Garden: Beauty, Calm and Bocelli

12 April 2010(Monday): Strolling in parks is my way of relaxing. One can say it's a British legacy, whatever. The Botanic Gardens is one of the most easily accessible, although it's not the only one that I go to. I can't imagine walking through a messy tropical jungle and feeling relaxed; I do that only when I "feel adventurous".

Nature is "managed" here; it has to be in a land-scarce island. I don't really mind, though, as long as I don't meet the mozzies and harmful bugs. Encountering squirrels, grasshoppers, and butterflies is what I look forward to in my walk.

I appreciate the concentration of amazing varieties of exotic tropical blooms in a lush spacious park smacked right in one of the most convenient spots of the city.

This is where A. Bocelli will appear on 8 May 2010. I am counting down to his concert...

City stroll ぶらり散歩

17 February 2010 (Wed):
The fourth day of the lunar new year.

I looked below me from the verandah of my hotel room on the 21st storey. An unusual quiet pervades. There's no doubt that this city has always been on a go; but it is in a 'chilling out' mood, at least temporarily.

Last year, although the world is in a recession, this city emerged out of it. No one is sure if the track it is going on now will be smooth or not, but for the time being, it seems okay. It is unabashedly commercial - and surprisingly orderly. People say that there's no soul; but usually, I think, a dynamic pulse is throbbing.

I've had a voucher for a one-night complimentary stay at the Fairmont. Although I was a bit ill- from having the run that persists, the view of this concrete jungle and the air did not make me sicker.

To my left, I spotted the centenarian convent that has been converted into a hip bar-and-restaurant area. I had tapas there once - at a Spanish bar/restaurant with a Spanish guitarist who strummed some soothing ballads. I was also served by a Japanese-lookalike hailing from the city of Dalian at one of the Japanese restaurants (there used to be only one), but both food and service did not register well. Since then, however, the restaurant has expanded to a few branches in Singapore; and hopefully, that mama-san is long gone.


I admired the weather, the cleanliness and the green of the city and thus, decided that we were going for a stroll. We had no idea what kind of itinerary, but crossed the street to the old Capitol Cinema which has become just a building with small shops and cafes.

As we walked along the corridors of shops towards the Singapore River, we felt like we were part of the crew making NHK's Sekai no machi wo aruku 世界の町を歩く (strolling in cities of the world)' - a documentary series I initially felt uncomfortable watching because they contain no message and no clearcut goal.

"We had to eat"- was the immediate 'goal' that popped up. We crossed the bridge towards Chinatown and entered Circular Road, where we found a beautiful street of small restaurants in conserved Peranakan styled houses. A few were opened, but most spas, boutiques and cafes were closed.

After a light breakfast, we heard cymbols and drums - ah! the lion dance. We sauntered across the road where usual overflowing traffic had not returned, then stopped at a building- No.1 George Street.

Some playful lions frolicked and abruptly sat and focused on noshing their 'golden' fruit, oblivious to everything around them.

They behaved like tangerine-starved lions, 'spouting' the peel one after another from their mouths.

This must have symbolized the unending flow of 'gold' into the building.

A small crowd -mainly office tenants of the building patiently watched. This is followed by a gift-giving ceremony from the management to the lion dance team and vice-versa. There was silence and only smiles. No one applauded and the crowd dispersed. It was, nevertheless, a lively lion performance. Long lives tradition!

We walked on; well-dressed executives streamed past. We walked further and came to a sculpture donated by Lien Ying Chow, a philanthropist. The art piece portrays the old and new of Singapore's development. There is a scene of the Chinese junk and the coolies on one side; and on the other, skyscrapers - a sketch of where I was standing. No one seemed to care nor admire the art, except us. We took a few pictures of it and with it.

A few steps further we sighted Fullerton Hotel, the old General Post Office built during the colonial days, hence its English architecture. It looked a little different today, with the red auspicious latterns.

We made a right turn towards the Collyer Quay, and came to the entrance of an underground link:

"Singapore is well-organized", explains A. who suddenly became my "tour guide".

