Frozen Tundra - The New Home for Inuka, World's First Polar Bear Born in the Tropics! @ Singapore Zoo

Late last year, our beloved Mrs Kon got all four of us free entries to the Singapore Zoo and although we have been there countless times, that was the very first time we checked out the pretty new exhibit; Frozen Tundra!

Some of you might be aware that Frozen Tundra is the new home for Inuka, our local-born polar bear who is also the first polar bear to be born in the tropics! And boy was the facility so much bigger than his last dwelling! 

We were ten minutes early for the 10am feeding show and decided to explore the surroundings. 

Unlike the previous polar bear exhibit, there is now an indoor section where we can seek cool, air conditioned respite from the sunny weather! Yooooohooo!

If there is a bed, i would sleep just as comfortably as this raccoon dog in one of the exhibits. Besides Inuka and raccoon dogs, you can also wolverines (a weasel type animal) behind thick glass panels. 

Most people's interest, however, was fixated on only one animal. Guess i don't need to tell you which one.

Inuka, who was basking under the hot sun in a position that could only be described as relaxing! Honestly, i have never felt so envious of an animal until then. Bloody bastard!

But, Inuka has a rather lonely life in this big enclosure. His father, Nanook, passed away in 1995 whereas the mother, Sheba, had to be put down in 2012. His only companions were zookeepers who had no idea how to speak polar bear language. 

Sadness aside, it's time for the feeding show!

The now twenty-four year bear was mindful that it was "makan time" and plonked into the water to prepare himself for some visitor-needed interaction.

I can fully understand that enthusiastic parents would not want to miss the opportunity for their kids to get as close as possible to the water tan but do spare a thought for the rest of us!!! You would not want me to block your view as well right?

Being Asians, we are less likely to voice out our annoyance and would merely just grumble within ourselves. Thankfully, the presenter would firmly ask the parents (or any adult) to fall back to their seats! 

She was more sympathetic towards young kids who had their faces plastered to the glass wall. Anyway, you could always have a more close up photography session with Inuka after the show! I would share with you shortly. 

More pictures of Inuka during the show. 

The star of the show sure knows how to work his charm and would briefly glance at the audience while he was underwater! I didn't manage to get those shots though, given my poor photography skill. 

This is it; the close up photography session with a life sized replica of Inuka! You wouldn't really expect the real Inuka to take a picture with you, showing his full set of pointy white teeth right?!

By the way, you can also bring Inuka home! :)

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For more information (ticket price, exact location etc) on the Singapore Zoo, please visit http://www.zoo.com.sg/

Changi V. BBQ House - Formerly 0172 BBQ Seafood @ Changi Village Hawker Centre

Ever since Changi Village hawker centre reopened for business after a terribly long renovation, i had been trying to find out the fate of the Gang of Four's favourite seafood stall. 

Would they be back, have they moved, the owners have decided to call it quits etc were unanswered questions constantly floating on my mind; it was only a month or so ago that i finally got my answer. 

I have not really noticed this stall in the few times i was at Changi Village since its reopening. And the reason why i especially took notice was because i had a terribly bad sambal stingray from another stall in the same hawker centre! 

Hence, imagine the shock when i saw the above on the menu panel; this was the 0172 BBQ Seafood that i had been searching all this while?!?!?!!? Kaoz, why change the name?!?!?! 

To keep the story short, we had to visit specially on another day to satisfy our craving for 0172 epic seafood omelette! What i didn't expect was when the Great Kon bought chicken chop horfun for all of us!!! Guess what's the time then. Almost 10pm!!!! Blooooooooody! *grumble grumble*

Seafood Omelette

Although this remained top on my list for the best omelette ever, i could not help but wonder if there have been changes, for the worse. To put it simply, it wasn't as lip smacking oily as before.

BBQ Sambal Stingray

The only good thing for this sambal stingray was its chunkiness! Other than that, i would still prefer to make my way down to Chomp Chomp for its stingray.

Sambal Sotong

I was marvelling about the perfect combination of sotong and sambal chilli in my post back in May 2012. It wasn't that long ago yet this dish turned out to be quite disappointing with rubbery pieces of squids that didn't quite have that sweet, tasty seafood flavour.

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Till now, i could not quite understand how we almost managed to clear everything! Were we really that hungry?! Sigh.... how to lose weight like that...

Location

Block 2, Changi Village Rd, 

#01-09, Changi Village Hawker Centre

Price

Seafood Omelette - S$9

BBQ Sambal Stingray - S$12

Sambal Sotong - S$12

Chinese New Year 2014 - An Assortment of Pictures from the Eve and First Two Days

Even though Lunar New Year is long over, i personally thought this would be the right time to publish the photographs i took over the eve and the first two days; with life getting back to norm, don't you think it would be nice to reminisce the festive celebration!?

Let's start with my family new year's eve dinner! Korean cuisine at Ju Shin Jung opposite Haw Par Villa for the wide array of side dishes, tasty marinated meats and fresh veggies that were miraculously approved by the health conscious patriarch of the family.

I chose Ju Shin Jung for a simpler reason; the indoor kids' playground which would help to keep my niece and nephew occupied while us adults could have a disturbance-free meal. 

