Makansutra Glutton's Bay

Gluttons Bay - an open court with rows of food stalls specialising in local fare, just outside the Esplanade. This open food court is highly recommended by local food gurus, and the food is real good! We had barbecued chicken wings, local carrot cake (both black and white), stingray, satay, fruit, vegetables, murtabak, noodles and a few other dishes.

I have no gripes about the food, except it is a tad pricey. Yes, I know it is catered to tourists, and it is a popular place to generate tourism revenue. But what about locals like me? We can get just as nice food at normal hawker centre!

The verdict? A nice place, but not too much to hype about!

Feasting Away ...

It had been a few days of feasting for me. Festive seasons normally mean more get-togethers, which will result in more eating and bigger meals, which means I have to start controlling and watching my waist line again.

The feasting started last Saturday, eve of the New Year. We had a reunion dinner at home consisting of abalone, mock sharks fin soup, vegetables with that black "hairy" stuff which I have still not figured out the name, big shitake mushrooms, pomfret, whole chicken, beef, pork and rice of course.

On Sunday, first day of the New Year, we went to my maternal grandmother's place for a breakfast of longevity and fortune noodles complete with soup, roasted peanuts, shredded omellete, shallots and more of the black hairy stuff (roasted and dried). Then we went to my dad's sister's place for lunch, where we had garoupa, prawns, broccoli, roasted chicken, cabbage soup with button mushrooms, vegetables and more rice.

On Monday, the second day of the New Year, we had a big reunion at my place for my dad's family. Everyone came over and my parents catered half the food. The food consisted of cereal prawns, roasted chicken, sweet and sour pork, vegetable soup, fried pomfret, vegetables in oyster sauce, and yam paste for dessert.

On Thursday, my boss and I met our clients for lunch at Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant at Turf City. We had the set meal for six, which consisted of tossing of the raw fish, tiger prawns, garoupa, claypot abalone with chicken and mushrooms, vegetables in oyster sauce, fortune noodles and tarts as dessert.

Earlier on there was another reunion at my place for my mum's relatives. We had steamboat for the dinner gathering. All the raw ingredients were prepared beforehand. There were chicken, pork, beef, salmon (choice of boiled or eaten sashimi style), vegetables, eggs, prawns, mushrooms, scallops, fishballs and meatballs, with a pot of boiling soup. We just threw everything into the soup and let the food cook. Healthy choice!

I foresee a couple more big meals this coming week, with a gathering on Tuesday, and another on Thursday, where our big bosses have invited everyone to their place for a New Year gathering. Not to mention the new year goodies which I have partaken, the numerous love letters, chocolate wafers, tarts, chocolate bars, chocolate biscuits, potato chips, the bitter and salty Indonesian crackers (now what is that called?) as well as ice-cream! Looks like I really have to work out vigorously!

Spaghetti Bolognaise

I tried cooking spaghetti during the weekend, and I must say it was a success! These are the ingredients used :

1. 1 packet of spaghetti (this one packet can be bought at any provision store and is enough for at least three persons)

2. Minced meat (I used pork, but beef or chicken will do as well)

3. Spaghetti sauce (need to use about three-quarters of the bottle before getting the taste)

4. 1 Garlic and 2 - 3 Onions

5. 3 tablespoons of Cooking Oil (my family uses Soya Bean Oil, but others like Olive Oil or Corn Oil will do as well)

6. A pinch of salt (2 teaspoons to be exact)

7. Tomato sauce (for colour and taste - I used about a quarter of the bottle)

8. 2 litres of water

First, add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt into the water and start to boil.

Once the water is boiling, put all the spaghetti in.

Let it soak and boil.

Drain the spaghetti once it is boiled.

Cut the garlic into small tiny pieces, and chop the onions into fine pieces.

Put in the remaining oil, chopped garlic and onion, minced meat and spaghetti sauce and mix well. Stir properly so the meat would not get stuck together.

After that, add in the spaghetti, stir well, and tomato sauce at the end. Mix well and let it simmer.

Serve immediately.

Of Wine Appreciation

If I could, I would become a sommelier. Working in a high-class restaurant, recommending the finest wine to customers and mixing and matching the wine to get the finest taste out sounds so interesting! Just a pity I get drunk so easily.

