Murtabak @ Singapore Zam Zam (North Bridge Road near Sultan Mosque)

Singapore Zam Zam was supposedly featured in many travel books as the place to go in Singapore for Muslim Indian fare. I had no idea of the aforementioned fact until Mr Kon told me!!

The Kon-Tan couple were not satisfied when they had lunch at the same place in the afternoon. They endeavored to try the murtabak after seeing so many orders of it at other tables. But they didn't expect the chance to come so fast, within half a day!!

Chicken Murtabak

I can only said that the chicken murtabak was so delicious, i regretted ordering mee goreng! Okay, maybe most murtabaks taste like this but hey, my last (and first) murtabak was so horrible i wrote it off my to-eat list!

The murtabak in Zam Zam was full of moist meat that complemented very well with the onions, eggs and a thin layer of prata! And at S$5.00, it was a non touristy pricing!  

Mee Goreng

Tasteless.............

Luckily the cucumber with tomato sauce gave some flavour to this otherwise pretty bland dish. Give me the mee goreng from Seah Im Hawker Centre!!!

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Location

697 North Bridge Road

Across the street is one of the oldest mosque in Singapore; Masjid Sultan!

The Papa aka Father Merlion (鱼尾狮) @ Sentosa Island, Singapore

Everyone (at least every Singaporean) knows this imposing structure stationed across the narrow strait, on an island that used to be called the Island of The Dead.

Aka (also known as) the father merlion in the rare merlion family, he is the biggest and tallest of them all at 37 meters high! Don't ask me how the babies come about when the mother is a mere 8.6 meters tall!

Though the ticket price for entry cost S$8.00 per pax, i was willing (in fact, grateful) for payment. The sweltering heat proved to be almost unbearable for natives like me and an air conditioned outlet was a fabulous respite!

Upon entering the realm of the merlion's sacred abode (via a boulder underneath, my dear), a very different environment awaits you; contrasting greatly with the sunniness right outside the tinted glass door.

A cave narrating mystical and legendary sea creatures (like mermaids, Nessie) shall attract your attention temporarily, together with posters of sea creatures movies!

After this small exhibition is an animation on what-else-but-how-the-merlion-comes-about (history recap: Sang Nila Utama, the prince who found the ancient Lion City etc).

Once this boring show ends (could be interesting for tourists though), you are supposed to slot in a golden coin (given when you enter the Merlion) into the mouth of cheesy mercubs!

Don't you love the dumb smile? Awwww... Would have loved to pinch the cheeks!

And out of a slot underneath that lovely smile comes a card that says mystery gift! How touristy can this be?! But a gift is free and Cavin loves free gifts!!

Next comes the highlight of this visit;
the elevator!
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OKay lah! The elevator is just a common, stuffy lift but the highlight is where it brings us to!

The moment you reach the top end of the lift shaft, you have two choices.

Up to the top of the Merlion or down to the Merlion's Mouth.

Merlion's Mouth is an area where there's a cameraman taking pictures of you and your companion(s) with the far off Shenton Way as a backdrop.

At S$15 per piece of photograph (S$20 for two), it's a rip-off for poor man like me!!

I am glad to have my DSLR!

The Head of the Merlion proved to be visually more entertaining.

An almost clear sky was a blessing as we can see far out into the sea (some said you can even see Batam and Bintan)! 

The hot weather was a devil though; the blaring sun was doing what it can to burn us!!!!! Mommy was also getting pretty grouchy (she spent a lot on whitening products).

Time to leave.

A bit sad if you ask me. I would not have minded to stay a while longer and take more pictures!!

Anyway, remember the mystery gift?

It was a fan!!! A life buoy for the hot hot hot weather!!!!!

Barbeque (BBQ) @ Yishun Dam (aka Seletar Dam)

All the while, i knew that Yishun has a dam; helped by news articles that carried incidents of drowning.

However, no public transport is available and the lack of a driving license (back then) added to the inconvenience and inability to go.

Also known as Seletar dam, i knew the way to this place only when i started driving! All thanks to a convoy expedition my ex colleagues in Starhub organised!

It is a place void of any modern facilities (yes, no toilets) and visitors to this place usually comprise of a mix of anglers, joggers, families, congregation of motor vehicles (cars and motorcycles) and... lovers.

Heck, there are even people who go there for artsy shoots!! Was he imagining himself to be the most famous eunuch of all times; Zheng He? Hahaha.

For me, Yishun dam is a place where i can relax and enjoy with my friends over a self assembled, self cooked, self tidied up barbeque meal.

Last Friday was another such meal with Alex's sister and boyfriend.

