Garden Picks, The Dried Fruits & Nuts Company

I have a weak spot of nuts and I love snacking all sort of nuts ranging from peanut, almond, cashew and more. Usually I will go to the nearby convenient store or supermarket to stock up my supply. Recently I have been introduced to Garden Picks, a online dried fruits and nuts company that sells and deliver a quality wide array of wholesome snacks in Singapore. My craving can now be satisfied with just a few mouse clicks and I will have a good serving size of wholesome snacks to curb my craving.

Garden Picks has recently introduced a new range of gourmet nuts from Australia. I got my hands on a few of these new products to try. There was quite a few interesting flavoured nuts such as the Tiramisu Almond, French Vanilla Almond, Mexican Salsa Cashew, Cinnamon Almond, Canadian Maple Cashews and Thai Sweet Chilli Cashew. Among the 6 new gourmet nuts from Australia, my favourite was the French Vanilla Almond. The sugary vanilla coating around the roasted almond reminds me of those sugar coated nuts I used to buy from the kachang puteh stall.

The web based wholesome snacks supplier has grown into a manufacturing and packing facility producing and supplying a diverse range of dried fruits and nuts to corporate workplaces, government ministries, school and hotels. You can find out more of the products in the website link below. Garden Picks has a wide range of dried fruits and nuts that is delivered "factory fresh" to your doorstep.


Garden Picks
FoodXChange@Admiralty
8A Admiralty Street
#06-05
Singapore 757437
Tel: +65 66594859
Website: http://www.gardenpicks.com.sg

Ivy's Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup @ Kim Keat Palm Food Centre

After breakfast at Uncle Kun's Delicacies, Ian, Philip and me took a stroll to Toa Payoh Lorong 7 where they introduced me to Ivy's Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup. So where and who is Ivy? Well I did not get to meet Ivy but instead the stall owner Mr Max Ng. Apparently there is a love story behind this bowl of Hainanese herbal mutton soup. Max was wooing Ivy and knowing she likes the dish, learnt to cook the dish, winning both her palate and heart. Ivy is now his wife and he has name the stall after her.

When we arrived at the stall, Max was busy at work preparing the mutton for the day. The mutton was marinated with fermented beancurd and seared in hot oil to remove the gaminess.

Herbal Mutton Soup 4.5/5

I was quite taken back when the bowl of Herbal Mutton Soup ($7-$9) was served. A sip of the soup I could taste the different from most mutton soup. Most stalls uses a lot of ginger to reduce the gaminess but in this bowl of mutton soup, I could taste the bittersweet of the herbs, a good body but not overpowering. The price may sounds a bit expensive but it was brimming with generous serving of fish maws, black fungus, tau pok and mutton.

Herbal Mutton Soup 4.5/5

Patron can enjoy this potent and hearty bowl of herbal mutton soup without the worry of gaminess. The painstaking process to marinate, prepare the mutton and cooked in a herbal broth helps to remove that unpleasant taste. Also worth mentioning is the specially homemade chilli sauce. Dip the tender mutton with it to fully enjoyed the flavour of the mutton. Without doubt this is one of the best herbal mutton soup that I have eaten and definitely my favourite now. No wonder Max was able to win Ivy's hand with this delish bowl of herbal mutton soup.


[MOVED]
Ivy's Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup
Kim Keat Palm Food Centre
Blk 22 Toa Payoh Lorong 7
#01-16
Singapore 310022
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ivysmuttonsoup
Nearest MRT: Braddell (NS Line), Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 8pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Braddell MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop opposite Braddell MRT station (Stop ID 52171). Take bus number 232. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 238. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]