Even though I am not a wine person, I get fascinated by the different types of wine available on the market. What is the difference between white wine and red wine anyway (besides the colour of course)? How to tell which wine goes with which type of food? And how to tell a Lafite from a Conti, a Chardonnay from a Shiraz?

What is apple cider and champagne? What is the difference between wine and beer? Spirits and rum? Brandy and martini? How I wish someone can supply me with all these answers, because even after researching, I am still confused!

A Great Cooking Show

Currently, I am hooked on the Korean show "Jewel In The Palace". I wanted to satisfy my curiosity on why this show has such a big audience and what the hype was about. After starting on it, I finally realise why it is so good. Everything from the plot to the cast to the acting to the sets is excellent!

I have only watched twenty episodes so far, and already I am hooked! The show is excellent from the start! It is so captivating that one wants to keep going! And I get to learn good tips in cooking and the different types of Korean cuisine.

Now I know what makes a good cook. Although it is a show, but what the supervisor said to the kitchen maid was really useful. She said that there are two qualities that determine a good cook.

One, to be able to feel the taste from your fingers. Some are born with this natural ability, some achieve it only through lots of trial and error. When the food goes through your hands, you must be able to know which food goes with which so as to bring out the taste.

Two, the ability to mix and match ingredients. Not many people have this ability. This means that without even tasting, the person somehow know what ingredients are used to prepare the food, and which things will make the food taste better.

For instance, most people will choose to use plain water to prepare soup, but someone gifted in the second ability will know how to use spring or mineral water instead, as that tastes sweeter. Essentially, cooking goes with one's own gut feeling on which are the best ingredients to use to prepare a certain type of food, and some people are just able to feel it better than others.

Great tips! I will sure take more heed and be more conscious of the ingredients used next time!

Vermicelli (aka Fried Bee Hoon)

This is the second attempt I tried cooking vermicelli (aka fried bee hoon). I must say, it tastes nicer this time round! I am so proud of myself now!

These are the ingredients I used :

1. Half a cabbage (shredded into small pieces)

2. Green vegetables (Chinese call this "choy sum") (chopped into small pieces)


3. 8 mushrooms (with the stalks removed, and cut into small pieces)


4. 1 egg (beaten) (for garnishing)


5. Minced meat (this time I used pork, but beef will do as well)


6. Prawn paste (supposed to be liquid form, but as you can see, this just came from the freezer)


7. 5 onions (chopped into small pieces) (also for garnishing)

Chopping onions really make one tear! Or perhaps this time round I used more onions.


8. 2 - 3 slabs of vermicelli

9. 1 onion and 1 garlic (for taste) (chopped)

10. Half a pinch of salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and pepper (all for taste and colouring)

First, stir fry the chopped onions until golden brown. Ensure that the oil used can cover all the onion pieces. (I use Sunflower Oil, but normal Cooking Oil and Olive Oil will do as well.)

Remove the fried onions and drain the oil.

Next, cook the egg, omelette style. Drain the egg on absorbing paper to get rid of the oil.


Then, cut the egg into small pieces. (I am no expert, so my pieces are not small enough. :-p)

Cook the onions and garlic together. Next, put in mushrooms, prawn paste (gradually) and meat. Stir fry then let it simmer for two minutes or until cooked.

Put in cabbages. Stir fry together with the mixture. Simmer for two minutes.

Put in green vegetables and stir fry until cooked.

Do not let the green vegetables simmer or else they will turn black.

Add in light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, pepper and salt.

Ensure the prawn paste do not dry up, or else there will be not enough liquid left for the vermicelli to cook.

Add in the vermicelli and submerge them in the liquid prawn paste. Add in more prawn paste if the mixture is too dry. The vermicelli must submerge completely inside the paste.

Mix all together and stir fry until the vermicelli turns brownish.

Finally, scatter the fried onion and omelette pieces into the vermicelli and mix all together before serving or eating.

Fried Rice

I have wanted to whip up something for a long time, so I decided to make fried rice - something easy and delicious at the same time.

