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Hojiak White Rojak - A Refreshing Twist @ Lee Soon Kopitiam [Khatib,Yishun]

December 5, 2013, 7:11 am
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Singaporeans are no stranger to the word "rojak" - a type of salad that supposedly can only be found in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Unlike their Western counterparts, rojak in this region has never been known to be a healthy dish and the main culprit is actually a signature black-colored dressing made from hae ko (prawn paste); an item rumored to be carcinogenic.

But, i am going to introduce a slightly healthier version; the white rojak from this stall near Khatib MRT station! 

At first glance, most people would not have noticed anything amiss since most of the ingredients remained the same as the typical black rojak. Even if you probe further, the likely comment might run along the line like "colour seems paler, like not so fresh hor".

The truth was definitely further than that! Other ingredients aside (dough fritters were crunchy, cucumbers were cold and fresh etc), what i specifically liked from this white rojak were that the light-colored sauce wasn't as heavy and as strong tasting as the darker version yet came attached with a lingering subtle fragrance!

Wonder why the sauce was so light? Sour plum paste was the secret (it wasn't much of a secret anyway since she told me loud and clear in front of other customers)! 

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Location
Block 848, Yishun St 81, 
Lee Soon Food Court

Opening Hours
12.30pm to 11.30pm

Facebook Page

Price
Minimum S$2.50. Separate charges for century egg and cuttlefish! 
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Ipoh Railway Station, War Memorial and the Ipoh Tree @ Ipoh, Perak [Malaysia]

December 6, 2013, 7:30 am
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As we had plenty of time on our hands before checking in to the French Hotel, my parents and i decided to walk over to the Ipoh Railway Station we had already arranged for a tour to the same place the next day.

Clear blue sky, a much wanted weather condition for any photographer, could only mean one thing for my mother; the relentless exposure to bright sunlight! 

As you could guess from the subject title, i am combining three items to this post since they are located in the same compound and covered as a whole in most tours. 

Let's start with Ipoh Railway Station; built originally as a hospital (interesting) in the Neo-Classical style in late 1910s, it was converted into a railway station sometime in 1935 and is currently the main railway terminal for the Malaysian state of Perak. 

The facade may appear grand and majestic (it was actually said to be the Taj Mahal of Ipoh) but i thought the interior design was relatively plain and didn't have as much character as the old Tanjong Pagar railway station. 

For those movie buffs, it might interest you that Ipoh Railway Station was one of the filming locations for Anna and the King, a 1999 movie starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fatt. 

Known as Electric Train Service (ETS), this is the most common type of train transiting along the route! 

Railway tourism has never really taken off although its popularity has been gaining momentum in recent years. For those who have the time and want to see a different side of Malaysia, please consider making the journey via the railway the next time. My only advice? Go for the more comfortable first class tickets. 

Wooden chairs displayed to make an octagon! 

It's amazing that that there can be so much contrast just by looking left and right on the bridge connecting the parallel train platforms; on one side was the historically rich old section while the other side was a quiet scene of a laid back atmosphere. 

In addition to providing railway service, the station also houses the Majestic Hotel! Given the building was previously a hospital, i am sure there would be some paranormal stories of this hotel circulating on the web! 

Time to step out for part two! 

The War Memorial right outside Ipoh Railway Station. 

Despite the humble structure, this commemorates not just the dead of the two world wars. It also honoured specifically those who died building the Thailand-Burma death railway and citizens who sacrificed their lives defending the nation in the Malayan Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation and the Re-Insurgency Period.

Lastly, anyone has any idea where the name Ipoh came from? Likewise with Malacca, Ipoh also draws its reference from a tree; the beautiful Ipoh Tree! Don't belittle it; its latex is used by indigenous groups to make poisonous darts for blowpipes! 

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How to Get There
Well, i walked. But so long you are taking a tour; you would most likely be driven to these three attractions for a visit. 


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Nam Heong White Coffee (南香白咖啡) - Originator of Old Town White Coffee @ Ipoh [Malaysia]

December 7, 2013, 5:17 am
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The brand of Old Town white coffee was so reputable in Singapore that it has already been ingrained in our mind that a visit to Ipoh would never be complete if one doesn't drink an aromatic cup of white coffee. 

Therefore, i HAVE to seek out the best when i was there a week ago. According to a few food maps, there are two i should keep a lookout for and one of them is Nam Heong where the Old Town brand of white coffee supposedly originated from! 

After a heavy breakfast at Ming Court, the only thing i can stomach was only coffee to fill up the gaps and perk up my tired soul. And i wasn't disappointed; the coffee richness and its thick frothy consistency were well received by all three of us. It was not as sweet although i can seriously do with less sugar in my diet. 

Remember i mentioned another store? That was the one right opposite Nam Heong and it was said to serve a more robust cup of white coffee. How true is that claim? You would find out soon. :)

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Location
2, Jalan Bandar Timah, Ipoh, 
30000, Ipoh, Perak, 30000, Malaysia

Food Map
As above (red border)

Price
RM 1.30 a cup
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Concubine Lane (Panglima Lane - Jalan Bijeh Timah) @ Ipoh [Malaysia]

December 7, 2013, 9:18 pm
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I could not deny that the words "concubine lane" on the brochure piqued my interest to take a look at this century old street in the old town sector of Ipoh.

Once notoriously known as the place to go for opium, gambling and brothels, Panglima Lane became a residential area where many rich tycoons supposedly kept their concubines; hence the name "Concubine Lane".

Its colourful and exciting past (think of all the cat fights when the wife confronted the concubine) was unfortunately no longer present in the current times. 

A few of the townhouses were stripped of any furniture and fittings with weeds and wild plants enveloping the premises; a pitiful state for an area that definitely deserves more.

Guess it all boils down to money; it can be expensive to maintain / renovate a townhouse, especially one that has been in existence for possibly more than a century.  

Units that were occupied had their doors bolted shut and i didn't think it would be wise to knock on the door to gain entry for a few photographs. On second thought, i might do so if i wasn't that sleepy! 

Exposed to the weather without a roof, one of the vacant lots was used as food preparation area for a coffeeshop next door. The lady was skewing the meat for satay; an item i regretted not ordering in this trip! 

Some more pictures before i end this post. Hope the authorities would do something to spruce up this lane before it faded into history, like many others.
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Day One: Ipoh - Cameron Highlands - Kuala Lumpur Trip 2013

December 8, 2013, 6:08 am
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Although it is incorrect factually, i am going to talk about the night before, when my parents and I checked in to the Transtar office at Golden Mile Complex for my first trip to Ipoh.

My past experience travelling on a Transtar coach from Genting Highlands back to Singapore left such a deep impression on me; i decided to book with the same company to Ipoh. Cost per person, including fuel and insurance surcharge was S$40.17.

The coach that came to pick us up at 10pm was Lionstar (Transtar's subsidiary). I would have been fine with this arrangement except for one issue; the bottom section of the reclining chairs was not working! Seriously, for an overnight coach? I barely clocked two hours of sleep because it was so god damn uncomfortable! 

A toilet (and smoking break) was scheduled at around 3am. Oh, i guess i didn't mention that this coach would stopover at three different cities; Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. When the bus pulled up in front of Puduraya, i thought we have boarded the wrong bus! 

I totally didn't expect to arrive in Ipoh Amanjaya terminal at 5am! The parents catching some sleep while i checked out the rest of the terminal. The terminal is located fifteen kilometers away from Ipoh city and the standard cab fare was said to be an exorbitant RM 30. Honestly, with all these hassles, i think it might be easier to take the more expensive plane route the next time.

There was a transit hotel with very basic amenities (which means only a bed). I was willing to fork out the RM 20 an hour rate just to rest my tired self but as there are three of us (max was for two persons), mom made the final decision to just take the cab to our designated hotel. 