In the night, these places are safe and they come alive. In a way they are like the underground walkways in the big cities of Japan, but less cramp.

At one end of the tunnel, we emerged on an escalator right into an iconic apartment, overlooking the "three towers of hotels and offices" of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort now under construction.

Wow! I felt rather excited envisaging the next stage of development for this tiny island. We unknowingly trespassed a showflat (of Marina Bay Suites) in the same building where we were, only to be told politely by a lady property agent that we had to call for a viewing appointment.

We submerged underground into the Raffles Place mass-rapid transit station and were "conveyed" to the next stop at City Hall. Strangely I began to feel hungry.

At the crowded Kuriya eating outlet -now renovated and divided into a noodle and a rice section- we took our seats and I had my first lunar new year lunch- an unagi tama don (鰻卵丼　eel and egg served on rice).

Oishii...what a great start to the Year of the Tiger, I thought. I seemed to have immediately developed a growling appetite, without thinking about the 'aftermath'.

Posh Italian (Tel: 6837-1468)

February 05, 2009 (Thurs): We're into the second month of 2009! And it's already the lunch time of another new day. I am hungry- and I thought about what I've feasted on the eve of the Chinese New Year. I think it'd be hard to erase the dishes from my memory. Look at the pictures to appreciate what I say. Buen appetito as you feast here...

I entered this rather covered up restaurant.

The ambience is nothing out-of-this-world, but the foccacia here, for instance, warm and crusty with a spongy core, creates magical effects. It lifts you up, flies you in the air and then thumps you down on your sofa with a WOW!

This is followed by a lovely warm compliment from the chef: panfried fresh squid with dried tomato and cream. I pair it with a well-chilled Pinot Grigio, and feel my body temperature moving upward. Then the anticipation is sustained until, gasp! the arrival of the salad.

And certainly, a dish that stands out among other similar dishes I have tried is:

This is another that left a deep impression except for the foie gras. I will ask for it to be removed in my next trip.

Butter with seafood is never my favourite. But A. doesn't mind it. Seafood is better than meat for him.

I like this, although lamb is not something that brings smiles on me.

No meal is complete without a dessert-- chefs must know this, and we enjoyed some good dark chocolates (another treat) and the pudding, jelly and ice-cream. The syrup is a bit too sweet for me but surprisingly, not for A. who's never a sweet-tooth.

I am very keen to return to this restaurant for lunch. I've realised, there wasn't a single lady among the staff here(???)...Wonder if there would be one in the afternoon?

The Tasting Menu which consists of all the above is:
______________________________________________________________
CARPACCIO DI MANZO WAGYU
Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with Parmigiano Cheese and Rucola

CAPESANTE AL TALEGGIO
Grilled US Scallop with Porcini Mushroom and Truffled Taleggio Cheese Fondue

TAGLIOLINI NERI AL GRANCHIO
Black Ink Thin Noodles with Crab Meat, Tomato & Vodka Sauce

GAMBERI ALLA GRIGLIA
Grilled Big Head Prawns with Garlic Lemon & Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Or
FILETTO DI AGNELLO
Roast Lamb Tenderloin with Baby Vegetable and Mustard Sauce

GUAZZETTO AL MANDARINO
Aromatic Herbs Jelly with Passion Fruit Mousse and Mandarin Basil Soup

IL SERVIZIO DEL CAFFE’
Coffee or Tea
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location:
36 Purvis Street
Singapore 188613
Open:
Lunch: 12 Noon - 3PM
Dinner: 6:30PM - 11:30PM

The Ultimate Raffles Buffet

April 26, 2008 (Sat): A rather wholesome experience, I must say. I was most enchanted by the meticulously designed tropical paradise harmonized with British imports in the hotel compound. Inside any shop or restaurant in the hotel- except for Seah Deli and Ah Teng's Bakery- a royal British air pervades.

