Sin Ming Roti Prata @ Block 24, Sin Ming Road [Near LTA & Thomson Plaza]

When my sister queried if i have eaten any good roti prata near Thomson Plaza, i replied that there's a famous one along the main road, notable for their crispy kosong pratas. Her response was: "Not that one. The one i had was along the smaller road and it was more popular!"

I wasn't convinced as Louise was less picky when it comes to food and i used my elder-brother-authority to have her brought me to the shop, together with Jerald and Jovyn.

My jaw dropped when i saw the long queue as it was already 10.30am and the neighbourhood (surrounded by auto workshops which usually close for business on Sundays) was actually a quiet estate! 

From the plates placed on the customers' tables, the queue and the number of employees, it's obvious that the roti prata stall was indisputably the anchor tenant in the coffeeshop. 

Aside from the roti pratas, the stall does have other items on the menu. So for your grumbling husband who insists on having noodles, there's mee goreng! 

Random - Jovyn making an ugly face for the camera as she was bored waiting for our turn. This cheeky gal recently pointed her pudgy finger at me and made a serious accusation that i injured her!! I am innocent of course! 

Anyway, here's our order - 4 egg prata and 5 kosong prata.

Mine - 1 egg and 1 kosong prata. On the egg prata, it was burnt on one side and i thought it didn't quite put me on cloud nine as i would have expected even though Louise was quick to clarify the stall was more reputable for the kosong.

Now on the kosong (which means empty) prata - i noticed the dimension was bigger than the competitors and the inside was fluffy with a chewy texture that was both satisfying and tasty. It wasn't as crispy as the one along the main road but the saving grace was that it didn't seem to be oily! 

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Location

24 Sin Ming Rd, #01-51, 

Jin Fa Kopitiam

Map

As above. Motorists should consider parking their vehicle at the open air carpark opposite LTA if they could not get a lot at the tiny multi-storey carpark next to the coffee shop.

Menu

As above

Pricing

4 egg prata and 5 kosong prata - S$11

Missing Genting Highlands

As far as overseas travel is concerned, the past two years have been fulfilling with visits to Taiwan, South Korea, Maldives, Kota Kinabalu, Perhentian Islands, Batam Island and Bangkok.

Despite travelling quite a bit (even though they are concentrated in Asia), there are a few unforgettable places that remained etched in memory for a few reasons; those that i frequented with friends when i was younger (by that, i meant before my 30s).

One of them was Genting Highlands; as part of my very first tour package out of the country, it was also my virgin encounter with temperature below 20 degrees celcius and there's only one simple word to describe my feeling then. SHIOK ah!!! 

Since then, i frequently took the coach to the highlands and have seen its developments over the years; including the building of First World Hotel which offered incredibly cheap accommodations for poor teenagers like myself then. 

The key draw then was the indoor / outdoor theme park and back before Universal Studios Singapore was operational, this was the only decent theme park near enough for Singaporeans! As of now, redevelopment is in place for a new amusement park that is scheduled to open in another year's time! 

Blessed by clouds surrounding the hills and mountains, the scenic environment also makes the area extremely therapeutic for those seeking a quiet solace from urban life / noisy, smoky casinos. 

Raised as a Taoist / Buddhist, i am no stranger to monasteries and temples and find religious abodes a suitable place to clear one's mind. The Chin Swee Temple value adds by imposing on visitors the impression that heaven can be experienced even before we die! 

Maybe that's why most Taoist temples in China are built as high up in the mountains as possible.

At Chin Swee Temple, foreigners would also enjoy the statues on display, including those from Chinese legends and folk tales. One section even featured a 10 courts of hells; similar to the one at Haw Par Villa yet without the eeriness. 

The humongous Buddha never fails to bring me to a moment of silence when i will pray sincerely for my parents' good health, and hopefully a substantial increase to my bank account. 

Sometimes, you see foreigners doing funny things.

Yes, it is disrespectful but they don't understand our culture and it's really hilarious to see them mimicking the actions. Anyway, do climb up the 10,000 Buddhas Pagoda if you have the time, and energy.

By the way, take a copy of the "journey to the underworld" which was an interesting read for those who wants to know more about hell in the Taoist context, especially in the multi-racial, multi-religious age we are in now. 

The highlands are too boring? Go ahead and take the old fashioned gondola or modern skyway to the mid-highlands where you can visit the strawberry farm or the bee farm, if they are still operational since the last time i went was in 2013!

Visit the local foodstuff market too to get some delicious snacks for your friends back home! Best thing, just open one bag and slowly walk the long walk back to the skyway station in that marvelous weather.

Yes, i miss Genting Highlands! 

Tenryu Japanese Dining & Teahouse @ Block 17, Dairy Farm Estate [Enter from North Gate]

Dairy Farm Estate belongs to those condominiums built in the 1980s that had retail outlets within their compound for the residents' convenience and although i have been to a few in Singapore, i have never once stepped foot into Dairy Farm until a fortnight ago.

