Elephant Parade Singapore 2011 Part 1

Elephant Parade is here in Singapore. 162 life size elephants, painted and decorated by international artists and celebrities are exhibited around varies part of Singapore to bring awareness and support for the cause of elephant conservation.

I decided to embark on a journey around Singapore to capture them on camera. My first stop was Vivocity where there were 26 elephants on exhibit.

No 135 - UNICELEPHANT

No 136 - JIMMY

No 137 - ROSES DELIGHT

No 138 - NANA

No 139 - SIR RICHARD THE III

No 140 - MISS INDIA

No 141 - MISS MALAYSIA

No 142 - MISS CHINA

No 143 - QI (BREATH OF LIFE)

No 144 - HENNAPHANT

No 145 - LOTUS SUTRA

No 146 - ABRIL

No 147 - LEGHILACQUARAMA

No 148 - LIVES TO SHARE LIVES TO SPARE

No 149 - BIMBS

No 150 - ELEPHANT MEMORY

No 151 - LILY

No 152 - BROKEN PIXELS

No 153 - ELE FUN-ASIA

No 154 - THE ELEPHANT AND THE CAT

No 155 - HAPPINESS MAXIMUS

No 156 - ELEPHANT ANGELS

No 157 - PUNK

No 158 - KEBAYA

No 159 - AMAZON

No 160 - TURTEFAN

Baba-licious Food Extravaganza Buffet (25 Nov - 4 Dec 2011)

Have you make plans for your next gathering or family dinner? If not, you can check out Baba-licious Food Extravaganza buffet at Vanda Terrace, Orchid Country Club. Singaporean loves buffet but Peranakan buffet is not common because not many people can cook authentic Peranakan cuisine and it involes hours of complicated preparation.

Renowned Peranakan Chef Philip Chia and the Executive Chef from Vanda Terrace will specially prepared and cooked around 42 authentic Perankan dishes for the Baba-licious Food Extravaganza buffet such as Gado Gado, Nyonya Egg & Prawn Salad, Ayam Buah Keluah, Nyonya Chap-Chye, Otak Otak Panggang, Kari Ayam, Udang Goreng Assam, Sayor Loday, Hee-Peow Soup, Nyonya Laksa, Sambal Belachan Fried Rice, Durian Pengat, Pulot Hitam with Longan and Coconut Ice-Cream, Bubor Cha-Cha, Assorted Nyonya Kuehs and many many more... Embarking on an authentic and traditional food journey savouring the richness, aromatic and spicy Peranakan flavours.

Apart from the huge selection of Peranakan buffet spread , the venue itself comes with a beautiful view! Great Food, Great View and Baba-licious Food Extravaganza buffet will be a great gathering with friends and family!

For the tasting invite, Chef Philip Chia prepared and cooked a Nasi Lemak Set for us to savour on the different spicy Peranakan flavours. Clockwise on the plate, we have Rice, Sambal Kang Kong, Sambal Udang, Pong Tahu Goreng, Nyonya Egg & Prawn Salad, Otah, Ikan Kuning, Fried Ikan Bilis and Telor Dadar.

Special mention will be the Nyonya Egg & Prawn Salad and Pong Tahu Goreng. Chef Philip Chia has recreated the Nyonya Egg & Prawn Salad, a long forgotten recipe which focuses on the dressing that gives it a tangy kick.

Chef Philip Chia's creativity is demonstrated in the Pong Tahu Goreng. Chef Philip Chia reinvents the traditional  Bakwan Keiting (Crab Meatball Soup) into a dry version Tahu Goreng.

Nasi Lemak Set 4.5/5

I was looking forward to the signature Peranakan dish, Ayam Buah Keluok (Chicken in Black Nut Stew), a stewed flavourful combination of tender chicken and Buah Keluak, an Indonesia black nut. Being my first time trying out the dish, I was a bit reserved as many said that it has an acquired taste. Conclusion? I LOVE IT!

Ayam Buah Keluak 4.2/5

I am not a fan of Nyonya Kuehs because they are usually too sweet for my liking but I finished all of them. The Assorted Nyonya Kuehs had the right balance of sweetness which I enjoyed very much. Clockwise Kueh Lapis, Kueh Koswee, Kueh Sarlat and Bengka Ubi.

