Da Si Xi Xiao Chu

Mummy dearest wanted to have dinner together with me and The Wife today. So I got her to decide what she wanted to eat. She settled on frog porridge, which is something we have pretty frequently (as in maybe once or twice per month?).

We headed to our usual hangout at Geylang, G7 Sinma Live Seafood. Imagine our shock when we arrived and saw the place packed to the brim with no seats in sight! This has never happened! This stands testament to the popularity of the frog porridge there, but I shall leave it for another day when I have pictures to prove my point.

We were wondering where to go next, when I recalled that I have seen a queue snaking around at an establishment just behind at Sims Way.

Behold! Da Si Xi Xiao Chu! Hey hey my Mandarin is not that bad huh! Apparently this is a chain from JB, and the local arm is co-owned by celebrity chef Eric Teo. I was just wondering why his face was plastered so prominently at the restaurant facade. Now after a short Google search for the restaurant's website (which doesn't exist, or just too smart for me to find ;p) I find out why from other food blogs and reviews.

What's visiting an establishment without trying the signature dishes? Mum snooped around for a little, and initially we decided on the JB Curry Fish Head, quite reasonably priced at $28. But the waitress who took our order was quite on-the-ball, and strongly recommended the Claypot Crab Rice instead.

Well, although food is always subjective, the staff should know their product best right? So we went ahead with her suggestion, and we were rewarded with an unmistakable claypot aroma wafting out from the claypot when the dish was being brought out (the waiting time is about 20mins for this dish).

You can't tell from the photo, but the portion is HUGE. The rice that is. It is enough for about 3-5, depending on the appetites of the diners. Me, The Wife and Mum didn't manage to finish, and the portion left over could easily have fed another person.

The rich is fragrant and each grain is distinct from each other. You can literally taste each and every single grain of rice. That is the strength, yet therein lies the weakness. The taste comes at the expense of the rice being very dry. But to some, that is the essence of claypot rice. There are some restaurants that offer you soup to eat together with the burnt bits of rice. There were also bit of bacon, shrimp and roast pork in the rice, which gave it a little more texture and flavour.

I did quite like the rice, though both The Wife and Mum didn't really like it. One commented it was too dry, and the other said that there was a taste missing. Oh well. One thing we all could agree on though. The crab was a huge disappointment.

The crab itself was extremely bland, and we surmise that most of the flavour has already seeped into the rice. There wasn't any of the sweetness or crabby taste that makes crab a favourite among gastronomes. To make matters worse, the flesh was all stuck to the shell, even at the pincer area. It made eating the crab a huge pain. I would recommend trying this dish once for the rice, but not for the crab. But to pay $50 for just claypot rice...not so worth it huh.

We also tried the Deep Fried Prawn Bacon Rolls. I love bacon, and I love prawns, and I figured it would be like the yakitori sticks of asparagus wrapped in bacon. YUM! Turns out I wasn't too far off from my guess!It was exactly like that, but without the sticks.

One thing I didn't count on was the presence of mayo. A LOT of mayo. It kinda ruined it for all 3 of us because we aren't huge fans. But I guess I wouldn't have liked the dishes without mayo as well. Even through the thick mayo, I could taste the porkiness of the bacon. Thumbs down! The Wife and Mum did agree that this is a pretty special dish though not suited for all.

One last dish we ordered was something all 3 of us love. French Beans! Or so the waitress would have us believe.

Ok I believe it is technically still French Beans, but not the fat and juicy variety we are used to. This was skinnier and not as juicy, but has it's own appeal. Still crunchy and succulent, the dish was PERFECTLY complemented by the topping.

Crunchy and flavourful bits of garlic, chilli and dried shrimp made our meal here a very enjoyable one. It was good with the beans, good own it's own, and even enhanced the claypot rice! 3 thumbs up from us!

Some of the drinks here are also home made, so quite wholesome and nice. Gives a very homey and nostalgic old-school feel. 

Overall, I think it is safe to say that we would be back to try some of the other dishes like the signature Curry Fish Head as well as the JB Fried Bee Hoon!

Price Range - $20 onwards per person

Address : 19 Sims Way

T: 6744 6728
No website I could find!

Signing off,
The Lunatic

Tulip Mania at Gardens by the Bay

Ok these were taken quite awhile back, but I still feel the need to show these pretty flowers! Worth a visit next year! I THINK the Tulip Mania thing is an annual affair. The roses theme isn't worth going to though. Just my 2 cents.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Don't you just feel happy looking at these beauties? We visited toward the end of the show, and most of the tulips were at the end of their lifespan. I hear it is much prettier if you visit in the middle, when the flowers are at their prime.

Oh well, we all just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope it comes back next year!
You can keep abreast of the happenings here.

