bread home almost everyday.  I hunt the island down for yummy bread.  I rush to any newly opened bakery the moment I heard of it.

Crispy Multi-Grain Scone ($2)

Made from multi-grain, this is one of the healthiest and heartiest scones ever.  I really love this plain and slightly warmed up.  The feeling of satisfaction is hard to describe.  This is one rare carbo which I constantly indulge in.

Cranberry Soft Bread (5 for $3)

Again, the cranberries are enough to let me eat the whole bun on its own.  Coupled with soft and slightly chewy texture of bread, I never forget to bring home some of these pretty yet wholesome buns whenever I am near the area.

 

Green Tea and Chocolate Chips Muffin($1.80)

 White Chocolate and Oreo Muffin ($1.80)

I do not understand the green tea muffin with chocolate, the combination of flavours is a bit too exciting for me.  However, one cannot go wrong with the white chocolate muffins with oreo.

Le Bijoux

57 Killiney Road

#01-01

San Hou Lei (Macau): P.S. I Miss You Part I

I am so weird. I thrive on oily food. I crave for oily food whenever I am sick. The law of negative conditioning does not work on me.  Was unfortunate enough not to digest these yummy pork bun and portuguese egg tarts completely when I was in Macau last dec.  Developed an intense craving for them over this stay-at-home because I am oh-so-sick weekend. One day, I will go back for the tender to the max pork chops and thick, thiick, thiiick milk tea. 

Milk Tea, Portuguese Egg Tarts and Pork Bun

San Hou Lei 新好利咖啡店
Rua de Regedor 13 &14
Taipa, Macau
Phone: +853 2882 7313
Opening Hours: Daily 07:30 - 18:30

Bakerzin: Hooked on their 50% Promotion!

I am so going to get this!

The Handburger : In Quest of a Good Burger

Ended. At least for this moment in time.

Craving for a burger with patty so flavourful and juicy that you don't have to eat with loads of tomato or chilli sauce? The handburger original came with a thick and juicy beef patty whose rich flavour went well with the bun. While the chicken breast in the chicken caesar burger was a tad dry for my liking but the tasty seasoning and bacon made up for it.

Chicken Caesar Burger ($13.80)

Looking for a burger without oxidised lettuce and "air-dried" sliced tomato? Both original and caesar came with fresh green lettuce and sliced tomato which both the sight and water content of them will make you feel that you have complete your daily intake of good old vitamins and minerals needed from eating vegetables.

Accompanying chilled stuffed tomato

(The coleslaw and tomato is another good source of vitamins)

Searching for a non-soggy burger? Both buns were slightly toasted with butter which made them crisp on one side, soft and warm on the other. There were no hint of over-worked mayonaise drenching the poor interior of the buns at all. The caesar burger came with a tinge of refreshing pesto sauce that completed the taste.

The Handburger Original ($13.80)

Thinking of something light and sweet to end the meal?  The molten choc cake was a delightful finale for soft ice-cream was used instead.  I think handburger is really smart to use soft ice-cream for their burgers are really too hearty for any rich and heavy dessert to round up the meal.

Molten Choc Cake ($5.50)

Having little restraint and self-control in terms of trying out new eating places in town. I am so happy to coerce my ever-obliging friend, C to company me to try the handburger. I have been to a couple of new burger joints lately (eg, the one hidden in a certain condo, the one owned by a famous ice-cream outlet, the one found in the newest mall in town) and found handburger my fave. Perhaps, it is the company, I always enjoy my food expedition with C.  I enjoy the way we savour every bite, I cherish how we swept everything off the plate clean and how we were so intrigued by the super cool take-away boxes. I am so happy that my quest for burger can stop today. For this moment in time, at least.

The Handburger
252 Northbridge Road
#B1-77/78
Raffles City Shopping Centre