This restaurant, the Bar and Billiard Room, 'hidden' behind the waxy tropical foliage, have been missed in my walks around the hotel. Outside the restaurant, there are comfortable sturdy sofas that serve those who have to wait for its doors to open; inside, the ultimate beauty embraces you as you wine and dine. I liked the painting of a British man in Malay sarong and songkok and the cupboard displaying fine cigars. I was seated within proximity to them. Then I ordered my chilled beer after waiting for fifteen minutes in the humidity outside the restaurant. The effervescence pleasantly teased my parched throat as my ears were greeted with cracking sound from the BBQ outside on the terrace flanked by tall skinny palms and lilies. The fragrant smoke sailed in with the light breeze through the gaps in the doors.

I followed the trail of aroma and stopped at a pile of frankfurters, beef steaks and big prawns, gourds and zucchinis -- almost done. I came in and checked the whole salmon wrapped in pastry, the beef sirloin and the pasta. Then I walked right to the end where the billiard tables stand. Under the warm glow, the white orchid blossoms hovered over the spread of delicacies: pepper-crusted tuna tataki with wild Mediterannean rice and fruit, an elegant display of salads ( prawn, mozarella, Caesar, duck, etc.), cold pesto ravioli with sundried tomato, a sashimi counter, a spread of big fresh oysters on an ice-bed, a table of cheese sticks, crackers and rolls and the various premium Chablais varieties, desserts (shooters, jellies, pralines, financiers, ice creams) in different colors and flavors, aesthetically arranged in tasteful containers and staggering heights...

There were also eggplant lasagne, stir-fried beef, fish and soups (crabmeat coconut chowder and French onion consomme and tomato) that one could do without.

I started with a bit of everything from the salad bar followed by a small adventure of the 'best oyster hunt'. Frankly each oyster I picked slipped down my throat flushing out the sweetest cold marine goodness.

My next sojourn was at the BBQ table where I picked up three grilled shrimps. "This slice is better!" chipped the chef and flop! a slab of succulent roast landed on my plate followed with bits of the warm colorful Mediteranean veggie. I gave the plump sausages, roast beef and lamb shoulder a pass even though the human line gave a hint of their worthiness. I'd have another chance! I promised myself.

Three hours passed by, and time slowed down for some sweets. The lychee and ginger ice cream and tea (red tea) ice cream were great with my well-assembled plate of very sweet tropical produce: starfruit, dragon fruit, apple, orange, papaya and melons. The pralines resting on a tall multi-tiered glass-stand looked irresistible following the arrival of my hot peppermint tea.


This SGD 69++-per-person experience scores as follows:
Ambience: 5.0 /5.0; service: 3.5/5.0; food: quality-4.8/5.0; variety: 4.8/5.0

あけましておめでとうございます！A Very Happy New Year 2008!

January 3, 2008 (Thursday): We're right into the third day of the new year. People here are reported to be upbeat about this year. They think the economy will remain as hot as that of the last. I am sceptical. After watching a documentary on subprime loans in the U.S. on the Nippon Housou Kyoku (NHK) channel, I have every reason to be. Overall, I should be a little bullish about Asia right before the Beijing Olympics.

The new year eve's variety show on NHK, 紅白歌合戦　(red-white singing contest)was rather entertaining. Fabulous avant garde performance, colorful and artistic costumes, make-up and state-of-the-art stage technology were all so reflective of a very industrialized country. But the Japanese mood must be rather bleak still, as can be felt from the songs featured. I particularly enjoyed Sada Masashi's 'Birthday' (picture below) and Ishikawa Sayuri's 'Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeishiki　津軽海峡冬景色'.

How time flies! See how time disfigures us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2n2pzDPwJQ (襟裳岬★1987 森進一、さだまさし -many thanks to nh019223!). Should one be resigned to the aging of man? To digress a bit - I enjoy this video clip. Look at the joy on the singers' faces (although Mori Shinichi's stage performance and style remain consistent). It's a contrast from the contemplative content of the song - yet, it's excellent performance despite the rudimentary stage. (Pause imeem track for this blog by clicking on the mid-right hand button to enjoy this clip).

