Brix @ Grand Hyatt

There is this cool chill-out place at the basement of Grand Hyatt called Brix that is a cosy place for Happy Hour. We were there after work, just hanging out and relaxing. The crowd came in around nine in the evening. Normally I would order Singapore Sling but tonight I was in the mood for Long Island Tea. It was a stab in the dark but that turned out to be the best Long Island Tea I have ever taken!

The live band started playing around half-past nine. Apparently the crowd could ask for a song and the band would play, but seems like they did not know how to sing the song I wanted. :-( I ordered another drink - Singapore Sling this time, and buffalo wings.

The food is yummy and the drinks are nice! No wonder the place is so crowded and so many people like it!

Food (and drinks) : 4.5 out of 5
Ambience : 3 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Spageddies @ Paragon

I was recommended this restaurant by the friend I was out with. Italian cuisine is big here, as compared to other kinds of food. I find it easier to prepare Italian food than other kinds of cuisine. Having said that, it is not that easy to actually make nice good Italian food.

When we stepped in, it took a long time for someone to serve us even though there was an indication that our presence was felt. We were ushered to a seat and started reading the menu. Again, it took a long time for someone to take our order. It was not as if the restaurant was that packed, the service staff were just walking around not really noticing anyone!

Finally someone took our orders. I had an aglio olio, which tasted too salty. I think the chef must have overdosed on the olive oil! And it was not quite spicy enough. I kept drinking water and running out of water, but whenever I called for water, the service staff just either ignored or could not be bothered! It took a long time for my glass to be filled up!

For such food and such service, I wonder why there are people who actually recommend this place? I for one would never wish to step in again!

Cuisine : Italian
Food : 2 out of 5
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 2 out of 5 (not worth it for the kind of food and service standards)
Service : 1.5 out of 5

The Balcony Outside Heeren

Does anyone know of this place with suspension basket-like seats outside the Heeren? It occupies a small alfresco area outside The Heeren. The place is a cosy area for afternoon tea or just chilling out with friends.

I was there with a friend earlier on today. We sat at one of the suspension seats, chatting and drinking tea. It would have been an interesting experience, except the suspension seats make me feel like a cocoon. Now I know how caterpillars feel when they are in the midst of metamorphosis.

I would not recommend this place for food though. The variety of cakes and desserts leave much to be desired. But it is a good place on a cool day to have afternoon tea, as in just drinking tea, not the afternoon tea set. Which reminds me, I must find out where to have the best afternoon tea meals on this island!

Food : (no food, just drinks) 3 out of 5 (the tea is a bit bland)
Ambience : 3.5 out of 5
Price : 3.5 out of 5

Foundation Cake-Making

I went for another baking class today, this time the Foundation Cake-Making workshop. It was an intensive workshop on the basic skills and tips of making a cake, as well as hands-on practice on six types of cakes, namely Vanilla Chiffon Cake, Swiss Roll, Brownies, Butter (Marble) Cake, Banana Cake and the classic Victoria Jam Sandwich.

Just a pity I did not manage to take any photos this time, but at least I picked up very good tips on baking cakes and mixing ingredients. For instance, when the ingredients call for separating the egg whites from the egg yolks, the egg whites must be separated thoroughly from the yolks. No trace of yolks should be in the whites. Further more, the whites should be put in a dry bowl, and whisked with a dry whisk.

The egg should not even be washed under a running tap. If any form of moisture gets into the egg white, the product will not be fluffy after whisking/ The whisked product will remain watery and frothy, instead of white and fluffy, and the cake will sink instead of rise. On the other hand, it does not matter even if a bit of egg white gets into the yolk, as there will not be any reaction whatsoever.

How to determine is the whisked mixture is fine? Besides being white and fluffy, the mixture should not drop out even after we turn the bowl upside down. Our instructor cautioned us from doing that though, as she said if we are not used to baking, better not turn the bowl over as the mixture may just drop out.

What amazes me about baking is that the finished product comes out totally different from what it was before it got sent to the oven. Imagine a mixture of gooey eggs, butter and flour can turn into something so appetising and delicious. Which is why I enjoy baking more than cooking, because in cooking, there is not much difference between the cooked and uncooked product (save that the cooked product can be eaten). In baking, the batter can be eaten too, but the finished product turns out so much better. And in that, I feel a higher sense of achievement.