Assorted Nyonya Kuehs 4.2/5

This is another yummy creation from Chef Philip Chia combinating Durian Pengat and Bubor Cha-Cha into a dessert. The different fruity flavours and textures from sweet potatoes and sago was really a delightful dessert that summed up a beautiful lunch.

Durian Pengat and Bubor Cha-Cha Combo 4.5/5

Aside from the scrumptious food, diners can also immerse themselves in a host of Peranakan activities such as intricate bead work demonstrations, live cooking demonstrations and bazaar stalls selling Nyonya cookies, accessories, cookbooks and traditional costumes.

Chef Philip Chia himself will be hosting an interactive cooking demonstration on Tuesday and Thursday at 730pm. He will also be launching his new Peranakan cookbook at the event!

Thank you Chef Philip Chia, Jennifer and the team in Foodfare for hosting us.


Babalicious Food Extravaganza Buffet (25 Nov to 04 Dec 2011)
Vanda Terrace
Orchid Country Club
1 Orchid Country Road
Singapore 769162
Nearest MRT: Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 1130am - 230pm
Dinner: 530pm - 930pm

Weedday Lunch & Dinner Buffet
$28++ (Adults)
$18++ (Child below 12 yrs)

Weekend Lunch & Dinner Buffet
$32++ (Adults)
$22++ (Child below 12 yrs)

*Prices subject to 10% service charge, prevailing government tax including GST
Open to public. Orchid Country Club members enjoy a 10% discount and waiver of service charge.
NTUC Union Members enjoy 10% off price.

Direction:
1) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Wait for shuttle bus at the roadside outside NTUC Fair Price at Yishun MRT station. Alight at 1st shuttle bus stop in Orchid Country Club. Walk down the stairs to Vanda Terrace on the ground floor. Journey time about 8 mins.

Shuttle Bus schedule click here

Shin Kushiya @ Vivo City

Nabeyaki Udon

A couple of weeks back, Maureen has gathered the group of friends from Twitter to celebrate his partner, Chuan Kai's birthday. It was supposed to be surprise celebration for him but sometimes no matter how hard you plan, things just don't work out according to plan. Nevertheless, we have a great time catching up with one another.

Sashimi Moriawase 5/5

The Sashimi was very fresh and excellent! I would love to have more but it is quite expensive.

Platter of different Kushiyaki 4.2/5

Shin Kushiya is popular for its Kushiyaki or grilled skewers. Kushiyaki refers to the use of ingredients such as beef, pork, fish or seafood grilled over charcoal on bamboo skewers. The restaurant uses only the Bincho charcoal (known as king of white charcoal). Biting into the meat, I could taste the distinct smoky flavour.

Salmon Ikura Don 4.5/5

Sanshoku Don 4.5/5

The rice for both the Salmon Ikura Don and Sanshoku Don was very nice and fragrant. I found out from Shin Kushiya website that they used premium Japanese rice that has short and plum grains. The restaurant also added Kombu, a Japanese kelp to the rice during steaming to infuse it with a special fragrance.

Tonkatsu Curry Don 3/5

With all the beautiful food from the Sashimi to the Kushiyaki, the Tonkasu Curry Don was a disappointement. The Tonkasu was tough and dry.

Truffle-infused Uni Pasta 3/5

The Truffle-infused Uni Pasta is an interesting culinary fusion of angel hair pasta, truffle oil, tobiko, caviar and fresh sea urchin. Expensive ingredients equal to excellent taste? Well fusion dish can be a subjective to individual's palate.


Shin Kushiya
Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#02-120
Website: http://www.shinkushiya.com/
Nearest MRT: Harbour Front (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 1030pm
Fri-Sun: 1130am - 1130pm

The Tastings Room @ Marina Square

Last Saturday, I went to a food tasting with Charlene from www.missuschewy.com at The Tastings Room. I have heard so much of the 4 months all restaurant at Marina Square and I am thankful that Charlene asked me along.

At The Tastings Room, their concept is to make food and beverage pairing a painless experience with suggestions within the menu. Every dish on the menu comes with 3 different wine pairing recommendations at a affordable wine tasting portion.

Wine Cellar

The Tastings Room has a huge wine cellar that housed 50 over unique and interesting selections of wine. If you are not into alcohol, they also have an exquisite selections of coffee and tea.