These are the ingredients I used :

1. Shredded chicken (cooked until the meat is soft)


2. 3 eggs (beaten, with dark sesame oil)


3. A slab of pork (minced) (Any other types of meat can be used as well)


4. A carrot (diced into small cubes)


5. 1 onion (diced)


6. 1 garlic (diced)


7. 1/2 a cabbage, shredded into small pieces


8. 3 scoops of rice (cooked beforehand)


9. A handful of anchovies (fried until golden brown)

10. A sprinkle of salt

11. A cube of chicken stock

After beating the eggs, heat up a pan and cook them until scrambled. Remove the eggs after cooked.

Put in garlic and fry until golden brown. Add in onion, pork (or any other meat), carrots and cabbage.

Stir fry until the cabbages are soft.

Put in chicken and rice, mix together and stir fry. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then sprinkle the scrambled eggs and salt.

Put in the chicken cube. Wait for it to melt and then mix well.

Serves about 3 to 4. Put in the anchovies only when the rice is ready to be eaten, otherwise they will turn soft and soggy.

This is what the finished product looks like.

Ayam Penyet @ Joo Chiat

Because today was Mother's Day, we brought mum out for lunch at the Ayam Penyet Indonesian Restaurant near Joo Chiat for lunch. I ordered the Ayam Penyet, Gado-Gado and Kerupok Udang and Emping for them.

The first time I heard of this chain of eatery was when an Indonesian friend brought me to the main eatery in Lucky Plaza. That time, we ordered Ayam Penyet (aka Smashed Chicken aka Squashed Chicken aka Depressed Chicken), Milo Dinosaur and Gado Gado. I remember falling in love with that place because the food is really good!

The Joo Chiat branch is infinitely inferior to the main one at Lucky Plaza. It is a smaller eatery with simple decorations, not as authentically Indonesian as the Lucky Plaza branch. The food is not as good too.

In any case it was a very filling lunch. One pull factor is the price. Despite everything I ordered, it cost just S$20.00 for all three of us! My mum said it is really worth it because the food is nice, inexpensive and filling at the same time. I am just glad that she enjoyed the meal!

Cuisine : Indonesian
Food : 3 out of 5
Ambience : 3 out of 5
Price : 4 out of 5

Sizzling Rock @ Boat Quay

There is this place called Sizzling Rock situated at Boat Quay just by the Singapore River. The restaurant is different in that customers have to cook the main dishes themselves, whereas the side dishes will be prepared and served separately from the main dish. The main dish will be put on a hot stone slab and served, sizzling, to the customer.

My friend K had a one-for-one dining voucher for the place, so we went there for dinner last night. He ordered salmon and sirloin while I had chicken and tenderloin. When the hot plates appeared in front of us, all the pieces of meat were still raw, and oil splattered around. So all we needed to do was wait until the meat cooked.

How to determine if the meat was cooked? Just lift up the meat and look at the colour at the bottom. If it is of a decent colour (cannot really say what colour since it differs from meat to meat), then turn it over and start cooking the other side. Another way is to stab the fork in and feel the texture, but this normally works only when both sides of the meat are cooked.

One good thing about this is that you get to control exactly how you want your steak to be, whether rare, medium or well-done. One disadvantage is that for people who cannot cook so cannot tell when the meat is cooked, they may end up either eating half-cooked food or food burnt to a crisp, in which case both may later upset their bowel movements.

But it was enjoyable, looking at the meat, seeing the oil bubbling, then making sure the colour was just right before turning the meat over and start cooking the other side. My chicken was just right, not too hard and not too soft, and the tenderloin steak was a perfect medium-well. I must say, I am a good cook! ;-p

I had to help my friend out a little as he could not tell whether his was cooked. But sirloin steak tends to take a little longer to cook than tenderloin, as the texture and size differs. His salmon was good though, at least it was cooked to a perfect colour.

Dessert was chocolate fondue! I was telling K the origins of the original cheese fondue, where it was partaken only at orgies and balls (as in, those massive extravagant big parties thrown by the rich and famous people in the past, not the other meaning). The chocolate fondue was just right, although he thought it a bit thick. At least it was better than the previous one I took, where the chocolate was so bland.

Overall, it was an interesting dining experience. Considering the food was cooked by ourselves, I must say it was pretty good, at least for a non-professional and non-expert standard. Better than some of those restaurants where the food does not taste good at all, despite supposedly to be cooked by professionals.

