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Poh Piah Lwee - Not Your Typical Popiah that Comes with Crispy Pork Lard @ Malacca

September 13, 2013, 7:17 am
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Kon and Van might have remembered the quaint lil shop in the above photograph; it was supposed to be our last makan stop at Malacca back in May 2013 but was unfortunately closed on a Monday. 

Its main offering was popiah even though i recollected reading somewhere (likely on someone's blog) that it served a pretty mean cendol as well. Strangely, the guy manning the shop told me otherwise; i am not sure if he meant that day or not at all!

Anyway, here's the RM 2.50 popiah. For those who are unsure what this weird looking thing is, please refer to the Wikipedia page here. 

Taste wise, it is very different from the local version in Singapore; there were a lot more bean sprouts that contributed to the raw yet fresh crunchiness that some of you might dislike. The strips of turnip were also more robustly flavoured and i distinctly knew when i chewed onto one! 

I like my popiah with a sweet layer but it was very subtle in this case. However, the lack of sweetness was replaced by a personal favourite item; crispy pork lard! Unusual indeed as i don't think i have ever had pork lards in popiah!

p.s. i could definitely do with more pork lards in the popiah. 

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Location
14 Jalan Kubu [from the main entrance of Jonker Street, walk all the way to the end until you reach a T-Junction, turn left and the shop is just a few shops down]
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Mahkota Hotel - 2-Bedroom Deluxe Apartment @ Malacca [Opposite Mahkota Parade Shopping Centre]

September 15, 2013, 5:55 am
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When it comes to hotels in Malacca, Singaporeans would definitely know the following three; Mahkota, Equatorial and the latest, Hatten. 

I have been to Malacca twice before and both times, i chose the lesser known hotels (Venus Boutique Hotel was one of them) in the hope of getting a better deal. This round, Mahkota Hotel was selected and it's not because i wanted to!

A friend i knew from my army days asked me (and Alex) along for an overseas 2 days, 1 night Melaka trip he organised for his staff. So a BIG THANKS to him for his generous invitation! 

This inviting pool right outside the main lobby attracted the attention of almost everyone disembarking from the coach, especially when the morning ride to Malacca has been tiresomely long.

An appropriate backdrop for a photoshoot!

Room
Let's talk about our accommodation; there are nine housing blocks in total, offering three types of room. 

Here's ours; a two-bedroom deluxe apartment that came complete with a kitchenette and an air-conditioned living room! Gosh, it felt so homely! 

Given the abundance of food in Malacca, i don't see why i would want to use the kitchen. Speaking of which, why would a traveller require so many cupboards for!? I don't think i want to hoard up on food supplies, pots and pans when i am overseas. And you know what the funny thing is?


The sign - 'Strictly No Cooking'!!!! Why bother having an induction cooktop then? For show (to create a more homely atmosphere) or for me to dry my socks?!

Whatever the case, the entire premise was comfy enough and i have always preferred large windows that allow loads of sunlight into the room; gloomy rooms unleash my wild imagination for the non-living. 

The typical bedroom setup. For those who are waiting for paranormal encounters, there is none. We did knock before we entered the apartment though. Want to know the ten taboos when staying in a hotel? Click here. 

Loving the comfortable bed that was directly facing the air-conditioner! The slumber that night was easily one of the best i ever have! Okay, it could have something to do with the four-hour sleep i barely clocked the night before. 

View from my room! This pool, out of two in the hotel, is more for families with children. Jerald and Jovyn would unquestionably enjoy the slides, as they did in Bintan Lagoon!

Bathroom facilities showed signs of ageing even though i am not very particular so long i can take a shower and the heater is working! Oh, and no discolouration of the water! 

TV channel offerings - Mahkota hotel was built quite a while back (i could not find the data but it is likely more than ten years ago) so the television used was that of the traditional CRT display. 

Amenities
I woke up pretty early the next morning to check out other facilities of the hotel. Note: I guess you don't need further introduction on the swimming pools. 

As you could probably assume from the above, the picture shows the tennis court facing Pulau Melaka, a man-made island. Actually, for those who are unaware, Mahkota Hotel itself was also constructed on reclaimed land.

Gymnasium for health freaks like my sister. The equipment looked pretty new to me and i kind of regretted not using it as i woke up much earlier than the rest on that morning! Could do with some running on the treadmill to burn some calories. 

To be totally honest, i initially thought i had stepped into the housekeeping section! Remember i was complaining about the kitchen? There was a launderette too!!! Maybe there are wealthy individuals who bought the apartments as holiday homes; hence the need to have these essential facilities.

Anyway, should you have loads to wash and do not wish to utilise the expensive laundry service provided by the hotel, you can consider the launderette which cost RM 6.00 for a maximum load of 10.5 kilograms and an approximate 30-minute wait. 

Children's playroom and playground - other must-haves for families with kids! I think i would cry if you ask me to be stationed in the playroom when there are plenty to explore OUTSIDE the hotel.

Breakfast
As part of the regular accommodation deal, a buffet breakfast was provided at Cafe Mahkota.

The spread was quite extensive and you get your decent boring fruit punches, coffee, tea, fried eggs, nasi lemak, congee, dim sum, sausages, salads, fruits, breads and pastries. 

My very standard breakfast! 

Price list of the buffets served in Cafe Mahkota; the one that caught my attention is this "longest high tea" (god knows what it means) that is limited to only Sundays from 12noon to 5pm! 

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Location
Jalan Syed Abdul Aziz 
[Opposite Mahkota Parade]

Map
As above.

Rates
This is based on walk-in rates. For promotional packages, please check out the website.

Website
Click here for more information and room bookings!

Additional Information
Singaporeans who drive all the way to Malacca may wish to know that there is complimentary parking for hotel guests.  

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Smelly Tofu (臭豆腐) @ Malacca [Jonker Street]

September 16, 2013, 8:10 am
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The appearance of this banner stopped me in my tracks; i hesitated for a moment, knowing such acquired taste is not generally well regarded by fellow friends who would have to endure the repulsive smell.