My elder sister and brother in law! By the way, it is Johnny's birthday today! Let's all wish him a happy happy birthday! 

You wouldn't believe it; i woke up close to 10am on the very first day of the Lunar New Year! In the past, my parents would drag me up at 7am so that we could prepare to visit my paternal grandparents. With both sets of grandparents in heaven now, i guess mom is more flexible with the timing now. 

However, as grandparents themselves, it means my sister and brother in law would bring their two kids over to "pai nian"! Thankfully, my elder sister is known to be worse of a sleepyhead and i am so glad i have not had the "misfortune" to have the two buggers climbing over my head as i continue to be in a deep slumber on the first day of CNY. 

Younger sister and Jovyn! Both of them are super duper close and honestly, Jovyn does look like my younger sister when she was a toddler 30 years ago! 

They were so close; Jovyn was tearing like a mad woman when we separated after a long day of visitations in Upper Thomson, where most of my grandparents' siblings reside.

First day was reserved for the paternal side while the second day was solely spent at my uncle's place (maternal side) which has been the longstanding custom for my family! When we missed it last year due to an overseas trip to Bintan, it was like a huge chunk of festive mood has been taken away.

Food, food, food. This little brother of my mother is an extreme foodie and should be considered as the initial ignition for my glutton state now.

Mom with her second sister and my cousin! Such gatherings are so much fun and there was so much catching up to do; how's your job, have a girlfriend already are common questions i faced.

To evade those questions, i had to escape to the ground floor, where Jovyn and Jerald were enjoying the playground under the insanely hot sun, and forced them to pose for me! 

I didn't ask them to strike this pose!!! I could have photoshop in a few piles of shit but i am a nice uncle. I would do that when they are much older and publish it on their social wall. :P

The two of them again!

Television was showing 'Despicable Me' and this managed to hold the attention of the two brats since they both knew the uber cute minions!! Watching television is the favourite pastime for children during this period as they could not participate in the adult conversation.

Last look of the cheeky brat before i end the post. 

Chao Zhou Fishball Noodle (潮州鱼丸粿条面) @ 22 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh [Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre]

I was in a dilemma as i was waiting to buy the signature Malacca-style chendol at Dove Desserts. The stall next door, selling fishball noodles, had such a long queue; it just didn't make sense for us not to order! 

After a wait of roughly twenty minutes (thanks to the younger sister who was "arrowed" to queue up while the older brother was digging into the chendol), the above were placed on the table. First thought - doesn't this look familiar?! Well, i could not quite put my finger to it at that moment but figured it would eventually come to me. 

Anyway, it was obvious at one glance that the fishballs were handmade! However, it sure didn't compromise on texture and taste; the former being soft and QQ while the latter was so rich in seafood goodness (to the extent that it was just a super thin line crossing over to the territory of fishiness). 

Noodles wise, i found the texture to be on the tough side, possibly a result of overcooking and i knew it could not survive a 30-minute ride home to Yishun for Alex, who has shamelessly proclaimed himself to be a fishball noodle guru.

Despite my initial misgivings, it was only after thoroughly mixing the noodles with that oily chilli-tomato sauce condiments that i realised i almost had to eat my words; the amalgamated flavour was delicious and totally irresistible!

It didn't take me long to clean up the bowl, literally.

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The memory came back! 

The presentation was somewhat similar to this pricier fishball noodles stall at Food Opera in ION Orchard; Li Xin Teochew Fish Ball Noodles. In my opinion, Li Xin seemed to serve better tasting fishballs! 

Location

Block 22, Lorong 7 Toa Payoh, #01-20, 

Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre

Price

S$3 a bowl

Dove Desserts Nyonya Cendol [Recipe from Malacca] @ 22 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh [Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre]

Dove Desserts was in the news a few years ago for their authentic Malaccan style cendol with unbeatable gula melaka that was imported all the way from Malacca! 

The few attempts i specially made to give it a try ended in great disappointment as i kept forgetting the stall is closed on Sundays! 

And when Jin Jin power cendol came into the picture, i kind of let "dove desserts" go until the Lau sisters tried it one Saturday and came back with rave reviews that temped me to visit the very next week! 

I gradually came to the realisation that there are two extremes when it comes to chendol lovers; for example, my affection is towards the gula melaka while i have friends who impose a higher weightage on the red beans and the green stuff (which is in fact the chendol).

Compared to Jin Jin which offered much more gula melaka that literally sat on a snowy bed of fine ice, i was honestly not very impressed with Dove Dessert's offering. However, my younger sister expressed the same opinion as the Lau sisters; she actually enjoyed this less sweet version which came with authentic chendol that didn't feel at all artificial. 

I am putting this down as a matter of differences in taste preferences!

As Ms Bun ever said before, one man's meat is another man's poison! 

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Location

Block 22, Lorong 7 Toa Payoh,

#01-21, Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre

Opening Hours

Mondays to Thursdays - 11am to 8pm

Fridays - 11am to 5pm

Saturdays - 11am to 8pm

Sundays - Closed

Price

Chendol - S$1.50