Cusine : Western
Food : cannot really comment since we cooked it ourselves
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5 (we were sitting alfresco)
Price : 4 out of 5 (its pretty worth it considering the food we ordered!)

Ikoi Japanese Restaurant @ Miramar Hotel

I am quite picky on Japanese food. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I find the local Japanese food of inferior standard as compared to the Japanese food in Japan (where else?). However, there are a few places which I have had real good authentic Japanese food.

 

Like today, I had the best Japanese food in ages! We went to Ikoi Japanese Restaurant at the second level of Miramar Hotel. The setting itself was quite Japanese-like, you can choose to sit on tatamis with your legs crossed on the floor, or you can sit on normal tables and chairs.

 

Outside the restaurant hangs two round lanterns and a sliding door that opens into the restaurant. The whole restaurant gives a modern Japanese feel to it. I was impressed! This is as authentic as it can get.

 

We had fresh raw sashimi served authentic Japanese style (not the type you find on the Sakae Sushi conveyor belt), soup served in the little Japanese teapot poured into little Japanese teacups to drink from, and steamboat out of paper-thin aluminium foils which for some reason did not have a single burnt mark despite the strong fire (I think they call this nabe).

 

There were lots of fresh raw salmon, sword fish, and the cooked dishes consisted of mackerel, more salmon, roast chicken, agedeshi tofu, chawamushi (that egg dish, wonder if I got the spelling right), fish soup, miso, California rolls (the Japanese version of a taco, wrapped in seaweed), lots and lots of tempura and fish roe. There were even raw chilled celery and carrot sticks dipped in ice! A real gourmet feast!

 

Do drop by if you are ever in the River Valley vicinity, this place is not to be missed!

 

Cuisine : Japanese
Food : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 4.5 out of 5
Price : Erh... no comments since I was not the one who paid. :-p

A Week Of Feasting

Ever since Sunday, I had been eating non-stop. Last week alone, we had two successive birthdays - my maternal grandma and my youngest brother. So I had two days of feasting!

For my granny's birthday, we went to the Indonesian restaurant, Tempuah Mas, for dinner on Sunday. The food there is really delicious! I will really recommend it for anyone who wants authentic Indonesian fare. I had sambal kang kong, sweet and sour fish (at least that was what the fish tasted like - any of you know the exact name?), chicken satay, authentic Indonesian rice (which was described as "fragrant" rice), a bean curd dish which unfortunately I did not catch the name of (the bean curd was fried and layered into some sort of round wall), and for dessert - authentic Gula Melaka! I always said I have a sweet tooth. :-D

Last night (actually a few hours back), we went to one of the seafood restaurants at East Coast Park. We had black pepper crab (although I prefer chilli crab anytime), cereal prawn, oyster vegetables, anchovies (aka ikan bilis) fried rice, sweet and sour fish (again), and for dessert - honeydew sago. My dad, for the first time, even allowed me to drink a whole big glass of Tiger Beer! Hmmm, anyone salivating yet? I think I am feeling hungry again....

Then I had McDonald's for supper on Tuesday night. After that I had two Vietnamese feast earlier on today. We were at this Vietnamese eatery called "Va Va Voom" opposite Bugis Junction. I had fried Chicken Chop (which tasted very salty) with rice and Ice Lemongrass Honey drink. Delicious! The drink was really soothing, especially to the throat, and the slight lemongrass taste made the honey taste even better than normal.

After lunch we had some time to kill so we adjourned to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Republic Plaza where I had my usual order - Pure Chocolate Ice Blended with lots and lots of whipped cream! We went back to Bugis at six, and since the friend we were meeting wanted Vietnamese food as well, we went back to "Va Va Voom" again.

We ordered the Morning Glory Salad, and this time I ate Lemongrass Pork Chop with rice. I was initially intrigued by the Morning Glory Salad, until I found out it was just kangkong without the leaves. What a letdown!

When all of us have eaten our fills, we went to Billy Bombers at Bugis Junction for Chocolate Malt. I am so full right now! I am really going to pound on all the pounds if this continues. Most likely we will go out for supper again tomorrow. I have a tendency to put on weight, although it is amazing I can still maintain my weight and figure despite my eating habits. I cannot help it - I enjoy good food too much!