We didn't manage to check in to French Hotel (totally expected) but the friendly frontline staff did allow us to leave our luggage with them as we departed to explore the city very early in the morning. Furthermore, she passed us a food map and directed us to our first meal in Ipoh. 

Jalan Leong Sin Nam where we had breakfast at Ming Court Hong Kong Tim Sum (明阁香港点心)! The street is also known reputably as the dim sum street; i counted at least four different Chinese restaurants offering dim sum! 

After a short chat with the cashier in the restaurant, we took to the streets again for the next item on the itinerary; white coffee! Apparently i am not the first person to check with her as she immediately pulled out a map and directed me to a reputable shop where we can have our caffeine fix. 

It was not even 8am and this barber was already open for business! The chair and retro decor reminded me so much of my childhood in the 80s! 

I can roughly make out that the Chinese characters were saying 施比受更有福; which means it is a blessing to give rather than to receive. It's very creative for the artist to use the window as part of the character.

Eye catching buildings! Add two more colours and it shall henceforth be known as the rainbow stretch. Look closer and you should be able to spot a lady directing the traffic at this busy intersection. 

Ipoh is divided into two main sections for tourists; the old town and the new town. New town was in fact not very new; being developed way back in 1908! 

There is a very easy way to identify which is which by using the Kinta River; the area to my right (east) is the New Town whereas to my left (west) is the Old Town. 

Old Town where you can find many heritage buildings! A good trail to take when everyone is not as tired and sleepy as we were on that day! 

Mom gamely posed for my camera. 

Spotted a playground we know Jovyn would thoroughly enjoy! Damn, we really do miss her on those five days we were in Malaysia. At times, i am just glad she wasn't there to show her spoiled tantrums! :P

Finally had my first original cuppa white coffee from Nam Heong!

To be totally frank, Ipoh exudes a lot of old charm (i even chanced upon an ancient printing press machine in Star Printing Works) and this might not necessarily sit well with people who might have the impression that everything is clean, renovated and all shops would be open for business.

My observation over the two days i was in Ipoh was that many shop houses were badly maintained with quite a number already out of business.

Some revitalisation works were ongoing and i sincerely hope they would eventually result in buildings that can capture Ipoh's glamourous heritage.

One perennial icky problem was the huge number of pigeons.

What goes in must come out and with so many birds sleeping in the old town, the droppings can be massive! I have even seen with my own eyes; employees scrapping the dried shit off the ground with a garden spade!

Let's move on to more eye-pleasing pictures; do pay the Ipoh Tourist Information Centre a visit where you can find informative brochures and helpful maps.

An old Volkswagen beetle driven by an elderly slowly trudging along the road!

Checking out the iconic Ipoh Railway Station, War Memorial and the Ipoh Tree. For detailed information, please feel free to click here.

This is the Sultan Idris Shah State Mosque; a unique feature was its many orange domes. We didn't step in as we were unsure if it is open to the general public.

Other buildings for your viewing pleasure!

A small altar honouring Datuk Gong was placed against the wall; instead of a statue, it was a face-like stone that took the place.

Dating back to 1929, this iconic three-storey townhouse (Han Chin Pet Soo) housed a miner's club with access given only to their members. 

Popped by the nearby concubine lane which was in a sorry state of disrepair. Check out more pictures via the link here. 

Water meters with a protective cover. My guess is that this was more for security to prevent users from tampering with the meters. 

Old school lorry that used to be frequently seen on Singapore's roads. In the past, such lorries also doubled up as hearses for Chinese's funerals. I am aware because my late grandfather's (maternal) coffin was loaded onto the lorry before we departed to the cemetery. 

My heart skipped a beat when i saw my mom checking out the plastic containers! There is no way i am going to allow her to buy in Ipoh and carry them all the way back to Singapore! No matter how dirt cheap they are!

Canine and feline spotted - there were definitely more cats than dogs in Ipoh. By the way, please look before every step on the streets; i encountered little bundles of 'gold'' every now and then.

A stretch of shophouses selling religious items related to Chinese customs and festivals like praying cups, paper money, statues of gods, customised ancestral tablets etc. 

Shop selling Ipoh's famous pastries and biscuits! Having been accustomed to food tasting in other parts of Malaysia, i am amazed that it is not the practice in Ipoh. Hence, i didn't even buy a single bag of their signature biscuit; heong peng! 

Would you dare to stay in such a run-down building? 

ABC Pets - a good-sized pet shop located very near to the French Hotel. My intention was only to look at our fur friends but i was shocked to find snakes, iguanas, porcupines etc for sale too!

Besides the many varieties of birds, a number of less common cat breeds were also available; like the hairless Sphynx and ultra adorable Scottish Folds.

There was even a baby monkey! Having worked in the pet industry for a good part of my adult life, it was sad to see animals being caged and bred for profitable purposes.

Anyone can help to translate? I only know Tak Boleh is "Cannot". 

At this point, it was 11am - All of us were dead tired and the weather was so bloody hot! However, we were still an hour ahead of the earliest check-in time. So, we stepped into KFC.

12 noon - checked in successfully to French Hotel although i had to upgrade the accommodation as the one i reserved was still in "housekeeping" mode. For my review on French Hotel, click here. 

Had a great shower and after three hours of rest, it was time to hit the streets again! Gerbang Malam is a night market in Ipoh that opens from 7.00pm until 1.00am. 

Walked past a cemetery which i think belonged to the nearby St. Michael's Church. I intended to visit the very next day to take some photos but time didn't permit. :(

Ipoh Parade - one of the bigger shopping centres in Ipoh that had a cinema, bowling alley, Kbox (karaoke), laser quest, Kids Zone and Parkson (a departmental store)! As you can see, it was undergoing upgrading when we visited. 

Spent a relaxing late afternoon in Ipoh Parade and had fried chicken in Marrybrown before going back to the hotel to have an early night as we need to wake up early the next day.

Oversea restaurant has a branch in Ipoh?! For those who wonder why i am reacting this way, the charred char siew i had at its main branch in Kuala Lumpur was the best until the spot was taken over by Kay Lee. 

Last picture of a neighbouring apartment block that seriously need a new paint job before we retired for the night. It was a long time since i last slept at 8pm! 
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Lau Phua Chay Char Siew (老半齋燒臘) - Second Only to Kay Lee! @ Alexandra Village Hawker Centre

November 13, 2013, 7:19 am
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Now, it's well known among my friends that i am incredibly fussy when it comes to char siew and the one sentence that i frequently said is "this is not even comparable to the epic Kay Lee char siew"! 

Hence, you can imagine my skepticism when two colleagues recommended this char siew stall in Alexandra Village food centre that was known to be so popular; it often pulled down its shutter much earlier than the stipulated closing hour of 7pm.

I had the fortune to get my hands on a plate one hot afternoon (with great thanks to the Lau sisters) and the first thought that came to mind was "wow, this actually looked very delicious"!

Before i start with the caramelised pork, let's talk about an important condiment that some Singaporeans cannot live without; chilli. As you could probably guess from the high concentration of chilli seeds, this was way too spicy for my liking! 

The special black gravy drenching the char siew and white rice was an amazingly unique concoction that featured an unconventional texture and a light sweetness that came attached with a delectable aroma! 

Similar to the old saying, it's the clothes that make a man; i have to agree that in this instance, the sauce was the addictive, deciding factor for me to re-patronise the stall. 

The cuts used were sadly lean meat (healthier according to some) which lacked the fattening juiciness that Kay Lee char siew was famed for! Nonetheless, they were still pretty tender for such a lean cut.

Another item worth noting was the salted vegetables soup; i have never had salted vegetables of such soft texture! Give me a second bowl anytime! 

