Been to a number of new places the last 2 months.
Some great, some not so great, some I-can't-wait-to-be-back-again!
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| Source: superfinefeline.blogspot.com |
After the Qing Ming praying back in April, Mum insisted that we have lunch at her friend's restaurant, which was surprisingly nearby. I balked at the mention of fish-head steamboat. I don't like fish that much to have it as the only main dish (unless it's fish & chips or baked salmon). Once, in Batam with the Husband, we ordered this whole fish. I took a few nibbles and left it to the poor Husband to finish the whole fish.
But Mum was VERY persistent. She's a fan of fish. So is the Husband. 2 vs 1. I lost. =(
And that's how we ended up at Whampoa Food Street Fish Head Steamboat, at Rangoon Road.
I was half-expecting a run-down coffeeshop but was pleasantly surprised to see such a decent place with air-con. Didn't take photos of the shop front, so that's a Google-d image above.
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| Interior of the eating house |
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| Famous people who have patronised the eating house |
Guess what? I ended up being a convert of the Fish Head Steamboat at Rangoon Road! We had Batan Fish slices in the steamboat. I'm paranoid of fish bones, so no fish head. The soup was surprisingly delicious! No strong fishy smell! Mum said they put 14 kinds of herbs in the soup and I drank bowls & bowls of it.
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| Source: ieatishootipost.sg |
We also had the handmade Heh Zhor (蝦棗, seafood prawn rolls), homemade tofu and the Marmite pork ribs. I went gaga over the Heh Zhor & the ribs! But I wouldn't say this is an affordable place, as we spent about S$30 per person, with the large-sized steamboat and extra topping of vegetables (我愛青菜！) ordered. You notice how tze-char places now charge about the same price as a restaurant at a shopping centre? Oh man.
Because Mum is a friend, we get complimentary desserts. I like Mango Pudding a lot. But there are definitely better ones around (Si Chuan Dou Hua at Park Royal!).
After the late lunch, Mum whipped out a piece of paper with an address printed on it. Somehow she discovered online this place nearby that sells beancurd tarts. Not the normal egg tarts that we are used to, but of soya beancurd. So off we go, in the search for LeCafe Confectionery!
I think I have obtuse thinking. The place is hidden in a old HDB estate along Jalan Besar. I was again expecting it to be a run-down place, or what people might say 'old-school'. So imagine my surprise when I saw this brightly-lit, clean and airy shop!
I like the big Seiko clock on the wall. Very utilitarian. Reminds me of Muji.
We bought the soya beancurd (豆花) tarts & durian puffs.
Notice the paler colour shade in the filling? The tart pastry is surprisingly softer to the bite than it looked.
Verdict: It is really delicious and light to eat, compared to the conventional egg tarts. Even after I eat 2, the feeling is not so 'jehlat'. Not to mention, less sweet & healthier too!
It's my favourite 'egg' tarts after the Portuguese ones from Swee Choon!
The rustic restaurant has sectioned tables, boarded by worn-out wood, so we do enjoy a bit of privacy while dining. The problem is this also made calling out to the waitresses a bit difficult. They don't come round as often as we hoped. But it's okay, I just send the Husband out to call for them when I need extra rice/water. =D
A favourite feature in this restaurant is the bag hook behind my seat! How thoughtful! This is less obtrusive and I like it even better than the bag trolley thing at Din Tai Fung. They even have hangers for the Japanese male expats who came in with suits.
The Husband had the grilled Saba (he loves fish and Saba is the only fish item on the item. No salmon.) set while I had the stewed pork set. I like Japanese onsen eggs!
Each set cost about S$17, before taxes.
We liked the food lots and have been back to the place a few times!
The set meals in this diner comes with a seaweed miso soup, a bowl of rice and the cold Japanese tofu.
The small portion of cold tofu was amazingly soft and tasted almost like yoghurt! Yums!
We upgraded the set at an extra S$2.50 and exchanged the miso soup for a bowl of Okinawan noodles.
It is similar to our Chinese yellow noodles without that noodle taste, and boy, was it satisfying when eaten piping hot!
But to have a second helping of it, it cost me S$5 for one small soup bowl size. =(
This place is rarely crowded. And I really like it that way, instead of jostling at the heartland malls or town shopping centres.
I learnt of Nuoc, a Vietnamese restaurant at Orchard Central, through Hungrygowhere. Last month was my first time stepping into the shopping mall too. I think it's more worth going in the daytime when you can get a seat near the windows, bask in the vast beautiful skyline and even catch glimpses of the sea in the far back!
I wonder what flower Nuoc uses as the table centrepiece. It's really delicate & pretty like the Vietnamese ladies when dressed in their ao dai.
The Vietnamese rice paper rolls were so refreshing! But at S$5.50 per roll, I think that would be the last time I'm having it. The claypot chicken rice, braised cod fish and the sweet & sour eggplant were all very delicious. I like them all but like Thai food, Vietnamese food do use quite a bit of fish sauce.
One day, I must learn how to cook braised cod fish. It's S$30 for that claypot! =O
The Vietnamese rice paper rolls were so refreshing! But at S$5.50 per roll, I think that would be the last time I'm having it. The claypot chicken rice, braised cod fish and the sweet & sour eggplant were all very delicious. I like them all but like Thai food, Vietnamese food do use quite a bit of fish sauce.