This year's hosts for the Red-White Singing Contest were excellent, being more spontaneous and livelier than that couple last year. Hosting just wasn't the forte of last year's lady host at all.

A. was very appreciative of the dinner I prepared. It was very simple, with mainly dishes for the vegan, except for the sushi. It was the first time we sat on the cushion on the floor to enjoy so many hours of TV together. The ambience was good: Lights were shimmering directly across at some residents' verandas, and the cool breeze was blowing through our big glass window-doors.
Very soon, after the first half of the show, we were at the end of our feast. This year I served Hatano's nimame which were boiled beans mixed with peanuts dipped in honey, Tanba's kuromame (black beans), Isei no date maki, kurikinton (sweet chestnuts), sushi (scallops, ikura etc.), ohagi (botamochi = rice dumplings) topped with kinako (soy powder) and anko (red bean paste), kinpira goobo (burdock root with organic carrots),Koyazan no goma doofu (black sesame seed tofu), tomato and wakame seaweed salad, fresh handmade tofu, etc.

We were too filled up after the meal to even have oshiruko (red bean soup with chestnut/rice cake). We kept it to be enjoyed as dessert for dinner the night after.

I pray for a year filled with blessings.

Salmon Burger & Banrock Station Unwooded Chardonnay

December 11, 2007 (Tuesday): I've never known that frozen fish burgers can taste good. These salmon burgers and the salmon steak I bought at IKEA have proven that Swedish salmon is delicious. There was surprisingly no preservative listed on the labels.

I fried them on a non-stick pan, then boiled dou miao (young shoots), cut up the cucumber and cherry tomatoes for a salad. Simultaneously I was stirring a fried tofu skin (aburage), onion and fresh wakame miso soup. The miso is organic; and the fried tofu skin is from a tofu store in Meidi-Ya which makes the most delicious tofu in Singapore.

I chose Banrock Station's Unwooded Chardonnay 2005, which turned out a surprise. I haven't drunk this before because I thought its low price reflected its quality. But it turned out a great chardonnay - without that smell of 'fuel'- and that really aroused my curiosity. I looked up for the wine maker in my wine guide immediately and voila! it was lauded as 'an impressive budget wine'.

A simple dinner, though, every thing tasted good to me.

Best Hokkien Prawn Noodle in Singapore

December 09, 2007 (Sunday): I'd wanted to fix lunch, when I learnt about the 20-percent storewide discount at Kinokuniya today. Time seemed to be running out. It was close to 12 pm and I thought I should just head straight there after a quick lunch outside.

The rain poured. It has been a rainy day and the rain still has not stopped when I write this. Vivo City was nonetheless crowded with shoppers. I went to Food Republic for prawn noodle because I had been pining for that since A first took me there four months ago. After that experience, everywhere else just seems to be offering mediocre prawn mee.

The sauce is excellent; the noodle very thin and evenly al dente . This makes Thai Hong's (located in Food Republic, Wisma Atria) weaker sauce and softer noodle class-less. Thai Hong is, however, still attracting a crowd. Location counts.

Vivo City's Food Republic boasts of several top local hawker stalls: The fishballs are A's favourite.


Yong Soon Fritters is also something I cannot resist despite detesting oil. No doubt I am putting on weight...I enjoy the sight of skilful food makers pressing the chopsticks on the soft dough, deftly lengthening it, and then dropping it into a pot of oil only to see it ballooning into a precise golden fat tube. I also enjoy the sensation of biting into fragrant thin layer of anko (red soy bean paste) embedded in the soft crunchy hot doughskin sprinkled with white and black sesame seeds.

The warm soy milk is simply calming and is a must with the snacks. I even brought home a 'butterfly' dough cake. I can say I eat these deepfried Chinese desserts twice a year. Is that sinful?

At Yong Soon, there was a fair-complexioned salesman who flirted with the young teenage girl lining up in front of me. She ordered three doughsticks and he repeated he would give her one free, grinning and winking while uttering that. Youth in women is certainly an asset in Asia!