Thankfully, the friends whom i went with were fully aware of my peculiar affection for this smelly snack and did not prevent me for purchasing a set. What they did was to keep a safe distance of at least 3.5154 meters away from me for close to an hour! 

Ultimate question - were they good?

Frankly, i was kidding about my friends keeping a distance from me; the supposedly obnoxious smell was barely the standard of those sold in Singapore's night market. Taste was similar though, but i would still prefer to throw my money at the smellier, crispier ones in Geylang! 

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Location
I didn't note the address but you can never miss the facade. If you are walking from the main entrance of Jonker Street where San Shu Gong is, the shop is to further down, to your right. 

Price
Smelly Tofu - RM 5.00

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Malacca Straits Mosque (Masjid Selat Melaka) - The Floating Mosque @ Melaka [Malaysia]

September 18, 2013, 7:50 am
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One of the stopovers of the cultural tour i participated in Malacca was this floating mosque located on this man-made island known boringly as Pulau Melaka. 

Built at a cost of almost RM 11 million, this place of worship for our Muslim friends can hold a capacity of approximately 2,000 persons and overlooked what is arguably the busiest straits in the whole world; the Straits of Malacca. 

The above 30-meter tall minaret has an additional function as a lighthouse for boats and ships traversing up and down the straits. In the midst of low-rise buildings on the small island, the tower appeared like an imposing beacon shining the surroundings. 

Initially, i thought the mosque was built only in the last one or two years and commented to my friends that workmanship must be pretty bad to have the paint peeling after such a short while. I am wrong! The building was officially opened in 2006, making it almost seven years old!

Design of the palatial mosque was a beautiful blend comprising of both Malaysian and Middle Eastern influences and i personally love the stained glass windows that provided a striking contrast to the generally white building. 

Known affectionately in Malacca as the floating mosque, i was expecting the structure to be literally bouncing on the water. From the picture, the many beams supporting the mosque can be seen and hence, "floating" is hardly the right word to use.

Literally floating is out of the question but there was a basis to the title bestowed upon the mosque; it was said that the mosque would appear to be floating in the event of high water level brought on by high tide. 

I could not confirm as it was definitely not high tide when i visited. I was more intrigued by the men who were performing dangerous rectification works on the viewing platform! 

Entry to the mosque's main hall was denied for those who were not wearing long pants (including me) and i just had to make do with taking photographs outside the premise. Note: wear jeans the next time!

Found quite a number of couples taking wedding shoots using the mosque as the backdrop.

At the moment, there was nothing much to do on the island. Let's hope that the area would be more vibrant with a Middle Eastern themed mall that was nearing completion and the realisation of plans to have more tourist attractions.
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Fried Oyster Egg @ Mini Star (HK) Fermented Beancurd [Geylang]

September 19, 2013, 7:47 am
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Singaporeans have no lack of delectable food option and even if i might be craving for something at the moment, that urge to have it might just wane upon sniffing something delicious at the coffeeshop or even temporary food kiosks in shopping centres! 

The above would explain somewhat why i have been missing out on my favourite smelly tofu at Geylang. Another significant reason is that not many friends share my affection for fermented beancurd and whenever it was suggested as a possible site for meals, i would face extremely hostile objections... :(

Thankfully, there is the Gang of Four. 
p.s. Kon shared my love for smelly tofu btw. 

I am not going to say much of the signature smelly tofu as i have extensively talked about it in this blog for quite a number of times and there's seriously no point in me regurgitating things i have said before. Do click here which would lead on to another two more blog entries! 

What i am going to introduce today, is the fried oyster egg (honestly, omelette would be the more appropriate term). Fried in the style of Furong Egg (with the insides being incredibly fluffy and moist), this had the additional layer of being infused with the raw oceanic flavour originating from the oysters! 

This is coming from a person who detests oysters just as much as those disgusting cockles - the flavour was what i am looking for (think about it, some people can take durian ice cream but not durians; same concept)! Whatever the case, this plate packed in a lot of plump oysters! 

I, for one, would have requested for more eggs than oysters. 

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Location
795 Geylang Road
[Near Paya Lebar MRT Station]

Operating Hours
12 noon - 2am [Daily]

Price
Fried Oyster Egg - S$10

Menu
Updated menu with eighty items to choose from! Kon strongly recommends the fried pig intestines; a dish i have yet to find the guts (pun not intended) to try. 
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Block 3D [1973-1983] @ Choa Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery

September 20, 2013, 8:44 am
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Many friends have commented right across my face that i am morbid; all because i like to check out the land of the dead in my free time. Till now, i could not fathom what's wrong with THEM!? =P

I agree it is an unusual "hobby", maybe even weird but the serenity and quietness of cemeteries can be so... therapeutic. Gosh, i think i have inadvertently made matters worse! 

Whatever the case, i am dead set on exploring the different blocks of Choa Chu Kang Chinese cemetery in my free time and the first one was Block 3D where the tombs of the four tragic Geylang Bahru children stood. 

Housing the remains of those buried between 1973 and 1983, the challenges to navigating this small block were the uneven terrain, potholes, unclear pathways and cluttered display of tombstones. 

The good thing about it was that the tombstones came in numerous shape and design; lacking the tidy uniformity we commonly see in the newer blocks. 

One was simply a slab of stone with barely readable Chinese characters. 

Another had basically a washed out look with zero information of the deceased. I am not sure if it was an act of vandalism or that the descendants had relocated the remains to a crematorium.

Relocation sounded like a more probable reason as the official ruling for land burial in Singapore stated a limitation of at most fifteen years for those with religion that permits cremation. It was not strictly enforced although some of the surrounding burial plots have already been cleared of graves. 

There were a few unique features to this block; one of which was the high concentration of children tombs! 

Unlike the crypt-like tombs popularly used nowadays, it's easy to spot a child tomb in this 30-year old block. The mound behind the headstone would be much smaller as compared to an adult tomb. 

Okay, i admit i felt a bit uneasy when i chanced upon this picture of the baby girl on the headstone. Don't think there's anything paranormal as the tomb was openly exposed to the harsh elements of nature.