One day, I must learn how to cook braised cod fish. It's S$30 for that claypot! =O
This is my favourite dish of all - Chicken Pho Ga, Vietnamese rice noodles with shredded chicken!
I love soup noodles (not the fishball/wanton noodles kind though)! It's about S$17 per bowl.
But since preparing the broth will take quite a bit of work and buying the herbs won't be cheap either, this is something I don't mind paying for once in a while. =)
Lotuses on the dining ware! How pretty! I want! =D
The caramel & coconut puddings were not bad but what blew my mind away was the banana cake.
It is those squishy squashy kind with a thin crust around it, served warm and really tastes good!
I know of Swee Choon since I was a kid because my dad used to drive past the eatery very often.
But last fortnight was probably the first time I stepped inside this late-night dim sum place along Jalan Besar.
We were there about 10plus at night and the place was bustling.
The eatery is air-conditioned and opens from 6pm-10am (Mon-Sat), 6pm-12noon (Sunday & Public Holiday). It is closed on Tuesday nights.
So cool, right? =D
Personally, I prefer the dim sum at 126 Sims Ave.
We had the normal dim sum fare but what we agreed is worth coming back for were the Char Siew Pau, Char Siew Soh (sorry, no idea what the English term should be), century egg porridge and Portuguese Egg Tarts.
The Har Gow and Siew Mai were too meaty and the skins were too thick. The carrot cake was unimpressive either.
There is a Chinese chef that prepares the dough for the la mian, as and when an order for it comes in.
There will be this loud 'thump, thump, thump' sound when the chef 'pulls' the la mian dough.
Did not help that I was sitting close to his work area.
That aside, I was pleasantly surprised that the quality of the la mian is really Q and good.
Its clear soup of less salt is great for such late-night dinners/suppers.
The bowl came with more soup than shown in the photo above, just that I was too busy eating my century egg porridge. By the time I started my work on the la mian, it had sort of dried out.
The wantons were tasty but I didn't like so much meat in it.
Halfway through my meal, I looked up and saw Tricia (from VGY). What a coincidence as we had an email exchange just 1 or 2 weeks before. I nearly called out to her before realising we had never met in person. Lucky never make a fool out of myself.
Halfway through my meal, I looked up and saw Tricia (from VGY). What a coincidence as we had an email exchange just 1 or 2 weeks before. I nearly called out to her before realising we had never met in person. Lucky never make a fool out of myself.
On subsequent visits, I ordered the plain la mian in soup and a separate portion of my favourite dumplings there.
韭菜餃子！
The dumplings still have some minced pork in it, but it's like only 2-thirds of the meat in the wantons.
The skin of the dumplings is a bit thick but at least, the meat is mixed with some vegetables. =)
我喜歡！I like!
Heard the 炸醬麵 is quite yummy too!
I like their homemade barley drink and green bean soup too. Not too sweet unlike those from Kopitiam food courts.
Pricing is reasonable too. Extra bonus. =)
I like their homemade barley drink and green bean soup too. Not too sweet unlike those from Kopitiam food courts.
Pricing is reasonable too. Extra bonus. =)
A newly-discovered restaurant by the Husband, who has been tasked to bring back better food for me on my hectic work days.
Beng Hiang, a Hokkien restaurant, has been around since 1978. Even older than me. =P
Beng Hiang, a Hokkien restaurant, has been around since 1978. Even older than me. =P
I like rewarding myself with lots of food after sloughing very hard for a new launch.
The emotional upheavals of not knowing whether a new TFL-made bag will sell or not can be really stressful.
So, I need great food to distract me & calm my nerves down.
At least that's the reason I tell the Husband.
The photos were taken by the Husband when he went there for take-away.
We went to the restaurant last Sunday, and boy was it crowded!
I don't find their Wu Xiang and Hei Zhor nice. The fish head steamboat restaurant at Rangoon Road serves much tastier versions.
The fish maw soup (the gluey thing in the middle) is really chockful of great ingredients. I was surprised and told the Husband about it.
To which, he said, "Of course, it's S$18 one bowl!"
OMG! =((
The photo here downplays the portion of the Kong Ba. The stewed pork & the number of buns that come with it is sufficient for a party of 5.
To think, this is only the smallest portion on the menu. I love such buns!
And the Kong Ba sandwich is so mouth-watering!
I think I've used up my limited vocabulary to describe good food.
Now I know how hard it is to be a food blogger.
Guess what vegetable is this?
No, it's not spinach, not dou miao, not tapocia leaf.
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It's watercress! 西洋菜！
This is my first time having stir-fried watercress and I like it!
I think it's also my first time seeing such big dried shrimps (蝦米).
I think it's also my first time seeing such big dried shrimps (蝦米).
I actually enjoy the slight taste of bitterness from the vegetables too!
One more dish to my receipe book! I will try cooking with roast pork or add some wolfberries next time!
The photos were all taken with the Husband's Iphone 4.
Doing up this entry is really depressing when I see the photos on my blog, compared to those on others.
I shall mope and wait for the day till I can pluck up the courage to plonk so much money down on a new camera.
Oh well, I hope you still enjoy reading about the food!
Doing up this entry is really depressing when I see the photos on my blog, compared to those on others.
I shall mope and wait for the day till I can pluck up the courage to plonk so much money down on a new camera.
Oh well, I hope you still enjoy reading about the food!
Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu
