A Teochew Dinner

More than a week ago, Hubby and I brought the girls out for a chinese dinner. We seldom go for a sit down chinese dinner in a restaurant because there's only so few of us. The girls don't really eat a lot and sometimes the price is not quite worth the 4-5 pax package.

However, we were bored with the usual food that's usually laden with too much salt, msg and oil outside. We drove to River Valley vicnity as there are several food outlets and decided to go for Teochew food at Teochew Cuisine Restaurant. It was our first time there and because it wasn't crowded and fully air-conditioned, the kids will certainly behave better. We had the noise and the kids will never enter a restaurant that has no air conditioned, yeah spoilt girls.

We didn't order the a-la-carte but ordered from the Chinese Set Menus instead. As usual, they all go from 98, 118, 168... all the numbers for you to pick. We pick the second set suitable for 4-5 pax. I'm sure with Hubby and I and Kakak, that would be 3 adults and the 2 girls could muster enough appetite for one adult.

The food was delivered promptly, we didn't wait too long. We saw that many diners that dine here either have sets or they go for mostly the Teochew Style Steamed Fish. Ours had Steamed Fish too, and yes - it was nice and fresh indeed. The other dishes were also wonderful. The only thing that didn't suit my palatte was the last course, a dessert of some yam, deep fried in sugary crisp melon sugar outside. It was too sweet and it was too heavy for me. I'd rather have those normal sweet but cold dessert instead of the hot deepfried ones as a grand finale. We didn't eat those, asked them to pack and brought them home. (Yes, we are a typical chinese family)

The Restaurant's Namecard
(worst namecards I've seen, i had to tweak the colour
otherwise, you won't be able to see the text!)

Our Steamed Garoupa (this is Cantonese Style, because I don't see
the usual salted mustards?)

The Braised Claypot with lots of chewy stuff
(Sea cucumber, Abalone and etc) that I don't eat..lol

The Meat Platter

This is a version of Battered Prawns that was also dipped in Duck Yolk

before they deep fried it. Was very yummy indeed!

We packed the dessert up (12 pcs of Deep Fried Yam)

Too sweet for my taste! and we rushed home to catch the
closing ceremony of the Olympics Game!

Char Koay Teow

I took a shot of this old shop in Penang. This one is located in Pulau Tikus along Burmah Road. I remember, as a child I used to walk along this stretch of shophouses often down to the linked coffeeshop to buy Char Koay Teow. I would always try to peek in to see what is going on in there. It was fascinating. And I always was very cautious with those doors in case it swings out and hit me.

Further down, the Char Koay Teow that used to be fried by a lady is now being taken over by his son (?). It used to be very popular and they used banana leaves shaped in a large cone to pack it. I also remembered bringing my own egg in the olden times.

Unfortunately, when we tried this one by the young lad, the taste was not the same anymore. It was bland and didn't taste good. That will be my last time I will patronize this hawker. This probably marked the end of the good stuff. In fact, when my sis brought me to try a char koay teow near her office in Subang, it tasted better than the many char koay teows I've tried in Penang. Many of the Penang hawkers substitute or reduce their food quality due to the high inflation rate and costs but if their quality is not controlled, I'm sure they will pretty soon lose their ground as food heaven.

Seafood Fan Despite Allergy

I love seafood, despite my Allergy to them. Thank god for those anti-histamine pills which I pop in whenever I know I want to have seafood for the day because at least I still can enjoy them but just need to plan ahead. I saw these clams at the seafood stalls recently and i know my brain instantly sent me salivating and sent pictures of Chilly Crabs and that sort into my visual mind. The only think I avoid taking is fresh raw oysters because it will complicate my allergy further. I had them more often when I was in my twenties because my allergy was not quite conclusive and I was on medication. But now i really need to avoid them. Clams, Crabs and Prawns are still okay as long as I have my medication. Do you know of anyone who has allergy to seafood?

