Yum Cha

The last meal we had just before Mayumi headed to the airport is at Chinatown. She was there to get some last minute souvenirs for our colleagues in Croda Japan. This is my second time at Yum Cha, my first time was the branch at Toa Payoh but it was for a breakfast to celebrate a friend's birthday.

I believe this was a peashoot dumplings? Anyway, it came in a very appetising greenish colour. We were famished then and this was a pleasant start to our dim sum dinner. Where else but in Chinatown do you get dim sum for dinner??

Ohhh, succulent Har Gao! I'm a big fan of har gaos and their fresh prawns nicely wrapped within the dough, but this Har Gao was slightly off the mark. Had better ones at cheaper establishments.

Xiao Long Bao. My favourite is still the ones from Din Tai Fung. I didn't like how Yum Cha stuffed the fine gingers on top of the buns. Just let me have the liberty to choose whether i would like ginger on it.

Lo Mai Kai which came wrapped in lotus leaf, pretty fragrant with the leave's aroma and has a nice glutinous rice texture too.

To top it up, we had cheese lobster fried bee hoon. The novelty to this dish is that the bee hoon is fried and are in triangular shapes ( sort of like mini pizza slices). Mayumi said that this was good! I bet she loves lobster and cheese!

Alvin & The Chipmunks Opening Theme

Singapore Night Scenery

This is the breathtaking scenery that welcomed us when we alighted from the Raffles Place MRT station. The beautiful lights of the Fullerton Hotel on the right. This glamorous hotel was once the post office of Singapore, strategically situated by the river to facilitate delivery of letters and parcels by sea.

The infamous Merlion that was relocated and then struck by lightning! He looked very majestic with the city lights as backdrop. He was diligently spouting his water as we walked around him.

The two tourguides (who happen to be Malaysians) flanking the very tall Mayumi...hehe...

There's a baby Merlion just several metres behind the actual Merlion. He is just about the height of a normal person but from this angle you can't really tell, can you? Notice the full moon on the night, giving it a sort of eerie feel.

We also went up the Equinox, the highest restaurant in Singapore, at the Swissotel Stamford. I think we went up to the 76th floor, or the whereabouts lah...

Let me see if i can spot my flat in Sembawang... am i looking in the right direction?

Local Delicacy

During Mayumi's two short whirlwind visit days, we played the good host and brought her around sampling the exotic local delicacies. One of our excursions was to let her have a taste of Katong Laksa, but in Holland Village. Katong Laksa is probably one food very unique to Singapore. This laksa is eaten solely by a spoon because all its lauk-pauk has been cut into bite size (including the noodles). Mayumi loved this very much, to our surprise!

On the same night for dinner, we had an array of food in Lau Pa Sat. This colonial style food court is situated in the heart of the Central Business District. This place smells awful, thanks to a stall selling smelly tofu.

We started off with a plate of malay mee goreng. I don't like taugeh and i don't like mee goreng, enough said.

This is our carrot cake. Mayumi was asking where's the carrots, not knowing it was actually radish....haha...

What's a local meal without Char Kway Teow? However, this stall in Lau Pa Sat does not serve very fantastic char kway teow. You can find much better ones elsewhere.

Perhaps some handmade popiah? I haven't had this in about 10 years. Honestly, all this local delicacies are not my favourite foods, so i had abit of this and that and hated them all. Haha... i think Mayumi didn't really enjoyed this meal as much as the Katong Laksa too.

And this is the famous satay in Lau Pa Sat. We were there early, so the road outside wasn't closed for us to sit outside yet. Nothing beats the feeling of eating this satay roadside, so having it indoors spoiled a little bit of the novelty.

Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice

During our Japanese colleague's training in Singapore, we brought her to many exciting attractions. On her first night, just before our trip to the Night Safari, we stopped by at Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice for dinner.

Peanuts for starters...

Some baby kailan to go with Boon Tong Kee's famous pyramid-shaped rice.

Their chicken was really tender and had a refreshing taste. However, i still prefer the one from Soon Kee (Jurong West).

We ordered a huge Chinese Steamed Egg, and Mayumi's first reaction when she saw this was "Chinese Chawanmushi!!"....haha...yeah, it does bear some similarity to the Japanese Chawanmushi but cooked a little differently and of course had different texture and taste :)

Old Ford Factory

It's cultural time again. I recently paid a visit to the Old Ford Factory in Upper Bukit Timah Road. It is actually the old Ford Motor Factory which has been converted into a gallery for a World War II exhibition. This place is reputed to be one of the most haunted buildings in Singapore.