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Location
Block 120, Bukit Merah Lane 1, 
#01-20 (Alexandra Village Hawker Centre)

Price
S$3.50 a plate
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Kusu Island Pilgrimage in 2013

November 14, 2013, 7:16 am
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A post on Kusu Island was heavily featured last year in this blog when i paid the "tortoise" island a visit after a hiatus of over twenty years! 

I am back again this year with my parents for the annual pilgrimage and since nothing much has changed, i hope you would just enjoy the many photos below, taken in a chronological order. 

For more information, i would still suggest you check out my original post located HERE.

Location: Booth in the inaccessible Marina South Pier.
Purpose: Buy ferry tickets to Kusu Island.

Time: An ungodly 7.30am on a Saturday.
Mood: Super sleepy.

The ferry sending us to the island. Although it was the last day for the pilgrimage, the terminal wasn't packed at all. Guess it was also a matter of time; not many people would wake up so early on a Saturday!

Mom was annoyed over the increase in the ticket price; from S$14 last year to S$16 this year! I could not help wondering if this could also be one of the contributing factors for the island's dwindling visitors.  

Kusu Island sighted!

The journey was approximately twenty minutes; a far cry from the old days even though i still prefer the rustic feel of having the wind hitting against my face on a wooden bumboat over artificial air-conditioning in a modern ferry. 

We arrived. Enough said.

First stop - Chinese temple where mom would do her sincere praying while i walked around the place taking tonnes of pictures that would eventually be pared down.

What were they looking at?!

Fishes in the pond?! This was absolutely nothing compared to what you can see in places renowned for snorkeling and diving like Tioman Island, Redang island etc. 

Main hall of the temple which originally looked out to the sea, not pond. Dad in the picture; this man had not stepped foot onto the island since 1993! 

Tortoise is the auspicious mascot for Kusu Island and you could of course find many of them housed in three different areas on the island.

Counter where you buy your offerings. In the past, i think people would bring along their own incense sticks and the temple was so smoky; it brought literally tears of irritation to anyone who dared to step in. 

Situation was way better in recent years; there was a limit on the number of sticks and manpower was on standby to clear the incense altars when they got too full. It does beget the question; if you are going to clear them right at the beginning, why bother lighting up?

I don't think this was to honour anything. 

Statues of the Chinese god of fortune - it was ingrained in a Chinese mindset that prosperity and fortune go hand in hand with a blessed life and the god of fortune has a very strong religious following in most Chinese communities. 

The parents in front of the iconic three-tortoise statue. 

It was at this point that i slipped and hit a wall! Thankfully my spectacles broke the fall and the only injury i suffered was a bloody gash on my nose bridge! The best thing? No one noticed!!!!!

Anyway, here's the tree that can supposedly help childless couples who wish to have a kid.

Market was relatively empty as the pilgrimage was running its end and many vendors have already started packing up their stock. According to reports, sales have reduced dramatically over the years. 

Food Centre for the souls who need their caffeine fix to perk up the morning. 

Our order - a cup of teh O, a cup of kopi O, a plate of vegetarian bee hoon and a pack of muah chee! The vegetarian beehoon was a letdown with hardly any flavour to excite my taste buds while the muah chee was surprisingly not too bad.

Variety was quite wide for such a small setup but i was dead set on saving my stomach for mouthwatering hawker fare on mainland Singapore after our visit. 

Alfresco space for diners. 

Climbing up the steps to Datok Gong [拿督公] where the three sacred Muslim shrines (known as keramats) resided. 

It started drizzling shortly after i took this picture! No prize for guessing correctly what mom was checking out. For those who are still unaware, she was looking at the four-digit numbers scribbled on the yellow stained stones!

A closer look of the stones.

The shrines; mom didn't make any offering here as she wasn't aware on what the practices are and decided not to take the risk of offending the deities. 

Despite the light drizzle, the two of them continued to wait patiently for me to finish my photo-taking. Sometimes, we really take our parents for granted without realising they often show their love using very subtle actions.

Tortoise Sanctuary! I still could not find the highly elusive huge tortoise that was supposed to live in this very sanctuary. Click here for more details of the enclosure. 

Mom with the Chinese temple as the backdrop. 

A customary shot of the main hall of the temple; doubt any temple in Singapore can claim to have such an exclusive site next to the water. 

Back of the temple which faces Lazarus Island.

Making our way to the jetty for our ferry back to the mainland! 

Parents taking a parting shot. Frankly, i wanted to explore the island a bit more since the cranky Jovyn was not with us this time. However, the parents did not want to wait another hour for the next ferry. :(

Lucky us! The ferry this time offered a non-conditioned area on the second level where we can enjoy the sea breeze! For me, i am more prone to seasickness if i am stuck in the air-conditioned compartment. 

Private yacht near the shore of Seringat Island; unbeknownst to many, reclamation has now merged Lazarus with Seringat and there was even a link bridge to St John's Island. Maybe the Gang of Four should organise their virgin trip to these Southern islands!

A lonely shelter surrounded by wilderness on Seringat Island.

Ferry to Batam zipping past the highly coveted district in Singapore; Sentosa Cove! 

Cloudy skyline of Singapore's Downtown with the tallest observation wheel in the world which would likely have its title taken away in a few years time. Other landmarks spotted in this photograph include Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay

Cargo ship, the traditional lifeline of Singapore, and the backdrop of Singapore new financial hub! My elder sister worked in one of the buildings and her view was spectacular!

Love this picture of the imposing vessel casting a threatening shadow on the water!

Is this an escape vessel?! Do you know that piracy in the waters surrounding Singapore was so bad that the three countries (Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia) have to conduct coordinated patrols!?

You wouldn't believe where i spotted this beautiful angel fish!!

At the base of the permanently stationed riverboat! With high ship traffic contributing to water pollution, i am amazed that the corals seemed to be thriving very well! Now, who was the one who commented that no coral can survive in Singapore?!

The end - taking the free shuttle to Marina Bay Cruise Centre where my car was parked. This arrangement was applicable only on weekends of the pilgrimage as the car park lots in Marina South Pier were limited. 

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For an alternative reading of Kusu Island that would provide more detail, check out my original post located HERE.

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Mad for Garlic Italian Wine Bistro @ Suntec City Mall [Singapore]

November 16, 2013, 8:20 am
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The great dislike for garlic by many friends makes me wonder how this Korean originated restaurant would be able to gain a strong stronghold in Singapore's competitive food industry. 

Let's admit it; you have the haters who would pick minute bits of garlic out from a plate of vegetables and those who would not hesitate to pop a raw clover or two after a wedding dinner. I take a neutral stand on garlic but i am a strong believer of its health benefits. 

With over forty garlic-based dishes, i guess this would also be the perfect sanctuary to be at in a vampire attack. Anyway, this was once again another great recommendation by the Kon-Tan couple although you may wish to visit during the weekdays when you pay only a fraction of the cost for a reduced portion. 

To quote an example, the seven of us still managed to incur over S$320 for our meal even though we made full use of card promotions (like one above for DBS card holders)! Exorbitant? Here's a sample of what we have (note that this doesn't include all the dishes).

Garlic Bread Tower
For a simple loaf of bread, i cannot fathom why was there so much effort put in to present this dish! The impressive knife strokes by the waiter took our breath away and i was half expecting the man to throw the bread tower in the air before swiping a few more additional strokes.

Presentation aside, this was not fantastic. I love garlic bread and found the garlic puree in this bread tower to have too bland a flavour. To its benefit, the bread came warm and tasted as if it came straight out from the oven. 

Sauteed Fresh Mussels
Not too bad with the garlic cream sauce contributing the main bulk of the flavour. Comparatively speaking though, i would have enjoyed sambal mussels better. 