Signing off,
The Lunatic

Marmalade Pantry at Turf Club

It was a lazy Saturday again, and let it be known, we detest going out on Saturdays because we both hate crowds. The Wife wanted to cafe-hop again, so I suggested Rider's Cafe at Turf Club. So we took a drive there, but alas, she did not get to try the awesome burgers at Rider's Cafe (I did, but that will be a story for another time hehe). It was too crowded and we were told that it would have a wait time of 30mins or more.

We being the impatient brats that we are, decided to to head to next door neighbour The Marmalade Pantry. We really love the quaint surroundings. The Wife loves refurbished buildings that carry a rustic country feel.
The interior does feel like somebody's summer home, and the soothing music and soft lighting make for a great place to bring a date!

As always, The Wife needed her coffee fix, so she ordered an affogato. It combines a love of hers (ice cream) and a need of hers (coffee), so she is getting the best of both worlds! The cute little shot cup scored brownie points immediately on presentation, and I think we might just end up getting a few of these for our new home!

Ok, so a shot of expresso is no laughing matter (to me at least!). But according to the wife, it could have been a little stronger. The vanilla ice cream didn't do much to sweeten the deal for me, but then again, I have a very low tolerance for bitterness, so my opinion is extremely biased.

While The Wife needed her caffeine rush, I needed my sugar rush. Most of my friends know I have a penchant for strawberry-flavoured drinks. So it's not hard to guess what I ordered! Actually, I forgot what I was drinking hahahahahah! I think it was a Strawberry-Banana concoction. Unfortunately, I forgot to take picture of the milkshake itself, but here is a picture of me drinking the thing!

 LOL, I never said anything about showing my face!

And now comes the food...I have mixed feelings about this. Read on.

Since it was still brunch hour, they were still serving pancakes. I love pancakes. ADORE them. I have thought about opening my own pancake outlet, but I never did find a good recipe. And honestly, out of all the pancakes I have tried, I don't think any of the local establishments cut it. Marmalade Pantry is no exception.

When it was served, myself and The Wife were all like 'WHOA LOOK AT THAT!' NICE!'. Sure the presentation was good, but that's because they had A LOT to make up for in the taste department. The texture of the pancake was nowhere near fluffy. It seemed kind of stale honestly. Texture aside, there wasn't much taste as well. It came with honey instead of my beloved maple syrup, but no amount of honey could mask the blandness of the pancake. If anything, it enhanced it because I could still taste the staleness through the generous amount of honey I took with every slice. Needless to say, I didn't make it past 1 and a half pancakes.

The Wife ordered Seared Scallop and Prawn, with prawn bisque sauce. She has fond memories of The Disgruntled Chef and is ready to assume any prawn and scallop are like the ones we had there. Luckily for both of us, she saved the meal! The pasta was astounding. Much better than the one I cook. And that is saying a lot! Ok, maybe I'm stretching the imagination when it comes to my culinary prowess :p

The prawns and scallops were seared to perfection, staying juicy and moist without having any of the seafood stench The Wife abhors. I could have 20 of each without getting sick of them, though probably I'd need to swear off seafood for awhile after that hehe. There was a light hint of pepper, but it did not interfere with the freshness of the seafood.
The pasta itself was QQ enough and it had a special quality to it. I can't really describe in words but I believe it had something to do with the pasta used instead of cooking method. Je Ne Sai Quois! I shall need to do some experiments with the different brands of pasta before I can elaborate further!
I do know one of the secrets to good pasta though, and it is exercised here. Truffle oil! Myself and The Wife both love truffle oil, and we think it can instantly enhance almost anything!

One thing that caught our eye immediately upon entry to the restaurant was the selection of cupcakes. I am not a huge fan, and I was too put off by the pancakes to try dessert anyway. The Wife was also stuffed, but we were still intrigued by the cupcakes.

They look pretty don't they? You can't tell from my photo, but they are larger than normal...I don't think they would make a good dessert after a fulfilling meal. We shall return to try one day when The Wife has a cupcake craving (which might jolly well be never).

Although I had a bad experience with the pancakes, I wouldn't advise dismissing this place entirely. The pasta is excellent, and the ambience is also great. We will be back some day to try the other dishes! But maybe we'll visit their Orchard Road branch instead, more accessible lah!

Price range - $30-50++ per person

Find them at http://www.themarmaladepantry.com.sg/ 

Address : 55 Fairways Drive Singapore 286846
T: +65 6467 9328
F: +65 6467 1608
Reservations: +65 6467 7748
enquiry.stables@themarmaladepantry.com.sg
  
Signing off,
The Lunatic

Pilot dreams

Hah! Like I said, this is not gonna be a blog full of food! Here me and The Wife were lucky enough to catch a fly-by at a National Day rehearsal! Though I see lots of planes during my time in ICT, it is a totally different thing watching them fly in formation above your head!

I still remember watching Top Gun and wanting to be Maverick. 

Didn't every kid back then?

Iceman : You can be my wingman any time.

