Ichiban Boshi (kamameshi) - The Centrepoint

Appetizers

          

       Ideally, this would have been crispy parcels, piping hot and bursting with juices.

But of course one could dream.

These hotplate gyozas had skin that was too thick. Moderately chewy and crisp only at the edges. :(

But biting into these little parcels revealed orange pieces of shrimp meat which really impressed me.

I thought it might have been minced.

Savoury meets sweet drizzled teriyaki sauce.

Appetite's awake now :)

They no longer have zosui on their teatime offers.

Although I was looking forward to some soupy comfort from zosui,

why not make it some rich soupy comfort.

I was pleasantly surprised that they were now offering hokkaido soup curry udon. :)

And just look at the descriptions!

Mozza cheese.

Oh my!



Can't wait! :)

*takes a small sip

Oh. That's. Comfort. Alright.

Curry soup.

Curry cubes mixed into chicken soup stock?

Eggplant, okra, lotus root, cabbage and a patterned shiitake mushroom.

Half an egg with a yolk that wasn't -quite- cooked.

And beef slices topped with mozza cheese bits.

I had a lot of fun pulling at this stringy cheesy mess.

Udon that was chewy and went very well with the richness of the gravy.

The only grouse I had was that my beef slices were a tad overcooked.

But for $5 inclusive of green tea,

this was totally my idea of a teatime treat!

Especially after a traumatic dental visit. :(

 

And for the first time in all my years,

I set foot into Alley bar.

On a weekday afternoon.

Being part of this happy hour that seems so much a routine of these patrons I see around me.

And my friends of course.

Downing pints of ice cold Tiger on a hot sunny afternoon.

And I look for my respite in ice cold water.

Drinks right? :)

And today I had a thought.

That smokers have terribly bad eyesight or this amazing ability to ignore what they don't want to see.

I don't get how I could bring a pack of anything with such pictures around with me.

Much less smoke.

Don't get me wrong.

It's from my smoker friend.

But I'd hang out with him all the same.

He says.

Don't touch.

Your hands will smell like burning leaves, rotting logs and all those disgusting garbage dump smells.

:)

beauty lies in colours

What's your take?

Raw, unedited and from an iPhone 4.

All the ingredients tasted good.

Just the rice that didn't quite meet my expectations.

What's in it for a claypot rice anyway?

I've only got one standard of comparison- the claypot rice in Chinatown

and that's pretty awesome stuff.

So relatively speaking, this wasn't too nice at all.

But that version has chicken with bone in and a lot oilier of course.

Well, it was worth a try.

new treats at broadway plaza

This looked a lot like Nando's.

With attention grabbing wall prints and menus.

And chicken of course.

In all forms. 

This was much better than I thought.

Would be what I envision the bonchon 4 fingers crispy chicken to taste like.

The skin was crispy indeed.

And coated in a spicy sweet sauce that was purely addictive.

I wish there was more of where that crispy skin came from!

The gravy on the mash was much too thick but definitely savoury from seasoning.

Be sure to have water on hand after this!

And because Broadway Plaza's undergoing a massive makeover from their previous makeover not so long ago, they are having a one for one special. And this was one of the options from the complimentary dish.

One of the few non-chicken options.

A standard thawed and grilled dory fillet.

Massively drowned in sweet and spicy sambal sauce.

I had expected a dollop of the sauce and of the thick nature but this was liquid and made my side of fries soggy in an unappetizing way.

The coleslaw was a generous serving and creamy and not too tart for my teeth. 

Dinner was really better than we expected.

But only because we expected very little.

Worth a try.

Especially those hot hot drums! :)

And this was even more exciting.

Yet another one for one treat!

This runs till the weekend and only applicable at Broadway Plaza- 22/04/2012.

One for one on a small cup at yoguru.

$3.50 for two of these yummylicious treats.

This was mango and bliss.

