Bittersweet Symphonies

Half a bittergourd, seeds removed and sliced thinly

(Soak the bittergourd in a heaped teaspoon of salt and water for 5- 10 minutes then remove and drain completely)

2 stalks of spring onion, chopped into 2 inch long slices

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 eggs, beaten with half a teaspoon of soy sauce and half a teaspoon of white pepper.

20 ml of water + a dash of soy sauce

Heat up the pan and a tablespoon of oil. Fry the minced garlic and the white ends of the spring onion stalks till fragrant.

Add in the drained bittergourd slices and stirfry with the water and soy sauce. Let the steam soften the bittergourd slices. 

Add in the beaten eggs and sprinkle the rest of the spring onion generously. 

Turn off the heat and let the reserve heat cook the eggs. 

Serve with fluffy hot white rice :)

*Alternatives: Stir fry with dried shrimp, preserved black bean sauce 

From our kitchen to yours,

Brenda x

I heart lazy Sundays

It's been awhile since.

I've been back for some of these blended beans.

And boy were we ravenous after a mad morning of hide-and-seek and belly-full of laughter from our mad antics at the Alive Museum Singapore.

Just a hop, skip and well, a taxi ride away.
We find ourselves at Anthesis.

While waiting for our orders, my itchy hands picked up their mini chalkboards for their menu specials.

We asked if we could have some chalk to scribble on the back of these boards and the ever obliging staff at this lovely cafe gladly brought us some!

And there, we have my rubbish scribbles.

Together with the food that swiftly arrived at our tables.

In ten minutes tops.

The crisp waffles with glazed bananas was just as promised in its name sake.

The waffles were crisp but not overly dry.

The powdered sugar on top looked like a whole load but it made the waffles perfectly savoury sweet without the syrup.

I loved my dish although I wish I could have a bigger portion of waffle for the price I was paying.

More items to the table.

Our very dependable flat whites. :)

Of particular mention to this pretty plating of Eggs Duo.

Creamy scrambled eggs and ham and a mushroom frittata with a creamy sauce that I could not get enough of.

Mmm.

And the one that stole my heart.

These huge juicy sea prawns.

Just look at them.

Huge.

Definitely juicy.

A bite of these crunchy prawns sends umami juices into one's mouth.

Don't bother trying to share half of these,

the pleasure must be taken on in full.

While you're at it, don't forget the capellini.

The paprika powder added just a touch of spice and pretty colour to this dish.

My only reservation was an over generous use of olive oil which culminated in an oily mess at the base of this pasta.

Our table of 7 also had three orders of the Pegasus.

Be still my heart.

Take not your flight.

Till I have devoured this mythical creature descended from food heaven.

Never too much to be shared.

And here's our parting shot.

A not.so.quiet Sunday by where the Singapore River flows through.

Overfed.

The food was slightly pricey for some menu items.

But it still has my favourite house blend.

And the food standards are consistently maintained.

Kudos to the very obliging staff at Anthesis.

We loved it,

loved you.

And we'll definitely be back for more. :)

Ronin. 17 HKST.

From the people who brought you Bravery, The Plain and now this, Ronin. 

I've come full circle. From simple primary colours to whitewashed zen and now, over to the dark side. 

Once upon a time, there were menus. Then a large communal menu and here?

Prick up those ears and keep close attention. 

For the friendly service staff will recite the menu to you patiently while you mull over your choices and place your orders.

Taking a huge step away from my usual flat white, I made an order for Wicked ($5.50). Mint green after-eights melted into an espresso shot. A little too sweet and quite the treat. :)

Toast and scrambled eggs ($9) for me. Because these eggs have found fame in the eyes of many. Lightly scrambled, slightly runny and very deliciously creamy without falling apart in a slop.

Sometimes, I do conform to the masses. 

Served with three slices of lightly buttered toasts and a dark earthy Portobello ($3.50) add-on on request. The Portobello was a little dry and would perhaps be made perfect with a Worcestershire marinade.

He had a roast beef sandwich. Thinly sliced roast beef, tangy cream dressing, a slice of camembert, sweet Japanese pickled daikon and a handful of rocket, held together by warm crusty bread.
Don't bother slicing these up.
Eat with hands.
Simple but satisfying. 

We took the seats at the round communal table where the seats looked more comfortable than the bar stools with minute seats. The high ceilings and open spaces of a modern industrial interior meant we could hear the conversations of other people around us but only barely so. It was dim but comfortable. A little warm yet hardly restrictive.

Welcome to the dark side.

I'll be seeing you there.