This taller-than-usual headstone was the first tomb that caught my attention; belonging to a clan association (三合会馆 which is now known as 广西暨高州会馆 Guangxi and Gaozhou Association), i initially thought the name sounded more like a secret society in Singapore's colonial days! 

Similar to Ying Fui Fo Kun, this was a collective tomb housing likely the exhumed remains of members of the association. Once again, i could hardly make out the Chinese characters!!!

Lastly, the simple yet delicate rose tomb of an eighteen year-old lady by the name of Yeo Siew Choo who passed away on 19 June 1973. 

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Location Map
As above [Block 3D had a blue border]
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WaffleTown - Clucky Lucky Fried Chicken & Plain Waffle @ Balmoral Plaza [near Newton MRT station]

September 22, 2013, 7:27 am
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A harmless comment from a colleague sparked an unstoppable craving to visit the Waffletown, the old school cafe that used to be located in Bukit Timah Plaza near Ngee Ann Polytechnic, yesterday. 

This wasn't my virgin patronage although i agreed the standard had deteriorated the last time i was there (which was at least quite a few years ago). 

So what exactly was my colleague's comment? We were having Texas Chicken for lunch when Ms Kelly Lau recalled the fried chicken from Waffletown! On second thoughts, my failing memory recollected that the chicken was better than the waffles. 

Clucky Lucky Fried Chicken 
So, i ordered the three-piece meal and was ecstatic to find that my carbohydrates intake would be minimal since i don't take mashed potatoes (Alex gobbled it up by the way)! p.s. trying to lose weight! 

They screamed of plain old fashioned perfectness. Served piping hot, it didn't leave that disgusting greasiness in your mouth and the chicken meat was so tender and juicy; it could have just been slaughtered that very morning! Flavour wise, it lacked the herbs and spices signature of KFC and would not be well taken by those who dislike Arnolds Chicken.

I like Arnold Chicken. One of the key highlights in Arnolds was its crispy yet oily chicken skin. It wasn't the same crispiness in Waffletown but i would go for this flakier, lighter version simply because it appeared less oily! 

Plain Belgian Waffle
Unlike two decades ago, waffles are now commonly found in many places, especially with the recent explosion of ice cream parlours. Back then, Waffletown was obviously famous for its waffles. 

With the change in times, there are many who argued that the waffles didn't appear to be as good as before. In order not to be judgmental when it comes to toppings like creamy ice-cream, i purposely chose a plain waffle for this review.

This was way better than the soggy one i had a few years ago! It came thankfully hot with crusty sides and contained that natural buttery fluffiness well-liked by many in the past. To me, it was a nostalgic trip of travelling back in time; having waffle with good old SCS butter and Heinz breakfast maple syrup. 

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Location
271 Bukit Timah Road,
#01-08, Balmoral Plaza
[near Newton MRT station]

Opening Hours 
11am to 10pm daily.

Website 


Price
3-Piece Fried Chicken Meal - S$9.90 nett
Plain Waffle - S$2.90 nett

Menu 
As above

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Full Moon - Finally In View Using the Camera!

September 24, 2013, 8:09 am
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Even though i have held on to a DSLR for quite a number of years, my photography skills were limited to using the programme function and letting the AI decide the best shutter and aperture for me. 

So, for quite a number of years, i can never quite get why friends are able to take and post clear pictures of a beautiful full moon when the best i can get was the above; a ball of bright light and that's it! 

Laziness aside, i never did attempt to check out with those friends, until recently during the mid-autumn festival when the moon would appear to be the brightest, roundest and fullest for the year! 

My first few attempts failed. 
The last few were somewhat successfully. 

There was a slight problem though.
I still don't know how i manage to get it right.
Time for an intensive googling session! 
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Kampong Salang - Full Day Snorkeling Trip Part 2 @ Tioman Island [Malaysia]

October 26, 2013, 10:18 pm
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Part two of the full day snorkeling trip shall bring us to Kampong Salang, where the northernmost jetty and village in Tioman Island are both located. It is also the last stop for all ferries originating from Mersing or Tanjung Gemuk.

Spotted on the side of the village was the stunning view of what appeared to be a resort featuring traditional wooden architecture! My gosh, i would so love to stay there in my next visit! 

Residing in the midst of nature, this would likely be marketed as a place of total relaxation when it opens for business. My check with a local resident revealed that it was still in the midst of construction and no one actually knows what it would be called. 

Maybe due to its label as the last stop, the jetty also seemed exceptionally long compared to the rest in Tioman Island. However, idle ferries parked in the jetty often gave one the impression the surrounding water would likely be polluted.

Not that it mattered to us since this was merely a stopover for us to have lunch and i guess many of us were famished after the intensive snorkeling sessions we had in Tulai island. 

Young kids thundering down the jetty! Such a scene used to be quite common in one of Singapore's outlying islands a decade ago; Pulau Ubin. Safety aside, it was the lack of educational amenities that forced most families with young children to relocate to the mainland.

The alfresco cafe where we chose to have lunch. 'Chose' might be a wrong word to use as we were given packet lunches and hence, would not be ordering anything else in the cafe except for drinks. Thankfully, the owner was agreeable to let us use the space! With an order of drinks of course! 

Our packet lunches from the resort; choice of either mee goreng or fried rice. Nothing outstanding but it did its job to fill up the hungry tummy. 

Directly opposite the cafe was Tulai island! 

To the other side of the village were some chalets on rocky terrain. Since i am the first to clean up my lunch, i decided not to waste any time and proceed to do some exploration on my own.

The sleepy village turned out to be much more vibrant than i expected. There were quite a number of eating establishments and it appeared to be more crowded than Kampong Paya, where i stayed. 

A number of diving centers served the needs of visitors and i was once again tempted to check out the prices! To earn a PADI certificate is definitely an item on my bucket list! 

Beer for takeaway!? I have no idea how different this is compared to buying a few bottles of beer from the provision shops and packing them back to the resort. 

