Tostitos Tortilla Corn Chips

Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, 283.5g ($6.35)

While teenage friends munch on potato chips, i took to corn chips for its flavorfulness and firm bites. Those days, corn chips were cheaper than potato chips but tough on your tooth, unlike these fine things by Tostitos - Stone-ground White Corns.

We had their Restaurant Style which resembles the old thing but much fine-grained (love this!); Hint of Limes tasted amazingly of Khong Guan's Lemon Puffs and thinly textured Scoops! designed for generous heaping of Salsa dips.

These are naturally flavorsome corn chips, good enough to replace some of the best potato chips around. I am sure.

Rivercrest California Red

Rivercrest Carlifornia red, 750ml, 11.5% vol. $13.90 (Promotional Price: $9.95)

"Cheap wines can't be trusted."

Our many brushes with alcohol burning and tongue-bitting red wines taught us so.

"Good wines need not be expensive." Was what we wish to affirm. If you think likewise, give Rivercrest a shot. The wine is ideally smooth for a lady's liking; with one big gulp, i gladly dipped my tongue into the pool of red, savoring the fermented California grapes.

Tonight, the booze got me for drinking too fast.

Sony SLT Alpha 55

Sony SLT A55, on 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 SAM kit lens ($1249)

What can you say when the man is bend on getting the Sony SLT for his many Alpha lenses.

But the lightweightness of this mirrorless camera surprises me when i compared it to our DSLR Alpha 550 with the viewfinder; we do miss shooting with viewfinder.

Other technical considerations aside, we tested the camera against NEX 5N, mounted on similar lenses and were convinced the Nex captured livelier shots under low light - an attribute we valued.

Yummy Sarawak Wanton Mee

Sarawak Wanton Noodle ($3), Set meal include 1 Braised Pork Rib ($3.50)

Yummy Sarawak in 137 Tampines Round Market should probably be our cheapest Kolo Mee in town; after we had the exclusive Jia Xiang Kolo Mee that cost about $6+ per bowl.

Noodles from both stalls tasted and smelled clean without the alkali added in noodle making but Jia Xiang boasted a chewier cooked noodle; remembering the lingering savour. Yummy's just does a good standard job.

But Yummy strife hard at their ingredients used - meaty meat dumplings, shrimp dumplings, crunchy fried dumplings, slightly charred char siew and a melt-in-the-mouth braised pork ribs. It was more than a bargain for.

And would do without their fiery chili sauce come next visit, cos it ruined the clear taste of the aromatic seasoning.

Delifrance Breakfast

Delifrance Breakfast at Mercedes-Benz Customer Lounge

How had we forgotten Delifrance since Subway comes along. I used to love Seafood D'sire from Delifrance and it had seems like ages ago...

Curry Chicken Feuillete, Tuna and Chicken, sweet Raisin Viennoiserie served immediate from the food warmer tasted wonderfully buttery and flaky! And we do not forget their strong premium coffee.

A leisure breakfast like this with Ric is always blissful.

Fireworks from the Marina Barrage

Today was our first attempt to catch the National Day fireworks from the Marina Barrage. Car parking was a jumble dues to the overwhelming visitors to the newly opened Gardens by the Bay and also the public's illiteracy to the disorientated car parks.

Alas, it was a rush for almost nothing. Everyone is obviously disappointed when we realized that the MBS building stood stoutly between us and the fireworks. Haha...

Views from the Gardens by the Bay was similarly obstructed.

Gardenia Choco Raisin - only in Malaysia

Gardenia Delicia Choco Raisin (RM$4.20)

Recently, i've began to acknowledge the supremacy of Gardenia's recipe. Wholemeal loaves that are branded as dry and tough, are made cotton soft and tasty by Gardenia. We have been buying their Super Soft and Fine Wholemeal, Fine Grain Wholemeal and Low Glycemic Index (GI) Multi-Grains.

So we never hesitate getting the Gardenia Choco Raisin from Malaysia when we spotted it; cos we don't have them in Singapore.