Mmmm. :)

PS at A.S.H Park

And I'll bet you didn't know that Ann Siang happens to be the name of a wealthy hokkien merchant and he was the proud landowner of both Mount Erskine and Ann Siang Hill where he lived.

Unless you've been to A.S.H. Park where P.S Cafe sits quietly amidst the greenery. Then that's no count for the bets. Because there's a heritage board that tells you (well, me) all about it! :)

This branch only admits teenagers and adults. Any idea what's the reason behind the restrictions?

In any case, this was our welcome respite from the oppressive afternoon heat.

So we actually wandered about for a bit to leave our options open. 

There was a chocolate cafe which had a unique rainbow cake and options like cheesecake amidst all the other chocolate offerings but it had limited seating space and wasn't my idea of comfort.

Antoinette down Erskine Road was even smaller. The cafe was constructed studio style. I can't imagine how these people in there would feel safe eating there. This place was a fire hazard waiting to occur. Become a crab when you walk in.

There's no other way to avoid bumping into people or furniture unless you walk sideways.

I kid you not.

I crabwalked my way out immediately.

And so we went on our way to P.S.

Which thankfully had ample seating space on the second floor.

And a new twist on cold water.

I've never noticed (or did this just happen recently?) how they have these colourful fruit slices in their water jugs. It might be psychological. But I could taste those fruits in my water.

Now,

 I was sure that there could've been no other place I wanted to be other than here in the madness of the afternoon heat. :)

Done with brunch and now it's time for desserts. These mega monstrous sized desserts make one sin. The sin of gluttony. But I gladly indulge. For it's not every Sunday that's a girlfriend day out. :)

We decided to depart from the usual carrot cake and sticky date pudding (everytime.allthetime) and made orders for a coconut raisin bread pudding and a caramel banana cake.

These came as if they were castles surrounded and drowned in the moat of sauce. While I do profess I like my dessert with ample dressing, this was dessert suicide. Next time, we'll be sure to ask for sauce on the side. Vanilla and caramel sauce. Both were saccharine sweet. You'd be none the wiser after having both.

The taste of coconut was subtle but ever present in the bread pudding. And that little coconut puff on top? Me like! I wish for some burnt crusty edges and more raisins though.

The banana cake was rich and tasted of brown sugar but my taste buds were too overwhelmed by the caramel sauce to do any more detective work.

The vanilla ice cream on the side was commonplace and melted at an alarming rate. 

Where are my specks of vanilla beans? It's 17 dollars, I'm sure we could do better with the ice cream? And while we're at it, how about also keeping hair out of this.

I gagged when I saw a strand of hair.

And no, it wasn't mine! Ohthehorrors!

They offered to replace the dessert but who could stomach anymore of thatwhichcomeswithhair :/

so they took it off the bill.

Thanks for the gesture but sigh. Long while before I order this again.

The third floor was where they had a second bar counter smaller than the one on the first floor and there was more seating but probably only for dinner. Their seats were reminiscent of british colonial office chairs. Lighting was dimmer up here and had a cosy vibe that one would imagine to make for good dinner ambience. Opening the glass doors to the al fresco area, we saw a couple of people soaking up the sun. It offered a pretty view of the park below and to the CBD area beyond. Perfect for an after dinner drink in the evenings.

Hair aside, I hope you had an awesome birthday dear :)

To more girlfriend days ahead. <3

brunch adventures

80, Neil Road

Blink and you'll miss it.

A lazy late Sunday brunch saw me waiting for 45 minutes without reservations for a seat indoors.

It was positively boiling outdoors. I was seated in the shade while waiting outdoors and even then, the staff made sure I had the fan lowing directly at me while I was left undisturbed with my book. Once there were seats available indoors, I was invited in for a seat at the bar counter to wait for a proper table to be vacated. This was heartwarming service. Effusive but still, a respect for my personal space. I really appreciated that. :) Especially being alone while I waited for my friend who was totally lost.

Quaint. :)

Anywhere with a book in hand.