Garlic Snowing Pizza
Honestly, i doubt i would have ordered this garlic snowing pizza on my own, knowing very well that garlic has a spicy pungency that i assumed would not sit well in a pizza.

I was so bloody wrong! Decked in pieces of shrimps, dices of juicy pineapples, slices of deep fried garlic on a layer of deliciously sweet garlic paste, it was the tastiest pizza i had in the longest time!

Teriyaki Chicken and Pasta Combo
Pasta was too dry for my liking. The teriyaki chicken did better but do take note that the taste had steered away from the traditional Japanese version and might be less enjoyable for diners seeking the authentic taste.

Iberico Pork and Rice Combo
With an appearance that didn't excite me, i was caught off guard by the delightful traces of natural meat juice that seeped in between my teeth as i slowly chewed through the pork! Yummy! Don't overlook the rice too which was like a serving of super moist fried rice generously peppered with tiny bits of fragrant garlic! 

Tiramisu Cake
As always, this wasn't my cup of tea and i am reserving my personal comment on it. Maybe i should defer the review to the rest of my companions and the verdict was; they loved it! 

Garlic Berry and Ice Cream
Initially, i thought the ice cream tasted really smooth, creamy and complemented perfectly with the berry sauce surrounding it, with the exception of one factor; where was the god damn garlic?! It was later that i realised garlic jelly was actually hidden within! Thankfully, they were sweet and didn't have that spiciness which would have otherwise destroyed this dessert.

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Location
No 3, Temasek Boulevard,
#02-300 / 301, Suntec City Mall

Normal Pricing
Garlic Bread Tower - S$12.50
Sauteed Fresh Mussels - S$32.50
Garlic Snowing Pizza - S$22.50
Teriyaki Chicken and Pasta Combo - S$21.40
Iberico Pork and Rice Combo - S$26.40
Tiramisu Cake - S$8.90
Garlic Berry and Ice Cream - $8.90
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Food Menu
As above.

Additional Information
As part of the DBS card promotion, we got a few glasses of signature ade. My personal favourite was the yujaade with its strong hint of yuzu flavouring and gassy fizziness!   
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Ipoh Dim Sum Galore - Restoran Foh San [富山茶楼]

December 9, 2013, 6:56 am
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If i have had my way, i would choose to have dim sum in all the three mornings i was in Ipoh. They were inexpensive, the variety was wide and dim sum was all about having breakfast in a relaxing manner!

So, for the second day running, i opted for dim sum but this time round, it was to patronise the competitor situated directly opposite Ming Court; Restoran Foh San. 

In the blogosphere and online realm, there were many reviews of the two aforementioned dim sum joints and you often could find comparisons between the two. Recent reviews appeared to weigh better for Ming Court and here's where i come in to give my two-cent worth. 

Note: for the three of us, we didn't manage to squeeze in as much as we want to and given the expansive dim sum menu, there is a chance that this review would not be as comprehensive. On the good side, at least you have a better idea on what to order and what not if you happen to visit the Ipoh in the near future.

Let me start with a general statement - the quality of dim sum was of a higher standard when compared to Ming Court and despite the higher pricing model, Foh San was much more generous with the "liao" (fillings), making the eating experience way more satisfying.

Even the worst of the lot could hardly be tagged as inedible in my dictionary; the fried prawn rolls above were just lacking in some unique excitement! Siew mai could have performed better with a softer texture.

Mom complained the char siew pau was too savoury although i personally found it to be tastefully made. It was only later that i discovered she only took the filling! Wah lau eh, no wonder lah! Eating it with the steamed dough would have balance out the savouriness.

Lor Mai Kai in a porcelain bowl.

Not too bad even though my pick would be the lor mai kai from Ming Court, which won with its signature wine soaked chicken that was superbly delicious! 

Chee Cheong Fun.

The excellent thing about this was that it came with prawns; i was half expecting all chee cheong fun in Ipoh to be serve "filling free" after the waiter in Ming Court stared at me incredulously for asking if the chee cheong fun comes in prawns or char siew. I have to admit though that the sauce was uniquely superior in Ming Court.

Contained in such a delicate bowl, the heart was bumping on what goodness i could possible find inside this double skin steamed milk!

Embarrassingly, i treated it merely as a version of beancurd that was richer and milkier; a combination that strangely didn't appeal to me. For me, beancurd (tau huay) is always preferred over this Cantonese style dessert, which i could never get why people like it. 

What i did like was the mango pudding! The consistency was amazingly compacted, resulting in a perception that you were getting more out of this pudding than other similar offerings by competitors. Shiokness to the max indeed!

My tiny stomach was already at the verge of surrendering at this moment yet i could not control my mouth when the auntie pushed the cart to my table and whimpered "okay, give me one".

I didn't regret as it was fantastic! Couldn't really describe the actual taste but it was a perfect combo of brinjal, fish paste, spring onions, onions drizzled with what seemed to be a mysterious sauce. 

The lack of space didn't deter me from ordering a hot plate of steamed Chinese chestnut cake! On one hand, the crunch of fresh Chinese chestnuts was invigorating for an early morning; on the other hand, the texture could have been more solid. I would also prefer to have it cold. 

There were many more i would wish to try! However, i had to leave it for my next trip to Ipoh. You should see my dad's black face when i suggested having dim sum again the next day. Guess he has had enough dim sum!

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Location
51, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, 
Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.

Food Map
As above, with red border.

Website

Price
We spent RM 62 in total; totalled 12 items with RM 5.50 being the most expensive one. 


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Four Seas Fish Soup (四海鱼汤) @ Albert Centre Food Centre [Near Bugis MRT]

December 10, 2013, 7:01 am
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Confused.

I was on the lookout for this supposedly famous porridge stall in Albert Centre but i found two stalls and both didn't boast a queue typical of reputable, well known food stalls in Singapore. To add on to the confusion, this was during the morning peak when porridge should be quite a common staple. 

While i was deliberating on which to patronise, mom stepped in (think she could not stand my indecisiveness) and strongly recommended the fish soup from this Four Seas stall. Coming from my mother, the food should not be too bad! 

With green leafy vegetables topping the clear broth, i initially thought i have misunderstood my mom's definition of "good". By all means, it could have bloody meant "healthy" which is seldom delicious.

Thank god the soup was actually incredibly flavourful although the vegetables have balanced out the saltiness that could otherwise be complained upon by health fanatics. Frankly, it was perfect to have a bowl of plain rice to go with the soup! Fish meat wise, the slices were a bit too tough for my liking. 

You know what's so great about the fish soup from Four Seas? The appearance of deep fried pork lard in the soup! Now we know the true reason for its flavourfulness! 

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Location
270, Queen Street, Stall #01-106, 
Albert Centre Market And Food Centre 
(near to Bugis Village and the famous Guanyin temple)

Price
Fish Soup - S$3
Rice - S$0.30

Additional Information
Mom's usual order was the fish head soup from Four Seas. By the way, she mentioned that we should always visit in the morning as the afternoon session is helmed by the older brother who doesn't cook as well. 

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Ipoh Famous Tau Fu Fah [豆腐花 or Soya Beancurd] - Funny Mountain [奇峰传统古式豆腐花豆精水]

December 11, 2013, 7:30 am
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Singapore has no lack of shops selling soya beancurd; we even have one local brand that managed to break into the tough Japanese market. Therefore, i didn't quite understand what was the big deal about Ipoh's tau huay.

And you know what was the amusing thing about this supposedly very well known shop in Ipoh? It was known as Funny Mountain; a name that sticks to your brain like super glue!

Funny Mountain appeared to be a takeaway outlet but peculiarly, customers were welcome to order and either eat while sitting on the two wooden benches or, standing up (in the shade or under the sun). Any other area to sit comfortably while you enjoy your soya milk drink / beancurd? No. 