If you had preferred chocolate bread as rich as Bonjour Choco Chip bread, you would be disappointed. Unlike the Bonjour that smudged your hands with melted chocolate, Gardenia leaves you relatively clean.

The raisins though, are good substitute for a lighter recipe and we enjoyed the soft, firm bread.

Gardenia Delicia Raspberry Milk & Cranberries (RM$4.20), 
Gardenia Wholemeal with Canadian Purple Wheat (RM$3.50)

Months later, Sis bought these 2 Gardenia loafs from Johor Bahru! What innovation! Yes, the one with Canadian purple wheat produces purplish dough, it is interesting! And altogether delicious.

Why is Singapore's Gardenia so conservative? Even if they ain't, price is a factor - each special recipe loaf that Sis bought in today cost less than S$1.70!

Durian Degustation in JB

Little Mao Shan Wang and D101

Roadside durian stalls like these ply the streets of Johor Bahru - the good stalls only start business in the late afternoon after collecting their freshest stocks from the morning harvest.

We had asked for a durian sampling of whichever species of the fruit available for the taking.

Having learned from reading ieatishootipost's durian series, i wasn't shy of the numbers used to name these popular species. D88 was so bitter and nice that we gobbled the fruit; D175 Ang Hei had that unforgettable distinct taste. D101 wasn't too fantastic today.

We ate and pack home some 16 durians altogether and blew a spending of RM$230.

D175 Ang Hei

D101

八哩半大家发鸭肉 - Famous Braised Duck in JB

1B, Jalan Skudai Batu 8 1/2 (Lee Pineapple), Skudai 81300 Johor Bahru

We asked for the famous braised duck stall, the 'Skudai Braised Duck' that was featured on Ch 8, Street Smart《自由脚步》but our Malaysian friend told us otherwise. This legendary stall from year 1973 was their all time favourite instead.

Located in the narrow lanes behind Sutera Mall, go further down the road after you reached the Lee Pineapple factory.

And it was indeed famous. Its shop front adorned with enlarged prints of newspaper interviews and photographs posed with visiting celebrities and Malaysian politicians.

Braised Duck Display Counter

Slow cooking of Assam Vegetables and Braised Beancurd Skin 

Our lunch for 4 pax, with duck blood soup and drinks (RM$71, S$28.40)

And while i was roaming the rural estate, our friend ordered a storm - just short of asking the server to dish up everything that's on their menu. Maybe we just missed out on their braised duck wings.

Teochew Braised Duck

Pig Innards, Duck Tongue, Braised Eggs and Beancurd

Braised Pig Trotter (RM$18)

Two main dishes we will especially miss would be their braised duck meat and pig trotter. They are really delicious. Embarrassing myself in front of our generous host, i don't seem to be able to rest the chopsticks.

Seasoning was subtle and well-pleasing our taste buds.

Duck Noodle Kway Teow

Kway teow noodles or plain rice ladled with fragrant braised sauce to go with the dishes? You choose. Then it's glasses of iced lime juices with sour plum to sweeten the savory meal.

Lime juice with Sour Plum !

安湖, Ann Hoo Cooked Food

Pig's Skin and Braised Egg ($2)

Whenever i didn't know what i want for lunch, it is always well to err on the safe side by offering some Teochew Porridge fare.

As i frowned on the Pig's skin that Ric had ordered to go with our porridge (had too much of it these days), i was quickly appeased after the first bite. They are one of those very good ones.

Our lunch (total $8.80), with Chinese Cabbage ($1)

Minced Meat Fish Cake ($2)

Their other specialty was the fish cake that had a well mix of minced meat, not too much, lest the bouncy texture of a fish cake is compromised. It had just the right proportion.

Steam Fish Slice ($3)

And a tender slice of steamed fish remedied our lunch dilemma at Ang Mo Kio, Cheng San Market & Cooked Food Centre (01-126 & 127). I am happy now.

Another day. On Jan 2013. 

We can't get enough of the pig's skin and came back for more. So here is 2 more seafood pics for you.