Rosti? That sounds like a good breakfast item! This goes for $7.80 plain with sourcream. There was a whole list of add-ons ranging from $2-$3.50. I opted for add-ons of scrambled eggs and a chicken cheese sausage. I thought the rosti was a tad overcooked. But if you like crispy charred potato strips then this would be a perfect rosti for you. The chicken cheese sausage was a recommendation and it was good. Cheese sauce oozing out of the sausage with every cut and white meat that had none of that poultry smell. The serving was generous and it was a departure from the usual eggs on muffins at brunch.

The pot of Earl Grey was served full. Literally to the brim so be careful about spills. However, it was still a strong pot of tea. Adding that lil bit of honey to every cup of tea for that touch of sweetness.

My girlfriend chose the recommended eggs montreal with salmon and hollandaise sauce. I don't see how there would be any connections to Montreal with this creation. I was expecting smoked meat from the namesake. In any case, the eggs were poached perfectly. With delightfully runny bright yolks and a savoury hollandaise sauce. :) The side salad was simply dressed and cheery cherry tomatoes to add color to the dish.

It was a cosy setting for us to have a relaxed brunch for about an hour and a half. Kitchen closed at about 3pm? But no one chases you to settle the bill. Everything was to the customer's convenience. It was hard work finding this place but we left with tummies satisfied.

But that wasn't all.

It's a girlfriend day out.

There just HAS to be after-brunch desserts!

Coming right up :)

late night cravings

And although I know that CARBS are a no-no for a late night snack...

Sometimes,

it's all about the CRAVING and nothing else.

Besides, it never hurts to have a homemade snack for school the next day 

IF there were leftovers. :)

And although I think practice makes perfect,

it might really just be the taste of olive oil and oregano that makes a pasta dish taste so much better.

Bon appetit!

timed.out.

Crispy on the outside, fluffy soft on the inside.

Savour it for what it's worth.

With spicy sour and very addictive fish curry.

And sugar of course.

It was only Monday.

But that little bit better at least.

:)

firsts.

Drip(ped) coffee. While you were waiting. 

Just because I was running late. :/

Hello rain. It's you I meet again.

Soup Broth Asia is the Asian counterpart to guys at The Soup Spoon just next door.

A menu of twelve different soup offerings with exact calorie counts for the weight conscious.

Each soup bowl serves about 500ml.

And just in case you were wondering,

The gourmet stock used in the soups at Soup Broth Asia is prepared using a unique method that takes at least eight hours.

Ingredients are cooked separately, and are then cooked with the gourmet stock. This cooking process preserves the nutritional value of the ingredients without sacrificing on taste.

Fujian style fish stew.

Don't bother looking at the pictures. They were hardly appetizing.

But look past that and into these glass bowls and you'll find something worth staying for.

This was good. Savoury.

Perhaps with the addition of pork slices.

The beancurd puffs were filling and just this bowl of soup was enough for a light meal.

All soups are served with a generous serving of white rice.

And there are options for add ons. A choice of vegetable and a drink for $3.80.

This was a good deal for a balanced diet.

Eat your greens!

These vegetables looked overfried.

Well fried indeed but still tasting good, albeit a little heavy handed on the salt and a tad oilier than I would've liked.

And I was glad for rice.

A recommended Pork Rib Tea, more familiar to most as Bak Kut Teh?

This was full on with the pepper.

I don't know about taste.

But no feedback is good feedback?

Oh and this was the only other place I've seen with instructions on the disposable chopsticks holder.

There were fold guidelines for making a chopstick rest.

Either we were terrible at following directions or there was just really no use for this except for novelty's sake.

And just for the record, no one else seemed to bother about the instructions.

Apologies for a terrible picture but they also do add-ons for a meat/ seafood at an additional charge.

These were wasabi mayo prawns.

For four prawns, the serving for the wasabi mayo could easily have been reduced by half and there would still be more than enough to go around.

The batter was light and crunchy enough to make these munchies addictive.

And the fruit cocktail at the side was a nice touch for colour.