Our portable BBQ pit!

Table set-up! Eco friendly with no disposable utensils and cutlery!

Our uncooked food!

A damn delicious chicken chop!!

Tiger prawns and steak!

By this time, i was too full for the chicken wings! And the wrong mushrooms were purchased! BBQ Shitake mushrooms are not as nice as portabello or white button mushrooms!!

A pretty bland tasting corn. Forgot to add the all important ingredient; salt!

BBQ marshmallows! Always buy the big ones! The small ones melted too fast without the slightly burnt sensation that would have made it all the more better!

The clean up!

Again, we bought too much food!!

Bloody Alex's fault!!!!!

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With the aerospace hub slowly building up next door, i am worried for the future of Yishun Dam.

Would the authorities clamp down on this kind of non official BBQ activity? I hope not since this is one rare gem in super organised Singapore.

Location

Yam Paste (芋泥) @ Mong Hing Teochew Restaurant (茂兴潮洲时菜大饭店)

I don't know about you guys (and gals) but i used to hate the teochew yam paste!

The smell did not even attempt to entice me to try even a teeny weeny bite and its outlook was pretty disgusting (you don't need an elaboration on that)!

Since the traditional teochew yam paste was a standard dessert fare for most wedding dinners i attended as a child, i came to the realisation that only adults love it (especially the elderly).

Kids my generation love cold desserts (ice cream, almond jelly etc) and yam paste (unfortunately) has to be served steaming hot!

My aversion to yam paste stopped abruptly when i attended a cousin's wedding at Mong Hing Teochew Restaurant roughly ten years back.

The yam paste was so so delicious, i no longer scorned the appearance of this dish at any event!! In fact, i even have craving for it!

The paste was smooth, soft yet sticky and without the pre-assumed tardiness i expected from yam! The sweet potatoes added to the sweetness of this dish and the gingko nuts..... well, no idea what special abilities it has in adding to the taste but at least i know it's healthy; good for the memory!

Just a few hours ago, I was once again at Mong Hing (seriously, they have the best yam paste so far), thanks to Alex who was craving for the yam paste. 

In view of our past experiences with Mong Hing (where the portions were really little), a large serving was ordered.

BIG MISTAKE!

As our stomachs were too full, we only managed to clean it up, perpetually licking it clean, after much effort (scissors-paper-stone)!!!

There goes another intending-to-reduce-my-calories day!!

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Location

371, Beach Road,

Key Point, #01-18/19
(opposite Concourse and in between Bugis and Lavender) 

Price

S$26.00 for a large portion

Soya Bean & You Tiao (豆浆油条) @ Yong He Eating House (永和豆浆油条大王)

Geylang is notorious for its 'meat' trade but the area is equally famous for its food (like Wan Dou Sek, Smelly Tofu etc)!

One of the first eateries introduced to me was the hugely popular King of You Tiao (a cruller like thing), Yong He!

For the uninitiated, the ignorant and the 'pure' souls, Yong He was THE 'in' place for night dwellers and it was common to hear the hollering of orders between the elderly waiters/waitresses.

I mentioned 'was', didn't i?

Since its move to a more quiet area in another side of Geylang, business has dipped.... TREMENDOUSLY!

Okay, maybe it's the timing issue. We were there at around 2-3pm, not exactly the wake up time for a 'meat' district. But with only two to three tables occupied, it's obvious that i should not be too far off from the bare truth. 

Popularity aside, how would the food fare at this new location?

You Tiao

Longer than the usual ones found in hawker centres, my eating preference is to dip the you tiao into a mug of cold soya bean drink!

The hot cullers will absorb the cold white liquid and while the outside remains crispy (obviously, don't dip too long), the inside is soaked with the goodness of soya bean!!

The cold soya bean drink (no picture!!) in Yong He was thirst quenching without being too sweet while the you tiao was just a bit (pinkie finger) too soft. 

Fried Meat Dumplings (Guo Tie)

These were too oily and are currently rated 'below average' by my standard!!

It might be slightly beareable if the dumplings are hot and fresh from the frying oil!

Tea Leaves Egg

My standard for tea leaves eggs is very high and only those with a heavy infusion of the herbalised tea leaves flavour will meet my cut.

The one in Yong He did not.

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With competition from Rochor Beancurd, Selegie Beancurd and others that serve comparable or even better soya bean drinks and you tiao (which are the main selling points anyway), it should be pretty difficult for me to be back at Yong He again.

Unless nostalgia strikes my aging soul!

Location

517 Geylang Road

(Near Lorong 27A)

Price