There was a third option; an informal drive through where an employee would take down your order and pass you the items shortly after! My Ipoh colleague has also confirmed that you can choose to have your beancurd and soya milk drink in the comfort of your own car and pass the crockery back once you are done!

As blur tourists to the city, we were lucky to have gotten the wooden benches as we visited during the off peak hours! Even the guy who brought us there were surprised there was no queue! 

Soya Beancurd 
豆腐花  
This definitely surpassed my expectations! Smooth with an intensely rich-with-soya consistency yet without the subtle tardiness found in some notable beancurds, the key to its goodness lies with the sweetened syrup. It didn't give me that excessive sugar rush sensation and there was just something special about it. Best was the price though; RM 1.00 a bowl! 

Soya Milk Drink 
豆精水
As with the tau fu hua, the soya concentration of the drink was unmatched and i can bet that if the Great Kon was with us, he could easily down four to five satisfying cups in one sitting! 

For me, i kowtow to the temptation after stepping out of the shop and purposely walked back to purchase two bottles (500 ml each) of delicious soya milk! 

======

Location
49, Jalan Theatre, 
30300 Ipoh, Perak

Food Map
As above (red border). According to my memory, i think the actual location should be across the lane towards the left on the map. Rest assured, it would be easy to find. Look out for a queue that was made up of cars!

Opening Hours
From 10.30pm, while stock lasts.

Price (Eat In) 
Soya Beancurd - RM 1.00 
Soya Milk Drink - RM 1.00

Price (Take Away)
Soya Beancurd - RM 2.00 
Soya Milk Drink (small) - RM 2.00
Soya Milk Drink (big) - RM 5.00

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Kellie's Castle - An Abandoned, Haunted Ruin That Was Well Worth The Travel @ Ipoh [Perak, Malaysia]

December 13, 2013, 9:47 pm
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I first heard about Kellie's castle a few years ago, on a travel programme that was promoting places to go in Malaysia; aside from stories of paranormal sightings, it was also the exceptional Roman-Moorish-Indo-Saracenic architecture that drew my attention.

The long distance to Ipoh delayed my plans to visit the infamous ruin but no matter what, it's better to be late than never; i finally stepped onto its ground two weeks ago! 

Situated next to a flowing river on a small, landscaped hill, the buildings radiated an impressiveness so strong; i just stood marvelling at the picture right in front of me. 

Originally named as Kellas House, the premise was eventually known as Kellie's Castle. At times, people would also call it Kellie's Folly. So what was the folly that our dear Mr Kellie made? 

Pay for your ticket, step across the bridge and you would get slightly closer to your answer.

Mr William Kellie Smith, was borne in Scotland in 1870 and at the age of 20, travelled to the then Malaya where he got rich, married his childhood sweetheart and eventually settled down in the country where he made his fortune. 

It should have been a lived-happily-ever-after kind of story except that life is never perfect and the man passed away at the age of 56 years old with apparently one regret; the incomplete castle that he spent his whole life building.  

What you see here were the ruins of a brick mansion built in 1909 and there was a gap of six years before the connected tower block commenced construction to become the eventual castle we know today.

It would have been a prettier picture if not for World War Two, which saw the partial destruction of what was once a beautiful house. A wooden bungalow, which served as the very first home of the Kellie's family, was said to be connected to this brick mansion although i guess it was fully destroyed.

Do feel free to walk around; structurally, it was unsafe but the operator of this attraction had taken steps to ensure that visitors are able to explore the area safely. Well, at least for the ground level. 

Pathway leading to the original entrance of the castle. I didn't walk there as it didn't appear to have anything more than just an insignificant gateway.

There were remnants to the mansion that were still visible despite the extensive damage caused by the great war and communist insurgency; imported Italian marble that used to adorn the bathroom walls. 

Dad taking photograph after photograph of the castle. My dad was an avid photographer (guess his genes were passed to me) although he has not been taking pictures since digital photography gained prominence. For this trip, i passed him my old Nikon D5000 and encouraged him to revisit the joy of photography. 

Dining hall in Kellie's second house - the floor was actually renovated in recent times in 2003. I am actually very puzzled by some of the information pasted on the walls with regard to the Kellie's various houses in the same compound. 

Information pasted on the walls indicated the brick mansion as Kellie's first home whereas i understand from another collateral in the main exhibition hall (we would come to that shortly) that the first home was the wooden bungalow, not a brick mansion. Tsk tsk tsk, inconsistency! 

Mom standing underneath a doorway that was part of the connecting corridor to the last extension of Kellas House; recognised nowadays as the key facade of Kellie's Castle. 

To the sides was the kitchen area which included kitchen staff quarters. Nothing much except for overgrown weeds in really constricted spaces. 

My mother identified this immediately before i could even open my mouth; an old school oven made up of bricks that were easily over a hundred years! 

Was this a century-old well? Nay, our dear Mr Kellie was a person who seemed obsessive with the safety of his family and this well-like structure was a ventilation hole for one of four tunnels he commissioned under his house. 

Now's the time for us to check out the last yet most prominent extension for William's not so humble abode. 

Drawing from his deep set affection with the Hindu religion and Indian culture, the white man employed many labourers who hailed from India to build this iconic home with South Asian architectural influences.  

Ground level comprised of six main areas; the dining hall which we see here, reading room, living room, main hall, family altar and the bar lounge which was locked. 

Joining the dining hall was a smaller room with a narrow, spiral staircase leading down to a secret enclosure for the family in event of emergencies. Honestly, i think the man has made quite a number of enemies in his heyday to have resulted in such an obsession with home security. 

It would be interesting to see the layout with furnishing in the secret enclosure since it wasn't that secret in my opinion. Not with windows that any right minded criminals would be able to spot right away. 

The 'ambassador' we engaged for the day shared with us that the mansion was a haunted spot many locals loved to explore before it became a tourist attraction. Even now, the operator often banked on the supposed haunting to attract visitors.

One such haunting was that some visitors would hear voices when they stepped into the reading room; echoes of parties that were once held within the castle.

All rooms were stripped bare of any furniture with the exception of one which had a metal gate to bar curious visitors from venturing forward.

This refurnished living room provided visitors with a glimpse of the past even thought i wasn't unsure if it was the exact same replica of the same living room almost a hundred years ago.

Adjourned to the living room was the main hall with hanging posters that gave much more information of Smith's family and the castle, including rare photographs showing the buildings and fully furnished rooms! 

These photographs, giving us a great insight to the decorations then, were kindly supplied by the granddaughter, Frances Boston-Smith. 

Map showing the first two levels of the castle wing.

Family Altar - the family was Catholic and the bricks you see in the pictures were made locally by Madras Indians. The items on the table were not religious items; merely bricks and marbles found in the premises.

Checking out what lies beyond the black metal door; next to it should be the locked entrance to the bar lounge. No idea why it was locked.

Following a dark passage to a lower level, we came to a wine cellar that could hold more than 3,000 bottles of liquor! There was actually another staircase that would lead us down to an underground tunnel. Sadly, it had been sealed due to safety reasons. 

Staircase leading up to the first level (or second floor according to Singaporeans as the ground level was effectively the first floor in Singapore). 

Cloister Corridor that had a reported paranormal sighting by a Canadian couple who came to Kellie's Castle to take pictures of nocturnal creatures. It was after the shoot that the woman saw a ghostly figure of a man looking out from the window of the balcony at the end of the corridor. 

Rumoured to be the spirit of William Kellie Smith, who wanted to guard his mansion from trespassers even though he died in Portugal and was buried in the British Cemetery. For those who are interested to spend a night in Kellie's Castle may send an email to kelliescastle1108@yahoo.com.my. 

Linen room that was quite common in big houses during the Victorian era. 

Mouldy walls - notice that inverted palm like mark next to the bigger patch?