Steamed Pomfret ($7.50)

Steamed Sotong ($3)

Love Bento, 爱心便当

Sister prepared some Japanese hand roll (Temaki) ingredients for dinner today; but i always like to make Sushi roll out of them. As i fed myself, i decided to make these for Ric.

With moist Wasabi and Japanese Mayo sauce within, the seaweed Sushi roll managed to stay fresh over the night, packed in air-tight container, in the chiller.

This was Ric's first 爱心便当 from me :D

How to... Open a Durian

Hah! Nobody is home.

Let me try opening these D24, Sultan Durian for everyone! It felt like such macho and 'adult' thing to open up a durian and serve it, don't you think so? Today's my first.

First, you look for the 'eye' at the bottom of the durian.

With a cloth, hold the durian firmly with your left hand while you hack the 'eye' intersection with a cleaver in your other hand.

As you make the cut, twist it a little and the durian would open up easily. Drop the Cleaver. Dig both your thumbs into the opening, apply a little pressure and the fruit shall fall apart nicely.

Bingo! The bitter sweet fruits of our labor!

Saving Gaia - Our Home

Home (2009 film) - a 10mins Trailer

Watching a near 2hrs documentary of 家园,  Home (2009 film) in my air-conditioned room; made every breath of cool air, guilty. And the heart burdened with knowledge that humanity is seriously threatening the ecological balance of the planet earth. Humanity - Me & You.

Saving Gaia, A MediaCorp Green Initiative, 2012

Sure it takes more than singing a song to revert the damages we had inflict on the earth, but it is a timely campaign and reminder to us all. That in the pursue of our individual wants and ambitions, we need to slower our paces, give a second thought to better management of our environment and resources.

Conserve our natural resources wherever possible. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Starting with ourselves; our habits and actions. Be a responsible consumer. Think about what we buy?

And educate our young generations by playing the complete movie for them. The future belongs to them.

Mad for Garlic

Embraced by soothing chilled air and darkened interior, we imagined having descended into the Dracula's dungeon - Mad for Garlic had just opened an Italian Wine Bistro at the Clarke Quay where we enjoyed the warmth and intimacy of the classy decor.

Ice Lemon Tea

Alas, it's an eerie thought that Lord Dracula had grown immune to Garlic. Haha... And the food was delicious. Cheers!

Join their Email Club and get a 1-for-1 pizza or pasta voucher immediately :)

Meat Lover's Creamy Pizza ($19.90++)

Creamy Pizza topped with Sausage, Ham, Bacon, Spicy Black Pepper in Sweet White Sauce.

Gorgonzola Cream Pasta ($19.90++)

Creamy Potato Gorgonzola Cheese Pasta served with Scallop and Grilled King Oyster Mushroom.

新利香, SDS Bread

Walnut Raisins Bread Loaf (RM$3)

Whenever we were 'dumped' by our tour guide in a Johor Bahru Mega Malls with only 1 hour allowance for last minute shopping, i would shop at their bakery stores - The SDS Bakery usually, for their cheap and good baking.

But you know, we haven't got much choice, for the store was basically sold-out! Did 4 buys and like the soft flour used for their buns. Everything was great, except for the dry crumbly French roll (Rm$1.95).

 Bamboo Charcoal Bread, 180g (RM$3.50) 

Walnut Pound Cake, 400g (RM$5.90)

潮苑, Restoran Chaw Yuan

Claypot Chicken Broth

"Oh! We're in for a good dinner!" My expectation surged when the tour bus alighted us at Restoran Chaw Yuan - we had remembered them for their quality cooking.

Unlike Restoran Rong Cheng that was packed with rowdy tour groups. Dining at Chaw Yuan was a more private affair as they served a clientele of mainly walk-in customers of the wealthier local families.

And we were indeed, not disappointed.

Specialty Tofu

Red Wine Pork Rib

Steamed Sea Bass

Crispy Choy Sum Seaweed with Chicken Floss

 Assorted Mushrooms with Broccoli

Papaya & Guava with Preserved Orange Peel