Economy Food

Streets had been opened at a mall for some time. Before that a restaurant by the name of Sakura had been struggling. Many food outlets and shops usually face lots of competition with others in Singapore especially after a few years when the demand has died down. In the past 3 years, lots of Hong Kong street cafe outlets had sprung up, just like the Taiwanese street food. This one is kind of like a cross between Hong Kong, Western and the region. Well it has all the usual Hong Kong Wanton Noodles, Hor Fan and more. But it also has a selection of baked rice, spaghetti, fish and chips too. They also incorporate hot stone sets and not to mention Milk teas that resemble Taiwan bubble teas.

And the highlight of the day? I got a shock when I saw that besides the proper food menu they offer, they even had Nissin noodles with luncheon meat and fried egg! WOW! Take a look at the snapshot of the menu I took the other day.

Live Eels

Whenever I am out for a meal, I love to indulge in Japanese Food. But not all Japanese Food that I fancy. Especially the raw ones and cold noodles. I really do not know how to appreciate those. I'm happy just having my Grilled or Barbequed Unagi. In Sushis, Noodles or Rice, I just love it. And not to forget with lots of Wasabi in little soya. Yummy!



I always see these live eels in the market, supermarkets and hypermarts. I wonder if these eels will taste the same way as those Japanese Restaurants serve? But how do u errr... disect an eel. Should I say kill? How about cook? Anyone knows how to do it. I bet I have no guts at all. I think I better play it safe and get the unagi that has been cooked or barbecued and exported over. But just a little curious, how does one cook eel - fresh and live ones.

Porridge Buffet at Joaquim

Two weeks ago, i was recovering from a cold and hardly have much appetite to eat. Last Sunday, while we were in Suntec, we decided to go for something that is less heavy. We had Porridge at Joaquim Restaurant. Well this porridge came in the form of a buffet so you can eat as much as you like. After my flu and little appetite, don't you think having a buffet is like stuffing myself? Well, anyway, I just ate as normal and not really over indulging myself.

The girls had fun because they have not been to a porridge buffet before. Sofiya was a little uncomfortable.. she asked me if they can substitute hers with rice...hahaha I told her, not to worry. Look they have plain rice too and also yam rice which was really yummy. She was so relieved and she enjoys her buffets whenever we bring her to one.

I just had to go for all that saltish food... like Salted Egg, Salted Mustard, Salted Fish, Dried Shrimps, even my favourite Taoju - they were all there. Alamak! Why go to a buffet to eat all that stuff when we can have that at home hor. Not too sure, maybe the grass is always greener on the other side. They had other food too, like fried chicken wings, roasts, hot stir fried veg, steamed egg, sambal long beans, dumplings, even prawns... it was actually like an ordinary local buffet. The price was really cheap, about less than $13 inclusive of tax. If you would like to know where it is, it is in Suntec City, just below the escalator at the Convention Tower. Near the Republic Food Court on one end and the Starbucks on the other end.

left pic: My girls 'limbo-ing' under the escalator while Sofiya enjoying her dessert of Bo Bo Cha Cha.










Dinner time they serve Steamboat Buffet. Their food quality is not bad, actually because Joaquim is owned by Suntec itself and they do catering for it's convention halls upstairs.






Joaquim
For enquiries, please call 6825 2062.

Opening Hours:

Porridge Buffet Lunch
Mon – Fri 11am - 3pm
Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 11am - 4pm
________________________________________________________________________

Steamboat Buffet Dinner
Mon - Sun & Public Holidays 6pm - 10pm

Nasi Lemak Changi Village Wet Market

My friends have been harping about this nasi lemak for a while. I do so love Nasi Lemak, especially so if the rice is cooked right, with the fragrance of pandan leaves. The most important condiment that makes it right is the Sambal Chilly which has to be slightly sweet, a little spicy in flavour. I decided to try this one out at the Changi Village Wet Market the other time.

There are 3 malay makciks in the small suffocating space. But the three seemed to be able to work well and not even once did they bump into each other. One was at the hot wok deep frying the chicken wings, the other was preparing the other dishes and one serving and collecting money. The three got on their jobs in perfect silence and coordination. Perhaps they were too busy to talk but it was such close range too. For me to stand in that heat, I'd be rambling away words you won't want to hear.