This level houses four bedrooms in total and each one has its own narrow staircase that leads to the ground level. Once again, this reflected the disturbing obsession that William had.

I mentioned four tunnels previously with one connecting the Castle to a Hindu temple five hundred meters away, another to a garage and the third one to the road in the east. The last one was said to exist but had yet to be discovered. Rumours abound that it was used as an execution hub when the area was invaded by the Japanese during the second world war. 

View of the outside.

The largest bedroom on the level - the master bedroom. Natural ventilation was key to keeping the building cool, especially during the sweltering summer season. 

Stories of a little girl, said to be Helen (William's daughter), with curly hair and wearing a white blouse was said to have been sighted in the daughter's room. The funny thing was that Helen was over twenty years old when she left Malaya with her father. 

Bird shit on the floor!! Be careful where you stepped! 

Up to the second level (or third floor to us Singaporeans) where i was faced with a challenge to meet my fear for heights! More on that soon!

A lift shaft that would have housed the very first elevator in the whole of Malaya. William was on his way to collect the lift in London when he was struck with pneumonia in Lisboa and died shortly after. Thought there would be some ghost stories surrounding the lift but there were none. 

Another guest room!

This was the level that took my breath away; not because i was in awe. I was in fact very scared! Despite the lack of any safety barriers, the parents gamely walked over (without any hesitation if i may add) to the end and marvelled at the surroundings. 

Damn, i cannot lose to them! With clenched teeth, I climbed up to this half completed compound which would have been the planned indoor tennis court and rooftop party area. 

Dad was already at the edge and gleefully asked me to take a photo of him! As the son, i lost big time! 

Mom, as usual, could not stand the sun and proceeded indoor shortly after this picture. 

Please remember to rein in your hyperactive children! One missed step and you can say bye bye to your loved ones. Even though fences can be installed to prevent such mishaps, i personally think this would have destroyed the historical architecture that attracted many people to visit in the first place.

The view was splendid and i can so imagine notable socialites from the city enjoying themselves under the starry night. Bloody, i just noticed there were a few houses behind the pavilion! 

Right ahead of us was the visitors centre where you can find an unmanned information counter, washrooms and an outlet selling drinks and snacks.

If you have noticed, the three of us were practically the whole place to ourselves; the benefit of visiting on a weekday even though it was the scheduled school holiday for both Singapore and Malaysia. Visitors only started streaming in after we left at around 10am. 

Kellie's Castle was also known to be called Agnes' Palace in the old days as Agnes, wife of William, supplied the money to build the castle as a result of a inheritance she received. 

Let's touch on the folly; William's social status was not generally accept with some laughing behind his back that he succeeded because of his wife's inheritance. 

In order to gain approval and acceptance from others, he embarked on the plan to build a house that was even grander than the residence of the powerful Resident of Taiping when he should have channeled the funds to advance his business.  

The abandoned guard house which protected the back of the castle. 

Ventilation pillars for the underground room. 

Last view of the castle before we called it a day! So what would be a good time to plan your visit? One hour should be sufficient for most people and you should target either early in the morning (as we did at around 9am) or later in the afternoon.

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Location
Located near to the town of Batu Gajah. 
Use GPS - N 4° 28.525 E 101° 05.262

Ticket Price
As above; foreigners paid slightly more. 

Additional Information
In my case, i actually requested help from this lady called Jammy to arrange for transport for a day tour. You may contact her via facebook; just search for "My Ipoh Holiday".

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Salted Caramel & Artisan Ice Cream Parlour - Waffle & Brownie @ 246F Upper Thomson Road

December 14, 2013, 9:54 pm
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Salted Caramel has been on my radar since its inception in 2011 along Upper Thomson Road; a familiar area that has undergone a great lot of changes from the time i was working at the Pet Lovers Centre branch in Thomson Plaza until now.

I was there yesterday because a friend and i were looking for a place to have some late desserts and we needed it to be somewhere along the way home; we initially decided on this habitat coffee place but moved to Salted Caramel as it closes much later at 2am!

Waffle
Made fresh in the store, this was a waffle that ranked high in my opinion for one simple reason; the thickness was extremely thin, resulting in a much crispier texture although the batter could do with more butter to enhance the flavour. Reserving my comment on the kahlua ice cream (my friend liked it though). Salted caramel was one of the better ones in the market that managed to strike a balance between the 'salty' and the 'sugary'.

Brownie
As usual, i like my ice cream to go with brownie! Frankly, it was a bit too sweet for my ageing taste buds and for a spoilt 33 year-old man, i prefer to have nuts (preferably walnuts) in my brownie! The only saving grace was that it had a really soft and moist interior.

Even though the zesty yuzu garlic ice cream was a novelty for me, the bits of garlic jelly (i think) were once again too sweet, culminating into a sugar rush i seldom experience. Horlicks Tim Tam tasted as pleasing as it sounded but i could definitely like more tim tam in it. 

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Location
246F Upper Thomson Road
[Near Thomson Plaza]

Website

Price
Single Scoop - S$3.30
Double Scoop - S$5.60
Triple Scoop - S$7.90
Waffle - Add S$3.50
Brownie - Add S$3.50

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Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple [極樂洞] - Cavern of Ultimate Bliss @ Ipoh [Perak, Malaysia]

December 16, 2013, 7:40 am
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極樂洞 - one of many cave temples in Ipoh, this happened to be the first that i visited on my second day in Ipoh, as part of a private arrangement made for a car that came with a chauffeur.

Those signature limestone hills that i can only view from afar in Ipoh city were finally right in front of me!

As ancient Chinese legends / myths often portray immortals and deities living in mountains, hills or caves, it should not come as a surprise that this natural cave has been a place of worship since 1920s.

Things might have likely been very different then; for all we know, it could just be an untidy little shack honouring only one or two notable deities.

The magnitude of the cavern was impressive and this showed only about half of its actual length. Roof was pretty smooth (making me wonder if there has been some alterations to them) with interestingly shaped stalactites spotted on the sides.

Stone sculptures lined the entrance and one of them featured Singapore's famous symbol; the merlion! Unlike the mother merlion with her glorious expulsion, this appeared to be drooling at something on the ceiling.

Photographs available for sale at RM 2.00 each - nothing extraordinary about them although it was helpful to have the placards for easy identification of the many deities housed in the cave.

For example, would a layman like us ever know for sure the name of the deities above? From left to right - 通天教主 (Grandmaster of Heaven), 元始天尊 (Supreme of All Beings), 太上老君 (Grand Supreme Elderly Lord).

Front portion of the cave held predominantly Taoist statues whereas the back portion was dedicated to the other popular religion for many Chinese; Buddhism.

I can only identify one; 弥勒佛 (Maitreya Bodhisattva) who was known to many children as the "Laughing Buddha". Do you know that Maitreya has been prophesied to be the next Buddha who would appear in the world.

As far as religious worship is concerned, there was nothing particularly remarkable in Kek Look Tong. It was more the unusual fact that a temple was inside a big cavern that attracted more attention from tourists like myself.

What i love most was the huge and amazing garden at the back that was surrounded by hilly terrain of lush greenery and varying gradients!

Weather was not too hot and the family decided to take a stroll in the garden. Mom went prepared with her umbrella just in case the merciless sunlight managed to permeate through the clouds and smeared her makeup.

Sounded a bit funny but i guess it's not hard to understand what the sign is trying to tell you.

Chanced upon children on a school trip and all of them were holding on to a digital camera! For my time, it's hard to get your parents to pass you a film camera as their worry was that we would shoot too many pictures (developing them can be insanely expensive and there was no such thing as the "delete" button)!

Monkey (long tailed macaque) on the flower beds having stalks and stalks of yellow blossoms! Its expression seemed to suggest that the flowers were really delicious; so much so that i was almost on the verge of trying it out myself!