One of the significance of this place is that it is the site of the British surrender to the Japanese in 1942. Even though this place is known as the Ford Factory, it didn't serve its purpose for many days before the surrender.

A very sunny day it was... the sky was blue and what nice fluffy clouds. The Old Ford Factory is surrounded by condominiums these days. You can see Hume Park I on the right and Hillside on the left.

This museum charges a small entry fee but there isn't that much to see anyway. One of the smaller galleries in Singapore, but worth visiting if you're bored on a Saturday afternoon.

Airwolf Theme Song

Keyaki Bar and New York, New York

This is a favourite hang-out place for me and my girlfriends, Keyaki Bar at Pan Pacific Hotel. If you sit at the cabana, you get a drink for $9.90 nett. Quite a good deal, and the place is quiet and comfortable.

It also comes with free tidbits, which you can request to be replenished when it runs out.

If you go between 5-7 pm, you even get a free tapas to go with your drink.... pretty worth it. This time we went, the tapas of the day was prawn and mango fried roll.

Cheers, girls!

When I was out in Ang Mo Kio Hub to meet Wan Qing and Wei Qi (whom i have not seen for at least 2 years!), we had a cosy dinner at New York New York. Ordered a Roasted Mushroom Cappuccino to start. It is made to mimic a cappuccino, with all the foam. It was very very good, recommended to all who go.

One of its signature dishes is this Chicken Mushroom Mozzarella Melt, but it sure is sinful! With all that cheese dripping onto a piece of breaded fried chicken. Pure indulgence!

Another of its signature dish is Spicy Seafood Penne in Parchment Paper. It is a bowl of very spicy pasta, with its flavour sealed in a piece of parchment. Wow, it was fiery spicy, i had to down many glasses of water to clear my poor tongue.

Gromit's New Fashion Statement

While rummaging through rubbish, Gromit found some spare bubble wraps in some equipment boxes in the office. Hence, he decided that they work perfectly as a floating device should his plane/boat go down some day.

Besides, he also found a small filter in the drawer that might just do the trick as Plaster of Paris if he breaks a leg.

He-Man and She-Ra Opening Themes

He-Man!! Haha...he's always shouting ' I Have The Power!' Pretty lame, but i loved it 20 years ago...



This is He-Man's sister She-Ra....just as lame...the opening themes are similar too.

Hotpot + Bubble Tea

Boss had earlier promised us that she will bring us out for a good treat. She has 8 chemists working under her, and so decided to divide us into two groups. I managed to join the group that headed to China Square for steamboat!

It was a perfect Friday evening, just after a heavy downpour. The steamboat comes in yin yang style, we had one scallop base and the other is a 'Ma La' base. I like the scallop base better, it was clear and refreshing, while the spicy soup was way too oily.

The steamboat came in buffet style where patrons can take whatever they want from the buffet line. I took lots of my favourite food, like corn, xiaobai cai, mushrooms and clams.

We could also order plates of thinly sliced beef, pork, mutton or chicken as well.

Recently, i was introduced to this gem of a place. I found the best-tasting bubble tea in town! This is my wonderfully delicious cup of vanilla milk tea.

Ever since i've moved to Sembawang, i've been a regular at the Koi Cafe at Ang Mo Kio Hub. The price are a little steep, compared to Sweet Talk, but it is worth it. Ok lah, the queue was also worth it lor...

Thank God It's Friday!!!

Ever since i discovered the existence of TGIF in KL, i've been pestering Crispy to bring me there, but it never materialised whenever i drop by KL cos too many other things to try. Imagine my delight when TGIF returned to Singapore after closing down for many years! This new eatery is located at the Heeren.

Two girls tired from all the walking....There were surprisingly many Ang Mohs eating at TGIF...

And the appetiser of the day is : BOOZE! Haha...a glass of Pomegranate Margharita for me, and a Mojito for Cayleen.

We shared this huge plate of Pork Chops. Thank god we decided to share, cos it was just nice for us, after the tea we had at The Icing Room just 2 hours earlier. The Mashed Potato was BRILLIANT!