So much for feeling fat and wanting a soupy dinner! :)

Still, this was perfect for a rainy day. I'd be back for more soups!

And this time round, with cash.

They only do cash payments and that's probably running in line with their casual quick dining concept.

Sorry you had to pick up the tab for dinner.

By now the rain had gone away and we had a good walk across the helix bridge, making it here in good time. :)

What one needs for an awesome Easter weekend.

Catch it if you haven't before the run ends April 22nd! :)

Rainy days please go away

:)

ssikkek korean barbeque (2d1n soju bang)

This better be worth it.

From the fumes of the vehicles standing near the main road to the tantalizing smells of the meats on the hotplate. I was glad to advance in the queue. Albeit at a speed comparable to a snail's pace. But this was torturous. An hour and a quarter standing in queue. On wedges that I was tempted to take off. Everyone else it seemed, was well prepared. It was slippers or flats. 

We watch on as a special queue for the people who made prior reservations formed parallel to us. They were ushered in at what seemed like seconds. While normal peasants like us waited for what was eternity.

Finally, at 930pm we were shown to our seats. A table for four with just the two of us. Just as well.

And now there's no time to sit about.

Let's go!

She grabs the plates, I grab the cups.

A choice or cold Calamansi or hot barley tea.

Then there was also a cold korean rice drink/ dessert.

And the other dessert offering was sweet cubes of ruby red watermelon.

I'd seen it on so many tables while standing in queue that I had to get me some! :)

All this was housed in a small corner of the restaurant. It's the size of a kitchen in a studio apartment.

And amazingly, utensils, cups, bowls and saucers were all on shelves for ease of access.

And the meats of course.

Included a selection of pork, chicken and beef in various cuts and marinates.

Thin bacon strips. Full fat. Perfect for the grill.

Paper thin beef rolls. These were a hassle to unroll when you're a hungry monkey but they tasted oh-so- good, melt-in-your-mouth crazy awesome! Mmmm. :)

I did try to make things better wrapping these in lettuce but well, it's all about balance.

Short ribs galbi were good but too tough for me.

The scissors that they provided were just great for snipping these up into small portions.

I'd much prefer the thin cuts and chicken bulgogi though.
And chewy squid rings!

Lots of onion slices to stir fry till caramelized, handfuls of golden mushroom and inch-thick potato slices for the carbs that tasted great barbequed in the fatty juices of meat and addictively preserved radish discs that I threw onto the hotplate as well.

There was also a seaweed/minestrone/ginseng soup that were unfortunately cold with no refills given the late timing we were admitted.

There was a small tray of grilled chicken wings and corn apple salad that kept me happy while waiting for the food to cook.

And that's when she spilled the beans. Oh I am so happy for you my dear girlfriend! :)

Amidst the craziness of work, I'm so happy that you've found someone.

Good conversation, well marinated meats and tasty sides made good the time spent in the queue.
Unfortunately, the kimchi wasn't worth the mention.
What with this being a korean restaurant. Hmm.

We didn't eat much but everything we ate was worth the fat and calorie count.

And my eyes lit up when I saw these sticks of ice cream! Mango milk ice cream. It tasted like yoghurt sorbet. All flavours going at $1 each. Not included in the price of the buffet. 

It was a good ending to our meal. :)

Sitting indoors was terrible. Unfortunately, you don't walk out smelling like tantalizing meat. You just smell like refried barbequed. Not the most appetizing way to describe anyone. But believe you me, it takes two rounds of shampoo and some lifebuoy to totally eliminate the odour.

I'd make a trip here again, for the reasonable prices and good meats. But i'll be sure to make my dinner reservations, wear slippers/ flats and request for a seats outdoors next time! :)

Thanks for the dinner treat dear. A promotion and a happy life event!

Cheers to the long weekend!

this is love.

What's the deal?

Takes hours of work.

Buy a bag of this from the market.

Grandma sits and patiently takes the blackened roots off these silvers of beansprouts on a Sunday afternoon.

