Wan Dou Sek (搵到食) Dim Sum @ Geylang, Singapore

Procrasination took the priority every time i want to blog about this!

Translated to something like "found the food", this eatery is THE place to visit when you are very hungry late at night, like 3am! Serving pretty good dim sum, please don't expect sitting in an area with wood crafted furniture, surrounded by Chinese calligraphy, porcelain vases and served by smartly dressed waiters/waitresses.  

The setting is more "coffee shop" with movable tables, chairs and casually dressed servers, albeit air-conditioned. I can even declare with the utmost confidence that Food Republic has better decor like Wan Dou Sek. 

Since dim sum is the mainstay for this eatery, variety should be the norm. With that in mind, i shall let the pictures substitute the words. 

Use your imagination lah!

*the pictures below are not in order of preference*

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Taste wise, my family was not disappointed; ingredients were fresh and sauces used for items like chee cheong fun tasted quite differently from other places. Definitely more refreshing.

Recommended: The Century Egg Porridge (皮蛋粥), the Fried Beancurd Dumplings (腐皮卷), Signature Tofu (招牌豆腐), Chee Cheong Fun and Chrysanthemen Tea (COLD).

Price wise, it's not cheap. For that kind of pricing with such a small portion, i will be better dining at Yum Cha, which by the way, just opened a new branch in Serangoon Garden. Unfortunately, Yum Cha is not a 24 hours eatery and the food in Wan Dou Sek is a notch better than most dim sum places.

Location: 126 Sims Ave. Please visit streetdirectory.com.

Opening Hours: 24 hours daily!!

Central Library @ Bugis

For those who hate the library or find it boring,

you don't know what you have missed!

A blissful place ever since i can recognise the alphabets, the library is always my preferred choice whenever i feel like having a quiet, relaxing moment.... Or rushing to do some last minute reading for my examinations the next day....

Or BOTH. 

From the initial neighbourhood library in Ang Mo Kio to the red-brick national library along Stamford Road and finally the futuristic headquarters for the National Library Board (NLB), i have seen for myself the change of libraryscape in Singapore; the use of electronic cards to borrow books, the inclusion of cafes, the rise of regional libraries etc etc etc. 

I took the free time last Saturday to visit the national library in between Bugis Junction and Bras Basah complex. It brought back a lot of memories as it was my favourite library when i started my bachelor studies a few years back.

Why?

• It was the newest library then.
• It has a massive collection of reference books (from level 7-13), which helped my research countless times.
• It is near to Bugis Junction, which has my favorite Tori Q!
• It is near to Bras Basah complex, famous for its super cheap second hand books!
• It is the ONLY library where you don't hear the yelling, the talking, the hee hee or the ha ha. Noise is considered as the greatest sin! At least for the reference levels above ground.
• It is the ONLY NATIONAL LIBRARY! It should have the most books right?! 

Unlike most national libraries which are housed in old, preserved heritage buildings, the Singapore's national library is contemporary built with a design that symbolises the envisioned future.

From the higher levels of the building (up to 16 storeys), you can view the diverse mix of buildings surrounding it. The best thing?

It's free!!

Serving a nation's hunger for information and knowledge, you should not be surprised to find numerous exhibitions and events organised. Yes, it's free too!! At the moment, they have "Vignettes in Time: Singapore Maps and History through the Centuries" and "From Books to Bytes; the Story of the National Library".

There are even certain sections at the higher levels that open to the great outdoors where you can peacefully read your book, have a good nap, take in the nice scenary or even meditate!

A man was doing just that (meditating) on Saturday!

For you Singaporeans (non-Singaporeans too) out there, pay a visit (if you have not already done so) to the national library for a relaxing day out!

If you belong to the type who hates books......... please go in for 10 minutes and then proceed to Bugis Junction for a movie and shopping!! At the very least, you have indeed visited this iconic library.

Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant @ Upper Thomson

Another craving of Korean's cuisine brought me once again to this authentic Korean restaurant along Thomson road. Not sure if most of the younger generation know, Korean food took root only around 10 years ago, when the Korean wave crashed on Asia.

My first attempt at Korean cuisine was at this crowded food court in Marina Square where i had Bulgogi Beef. I loved it for its fabulous marination that i am afraid only satay is a worthy comparison of.

Since then, my exposure to Korean cuisine revolved around food courts and canteens... until my very first visit to Auntie Kim, a restaurant setting opened by a Korean lady. 

Ignorantly, i always thought that eating Korean food is just like any other meals; you order a main dish, you get a main dish.

It's not.

Astonished by the six different side dishes (the sourish, spicy kim chi, pickled cucumbers & onions, stewed beef, stir fried vegetables, beansprouts and turnips) served, i was already 25% full before getting to my main dish.

I must had been really satisfied with the food for my first visit because when the Korean craving struck early in the morning, Auntie Kim was the first i thought of.