Look at the queue. Unlike chinese servers, these makciks do their job in their own time, not even bothered that a queue was making a snake. She was cool and not hurried but she was not slow either. There was no hint of any impatience nor any display of friendliness either. She was just like a robot, taking the rice, taking your order, packing or adding condiments, handling the transaction. No pressure. hahaha

The taste? I really didn't think that it is as good as how my friend commented, really. I thought the one at Amoy Street Food Centre upstairs tasted better in their rice and chilly. This one is just normal to me. A standard price would be $2.50 of your choice - Fish fillet, Chicken Wings or Otah. Extras will be charged separate.

Curry Chicken Noodle

Yesterday after some banking errands in Chinatown, Ah Boy and I decided to patronise our favourite Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodle stall in Hong Lim. This dish has been so popular that usually the queues start before the stalls open. Never mind if the tables are small, and not cleared. When one goes there, they are there specially for these succulent chicken in curry gravy that tastes so heavenly.

Located in Block 531A in Hong Lim Complex on the ground floor. It is operated by an elderly woman (outside taking orders and putting condiments) and a man chopping up chicken and blanching noodles and ladling gravy.


When we got there late morning yesterday, there was no queue. And the funny thing was that the elderly man is no longer there.. My hubby said the other fella is probably the son.. but we were not sure. They were just idle with no queue. Sigh.. perhaps they change of cooking from this fella? Ah Boy suggested we try the other stall upstairs. The one upstairs sell the exact same dish but is more modern with a cash register and lots of awards, certs and publicity cut out. There was no queue either but at least more people that were sitting around ate from this stall.

So we ordered these. Well it taste just okay to me. Nothing to shout about. But definitely less oily than the one downstairs. But I still love the authentic taste from the original stall. So anyone knows of another good curry chicken noodle around?

Wives Biscuits

Ah Boy brought back these Wives Biscuits the other day. I've tried a few variety before but I'm not a fan. I dislike when the sticky filling inside gets overly sweet. I'm more of a tau sar pneah fan, preferring the saltish savourish taste. However, these ones that I tried were different from the usual ones I've tried. They were very soft, and less sweet.

The pastry was very delicate and will crumble when touched. I cannot read the Chinese Words on the Box so I have no information about these brand at all. Thinking about these, I have my saliva drooling already, but not about wives biscuits. More about the home grown tau sar pneahs and beh teh saw from Penang. And also a famous Cintra Street pastry - like those kueh bahlu but only richer and larger. Penangites call it Keh Nooi Koe.

Turkish Kebabs and Burritos

Yesterday was the last day of the Pasar Malam across the road. I was craving for some of those Ramly burger so I went across to get some.. Along the road I saw a queue forming at one of the stalls.

I went to check it out and saw 2 foreign men at a stall. They were using the long knives to sliced the kebabs off the skewer. They were Turks selling those rolled bread flat breads in a pasar malam! How unique! Normally you can see them in those malls, foodcourts or restaurants. But seeing them rolling Burritos in the heartlands were quite unheard of!

So many people were standing and watching them. There seemed to be more entertaining power than any buying frenzy happening here. Ooh like a performance... I wondered if they were happy being stared at and surrounded by people that were not buying.. Mom used to tell me that it is very rude to stare but seems like all these adults were not practising what mom was preaching...

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream is my FAVOURITE

Whenever the mention of ICE CREAM, my girls get excited and happy with joy! On Sunday, we treated the kids to the family favourite ice cream of all time! Guess which brand of ice cream we love? It's none other than Ben & Jerry's, of course!

My first taste of Ben & Jerry's was in the 90's. Ah Boy bought a tub which was on a special promotion at the petrol station. It was quite expensive actually. At that time Ben & Jerry's were quite unheard of among my friends because everyone always talked about Haagen Daaz, Baskin Robbins, Swensons, and the occasional Moven Pick.

But Ben & Jerry's caught on quickly and among so many, I find this the best tasting one available in the market. So on Sunday, we treated ourselves to our favourite brand. I remember they used to have the 'Mad about Nuts' in a tub but I have not been able to find it in the last couple of years. So Pistacho Pistacho is my current favourite. Rae loves her usual Chocolate and Lea is always having anything with Strawberry or similar.