I headed for Orchard Road after that. Takashimaya was just as filled with shoppers. I bought my book and Christmas cards and then went to Jelita's Cedele to pick up a wholemeal with sunflower seed bread. Then there was my laundry which I sent in after my trip to Beijing on the second level of Jelita shopping mall. The laundry lady exclaimed: "Hey, three months ago; three months already!" I simply grinned; I'd thought it was just a month ago...

I also stopped to ask the boy collecting orders for roast turkeys and ham for Christmas when the date for the last order would be. He replied December 20. After trying out several Christmas turkeys here, I'd recommend Cold Storage's butterball (USA), going pretty reasonable at SGD 49.00. It really reminds me of the scrumptious Thanksgiving turkey I had in California in 1996. Forget about turkeys from other supermarkets or cafes, but I must add I haven't ordered from any hotel yet.

Taiwan Porridge at Goodwood Park Hotel, Coffee Lounge (Tel.:67377411)

I was told that this cafe has been renovated past a month ago. I somehow prefer the 'colonial feel' of the old interior at the smoking area (although I dislike smoking) except for that automatic swinging door. The door has been taken down now; and the interior and 'smoking section' -- now air-conditioned (and thus non-smoking)--has been transformed into modern Zen.

I occasionally crave for this soul food - the watery Taiwan rice porridge.
The chef now does a great job - with great consistency in the Taman fish sprinkled with sesame seeds and black sauce, black pomfret with black bean paste, kang-kong with sambal, kang-kong with fermented bean sauce, and tofu dishes et cetera. Every dish was served piping hot, and all the veg and fish just gave that perfect crunch. We went there twice last month (November 11, 2007 & ?). Warm soft porridge on cool November nights makes wonderful dinners.

The cafe's coziness makes it ideal for a night-out -- tranquil, no music. I remember how my Osaka friends found the main dish fascinating and asked for the menu over fax. A loves this porridge as well, but this should not be read as "Japanese love this porridge". Another Japanese, for instance, from Northeastern Japan commented that this is food for the sick man because in Japan only the sick are served warm rice porridge. He thus felt disgusted seeing rice porridge elevated to hotel food!

I am hence also reminded of the jaundiced views of looking at other cultures at this restaurant.

Ambience: 4.0 /5.0; food quality:4.2 /5.0; service: 2.5 /5.0;
value for money: 5.0 /5.0.

Wiener Kaffeehaus; Viennese Cafe ( 6226-3148)

April 30, 2007: I've always wanted to try this cafe out since I read about it last year in a magazine.

This time, I was in a mood to walk around the Chinatown conservation after my dim-sum meal. I had conjured up a strong-body aromatic European coffee- the kind I used to enjoy in Germany, while walking towards Neil Road.

The area is very serene. The very old giant trees are stacked with parasitic plants and layers of buttress roots embracing their trunks. The vegetation indicates the age of this place. I only hope that the new Duxton 40 something-floor apartment project will not kill the landscape of the whole place although I am sure that I'd be hoping in vain.

I walked toward the Au Boon Haw office and then straight on for another few metres before reaching the cafe at the corner.

The interior is dark with dim wall-lights - it reminds me of restaurants in Europe during winter. After studying the coffee list, I picked Einspaenner (SGD 4.10), translated as 'one horse bridle'. It's crowned with a drop of fresh cream in a glass with a large handle (like a bridle), and the other hand of the carriage driver was to be left free to hold on to his rein. The spoon looked antique; inscribed underneath it were "Elizabeth Rose" and "made in Japan". I wondered if it was a Meiji-era product.

After the first sip, I was sure I'd the real thing. The smokiness of the beans lingered in my mouth for the whole day, thank goodness, without any palpitations or headaches. I'd give it five stars!

Address: 148 Neil Road, Singapore

Bagelwich

April 30, 2007: I picked up a wholemeal (last piece again) and a raisin-and-cinnamon at Cluny Court's Cold Storage last night. This morning, I did some jaw work; it's not easy to eat a bagelwich, but it satisfied my cravings for bagels this week and the last!