Odeng Tang

My mom loves soupy stuff and this was selected by her. Essentially, it was a soup full of fishcakes. And being a not-so-into-fishcake person, it was just a normal dish with a normal clear broth. I would have prefer fishball or prawn soup anytime.

Bibim-bab

The first time i tried Bibim-bab (translated as mixed rice), i adored the visual appeal of its nicely placed portions of fresh vegetables (carrots, turnips, beansprouts, spinach, seaweed etc), minimal use of meat (one marinated portion of either chicken, beef or pork) plus a sunny side up (or raw egg)!

Food we work for, force us to appreciate the food better.

Using the same reasoning for Bibim-bab; in order to really eat this dish, you have to really mix all the portions together in the really hot stone bowl plus a special sauce. Despite the many ingredients used, the result was a dish so well complemented and tasty

With fresh ingredients, the right type of rice and special sauce, Bibim-bab seldom goes wrong.

This one in Auntie Kim went the right way!

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Additional information:

The first good thing?

No MSG added for all the food!!

The next better thing?

No Goods and Services Tax (GST) charged!

The best thing?  

Free flow of the smooth, cholesterol-buster barley tea! 

Location:

No 265, Upper Thomson Road. It's quite near to Thomson Plaza. Please click HERE and paste the aforementioned address .  

Albert Street Prawn Noodle (亚巴街大虾面) @ Lavender Food Square

Long, long time ago, soupy stuff was never my cup of tea.

However, with growing age, acquired taste (due to age also) and a healthy fact that soup can fill up the stomach faster, my fondess for soup has never been so strong before.

Serving the public since 1963, this stall at Lavender is THE place whenever i feel like having prawn soup. I tried a few other stalls, including one frequents by President Nathan, but still prefer this one in Lavender.

At first glance, the soup did look chilli-red but i can guarantee you (except Karen Au) it did not have the chilli-hot sensation.

The almost clear soup was the main attraction to this dish; seafood sweet with a slight herbal taste, it's likely that prawns play the key ingredient in the stock compared to most prawn noodle stalls, who use mainly pork.

The prawns were succulent and fresh. Since i am trying to cut down on my cholesterol, i didn't opt for the popular big prawns (shown above). 

The real truth? It's almost double the price i paid for the normal prawns lor.. I am cutting down on my expenses.

Personally, i love the crunchy bean sprouts and pork lard added to the soup! So if you do not like bean sprouts or pork lard, inform the ladies! Please also notify the ladies if you do not wish to have chilli powder or yellow noodle!


Those are the norm!!


I will blog more on food from this food square once i have more time. The good food is not only limited to prawn noodle.

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Location: Click Here and search for Lavender Food Square.

A Rainy Month

November 2009 is a rainy month for Singapore and thunderstorms, pouring rain are widely expected to descend any time they want.

I LOVE THE RAIN!

Back in my secondary school days, i ever danced in the rain (fully clothed lah) with a few schoolmates. It was so fun and so refreshing! Ask me to do the same thing now and i would list out numerous necessary checks;

1) Am i wearing clothing that belongs to a lighter color? My red underwear will show if i am. The shy me will never accept the embarrassment.

2) Do i have my wallet, my mobile, my DS Lite, my Panasonic Lumix TZ15 with me? Cannot afford to have those electronics destroyed and my money/cards wet. It will take a long time to dry the non-electronics and, wet leather smells horribly!!!

3) Am i within walking distance to my house? Without any extra clothing, it would be very inconsiderate if i walk into a building/bus/train with a trail of water behind me.

4) Finally, can i heard thunder and see lightning? The fats within me will sizzle and explode if i am so "lucky" to be struck! Well, at least the people around me can get free lard!

Judging from the above, you can imagine how long it has been since i danced amidst the pitter-patter rhythm. However, the urge to do so came back yesterday when it rained at sunset.

The zillions of rain drops, each reflecting the sun-rays, were too hard to resist! Despite the fact that point two and three worried me, i was on the verge to jump out of the protected zone!

Until i remembered my mother's advice: "Don't ever play in the sunshine rain! It will make you sick!!"

I have no choice but to obey.

Considerate Smokers

Two things came to my mind when i took this shocking picture along Singapore River last week.

1) The smokers were so considerate!! I thought most would just flicked the cigarette butt(s) onto the ground. Or......... this area is a hot zone for nabbing litterbugs (hence the consideration)! 

2) Someone must have piled up the cigarette butts as a joke!

The latter is definitely more believable!

Japanese Etiquette in Singapore

Taken from HERE

What i am going to blog today may not sit too well for most people.

With due respect to all Japanese, i do have the deepest admiration for their culture, especially their consideration for the society. This admiration was further impressed by the various variety shows hosted by Mark Lee; namely It's A Small World (国记交易所) and Gracious Planet (放心出去看).

I remember vividly one episode of Gracious Planet, on a train in Japan; one where everyone was quiet and even answering a phone call was frowned upon.

But that's Japan. What about the Japanese in Singapore?

