Owl Kopitiam Roast

The naming of Owl Kopitiam Roast in honour of the Straits Asian Coffee Shop culture is clever. But there is also a risk to that - as consumer tends to compare the taste of the convenient pack to the actual roast that we were so accustomed to; one that we grew up with; one that can be easily bought from any neighbourhood coffee shops.

So let's compare them!

KOPI-O GAO - Extra Thick Nanyang Coffee, with Sugar
This is mum's usual at the coffee shops. And she has this to say, "No aroma of Kopi, just like thick coffee sugar water, without the nice aroma that we have from the kopitiam." "Oh, maybe i make too big a cup, next time i use less water." I made the excuse for Owl.

The chest felt heavy after the extra thick coffee; and i had to agree - no "xiang wei" of coffee.

KOPI-O - Thick Nanyang Coffee, with Sugar
The most easily available instant black coffee around; i found this in almost every offices i visited lately. Aromatic but finds it tad sweet; usually add more water to this.

KOPI-C - Nanyang Coffee, with Evaporated Milk + Sugar
Real sweet. Blind-fold me and i should not tell its difference from any other common 3-in-1.

KOPI-C KOSONG - Nanyang Coffee, with Evaporated Milk
Everybody's favourite! Thickly bitter with sweetness that's barely traceable. Very nice. Mom selected this to be bought for the household.

KOPI SIEW DAI - Nanyang Coffee, with lesser Sugar
This coffee concoction is my coffee shop favourite that tasted superbly aromatic and delightfully sweet with its receipe of condensed milk in the mix, no sugar. But sugar is instead used in this convenient pack; diminishing all my hope of it.

Durian Crunch McFlurry?

Durian McFlurry, available for a limited time only ($2.80)

Before our salon appointment, we remembered McDonalds offering some Durian McFlurry for the first time. I love McFlurry - the Oero. After today, I am once again confirmed of my likes.

Didn't quite appreciate their addition of cheap cereal crisp to add some bite to this soft-served. Flavoring of the durian is too light for durian devotee like us. But for some good reasons, it does give a good introduction to foreigners who heard so much 'awful things' about durian, but still want to give themselves a chance to savor this fruit, albeit the lightest tang of it.

Joe's Thai Kitchen

Seafood Tofu ($6+), Thai Beef Green Curry ($6+), 

Stuffed Chicken Wings ($2.50+ per piece), Pineapple Rice ($1.80+ per bowl)

It was 5 years ago when we were last at Joe's Thai Kitchen in Bukit Merah. Food then tasted fantastic to us, but it just seems satisfactory after these years. Looking back, the standard of food is maintain (which is noteworthy) but we had raised expectations. The kitchen does a fair share of cooking but it wouldn't do if customers are looking for some nice surprises. However, prices are kept competitive here.

Nonetheless, avoid a meal here if you are monosodium glutamate intolerant. We were dehydrated like crazy, this whole afternoon.

Starbucks in the Fridge

Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso, 192ml ($2.60). Bottled Mocha Frappuccino Coffee, 281ml ($2.80) 

Sometimes the convenience of things got everybody in trouble - reach out into your fridge and you could savour cafe-like iced coffee as the weather warms. Just as Starbucks goes into bottling up their premium brews for our easy consumption; and their increased market shares, we took in the calories, willingly.

Starbuck's coffee can't taste no good. Both of us preferred the canned doubleshot espresso - thickly bitter with faint sweetness and nice tang of rich cream. The frappuccino is cloying, in comparison.

Any guy would welcome a heady doubleshot; but for that brief moment of decadent, let me have the velvety frappuccino, serves on the rocks!

金记, Kim Kee (Coffee Shop) Tanjong Rhu Wanton Mee

Wanton Mee ($2.50)

For the longest time, this familiar wanton noodle stall operates under Blk 7 of Kampong Kayu Rd with the ever famous Tanjong Rhu Pau. Now the noodle stall decided to move into the adjacent Jalan Batu Food Centre; which is a good thing - for more seating spaces.

Operating hours are limited at 0630-1400hrs and closed on Sun; noodles selling out at 1pm, do visit the stall early to avoid disappointment.

I do ponder over their appeal to attract a faithful following; customers who form a short queue in front of the stall, ordering big $3 serving as i tuck into the ordinary-looking bowl of wanton noodle... Maybe it's the 'taste of old times', i reckoned.

The tomato sauce mix with a little chili is comfortably simple yet inviting; springy chewy noodles; thin skinned wantons with fairly average BBQ pork - it doesn't warrant travelling long distances for this; but if you are nearby or is a Wanton mee aficionado, this is quite a warm old-fashioned treat for the soul.

Corum Admiral's Cup

Admiral's Cup Competition 40 (on her), Admiral's Cup Chronograph Challenge 44 (on him)

The man loves this Corum watch with its round of colorful naval flags since his young days. So when we got together, I said we buy a pair since I too took notice of it for a long time.

It was all coincidence (sharing 60 time pieces between us) that we both chose to wear it on our date tonight - so let's take a picture, I say :)

Does anyone share this similar passion for watches?