Lotus lake - looked like we were in China right?

A mother goose nesting her eggs! As some of you are aware, mothers can be extremely protective when it comes to keeping their eggs safe and my mom warned me that goose bites can be very nasty!

Other side of the lake showing the cave's entrance / exit. I would have loved to spend a bit more time in the garden but there was one irritating problem.

Fat mosquitoes that seemed to enjoy my blood more than my parents! The best thing was I actually brought along mosquito repellents; they were in the luggage back in the hotel. =_=

Time to retreat back to the shaded comfort of the cool cavern!

Climbed up the stairs as i remembered from my conversation with Jammy of My Ipoh Holiday that there was a place where i should explore and take a picture.

Da-tah! Mom using her incredible household-chores-trained strength to keep the humongous rock from falling! Visibility was quite bad so this was the best of the lot!

No incense sticks in the cave! I can so imagine the air pollution if this rule is ever relaxed although the lack of incense burners means the temple was losing a lot of income!

Three Holy Mothers - from left to right; 金花夫人 (Golden Flower Lady), 九天玄女 (Mysterious Lady of the Ninth Heaven), 天后聖母 (the popular Mazu).

Not related to any deity / immortal; however, doesn't the stone remind you of one character in Star Wars? Jabba the Hutt! 

In China, i have had my fair share of checking out caves with specially installed lights to enhance their beauty and of incredible yet interesting names given to unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Therefore, it can be a tad boring for those who have travelled to China. 

地藏王菩薩 - the great man who resisted calls to achieve Buddhahood until hell is empty! 

Loving this photo - the lonely man who was trudging his way slowly into the cave while the sun light illuminated the path! 

A pathway outside would lead you to a great vantage point where you can look out to the Ipoh city in the distance and a Muslim cemetery right outside the temple's main plaque at its entrance. 

One last look before we proceeded to our next cave! 

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Location
Kek Look Tong Gunung Rapat, 
Ipoh, Perak

Website

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A-Poh Kitchen - Branch of the Famous West Co'z Cafe [Halal] @ Clementi Block 354

December 17, 2013, 6:38 am
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It was nearing lunchtime when i picked up a call from a fellow colleague.

 The conversation was along the line of "let's go for lunch at ah-por" and although i didn't know specifically which ah por was he referring to, i said yes as i am aware he is pickier than me when it comes to food. 

Correction: it's A-Poh, not Ah Por!!!
Tsk tsk tsk. Felt a bit cheated.

That initial disappointment was arrested as i flipped to the last page of the menu. A-Por is related to West Co'z Cafe; a Halal food establishment in West Coast Plaza that i often visited when i was with the department of Political Science! 

Concept was similar and you can have your pick of economically-priced Chinese tze char dishes in an air-conditioned setting. As our lunch hour is limited, the four of us opted for the 4-6 persons set meal. 

Mix Vegetable w Seafood
This had more seafood than vegetables; a favourable proportion that i am not complaining. Even though i am more a meat / seafood person, i simply just adored the process of biting into crunchy yet fully cooked vegetables. 

Hotplate Beancurd
I never could quite understand why egg tofu can be used to replace 100% real beancurd in a beancurd dish. That aside, the chef was generous with the ingredients that included vegetables, fish cakes and even chunks of chicken meat.

Claypot Golden Chicken
Colour was much darker than the supposedly shimmering gloss we are all well accustomed to! Frankly, i like the slightly spicy marination that wasn't excessive enough to numb my taste buds. The only problem this dish faced was the toughness of the meat!

Oats Sotong
Like you, i could hardly find the squids when this was delivered to the table! The main star, however, was not the sotong. Attack the luxuriously fried oats instead! Better still, order another bowl of white rice and mix them up for that exceptional taste experience! 

H.K Steamed Sea Bass
What's the best way to eat seafood? Have it steamed so that you relish its delicious freshness, if it is fresh in the first place. This seabass we had didn't let us down with a texture so tender; my mom would have nodded with absolute approval.

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Would i be back?
Yes, i will; this coming Thursday. 

Location
Block 354, #01-223,
Clementi Avenue 2 
[behind the mosque]

Map
As above

Website 

Contact
6774-5534

Price
4-6 persons set meal - S$68.80 nett

Additional Information
A serving of rice and a glass of drink (choose from ice lemon tea, lime juice and bandung) were included for each person in the set meal. In our case, there were only four of us but we could have six servings of rice and six glasses of drink! 

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Ipoh's Famous Roast Duck & Char Siew @ Sun Yeong Wai [新扬威烤鸭饭店]

December 19, 2013, 6:28 am
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Duck can be prepared and cooked in a number of ways but my favourite style has to be "roasted" and this brings us to this renowned roast duck restaurant i was brought to in Ipoh a few weeks ago. 

Frankly, i was more attracted to the char siew that was on display! Despite the objections from the always-healthy father, i insisted on having a small plate just to check "them" out. 

Soup of the Day
I was asked if i wanted soup. Correction - they should have asked if i wanted to pay for a bowl of lotus root and peanut soup. Anyway, my mom is a legend when it comes to making the same kind of soup and her version comes with dried scallops that totally enhance the flavour! 

Signature Roast Duck 
Said to be an original recipe that results in succulent meat and crispy skin, i definitely have no complaint about the meat since it was exactly as boasted (skin can be crispier actually) with the exception of a more fattening skin that didn't sit well with my father. 

Char Siew
I am glad i had my way in pushing for a serving of this. The slices of mildly charred char siew were terribly delicious and can be compared to suckling pig; albeit a sweeter rendition. 

Exterior was slightly crispy with a touch of barbecued fragrance while the inside was incredibly tender, no doubt the juicy effect of a fattier cut that lubricated the meat. 

A notch, just a tiny notch lower than Kay Lee! 

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Location
17-19, Jalan Sri Ampang, 
Taman Ipoh Kaya, Ipoh
[Air-conditioned]

Website

Price
Soup of the Day - RM 2.00 a bowl
Signature Roast Duck (Half) - RM 24.00
Char Siew (Small) - RM 10.00
Rice - RM 1.00 a bowl

Additional Information
Had this calamansi drink which tasted downright disgusting with a sour bitterness to it; a combination that didn't sound right for quenching the insatiable thirst that day! 


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Sam Poh Tong Temple [三寶佛洞] - Cavern of Triple Gems @ Ipoh City [Perak, Malaysia]

December 20, 2013, 7:24 am
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The Malaysian state of Perak was no stranger to me as i had ever visited this historical state as part of the history trip i took in 1995. Back then, i was brought to this exquisite temple called Perak Cave.

Another temple i heard that was on an equal standing was Sam Poh Tong. It took me eighteen years to finally stand in front of this grand plaque and to be frank, i didn't get that exhilaration i felt back at Perak Cave.

It was little less impressive even though the Chinese characters and design of the entrance did remind me of a few cave scenes in the classic drama "Journey to the West"! 

Cavern consists of only one main hall. There were staircases leading up to some other places which i would cover shortly. 

Two of the Four Heavenly Kings who are often mistaken as belonging to the Taoist faith; right was 多聞天王 (he who hears everything) while the left was 廣目天王 (he who sees all). You can recognise them based on the items they were holding on to.

Inner chamber with a statue of Buddha on one side and Guanyin and likely the eighteen luohans. As you can see, this temple had little remnants of its origins as a cave with floor tiles and white-washed walls.

There was nothing else on level one except for a passageway that cut across the cave.

This led us to an outdoor area that appeared to be a crater in the middle of the limestone hill! 

Visitors come here for only one purpose; to feed the tortoises!