Cupcake Making

I have always loved baking, ever since my Home Economics class back in school when I baked a birthday cake for a friend. However, I have not baked for a very long time because none of my family members bake, so we do not have the necessary utensils for baking. I do not even have an oven at home, only a microwave.

Then, I came across this website that teaches people how to bake. Since I always wanted to start baking again, what better way to refresh what I know and do what I like at the same time? So I signed up for a Foundation Birthday Cupcakes Workshop earlier today. The workshop includes how to make Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes and the various flavoured frosting, as well as recipes and tips on baking.

I have not done this for a very long time, so I was a bit behind on the technology of baking utensils. Where I used to whisk the batter manually, now there is the high-power electronic whisk that takes only a fraction of the time and makes the batter better. Amazing! I always want my own place in the future to have the best baking utensils and products so I can bake cookies and cake every weekend!

Anyway, after the cupcakes and frosting have been made, we decorated the cupcakes with the frosting and decorative sugar animals and flowers. Here are the final products which I decorated.

Top row, from left : Vanilla Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, M&Ms and blue sugar bear, Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting and pink sugar rose, Chocolate Cupcake with Orange Frosting and Hershey's Chocolate pieces

Middle row, from left : Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting, Sugar berries and red sugar rose, Healthy Chocolate Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, sugar stars and orange sugar bear, Healthy Chocolate Cupcake with Lemon Frosting, M&Ms and lavendar sugar rose

Bottom row, from left : Vanilla Cupcake with Pandan Frosting, M&Ms and red sugar rose, Healthy Chocolate Cupcake with Pandan Frosting, M&Ms and pink sugar rose, Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting and orange sugar rose

My Source Of Comfort Food

A couple of weeks back, the Sunday Lifestyle had about four pages attributing to the late founder of instant noodles by giving a hundred ways of cooking noodles. Instant noodles is the greatest invention in gastronomical circles. I can hardly imagine how I used to sustain my hunger at night when I was staying in the hostel without instant noodles!

Instant noodles is a source of comfort food for me, especially when there was hardly anything to eat at home, and I could not be bothered to whip up a full meal. All I had to do was to chop some vegetables, add the noodles and vegetables in boiling water, add in the packet ingredients, wait for a couple of minutes, and voila! a simple meal is ready to be partaken. All it takes is just slightly over five minutes.

Despite the comments on how unhealthy instant noodles are, it is deeply gratifying to have easy-to-make food readily available, anytime, anywhere. The invention of cup noodles make it even more convenient, as I need not even put any extra ingredients inside, just add boiling water, wait for a couple of minutes, and it is all ready to eat!

Thus, I was really happy to find the recipes for instant noodles, as I can then experiment on my own using the recipes available. Perhaps next time I can whip up a full meal of instant noodles without making it look like instant noodles!

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar

I have heard about this place for a long time, ever since I first passed by when I went to watch a musical at the Esplanade. What really intrigues me is the many variety of chocolate drinks and dessert like Italiano and Americano.

The most interesting thing on the menu is the Sacao, which is melted hot chocolate placed on a small jar above a fire, with chocolate bits around it. You can either put all the chocolate bits into the melted chocolate to melt it all, and then use the small spoon to eat it up bit by bit. It comes in choices of dark, white and milk chocolate.

I ordered a Chocolate Lick, which is essentially chocolate bits placed around a round bowl of chocolate.

How do you eat this? Dip the ice-cream stick into the milk chocolate, then roll it over the chocolate bits and let the bits stick to the liquid. Heavenly! Unfortunately, I never did manage to stick more than one bit at a time, so in the end I gave up and just put the bits into the milk chocolate and dipped it up a few at a time.

If you ever want to have dessert after a play, Max Brenner is a good place for a chocolate indulgence. Take note of the opening hours though, think it closes at half past eleven the latest.

Food : (what food?) 4.5 out of 5

Ambience : 4 out of 5

Price : 2.5 out of 5 (it is a tad pricey for just a chocolate meal)

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!