Ply Baked Goods - Lesser fine baked goods

Mango Jivara ($33, 500gm)

A layer of mango mousse with generous amount of fresh mango chunks sandwiched between
moist chocolate sponge and creamy milk chocolate mousse, finished off with mango glaze. 

Ric met some haughty service at Ply Baked Goods when he went to pick up our order of cakes from their shop at Soo Chow Walk. It is a bakery like no others - you don't detect any traces of baking aroma at this shop? Eerie. Customer service is unfriendly and un-smiley, with the counter lady refusing our request to help slice up the cakes for easy serving at home.

Such arrogance can be overlooked if they have the stuff to be haughty, but it proved to be just good money wasted on lousy food. While i'm still puzzling over their business strategy - why open a shop that sells over-priced cakes; unless you plan to do just one-time business?

Their sponge cakes are thinly airy and the cheese cake crumbly; probably had just input of 50% real cheese? It tasted more like weak Japanese cheese cakes than the rich American version; but looked like one with the addition of a thick crust base.

This procurement is a mistake; even with a 50% discount throw in by Groupon.

Blueberry Cheesecake, 8" round ($42 per kg)

Rich and creamy baked cream cheese with swirls of blueberries filling with sweet dough crust base.

Lipton Peppermint Herbal Tea

Lipton Peppermint Herbal Infusion (caffeine free), 1.5g (10 pcs for $2.75)

Barely 5 days into my fast-paced job, and i was suddenly down with a groggy head and a slight running nose. "Die!" I had thought. "Wouldn't that give my boss the idea that i'm weak or simply skiving on the job if i had to go on medical leave now?" Gosh!

Needed something warm to clear that blocked head, so i made myself a tea bag of the Lipton Peppermint the boss bought for our office. Amazingly, it works! The minty drink felt especially helpful when you gulp it down in its lukewarm state - i promise you'll feel that instant comfort as it clears the nose and calms the mind...

Surely, i followed with a second tea bag, and by that afternoon, i was gleefully munching on a giant Toblerone chocolate bar :)

Triple O's by White Spot!

No Kidding. This is a 'Must Eat' fast food joint on burgers! It is gourmet!

Freshly-made burgers that come in bigger, tastier meat patties than Carls Jr. And soft, substantial buns that easily comforted us who were missing those firm bites into Japan's Freshness Burger - who left our shores last year.

Chunky fries that were chipped directly from potatoes, were served with its skins fixed; and tasted as satisfying as any fluffy potato wedges! This is Triple O's, who beat both Carl's and Freshness in terms of food portions and pricing.

Spicy Chicken Crunch Combo ($9.90)

We love their Spicy Chicken that isn't overwhelmingly hot, just a little spiciness you faintly detect. The poultry is moist and tender within while it was expertly fried and finished with crisp, flavorsome side-burns by their chief chef from France!

Chicken Supreme Combo ($9.90)

The lightly grilled Brazil Chicken breast of the Chicken Supreme is mind-blowing! It would be best to describe it... ... ... as... ... ... very firm, tender fish fillet! Yes, "Fish". You heard right. It is amazing!

Triple O's Original Burger Combo ($9.90)

While Triple boosts of using 4 ounces of 100% fresh Canadian beef for each of their beef patty; we stay unimpressed. It does not taste dry but it lacks the flavor of beef, or a steak. 

Is that considered good? Because it's really fresh beef, and therefore has no beef taste? If you had tasted it, tell us.

Chicken Strips Combo, 5 strips ($9.90)

Then we did a takeaway for their fried chicken strips which were recommended. 

If you love breast meat, this is really nice with the right amount of seasoning. We like it both ways - without dipping sauce, or with their smoky BBQ sauce and honey mustard mayo!

Nokia Lumia - a Window Phone

Nokia Lumia 520

Call it a withdrawn symptom; i got sick of big screen phablets and customize-focused Android. It feels not cool anymore. Just when everybody is all hype about - with the hottest production going as large as 6.3" mega screen to go against your cheeks... I'm back to purist mode.

Give me a simple Smartphone to maintain contact; need no games, videos, too much optional Apps. Yes, to music. And it must be energy efficient. I like the Nokia Lumia 520, the lowest range of the Lumia. Cheap and good. Responsive. Especially cool is its flipping picture tiles!

When everybody is proudly lugging about a phone - which doesn't fit into their pockets and barely their palms, i am happy with my small, lightweight equipment. Call me. I have it on me.

Doggyman hello! Pet Milk

Doggyman hello! Pet Milk for Gods and Cats, 1000ml ($4.20)

Our Jack Russell is completely sold by the hello! pet milk from Japan, the Doggyman. He waits about for his 'milk milk' once you retrieve the pack from the fridge; and this is quite unlike his usual response to human-consumable fresh milk which i now recalled - he was sort of patronizing us then.

Despite being milky white, the milk has a delicious chocolaty fragrant which also attracts me. The dog consumes a bowlful each time and does not display any lactose intolerance symptoms.

Nutritional Information on Package