Packages for those who have the luxury of time to explore more! I am already thinking of signing up for the round island tour the next time i visit. 

Prices seemed cheaper in Kampong Salang; back in Kampong Paya, there was no promotional 'set' for mask and snorkel fin and rental for each item cost RM 8! 

For those who would like to purchase 100% waterproof bags for their beach vacations can consider visiting http://www.hyper-gear.com/ for more details.

Bird's nest house where the highly valuable Chinese delicacy is harvested! My sympathy to those living next to the concrete structure as the swallows can be very noisy at night! 

Shark and turtle watching!? Another person / number to note for my next visit. 

More photographs of Kampong Salang before i conclude this post.

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Map of Kampong Salang
As above
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Cinnamon Raisin Bun @ Lavender Bakery [Malaysia]

October 27, 2013, 7:00 am
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Whenever my elder sister visits Johore Bahru, there is bound to be one thing she would purchase from Lavender confectionery and bakery; cinnamon raisin buns! 

Therefore, when i visited Johore Bahru recently for a food trip with a few NUS colleagues, i could hardly resist the temptation when i saw an almost full tray of delicious cinnamon raisin buns! 

There were seven on the tray; i grabbed six. While at the payment counter, i figured one more wouldn't hurt and hurried to get the last remaining bun! Damn the craving bug! 

Unlike the buns from defunct saint cinnamon, Lavender's version was only coated with fragrant cinnamon powder but what makes it stand out from the rest was its inclusion of raisins, cranberries, almonds and the thin drizzle of hardened sugar coating!

Sweet tooth aside, i am totally loving the soft, fluffy texture! 

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Location
Available in most branches of Lavender Bakery and Confectionery. Note: it does run out pretty fast

Price
RM3.90 a bun 
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Tioman Island Marine Park (Tetek) - Full Day Snorkeling Trip Part 3

October 28, 2013, 7:42 am
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My mom always says it's not good to swim with a full stomach - despite knowing this; it didn't stop me from jumping into the inviting water when the speedboat brought us to the third snorkeling site after lunch! 

At least i didn't attempt to do what the guys did above; they dived directly from the jetty whereas i slowly climbed down to where the steps met the water and plunged with a less dramatic splash. 

Some background information of the marine park - it is located close to Tetek Village, the main gateway (as far as air travel is concerned) of Tioman Island and unlike most places on the island, it has retaining walls erected on some sections of the sandy beach.

Before i start with the underwater world, maybe i should just pre-warned you about the definition of marine park; it doesn't necessarily mean you are in a natural enclave where fishes swim without a care for the world and corals thrive like cockroaches. 

Water visibility was clear for close to three, four meters but i didn't get to see much corals. In fact, there were artificial reefs installed on the seabed that would take a long while before you get to see colours other than grey.

Strangely, the lack of corals didn't appear to affect the quantity of fishes as the marine park was simply teeming with them! And i am not even referring to those smaller, common yellow-black striped ones!

See!!!! I didn't even remember having so many fishes of such size surrounding me in other snorkeling sites! Hm...... highly suspicious... were those yellow-tipped fishes specially caged up in the marine park? 

Whatever the case, the danger of stepping onto a coral and risk injuring yourself (and the coral) was basically non-existent. 

And that's when people started relaxing and treated the marine park more like a humongous swimming pool!
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Pantai Paya Seafood Restaurant @ Kampong Paya [Tioman Island]

October 29, 2013, 7:45 am
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I can honestly tell you what was in my mind when i saw the above dining outfit when i disembarked from the ferry at Kampong Paya; "there is no way i am going to eat there"!

Rundown would be the best compliment i can give to the place and i always associate rundown with bad hygiene, just like many people. However, except for this deceiving picture i attached below, the place was usually crowded with hungry diners during mealtimes! 

So, both Alex and I deemed that it was necessary to dispel our fear of a possible diarrhea laden trip back to Singapore and order a few dishes on our last day in the village. 

Fu Rong Egg
I would at most classify this as an omelette you can get from egg counter in the resort's buffet breakfast. A big disappointment as i was expecting a strong tasting egg with a rich coating of wok hei.

Deep Fried Calamari in Salted Egg
That delectable aroma was so enticing yet the taste betrayed its intention; neither did it exude that savouriness signature of salted egg yolk nor did it manage to include that fragrant sweetness that would have made me like it a bit more. 

Steamed Fish
I am not a person who would go for steamed fish when i am outside the house but the owner of the restaurant was marveling about this 1.2 kilogram fish freshly caught from the sea and our dear Alex decided to place the order for it.

That's our dear Alex to you. He didn't seem to care that it was a big fish and there were just the two of us; one who has a small stomach (him) and the other one who has been trying to lose weight (me).

To give the poor fish the benefit, it was easily the freshest i have ever had and the meat was so chunky! As the saying goes, steaming the fish is the best way to gauge its freshness and this was definitely well worth the monies.

If only my mom was there to help me clean up the fish!

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Location
Kampong Paya [from the jetty, turn right]

Price
Fu Rong Egg - RM8.00
Deep Fried Calamari - RM15.00
Steamed Fish - RM70.00

Menu
As above.

Additional Information
Ask for the wifi password! 

There was a half built structure right in front of the restaurant. I sure hope this would be its extension overlooking the splendid ocean! 


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A for Arbite for Dinner @ 28 Aliwal Street (Near Arab Street and Beach Road)

October 30, 2013, 8:15 am
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While everyone knows that A for Apple, B for Boy, C for Cat, D for... , you get the picture, there were three secondary school buddies who decided to change our childhood learning by insisting A is for Arbite! 

What the hell is Arbite? It is supposed to be a German / Danish word for work although in my shallow opinion, it could have bloody meant i bite! Nothing violent, just a simple way of expressing my love for food.

Anyway, Arbite was the Great Kon's second latest recommendation (his latest was Mad for Garlic which i shall blog in a separate post)! And if i recommend correctly, this visit was his fourth! Or was it fifth?!

p.s. upon some clarification, i have to make a correction here; it was the newly minted Mrs Kon (previously known as Vanessa Tan) who was the first to check out and recommend Arbite!