Nothing is free; please pay a nominal sum for a bundle of water spinach where you can entice the tortoises to come to you. We realised after a while that these shelled reptiles were not interested in them at all! There were just too many people holding on to bundles and bundles of kangkong.

Hm..... Singapore's temples are filled with red-eared terrapins; very different from this larger species which was uncommonly seen in Singapore. 

An abandoned building blocked my way to explore if there's another way out of the "crater". 

Strangely, temples are usually known to stick to traditional Chinese architecture in their design but in this instance, there was a westernized fountain that obviously featured a white boy holding on to a carp. 

A look at some of the stone sculptures before we walked back to the main hall where dad and i ventured up the staircase to explore! 

More statues.

The view would be nicer without the window grilles; or so i thought until i forgot that there was one main pest that cave temples would not want to have loitering in their premises; birds with their seemingly uncontrollable bowels! 

Another forsaken area that was locked. 

Even though i was hoping to climb up to a higher spot for a vantage view, it was cut short by this padlocked gate. Oh well, the state of the area beyond the gate seemed to be a breeding ground for snakes! 

View from where i stood.

Anyone still remember my post on this? It was blogged last year and the subject, if i remember correctly, was on forbidden city! For those keen to know more about my Beijing trip can click here! 

Mom waiting for us; bored like the mongrel in front of us. As an avid temple goer, i am quite surprised she wasn't that excited when we visited the cave temples in Ipoh. 

In fact, it was my dad who expressed the most excitement! 

So far, the photographs posted here were pretty dull. That's because i have yet to touch on the garden which was voted best landscaped garden in Malaysia! 

Impressive even though the award was given twenty years ago!

A few more pictures for your viewing pleasure. It was not a huge area but the temple operator managed to turn it into a beautiful place that attracted more visitors to take photographs outside rather than inside the temple. 

Hm... a last question; the stone lion above looked like a dog right? 

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Location
Sam Poh Tong, Gunung Rapat, 
31350 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

GPS Location
4°33'49"N 101°6'55"E


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Christmas at Universal Studios Singapore 2013 - Sesame Street Saves Christmas Snow

December 21, 2013, 7:36 am
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My annual pass is expiring very soon and i thought i might as well make full use of the member privilege to check out the Christmas decorations at the amusement park.

It wasn't as fanciful as i expected but Hollywood Boulevard was only the beginning with the main action supposed to take place in the New York zone. 

By the way, the celebrity cafe and bakery is now managed by Starbucks! Although this is a step backward to develop a new branding synonymous to the theme park, i believe it was the right move as i didn't give that great a review when i last patronised before the changeover. 

Weather has been really wet this December and it's strongly recommended for USS visitors to bring along a brolly or a raincoat. Do walk slowly and stop your hyperactive kids from running! 

Not everyone was unhappy with the wet weather; the cooler temperature must be welcomed by the mascots and celebrity impersonators dressed in thick clothes and caked with make-up!

Entering New York zone! Notice the crowd to the right? They were queuing for Sesame Streets' Spaghetti Space Chase; i never had to queue for this kiddish attraction in the past.

Even though Santa's sleigh was parked in the middle of the road, there was no old man handing out presents and no reindeer grazing around the area. Not even fake ones.

Never mind about the rest, it is the Christmas tree that has the strongest pull to hype up the festive atmosphere, especially a tall one adorned with many ornaments. 

Sesame Street Saves Christmas Snow - a 19-minute show would be starting shortly at 6.30pm. It was only yesterday that i realised there was also another live show; Christmas Dancing Lights. 

Nevertheless, let the show begins! 

Storyline? Guess the title already hinted a lot and i don't want to spoil the fun by divulging too much. Haha, this is so not me! Truth is, i was too busy taking pictures and didn't quite catch the accented conversation. 

This phenomenon is not new - does anyone know what do you call people who use such devices to such an extent that they block everyone's view? Mobile Blockers (Mokers)? Armpit Air-er? 

Conclusion of the show and following which was the highlight of the USS Christmas Celebrations.

Non-toxic snow foam that would be dispersed via the sprinklers high above the audience. 

It would last only last five minutes. So do take some pictures after you are done marvelling at fake snow descending down the New York main street in USS. 

If you continue to be dumbfounded by the technology, you would be pleased to know snowfalls are scheduled seven times a night from 6.30pm onwards, until 30 December. 

Two of the night view shots i took after the Hollywood Spectacular. 

Before i end this post, i would like to wish all my family members, friends, readers (and even enemies) a Merry Merry Christmas and a great 2014! 
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A Trip to Ipoh, Cameron Highlands & Kuala Lumpur!

November 26, 2013, 6:00 pm
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By the time this was published, i should have arrived in Ipoh after enduring a coach ride of over ten hours and in the midst of seeking out good food for breakfast in this supposedly gastronomic city in Malaysia!  

Two nights stay in the capital of Perak and i would be on the way to the nearby highlands to breath in cool, crisp air untainted by urban pollution. Be assured; i have covered so much on cameron highlands that i am not expecting many posts to be generated because of this trip.

A night stay in Brinchang (a small town in Cameron Highlands) and off we go to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia where the tallest twin towers in the world dazzle visitors over and over again! 

As with my other overseas trips, posts have been scheduled to be published in this blog and you can look forward to new blog entries in the few days that i am away.

Enjoy and take care!! 
^_^

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Sushi Express - Cheap is the word @ Westgate (Beside Jurong East MRT Station)

December 23, 2013, 7:11 am
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Just when i thought conveyor belt sushi is no longer seeing the craze as it did a decade or two ago, i started hearing of long queues forming outside this new entrant that hailed from Taiwan! 

The Great Kon was a big fan of Sushi Express and insisted on bringing us for "tea break" at its new branch yesterday at Westgate; he did warn that quality comes at a price but the incredibly low pricing more than made up the shortfall in quality. 

There was no such thing as coloured plate in Sushi Express - every plate was charged at a standardised S$1.50 each and this really helped to speed up the thought process! In the past, i would do the sums in my brain and deliberate if i should have the five-slice salmon at S$5.90 a plate or grab the inari sushi at S$2.30.

Green tea, unlike other popular establishments like Sakae Sushi, is complimentary and placed conveniently on the table! Another small saving!

Remember, fuss free and speed are keys to this restaurant's survival and the waiter / waitress in charge of your section would inform you immediately upon you are seated that there is no menu and you can take anything you want on the conveyor belt (every plate is S$1.50 anyway).

Miso Soup with Salmon - this was one item not on the conveyor belt for obvious reasons. Surprisingly quite good with bits of salmon hidden at the bottom which didn't overwhelm the soup flavour.

Prawn with Mayo Sushi - the initial taste of slightly burnt mayonnaise made me look forward to the eventual fresh taste of prawns. It didn't come as the prawn tasted slightly off! Ugh...

Giant Scallop - damn satisfying as i dumped the big and juicy mollusk into my big mouth in one go!

Salmon Nigiri - this was so damn worth the price and i didn't get the pathetically thin slice of salmon i often get nowadays! 

Grilled Salmon Belly - this was the best of the limited lot i managed to ingest that day. Guess it was my bias towards grilled and fattening stuff! 

Salmon Sashimi - unlike one negative comment i read on Sushi Express Singapore's facebook, i was lucky that all the salmon i had were quite fresh and i could have eaten a lot more if not for the fact that this meal was supposed to be "tea break".

Number of pink plates the three of us attempted!

21 plates in total; damage - S$31.50 before GST and service charge.

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With sixty over said varieties on the conveyor belt, it was definitely not as many in reality! Even though empty slots were replaced with new plates frequently, i wonder how freshness was being monitored. To quote from my personal experience, i had a tuna nigiri that tasted spoiled. 

Location
3, Gateway Drive,
#B1-26, Westgate

Menu
As above

Price
S$1.50 a plate
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]


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