Check out the B&J Ice Cream Outlet. So interesting too.

Steamed Kacang and Tea Eggs

I took these pictures of some food that also reminded me of some 70s and 80s nostalgia. They were the steamed nuts which were available before going to cinemas. I used to love to eat these. Steamed Kacang is available still in the markets nowadays. But somehow the tastes is somewhat different. Could it be the nuts they used? Perhaps our food is not as organically grown as in the past?

Look at the tea eggs. Have you tried them? I've not, as a matter of fact! But it smells really fragrant. There are alot of these in Taiwan and Hong Kong too. How does one cook these? I always think that boiling too long in the water will just toughen the eggs. But with herbs, I'm not that sure. I may try it one day, but gotta watch my cholestral level.. Do they have it elsewhere? I know Eu Yang Sang sells it in the shops too.

Candy Floss

The girls love to eat candy floss. In the old days, we had an indian man who comes around the estate in the tricycle and churns out the candy floss machine using the generator. It was fun to watch. Using a stick, he collects the webs of the candy and made them into a large enormous ball like a big cloud. These days, we still have them but not as much. Most of our candy floss now come ready packed in bags tied up for purchase.

The pasar malam has lots of these, probabaly the reason why my girls are so happy going there. They get to buy popcorn and all the crackers available among the stalls. Other than stalls mostly catered to kids' goodies, you also get to buy lots of finger foods mostly in skewers. What is the pasar malam like in Penang now?

Happy Vegetable

I discovered Happy Vege when I was at AMK Hub weeks back. Set up in the mall, it was a cross between the Japanese tempura and vegetable fritters of Indian and Chinese descent. Shreds or Jullienes of vegetable were deepfried in batter and comes out crispy. Love things like that. They'd go great with those garlic chilly sauce... drooling already.

Peranakan Foodshop - Kim Choo

Lately I've been travelling to the east side more frequently in the weekends. The Katong, Joo Chiat are places worth going, with plenty of good food and maybe because it reminds me so much of Little Penang. Ah Boy loves going there for his Bak Kut Teh fix and the Katong Laksa.

The girls don't really like to go to these places because they complain that Coffee Shops are not air conditioned. Along the Katong stretch of food outlets, I'd sometimes buy the nyonya kuehs from a shop by the name of Kim Choo.

Kim Choo is popular for it's popular Peranakan foodstuff. You can buy those authentic Kueh Kapit, Kueh Bangkit, Pineapple Tarts and their Kueh Pie Ti shell in there. Their Otah is really meaty and thick, although a little spicy, my girls can wallop them all.

Love Pizza? Go to the Zoo!

I love Pizzas. Do you? In the past we had only Pizzahut which monopolized the market with their pizzas and buffets. Then we had more Pizza restaurants, some more authentic and some more fast food type. The ones in the market fighting for their slice of pie now are Dominos, Canadian 2 for 1, Sarpino's, Rocky's. I like Rocky's. I also prefer to make my own extremely thin pizza topped with lots of Spinach, Mozzarella, Ham, Pepperoni, Mushrooms and more more more Cheese! Yummy! Next time I make that and blog it, ok?

I saw this Pizza outlet at the zoo.. I got a sliced and it was really nice! I was so hungry I had gobbled up the pizza and forgotten about taking a pix.. Next time..

I threw away a whole cake

I got this for Chinese New Year from an old friend. She bakes cakes for Festives and Weddings. During Chinese New Year, these Prune Lapis are hot stuff. She gave me the same thing last year but I didn't know that they were Prunes. I actually thought they had turned mouldy since I had not touched it after 3 days! So, I actually threw it away..

Gosh.. I KNOW I KNOW.. Prune Lapis is really expensive! All Lapis cakes are time consuming and a small 100 gm cake can cost about $2.00 per pc at some bakeries. After throwing it away, it was at the back of my mind, feeling guilty. This year I'm gonna savour every lapis (layer) all the way.

Lapis is a Malay word for Layer. This cake is baked layer after layer, hence, the name Kueh Lapis (Layer Cake) . It is similar to butter cake but with a hint of spice.