The reason for my visit was straightforward; thanks to a Facebook friend, i was aware of a Japanese restaurant in Dairy Farm Estate and i had been craving for Nippon cuisine since i returned from Bangkok! 

Of course, with a ton of Japanese restaurants in Singapore, why Tenryu? Simply because i was drawn by its mission to "provide premium japanese food at non-premium pricing to make daily Japanese meals possible". Basically, i am a sucker for economical meals. 

Sashimi - Assorted 3 Kinds

From a person who used to dislike sashimi, i must say i have taken quite a liking, especially towards sake sashimi! The assorted 3 kinds were purely relied on the chef's perception on the top 3 freshest sashimi for the day and even though they were as fresh as perceived, they didn't leave a lasting impression; at least not along the line of those i had back in Bangkok! 

California Maki

In a Japanese restaurant with Alex, i would make sure i have an order of salmon sashimi while Alex would insist on having a serving of California maki.

Size of each piece was on the modest side. The taste was alright; creamy albeit on the saltier side given the generous sprinkling of tobiko (flying fish roe).

Tenryu Maki

I didn't have the heart to tell Alex the aburi salmon was partially raw since he would have vehemently rejected my suggestion! Whatever the case, both of us were happy with the tenryu maki! 

The aroma and taste of lightly torched salmon, coupled with the secret tenryu sauce that was kind of balancing between sweet and tangy, were unusually good. There's only one problem; the excessive use of fish flakes! 

Tori Teriyaki Set

To be totally honest, i would have gone for the chicken teriyaki set at Kazan Japanese Cuisine if i have not seen the post by my friend and it's only fair for me to order the same kind of food at Tenryu despite the fact that many people have strongly recommended the chirashi don.

On the chicken, the meat was succulent, juicy yet without the crispiness i absolutely loved from the one at Kazan; sauce was also more salty than sweet. Strangely, it was more similar to the chicken skewer stick at Tori Q.

There was an item that stood out from the normalcy of this; the appetiser and by that, i am referring specifically to the crab sticks with seemingly the sauce used for the tenryu maki.

Avocado Juice

This was the highlight for our meal as it was totally unexpected for us to order a glass of avocado juice in a Japanese restaurant! Creamy, milky set in a nice pandan-ish flavour - this was the ultimate nectar filled with vitamins c and e goodness without the sinful chocolate sauce / gula melaka. 

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Location

17 Dairy Farm Road,

#B1-06, Dairy Farm Estate

Map

As above (red star)

For Motorist

Parking is available within the condominium. There are three main entrances that are not connected and for your ease of reference, please enter from North Gate along Dairy Farm Crescent. 

Website 

http://www.tenryu.com.sg/

For Reservation

Call 6464-8894

Menu

As above

Pricing

Sashimi - Assorted 3 Kinds

California Maki

Tenryu Maki

Tori Teriyaki Set

Avocado Juice

Green Tea - FOC 

[NO GST, NO Service Charge]

Additional Information

There's a resident-only daily special for a good, valuable meal below S$10! There's a way for a non-resident to take advantage of the promotion; just like their facebook page!

Fresh Custard Apples Directly Imported from Taiwan - Now There's a Place to Get Them Right Here in Singapore; HaoHao Fruit!

It's an open secret that i love the king of fruits but there's another fruit top on the list and that's none other than custard apples! The most favourite species had to be the one i purposely hand carried from Taiwan last year; the pineapple custard apples! 

My heart was stirred when i received the above email; since i dislike asking friends / family members to buy things when they are overseas, i would not likely get a bite of custard apples until i am back to Taiwan, which could take years! 

I eventually got a box of ten after much hesitation and you can imagine the elation when i saw it on the table after work. Jun Hao, owner of HaoHao Fruit, has kindly waived off the delivery charge as he happened to be in the vicinity. 

With bated breath, i slowly peeled off the layer of Styrofoam sheet protecting the airflow custard apples. It's been a while since i last sank my teeth into one and i had been looking forward to doing so for the past few hours!

Like little babies wrapped in towels, they were still unripe at that moment and Jun Hao had suggested leaving them in the open for a day or two to speed up the process. Alternatively, i can keep a few in the fridge and they would still be good for another 5-7 days. 

Unlike pineapple custard apples i had in Taiwan, these were the usual custard apples at about 500 - 600 grams which could be purchased from some fruit stalls in Singapore; albeit at a slight premium pricing given the grade and its country of origin. 

Pineapple custard apples' season has yet to start according to Jun Hao and he would notify me once they are in. In the meantime, i would have to make do with the normal custard apples. :(

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Online Purchase

Make your purchase at http://haohaofruit.com/. Aside from custard apples, you may also find Taiwan persimmons, Taiwan pomelos and many more!

Prices and Availability

Can be found on http://haohaofruit.com/. The custard apples i bought were priced at S$85 for a box of ten. Delivery charges apply unless you hit a minimal of S$120. 

Website

http://haohaofruit.com/