Lobster Cake
This was okay. As usual, i am biased against potato croquette kind of food and this was similar given the heavy weightage of potato with hardly any surprising element. 

Escargot
Deviating from the normal way of land snails served in shells, each escargot was actually placed on top of button mushroom cup and then cooked with garlic butter! For mushroom lovers, you would definitely enjoy the buttery, earthly taste of fungi even though as far as escargots were concerned, their flavour was sadly masked by the mushrooms. 

Lobster Thermidor
A rich concoction making up of Maine lobster (pieces, not whole), crabmeat, mushrooms, cream, mustard, brand and parmesan cheese, it was an incredibly potent dip that was exceptionally buttery, savoury! 

There was only one problem; i required more slices of bread!!!

Pan-fried Scallops
Most pan-fried scallops i had a crunchy texture but the ones here were unimaginably soft and juicy! Not only that, the combination of prune and balsamic puree and crispy parma ham made me wondered why other restaurants are not doing it the yummy way Arbite does! 

Kimchi Aglio Olio
It must be all the running man shows that enticed us to make an order for this Korean inspired pasta. Weirdly, instead of getting whole leaves of fermented cabbage, we were given unhealthy braised pork belly! 

The spiciness reminded me of kimchi instant noodles, which i can easily cook myself in the comfort of my own kitchen and the pork belly was too dry for my liking. 

Beef Onglet Tataki
Despite having a presentation similar to the content of some canned dog food, this was simply delicious with a juiciness and tenderness that could have beaten a big slab of quality steak!

Jar of Duck
This was more than just duck. In addition to duck rillettes (some sort of pate) and duck breast meat, that tiny glass jar also contained luxurious items like foie gras, black truffles and, roasted grapes (i have never heard of grapes being roasted)!

Two more photographs to whet your appetite and give you a clearer picture on what's inside the jar!

The flavour might be a bit overwhelming if you eat it on its own; do use the crackers which can be replenished upon request! One way i can describe the taste was akin to tuna without the fishiness yet slightly vinegarish added with a nice punch of pungency (thanks to the truffle oil). 

Oh, by the way, roasted grapes tasted so good! 

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Location
28 Aliwal Street, #01-01 
[Finding a carpark lot is frustrating, so please consider parking your car at Sultan Plaza or Keypoint and use both your legs to walk over]

Map
As above

Number to Call for Reservation
8321 2252

Website

Price
Lobster Cake - S$6.00
Escargot - S$5.00
Lobster Thermidor - S$12.00
Pan-fried Scallops - S$8.00
Kimchi Aglio Olio - S$21.90
Beef Onglet Tataki - S$6.00
Jar of Duck - S$19.50
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

Menu
As above

Additional Information
Kindly keep in mind that portions were not big and multiple requests for the same dish are highly probable! 
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Renggis Island - Final Stop of the Full Day Snorkeling Trip @ Tioman Island [Malaysia]

October 31, 2013, 8:45 am
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Renggis Island and Coral Island were often grouped as the two islands to visit for a typical snorkeling package for most, if not all resorts in Tioman Island. 

What i didn't expect was that Renggis Island is amazingly small and should be more appropriately known as a sizable outcrop with a green canopy rather than an island. 

When it comes to snorkeling, whether an island is big or small is inconsequential! What's more important are the variety of marine life, the quantity of them and the beauty of the scenery that greets you as you plunge into the water.
 
As far as underwater scenery is concerned, Renggis Island doesn't have much to offer as you could probably attest from the many photographs above. It was not too bad although i personally would prefer Teluk Genting in Coral Island. 

Variety was one of the better ones where i can see fishes of various sizes and different colours. In my case, catching sight of a clownfish while snorkeling would be a bonus! 

A lot of sea urchins with eyes that should belong to a sci-fi movie! Given the depth of the seawater, my legs were thankfully not long enough to step on one. See! Here's one of many benefits for not being tall! 

Quantity wise, i rest my case. 

Damn, this resort is so near to Renggis Island! If we stayed here, i can bet with you we would be as dark as charcoal when we return to Singapore! Anyone can tell me what resort is this?!

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To check out the rest of my full day snorkeling trip, click the following;

Want to know what to bring on a snorkeling trip?
Click HERE! 

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Desserts in Arbite @ 28 Aliwal Street (Near Arab Street and Beach Road)

November 2, 2013, 8:30 am
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If there's one that the Gang of Four could not resist in a Western cuisine restaurant, it is the temptation of desserts, especially when they come in fanciful names that further pique our interest. 

French Toast with G.M Mascarpone
For a moment, i thought i would be able to have this French toast with the General Manager who has the family name that is exactly the same as the creamy Italian cheese. 

Sadly, G.M refers to the Asian ingredient Gula Melaka that was mixed into the above cup of mascarpone and cream cheese (damn, i had no idea this was so fattening)!  

If eaten separately, the French toast and small cup of mixture would not blow you away. In fact, i thought the toast was a tad too burnt and might perform better using a different of bread. 

Once you mix both and eat them in one simple chomp, the taste improved markedly even though i still stand by my review that the bread used could be better. 

My Wife's Chocolate Cake
This simple name evokes a strong sense of homely feel and i feel compelled to give it a try whenever i see a dish that starts with my father, my mother, my husband, my wife, my grandfather or my grandmother. 

Frankly, i love the chocolate cake; it wasn't cloyingly sweet, had a light, airy texture and a significant layer of delicious chocolate cream on top! Credit also to the vanilla ice cream which had that incredibly rich vanilla essence sought by many!

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For my review on Arbite's main offerings, kindly click HERE.

Location
 28 Aliwal Street, #01-01 [Finding a carpark lot is frustrating, so please consider parking your car at Sultan Plaza or Keypoint and use both your legs to walk over] 

Map 
As above 

Number to Call for Reservation 
8321 2252 

Website 
http://www.arbite.com.sg/home-a.php
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Kampong Paya - What Can You Find Here? @ Tioman Island [Malaysia]

November 3, 2013, 7:19 am
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As we disembarked from the ferry originating from mainland Malaysia, the first word that came to mind was "awesome"! Morbidly, i thought this would be great place to bury my remains.