Shallow fry some garlic till fragrant.

Toss in all of what's been peeled.

A dash of light soy sauce.

Turn up the heat.

Give it a few minutes, a quick stir fry before serving it up.

Good control over the heat and cook time to retain its colour.

Promise of a satisfying crunch between the teeth.

Savoured with gratitude. :)



Barilla- Stelline pasta shapes.

What I picked up when in Venice.

On a random grocery stop at just EUR$0.98.

Barilla pasta of all variants and my little brother found these curious star shaped ones.

Of course I squealed in delight! :)

No, really. I squealed.

Judge me not.

These were much too cute!

But we weren't sure how we could eat these miniscule pasta shapes so we only bought two boxes.

Having done some research (Hello Google?)

I've found out that Stelline is actually a classic pasta shape from Northern Italy.

And these are one of the pasta shapes every Italian child grows up with.

-How fortunate!-

Apparently, these tiny stars with a hole in the center are perfect for broth based soups.

Especially hearty chicken and vegetable soups.

Well I didn't actually do any research when I popped open the box.

So I decided to simply throw a handful of these into my regular fusili just to see how they'd turn out.

Anddddd.

They cook really quickly! Seeing how small they are.

And they taste just like pasta should.

Now the point really is-

I've had a paradigm shift in my ideas of reaching for the stars.

Or actually, finding that bit of happiness.

A contentment with life.

Stelline pasta.

Sometimes. That's all it takes. :)



razark's chinese muslim food

A full house at 8pm.

Friday night out in East at Changi Road for Cantonese and Sichuan style halal cze char (chinese stir fry).

To be honest, I didn't harbour great expectations.

Being Chinese, we often take for granted how lard seems to make everything smell and taste better. While I do agree that this is an entirely biased point of view, there is some truth in that.

But of course, that's nothing that's heart healthy.

Lard spells clogged arteries, cholestrol and fats, my friend.

Reality was what I was stating. Not showcasing morbidity.

Everything in moderation aye. :)

Now I've had terrible halal teppanyaki and disappointing halal sushi so we've since settled for proper Malay mamak style food whenever we want to go halal.

So imagine my surprise when I settled into my seat and looked up to see an elderly couple speaking Cantonese and heavily accented Hongkong style English coming by to take our orders.

Then I look around to see laminated menu sheets of all-day dim sum offerings. Roasted duck.
This is halal certified? 

And of course there's more.

The majority of the diners were Chinese?
How surreal.

We waited for a while before our orders were taken. Service was slow but immaculate.

They take care of orders table by table.

For good food.

We wait.
And here they come dish by dish.

Silky smooth beancurd with vegetables and mushroom medley covered in an egg drop thickened gravy. Starchy. But otherwise, tasty.

Batter at its best!
This was chicken skin-on coated in a light flour batter that gave a satisfying crunch biting into it.
And that thai sweet chilli sauce just keeps one going at it.
Order with caution.

Kangkong stir fried with garlic and home made sambal.
Crunchy signals freshness and adequate cooking time.
It's a good attempt at a balanced diet.

 Very tender beef slices.
Mildly spicy.
They took the chilli seeds out of those dried chillies so don't be fooled. :)
Evidently too generous with the oil though.

 And this?

The house specialty.

At $30, you get three average sized soft shell crabs.

And a lot of that cereal addiction.

Curry leaves and chilli padi fried into nestum cereal.

For flavour, texture and taste. 

Oh give me cereal anything.

They do cereal chicken, cereal prawns. I'm not sure if there's more. 

Or if they have an order for just cereal itself.

<3

And the after dinner party continues with a sleeping baby in a stroller, a toddler and 5 adults playing musical tables at Cafe Cartel along Siglap Road trying hard to fit ourselves into their terribly unfriendly tables.

Late night supper with finger food, milkshakes, birthday cake slices till the kids were cranky and tired.

Happy birthday!

It's just another Friday night. :)