Truffle Mushroom Puree Soup 4.5/5

The Truffle Mushroom Puree Soup was served with a touch of truffle oil, truffle foam and croutons. The smooth puree was made of button and shitake mushroom. For extra texture, there was also sauteed mushroom in the bowl of soup. The truffle oul further enhanced mushroomy flavour.

Smoked Vine Tomato Soup with Seafood 4.5/5

Among the two, my favourite is the Smoked Vine Tomato Soup with Seafood while Charlene prefers the Truffle Mushroom Soup. I can tasted the freshness of the smoked vine tomato cooked into soup. The soup also came with fresh and crunchy prawns. I enjoyed the Smoked Vine Tomato Soup so much that I dipped the toasted milk loaf from the Truffle Scrambled Egg dish to clean up the bowl.

Truffle Scrambled Egg with Wild Mushroom 4/5

The Tastings Room has recently just came up with a Brunch Menu which is available between 11am to 4pm and we got to try 3 of the dishes. I usually do not take scrambled egg as it can be rubbery if not probably done. I was delighted when the scrambled egg was moist and cooked perfectly. The scrambled egg was served with a touch of truffle oil, sauteed mushroom and toasted milk loaf.

Egg Royale 4.8/5

The colourful sight of the Egg Royale just cheers up one's day. The poached egg has smoke salmon wrapped around it sitting on top of a toasted milk loaf with a generous blanket of chives smooth hollandaise. This is a beautifully executed dish with the different tastes and textures coming into one. The poached egg was also cooked perfectly with the egg yolk oozing out.

Poached Egg in Red Wine Hollandaise 4.2/5

The Poached Egg in Red Wine Hollandaise is another well balanced and executed dish. The egg was poached in a concoction of red wine, veal broth and herbs. Althought the hollandaise sauce is lighter , the stronger flavour from the crispy bacon gave that balance to the whole dish.


The Tastings Room
Marina Square
6 Raffles Boulevard
#01-08
Singapore 039594
Website: http://www.tastings.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTastingsRoom
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 11am - 930pm
Fri-Sat: 11am - 1130pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take exit B. Walk to the destination. It is along Raffles Link Road facing One Raffles Link. Journey time about 5 mins.

Tian Tian Hainanese Curry Rice @ Bukit Merah

Last Monday was a public holiday and I went for a morning forest walk starting from Henderson Wave, intending to end on the other end at Alexandra Arch. Unfortunately, the forest walk was under repair and I have to turn back for an early lunch.

I took a 2 stops bus ride to Tian Tian Hainanese Curry Rice at Bukit Merah View since I am at the vicinity. This place is very popular with taxi uncle. I noticed a lot of taxi parked at the carpark behind the coffee shop and taxi uncles sipping coffee or having lunch.

Pork Chop 4/5

Unlike the norm Pork Chop served at other places, the Pork Chop here came served in a pool of gravy. Surprisingly the Pork Chop and the gravy just came together as one dish. In a way, it sort of given the Pork Chop a succulent taste.

Lor Bak 4/5

The beautiful layers of fat and meat of the Lor Bak garnished with coriander was well braised with softness. I couldn't help going for more.

Curry Squid 4/5

The Squid served in a curry gravy was not spicy. Like all traditional Hainanese dish, the taste is more inclined to the sweet side. The squid was nice and fresh but I would preferred it to be more springy.

Stewed Cabbage 4.2/5

The Stewed Cabbage is a must order dish for me whenever I have Hainanese Curry Rice. While the Pork Chop may have slightly different versions, the Stewed Cabbage has pretty similar preparation styles among the different stalls. I always enjoyed eating the sweet and soft Stewed Cabbage with my plate of rice.


Tian Tian Hainanese Curry Rice
Hong Yu (鸿裕) Coffee shop
Blk 116 Bukit Merah View
#01-253
Nearest MRT: Redhill, Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 830am - 930pm
(Closed on Alt Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Redhill MRT station: Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Redhill MRT station (Stop ID 10209). Take bus no. 132 or 145. Alight 4 stops later. Journey time about 6 mins.

2) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to the bus stop opposite Tiong Bahru (Stop ID 10161). Take bus no. 16 or 851. Alight 3 stops later. Journey time about 9 mins.