In Feng Shui, this has the beneficial backing of the tallest mountain in Tioman Island and the auspicious facing of an almost crystal-clear water; optimal conditions for my descendants' fortune and prosperity!

Jokes aside, we were really impressed by the clarity of the water and the amount of fishes surrounding the frequently used jetty; i caught sightings of big-sized parrotfish and even the elegant ribbonfish.

Another view of the jetty which i heard was made of wooden planks ten to twenty years back. That would have resulted in a more rustic feel but i guess the frequent maintenance would have enticed most operators to switch to concrete.

Signage clearly notifying that you are in the marine parks area and would be subject to a list of rules and regulations; many of which are openly flouted like the use of fins.

From the jetty, you have three simple directions ahead of you; right in front was the Sri Paya Tioman Chalet which seemed pretty much uninteresting and i decided not to venture further.

To the left was where our choice of accommodation was located; Paya Beach Resort. For my feedback, please refer to HERE.

Since Paya Beach resort was the biggest in the village, you would find yourself flanked by commercial entities out to provide convenience and information.

I am refraining from using "out to earn your dough" because that's the original motivator for any commercial enterprise. There is a need / want and providing supply is just a natural progression. Anyway, the above is place where i had my ramly burger! Click HERE for the details.

Don't have an underwater camera? Fret not; you can rent a unit from the above shop. If not, you can also find shops selling waterproof handphone pouches for you to bring along your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy on a snorkeling trip!

One of three convenience shops (one of which was air-conditioned) in Kampong Paya. These do not include those in the resorts).

Things sold in the shops were pretty varied; soft toys, tools for sandcastle building, T-shirts for those who didn't bring enough clothes, bread / biscuits for the fishes, ice cream, snacks etc.

For those who are too lazy to sign up for a non-permanent data line yet want to have the freedom to visit facebook, load your photos on instagram etc can consider the option above. Pay RM10 and she would key in the password in your mobile phone for the use of her wifi. Connection was not too bad and if you are interested, it would be the first provision shop to the right as you turn from the jetty.

Another place for ramly burger.

The seaview was much better being nearer and without pedestrians blocking your way. I was actually supposed to try this ramly burger on my last day.... Didn't manage to as i was too full! :(

Otherwise, this would be the view greeting me.

This was the area beyond Paya Beach Resort. Don't be deceived by this low-tide picture as i can confidently tell you that snorkeling in the channel between the above island and the mainland is one of the best we ever have!

Pictures of snorkeling in the area would be posted in this blog within a week; so do look out for it if you are keen to find out more.

Tioman Paya Resort - your third choice of accommodation would be accessible via a smaller road to the right before the entrance of Paya Beach Resort.

Honestly, this would be the last place i would consider for accommodation; wooden planks aside, you are basically surrounded by trees which would be incredibly scary when the sun sets! You know what's worse? Power failure!

There were dwellings at some point (even a carpentry workshop) even though this would still be considered as an off-beaten track best avoided by timid and pampered tourists.

I would have loved to check out the housing condition but the whole place was dead quiet and it would be impolite to barge into a residential area without permission.

Eventually, you would reach a wooden bridge that offered no protection if someone (or something) accidentally causes you to lose your balance.

That would be fine in the daytime.
Definitely another story altogether at night.

Swimming in litter-strewn water is one thing; having to battle with unknown creatures lurking in the water is another. By unknown, i am referring to the monitor lizards and snakes!!!

The gaps in between the wooden planks!

Entrance to the Tioman Paya Resort. Accommodation type was alike to the chalets in Paya Beach Resort although they were more sparsely located, providing a bit more privacy.

Back to civilization! Rewarding you with a black and white filter for staying put! :P Anyway, the village reminded me somewhat of my old kampong in Nee Soon.

Let's proceed with the left side from the jetty.

This pavilion would be the first thing you meet as you turn right; nothing extraordinary although i found a similar one in Kampong Salang before too. 

A cafe which i didn't have the opportunity to visit. 

Pantai Paya Seafood Restaurant - i had my last meal in Tioman here! Click HERE for the details. 

Could you guess what this is for? I bet it was for the flies! For those who don't get it, it's common for eateries to hang plastic bags filled with water on the ceiling; the water reflection was supposed to confuse the flies, hence forcing them to avoid the place.

Branded as 'local activities services' which i assumed to be sea-sports, it appeared to be more a residential area than a commercial strip offering services. 

You can rent a canoe apparently which should be fun. Other than that, i don't see any unique offerings that differ from what you can get from your resort at similar pricing. 

I could be wrong of course since i never did ask the proprietor and there could also be more chances of bargaining for a better offer in such establishment. 

Here's the end of my take on Kampong Paya. I thought Kampong Salang was more vibrant and crowded even though this would be a more appropriate destination over Salang if you are looking for quieter moments.

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Map of Kampong Paya
As above.


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Coral Seaweed Jelly - 100% Vegetarian 'Sea Bird's Nest' Rich in Collagen from Arkon [Lemon & Sour Plum Recipe]

November 4, 2013, 6:54 am
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Let me introduce to you a very healthy yet delicious product that was promoted as a 100% vegetarian dessert supposedly similar in taste to a Chinese ancient delicacy known as bird's nest.

Coral Seafood Jelly - made from kappaphycus (known as coral seaweed for layman like myself), it boasts tremendous nutritional value that includes being a natural water based fiber that aids in digestion, improve the immune system, and is rich in collagen, calcium and iron! 

Honestly, the benefits sound more like i am promoting a multi-vitamin and minerals pill rather than a dessert. Well, if pills taste this delicious, i would not mind popping a few every few hours!

There are generally two packaging to choose from; either the 600 grams six-cube pack or the 450 grams nine-cube pack. My family always go for the bigger bag since we can never get enough of it! 