Maverick : Bullshit! You can be mine!

 Go Black Knights!!!

Signing off,
The Lunatic

TANGS Market

Someone out there is gonna notice that the posts are consecutive. Yes plenty of backlog but plenty of productivity at this time! So here's another!

TANGS. The shopping stalwart at Orchard Road. It could literally be the cornerstone of the whole place thanks to the prominent location. Not-so-recently, the eating place at the basement reopened, and boy were me and The Wife excited. Most of the food vendors looked they they walked right out of an 80's hawker street, and it can bring back a small slice of nostalgia to 80s babies and those even before that.

First stop : The laksa (based on the fact that I haven't had laksa for the longest time.)
Verdict : Hey hey! Pleasant surprise! The amount of coconut was just right, and the texture of the broth was spot on as well! The noodles are also cut to a manageable length, not as short as the famed Katong laksa, but still long enough to warrant chopsticks.

 One gripe I have is that the chilli doesn't have enough of a kick in it. I would have liked it to be punchier with a more fiery edge. But then again, they likely see many tourists, so maybe have to water down the spice level a little.

The Wife decided on a simple bowl of mee pok, as she figured she could try my laksa anyway. I'm not trying to put down PRCs in any way, but this bowl is infinitely better than the PRC-manned noodle stall at my local coffeeshop. And honestly, there is a multitude of these PRC-manned food stalls nowadays. Their cooking...just isn't suited to local tastebuds.

 

Ok back to the noodles here. QQ enough, flavourful enough, the heart of this bowl of noodles is comfort food personified. Local kids grew up with their favourite noodle, be it mee kia, mee pok, mee tai mak or whatever else there is. And this humble taste is what we want to go home to, to have for dinner, while watching our favourite TV serial.

I particularly liked the fishballs, which could are larger than the usual. I'm just greedy like that.

Funny how all the stalls seemed to originate from some part of Singapore. I'm assuming these places had their own following if they ever did exist.

Last thing we had before leaving was this crispy pancake, or what we call mee chiang kueh. So the sign says ban chang kuih but then again it's what Malaysia calls em...we are in Singapore!

Ok this was abysmal. It was tasteless, but what they did get right was the crispy texture of the skin. It made eating this somewhat fun. But I wouldn't want to play with my food, so I won't be having this again!

My recommendation : Do drop by and try the food at the TANGS basement, you will (most likely) be pleasantly surprised!

Price range - <$10 per person

Address : TANGS ORCHARD
310 ORCHARD ROAD, SINGAPORE 238864

Signing off,
The Lunatic

Not-so-secret yummilicious fish soup

Now I'm sure that, at some point of time, most of us have been around the Bugis area during dinner hours. Just across the street is Tan Quee Lan St, neighbour of the more recognised and crowded Liang Seah St.

Ever notice an everlasting queue at the shop beside Ritz Apple Strudel? Well it belongs to Xin Yuan Ji, home to what could possibly be one of the best fish soups in town. I'm sure I don't have to elaborate much given that the queue is never ending!

At peak dinner hours, you can expect to wait an hour or more. That is why the only time the Wife and I come here is after after 9pm, typically later. She's the impatient sort, so we generally try to avoid queuing for stuff :)

This place can be best described as a 'zi char' with exceptionally good fish soup. And that is the only thing we ever order here. It might also have to do with the fact that we normally come quite late and need to avoid a heavy dinner before sleeping!

Here is my poison of choice. A bowl of sliced fish soup with thick bee hoon. Don't judge a soup by it's colour! It has milk added in it, hence the pale cream coloring. You can also leave the milk out if you happen to be lactose intolerant, the staff will ask your preference when you are ordering.

What makes this fish soup stand out? First, the fish is sliced to be pretty chunky, don't expect the sliver-thin slices you get at your neighbourhood foodcourt. Though the price is slightly heftier than usual at $5.80 for the cheapest fish (they have a variety of fish for you to choose from), you wouldn't feel like you're getting ripped off.
Secondly, the soup, oh the sweetness of the soup. At any other place, I would usually dump in a saucer of soya sauce with chilli to make the soup more palatable. But here? Nooooo that would be blasphemy (my favourite word to mix up, sometimes I say blasmurphy!). The soup is extremely flavourful and sweet, and I would liken it to papaya soup in Hong Kong. I would actually bet on a bowl of fish soup that it actually has papaya in the ingredients!

Here is The Wife's dish of choice, fried sliced fish soup!

Here the batter they use is pretty flavourful. Even after getting dunked into the soup it still retained the flavour of the batter.

We have been here countless times, at one point almost every alternate day because The Wife demanded it! So the next time if anyone is ever in the area at 10ish pm, do holler! We might just be in the corner waiting for our fish soup!

Price range - Starts from <$10!

Address : 31 Tan Quee Lan St, Singapore 188117

Tel : 6334 4086

Signing off,
The Lunatic