Dim Sum at Mouth Restaurant シンガポールのヤムチャ （6534-4233）

April 29, 2007 (Sunday): It seems ages since I last had dim sum at Dragon City on January 1 this year. The restaurant is located in Corpthorne Orchid Inn (ex-Novotel Orchid Inn). Since then, I really thought I would not eat anymore Chinese food out of my home. Dragon City used to be one of my favourites a decade ago, but its standard has plunged so much that I think chefs working there must be paid peanuts. I had deep-fried seafood rolls (frozen Southern Vietnamese seafood rolls)- the most horrendous combination of some jackfruit mayo sauce mixed with oil, its nightmarish stirfried fuyi noodles, and its steamed tofu dish all tasted like substandard hawker fare.

This time, after browsing through UOB's brochure on one-for-one deals, I've decided to check out this restaurant where one of my nephews had his birthday bash. There was no good deal I could get from my UOB card, though, having not gone there with a group of four.

When I reached there at 3:00 pm, the restaurant was still packed. There wasn't much of an ambience to talk about -- just a rather clean-looking place with pacquet floor, some timber works, two huge pillars diagonally positioned probably for good fengshui. I have always wondered why this place was named so uncreatively, upon seeing its Chinese name 地茂馆（lit. 'land prosper restaurant/place'), I sensed some humor in it. The Chinese name phonetically reminds one of the way a Chinese would attempt to pronounce 'the mouth' in English for the first time -- it is rather ingeneous!

The menu is expansive; one features the deep-fried stuff, the other the steamed dishes. Then there are lunch and promotion sets. Prices range from SGD 3.80-4.90 a dish. I only picked the steamed stuff because I didn't think oily food would work well with my stomach. Finally, after being told that 80 percent of the steamed menu were no longer available for that day, I'd not much choice left. What I ended up ordering were: siew mai with crab roe, Beijing jiaozi , yam cake, special har gao (shrimp dimplings), and bamboo shoot in beancurd skin rolls. I couldn't have more because they forgot my steamed carrot cake. The total bill added up to SGD 25.28 ( a little discount on service for UOB cardholders).

My overall rating: food: 4.0 out of 5.0 points; service: 2.5 - 3.0 points; ambience: 2.5 - 3 points. I wouldn't mind making another trip there at the end of the year.

Address　場所: 133 Chinatown Point #02-01；New Bridge Rd 059413.

Saturday Breakfast and Tu-tu Kueh

April 28, 2007: Thursday evening, while passing by Scotts, I thought I'd go to Isetan Scotts to buy some salmon and pumpkin. I took the elevator to the 4th level, and entered from Scotts Shopping Centre. I was surprised to see Enzo Angiolini on sale. Although I like this brand very much, I am often resigned to not buying any of its shoes because of my dainty feet. This time, however, I was fortunate to find a fitting pair of sandals. It was quite a good deal-- SGD 65.90, considering the usual prices E.A. shoes go for.

While at the household level, I recalled seeing on the Isetan newsletter about a German frying pan going really cheap, from SGD 79 to 29 and decided to 'hunt' for it. The brand was nowhere in sight. I spotted it later on at a corner in the most inconspicuous counter which was blocked.

I used it this morning to make two sunnyside-ups, the sole reason for buying the pan anyway. Truly it made the greatest eggs (see: served with traditional British recipe baked beans SGD 1.50).

In the afternoon, after renewing my library membership card, I joined the line that was formed at Clementi Coffee Shop behind NTUC, Clementi, to get five of Tan's Tu-tu Kueh (SGD 2). Without any smile or acknowledgment, the owner rudely threw the bag of cakes at me. Although the kuehs really are lipsmacking good, and a break from western cakes, I'd try not to patronize his store again.

Instead the next time I go there, I'd like to check out the 'no pork, no fat' fresh popiah store beside him that's drawing a longer line. The lady chef appeared composed, and the store looks like it deserves an 'A' for hygiene, although I couldn't see any sign displayed.