A number of recipes are available and the following is a simple lemon and sour plum recipe imparted to me from the lady manning the temporary food kiosk in Northpoint:

Thoroughly clean a fresh lemon and scrape its skin (only the yellow portion) using a peeler. Throw everything into the water (one cube from the 600 grams pack would require roughly 1,500 ml of water) and bring it to boil. The amount of water would determine the sweetness and texture of the eventual product. 

I am using two cubes; hence the humongous pot that contained three liters of water! By the way, you have to wait for the water to boil before you add the cubes which feel a bit like rock sugar. In the meantime, enjoy the refreshing citrus fragrance in the kitchen!

Wait for the cubes to dissolve although you may wish to give it an occasional stir every now and then. Once that's done, add in one or two sour plums, boil for a few more minutes and turn off the fire.

At this point, you have to wait patiently for the liquid to cool down (I took my cue by observing the evaporating steam) before transferring it to the container of your choice. Remember the lemon just now? Cut and squeeze half of it into the water and stir for uniformity. Last step: put the container into the fridge! 

Compared to typical jelly or even the nutritious konnyaku jelly, this coral seaweed jelly is less sweet, has no artificial flavouring with a texture welcomed by even the elderly and absolutely enjoyable to have on a hot day! 

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Where To Get It?
Call the delivery hotline at 8499-8726 between Mondays and Fridays (10am to 5pm). But if you just want to try it out, you can find it at the following outlets:

NTUC Finest and Xtras (300 grams only)
OG (600 grams only)
Yue Hwa Chinese Products (300 grams)
Food Exhibitions (which is where i usually get my orders)

Live in or near to Yishun? You may find the sea bird nest for sale in the small-scale food exhibition on the ground level of Northpoint. I think the exhibition would end this Sunday, 10 November 2013.

Price
4-Cube 600 grams - S$16 a pack
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Dragon-i (龍的傳人) @ Johor Bahru City Square [Malaysia]

November 6, 2013, 5:43 am
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A close relative has just passed away and i am actually not in the mood to blog. As each year goes by, the older and wiser I start getting more and more afraid about life in general and what it holds for me in the future.

Oh well, the ever cheerful me would work it out eventually. As the saying goes, life goes on and no matter what, there's always food as a denominator to cheer us up! So, let's dive into the topic today; Dragon-i.

Some of you might recall reading this restaurant in my blog as i did mention about its epic Shanghainese small dumplings (otherwise known as xiaolongbao) when i was in Kuala Lumpur a few months ago. 

This time round, i was blessed with an empty stomach that would allow me to indulge in more dishes at one of Dragon-i branches in the Malaysian city nearest to Singapore; Johor Bahru! 

Lemongrass Drink
Two words summed it well; Very nice!!!

Shanghainese Steamed Meat Dumplings
Enough has been said about the xiaolongbao in Dragon-i. Quality was deliciously similar to what i had in Kuala Lumpur and you may click HERE for my review then. 

Steamed Egg Yolk Custard Buns
Compared to what i had in Kuala Lumpur, the version here in Johore Bahru had improved markedly!

The bright yellow dough was soft like a pillow and the overflowing filling was perfectly satisfactory; showcasing a seamless teamwork between the savouriness and sweetness that overwhelmed your taste buds! 

Deep-Fried Custard Buns
Looking similar to the tiny donuts balls sprinkled with icing powder sold in many traditional bakeries in Singapore, i was quite disappointed when i took a bite.

No doubt the custard filling was generous and the hard crunchy shell could appeal to some; but what i didn't enjoy was the taste of the custard. The texture was dry and didn't amaze us as i expected it to be.

Fried Rice
w Ham, Shrimps and Fish
Alright-tasting although i cannot evaluate it on the same level as Din Tai Fung's fried rice which was seriously one of the better ones in the market that doesn't cost you a hole in the pocket. 

Steam Meat Dumplings
w Chilli Soy Sauce
The initial shot of numbing spiciness was encouraging yet the eventual conclusion was just normal wantons coated in a layer of chilli oil bearing hardly any similarity to what i had in Crystal Jade. Oh yes, there was a similarity; their appearance. 

Fried Radish Cake in XO Sauce
w Prawns and Dried Scallops
Cantonese style carrot cake seldom impressed me since i am more a black-sauce carrot cake kind of person. However, this was good with a generous splattering of fragrant hae bee! 

Deep-Fried Crispy Aroma Duck
Alarm bells should have rung in my brain when i caught that apprehensive expression on the waiter's face when we asked if this was good.

Appearance wise, i thought it looked pretty alright and boasting a sinful crunchiness i personally like in any poultry dish. By the way, you are supposed to treat this dish as you would with the Beijing Duck.

Which means you have to wrap them up! Well, having had authentic Beijing duck last year in China's capital, i must say this was a total letdown. It would been nicer to eat the duck on its own without any fancy condiments but even so, the marination was a bit on the salty side. 

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Location
106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook
Lot No. J3-36, Level 3, 
Johore Bahru City Square (Office Tower)

Price
Lemon Grass Drink - RM11.00
Xiaolongbao - RM10.30
Steamed Egg Yolk Custard Buns - RM8.00
Deep-Fried Custard Buns - RM9.00
Fried Rice - RM18.00
Steam Meat Dumplings with Chilli - RM12.00
Fried Radish Cake in XO Sauce - RM13.80
Deep-Fried Crispy Aroma Duck - RM38.00
[Subject to GST and Service Charge]

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Sembawang Hot Spring (三巴旺溫泉) - Yishun Sembawang Heritage Trail @ Yishun [Singapore]

November 8, 2013, 7:30 am
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Despite living in Yishun my entire life (including the village), it's utter embarrassing to tell people that i have never stepped foot into the natural jewel of Yishun; the Sembawang Hot Spring!

Until a month ago that is; when i put my foot down and insisted "enough is enough"! I have been ridiculed long enough and it doesn't appear fair when i talk about other places yet draw a blank when it comes to the hot spring that is so close to where i stay.

The location was not difficult to find. What's more troublesome and inconvenient were that the nearest bus stop was a few hundred meters and there was no car park facility! For motorists, you can only park your vehicle at block 114 and then proceed to the hot spring on foot. 