I am not too sure about the others but since working in NUS (National University of Singapore) for over two years, my bus journey from Clementi on 189 involves stopping opposite Waseda Shibuya Senior High School. This means that there are always Japanese students taking the bus in the morning and evening.

A few appalling observations:

Some (i wouldn't say all) Japanese students will put their bags at the empty seats beside them. Even with the passengers packed as sardines in the bus, they will just continue talking to their friends seated in front of them (yes, in front) or reading their books.

Granted it can be a matter of overlook, but the number of times i saw it happened does not justify this.

And if you are thinking about the volume they emit, they were super noisy! Where is the consideration for the society? Or does that apply only to Japan? Could it be a tourist syndrome, where one behaves at home but misbehaves overseas?

It was raining heavily in Clementi a few hours ago and a Japanese student, the first to board the bendy-bus at the bus stop, proceeded to swing round and round the pole at the middle of the bus. It was marvellous as he swung for like, 5 times around the pole.

I almost felt like applauding but i also noticed that he was effectively creating a backlog of passengers who wished to move to the back of the bus.

He must be feeling damn proud of the attention he was getting; positive and negative.

My purpose of this post is not to say that the Japanese is no longer as socially considerate as before since the sample size was too small to begin with.

Like all things, nothing's perfect and we cannot assume that everyone behaves the same, no matter how strong a culture is.

There's only one thing i can confirm; the above-mentioned students were all male and thankfully, the Japanese girls are still like their counterparts back in their home country.....

No biased prejudice, whatsoever, is involved in these observations!

Tian Men Shan (天门山) @ Hunan (湖南), China

One of the optional tours available at RMB 500, this trip to Heaven's Door (or Sky's Gate) Mountain was the most memorable for our Hunan's expedition!

The highlight of this tour was to climb up the 999 heavenly steps (collectively known as heaven's stairs) to this big hole in the mountain, termed mystically as the doorway to heaven (hence the mountain's name).

In order to reach the start of this almost 1,000 steps at an elevation of 1,300 metres, difficulties abound.

First, it's important that you take the cableway! Spanning a long distance of over 7 kilometers, you will be thankful for both its convenience and the spectacular scenary surrounding you!

Second, stop at the mid-station and take an eco-friendly bus up the winding road to your FINAL DESTINATION! With 99 turns, this ride was boring and did not offer much.

C'mon, it's just a bus ride that goes up and up..

Luckily, the magnificent heaven's stairs leading to the "door" made it all so worth it! Words and pictures cannot describe how beautiful it is; you have to be there to experience it.

Now the third difficulty (yes, it ain't over). When you reach the base of the stairs, please take your time to climb up. It may not seem like it's strenuous, but it is!! 

We (dad, mom and son) had such a hard time scaling the stairs, we literally crawled for the last hundred!! My cousin gave up halfway through the climb! It was thoughtful of the constructor to build platforms every few hundred steps for us to rest and breathe in the fresh, unpolluted air.

If you need motivation, you can pay RMB20 for a lady from the minorities to sing a tribal mountain song for you. Her voice was really good!

Like mountain climbing, you experience an exhilarating achievement when you reached the top!! However, our family just wanna, wanna rest. It was such a tiring ordeal!! And while we looked down at those pitiful souls slowly making their way up, we started to ponder the options of going down to the base.

Two were available, one of which was to slowly walk down the stairs, one step at a time. Being acrophobic, i had to walk down sideways.... one step at a time. The other way, much faster, was to roll down.

Guess which one i choose?

Anyway, you remember the road with 99 turns? It might be boring if you are on the road but from the cable car, it does look stunning!

A helpful tip if you are not travelling on a package tour, the ticket to Tian Men Shan only costs 258 RMB for a two-days pass. And this mountain is not only limited to the "doorway". It has multiple scenic spots that will marvel you.

I found out only after my trip.

=(

Bejeweled Blitz

Long Long time ago, i was super hooked on Bejeweled, a free online game offered by MSN.com! I weaned myself out of it since i was not very good in the game and had wasted far too much time on it; could have used the time to explore food in Singapore instead!

Unfortunately, the addiction came back when Facebook.com launched an application called Bejeweled Blitz!

At a minute for one game, this app was really addictive since psychologically it gave an impression that the time spent will be much lesser than games which can last hours!

But it added a very competitive streak amongst the players!!!! When i managed to score a higher score than my friends, a notification will be sent immediately to those i overtake; the message was "neh neh neh neh, i win you! wahahahaha".

Some sort to that effect.

In the past, when i got this notification, i will log in and fight to increase my score! Since the score board was cleared every week, it became a daily affair to log in and play!

I used to score at most about 240,000 and pretty much thought it should be the best in my friends' list. It was, initially, until Karen kept pushing me down to No 2!!!

Number 2 was okay for me. I am fine with being number 2. Until one day, in the morning of a fresh new week, i saw Alex scored the following.

528,200!!! That's it!

I quit Bejeweled Blitz and concentrate on MyZoo and Restaurant City.