From the entrance, it was a leisure walk of another hundred over meters.  

Sembawang Hot Spring; the one and only natural hot spring in mainland Singapore. Well, it was definitely not your typical image of a hot spring where there is a big pool of steaming water surrounded by manicured trees and beautified by cascading waterfalls. 

I wasn't disappointed since the national news would occasionally run a story on the hot spring and i am already aware by the pictures placed next to the article that it was just a concrete structure with taps all over the place.

For a Sunday, it wasn't as crowded as i expected since the spring water was said to contain powerful medicinal properties that can treat ailments such as rheumatism, arthritis and cure skin conditions like acne and psoriasis! 

Due to its isolated spot, there were also rumours of paranormal encounters; one of which was of a Malay boy who fell into the hot spring and literally scalded to death. Unlike plain water that boils at 100 degrees celcius, the spring water in Sembawang would only do so at 131 degrees celcius!

The faint words actually said Gambas Hot Spring which sounded more appropriate since the entry to the spring was from Gambas Road. Another name that was frequently used in the past was Salitar Hot Spring (Seletar Hot Spring).

Housing the well of the hot spring which you can gleaned through the metal gate; it was locked with dried leaves strewn all over the tiled floor. Bet this would be more scary at night although i would never get to know as the hot spring closed by 7pm everyday!

Woah; an evil curse written in Chinese! For the benefits of my non-Chinese speaking friends and readers, the content was as follows: "Attention! Anyone who vandalises the properties of the hot spring shall be the recipient of this curse. Your closed friends and relatives who are alive will all die of horrible accidents! Those dead will never get reincarnated!" 

Source of the spring water! Hmmmm, not exactly the real source even though for commoners like me and you, this would be the place for you to get a few buckets of sulphur and mineral enriched water.

Evidence of its rich mineral content.

Storage area for the caretaker. Chairs and plastic containers were found all over the vicinity but if you could not find any, i believe you can ask for them from the caretaker (if he is around).

A religious altar - i could not quite make out the words so i am unsure who was being worshiped. 

A note of caution here; the high temperature means you have to wait for the water to cool before soaking your feet! There was a widely reported case of a man who lost six toes because of gangrene after a session in the hot spring.

Bottles of vinegar; guess this would be added to the water for additional "power".


Just a few photographs of visitors enjoying themselves. I thought it was a great day to spend the Sunday with a group of friends or family members. 

There was one problem though; no washroom!


Time to leave! I didn't try out the spring water as i was poor equipped - covered shoes, no towel and brought along a new DSLR camera that i am afraid would be accidentally dunked into the hot water. 

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Location
Next to Chong Pang Camp, along Gambas Road. You may refer to the streetdirectory map i have appended above. The blue flower denotes the location of Sembawang Hot Spring.

For those who prefer a more "real" picture, you notice the bus somewhere in the middle? That is the approximate location of the spring's entrance.

Additional Information
Rules and regulations as above. Admission is free and the spring is open daily from 7am to 7pm.

Given the proximity to the military camp, please keep in mind that the soldiers have the statutory permission to shoot you if you climb over the fence.


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Hiang Kee Seafood Restaurant (香记海鲜大饭店) @ Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre (大馬花園小販中心), Johor Bahru [Malaysia]

November 9, 2013, 2:08 am
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Taman Sri Tebrau, known popularly as 大馬花園 among many Chinese Singaporeans, was well-known as the place to have your dinner right across the causeway at Johor Bahru.

It wasn't my first visit although the last was during my Starhub days, which was easily seven to eight years ago when i wasn't as motivated to update this blog on a frequent basis.

Anyway, my fellow NUS colleague strongly recommended a seafood meal at Hiang Kee restaurant (frankly, this was more a tze char stall in a hawker centre than a restaurant) in our recent JB trip and we decided to take up her suggestion!

Malay Kangkong
馬來風光
Even though this had the much-needed spiciness, it lacked the wok hei flavour that so often differentiates it from the home-cooked version. The absence of pork lard was a disappointment but it could not match the disgust our faces when we realised there was sourness after chewing! We left almost the whole plate alone after that.

Sambal Squid
叄峇鱿魚
The fiery spiciness was not as intensive as the kangkong and featured a sweeter tomato-based sauce that was very much welcome after the awful vegetables.

Furong Egg
芙蓉蛋
Am i the only one who feels that chefs have recently been attempting to transform this simple dish by adding more ingredients?! It was the same case in Hiang Kee, except that it was too salty for my liking.

Salted Egg Yolk Crab
咸蛋螃蟹
Love the wet form salted egg yolk crab? This was by far one of the best i had; amazingly buttery with a strong delicious infusion of salted egg yolk that actively tingled the taste buds!

The cream was of course great to go with plain white rice. Not to mention that the crab was super duper fresh and came with humongous claws guaranteed to please your eyes.

Butter Crayfish
牛油蝦婆
Honestly, this would not have made any difference if prawns or crabs were used in place of crayfish. Basically, i am not that particular on the type of crustaceans being used so long they are fresh and meaty! Crayfish is, in many instances, not as flavoursome and contains little meat for me to indulge in. 

Having said that, crayfish had a cheaper price tag and in this case, it was the buttery crisps that impressed me more; sweet yet savoury and boasting a buttery richness that slowly melted in your mouth as you could not help but continue to eat spoonful after spoonful.

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Location
Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, 
80050 Johor Bahru, Johore (hawker centre)

How to go there?
Take cab lah! Easy and fast.

Contact
Tel: 07-3352633
Mobile: 012-7697443

Price
Malay Kangkong - RM 10.00
Sambal Squid - RM 15.00
Furong Egg - RM 8.00
Salted Egg Yolk Crab - RM 112.00
Butter Crayfish - RM 35.00

Menu
As above [please note that fish, crabs and crayfish etc are subject to seasonal pricing]

Additional Information
That friend who recommended Hiang Kee has recently signed up a blogging account; for her review, click here! 
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