Sansevieria trifasciata Golden Hahnii

Sansevieria trifasciata Golden Hahnii

A dwarf cultivar of the familiar houseplant Sansevieria trifasciata (Mother-in-laws tongue), the 'Golden Hahnii' is much mini sized and has thicker leaves. When well fertilized, its thick luscious leaves are glossy and beautiful.

Preferably with full sun, the plant does tolerate low light conditions. Requires little water, and is very drought tolerant. I did cause some leaves rot when I kept it moist all time.

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Today's the end of yet another year. Amid all the running about; the distractions and exhaustion, gardening always bring me back to the fundamental truth. And peace.

Kim Keat Claypot Hokkien Mee

Claypot Hokkien Mee ($10)

Fried Hokkien noodle is the family favorite. So we couldn't wait to try the one at Kim Keat when we read they serve them in claypots. How different can it be from the wok fried?

Lunch at 92 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, in the same kopitiam as the popular Ocean Curry Fish Head, there was only a short wait for the noodle. When served, we found the noodle gravy to be really flavorsome. Taken with their specially concocted chili sambal, it was very enjoyable. The seafood was fresh and serving was considered generous. The roast pork savory and crunchy. Alas, wok hei from wok frying was missed.

Still, the stall is worth a return trip. Note, they rest on Tues.

Monster Curry

Chicken Katsu Curry ($13++), Matcha Latte ($3.50++)

Monster Curry isn't as monstrous as it sounded if you chose right - 1 chili heart on your curry marked the normal spicy (level 1), 2 hearts for extra spicy (level 2) and so on. We like to taste things at its original state, and so do not go beyond level 2.

That being said, the hot chili sauce - a concoction of chili padi, ginger and celery add interest to the deeply flavorsome Japanese brown curry. It was a hearty meal with thick slabs of juicy chicken Katsu, and a lunch promotion that includes decent cheese cake. Itadakimasu.

Complimentary Cheese Cake

釗记, Zhao Ji Clay Pot Rice

Claypot Rice ($12 for 2 pax, added $3 for extra ingredients)

While in search for the famous Lian He Ben Ji at the Chinatown Market and Food Centre, we chanced upon this claypot rice stall. Their nice charcoal burning aroma was coming on so strongly, we made a mental note to return.

It was certainly a good alternative if you do not like to wait for your dinner at Lian He Ben Ji. The chicken at Zhao Ji was all tender, waxed pork belly, salted fish and all the essentials. It was just a niche short of the Lian He Ben Ji's experience.

With their old and cracked claypots, we imagine we were dining into the 70s. Nice.

Stall #02-053

白, Sembawang White Bee Hoon

The Original White Bee Hoon (L, $15++)

You have to agree, that not having the original white bee hoon - from the kitchen that makes this dish famous - meant you have yet the real thing. The little cze char kitchen has grown itself to be the White Restaurant.

Eggy, milky and syrupy. I never expect the taste of it to be this direct, yet flavorsome. Many emulators of the 'white bee hoon' bombarded their recipe with much seafresh-ness to give you the oomphs; forgetting that homely taste if well managed, can be all the more impressive. This original 'white bee hoon' retains its unique character, and refuses to be a seafood soup bee hoon.

No 'wok hei' to the vermicelli which was simply simmered in the tasty broth. Yet, the dish scores high on our chart. Add that squeeze of lime and sambal chili for more surprises. We like this white bee hoon.

Handmade Teochew Kuey, 手工潮州粿

Revisiting the stall. Was delighted to see a lighted up signboard.

We were told there is a wait of 20 mins for the steaming. So we guarded the stall jealously, knowing the limited quantity of each tray. We needed more to pack home. Many customers dropped in. But there were no reservations; money was refused too. As that would be too much to handle for the old hawker.

Camping right in front of the stall, we were rewarded with all the available selections. While the others hurriedly, scrambled in. Everyone, die-hard for old-school flavors.

Glutinous Rice Kueh, Yam Kueh, Soon Kueh (anti-clockwise, $1.20 each)

Curry Fish Head @ Sri Veera's

Curry Fish Head

Couldn't resist a 5 course curry fish head set for 2 pax, at $15 only. Badly wanted to see the genuineness of the offer, because they say - good things don't come cheap.

Most importantly, the fish head is fresh and meaty! We were served a full Grouper fish head, in piping hot Indian curry. Side vegetables of the day, with our choice of Masala chicken and sweet fried fishes (we didn't choose the mutton) on banana leaves. What's not mentioned on the deal was their offering of fresh, crisp papadum crackers for us too! It was enjoyable.

You might be pleased, that the little eatery is pleasantly air-conditioned.

Cucumber in Yoghurt, Brinjal, Gourd (Day Vegetables),

Masala Chicken and Fried Fishes.

The Physics of Love

An object needn't be large
to have great mass.

That girl, as tiny as a violet
That girl, drifting in the sky like petals of a flower
draws me to her with a force greater
than the one exerted by the earth.

In a single moment
I fell and rolled toward her without rhyme or reason
just as Newton's apple did.

With a thump.
With a thump-thump.
My heart bounced from the heavens to the earth in a dizzying pendular motion.

Such was the moment
I first fell in love.


- Kim In-yook
GOBLIN (episode 5)

德记, De Ji Cooked Food

Noodle Soup ($3)

At this corner of the Kebun Baru Food Centre, tables were easily littered with red, empty bowls from De Ji. The bowls looked worn out, with visible scalding marks on them! Never mind melamine leaching; i'm simply looking forward to slurping in some good, hot soup.

The flavorsome soup, made thicker by the flour from the sheng mian (noodle) used, is seriously toothsome. I almost emptied the bowl. The ingredients are simple, but fresh - fish cakes, fish balls, pork slices, pork liver and lettuces. A comforting lunch, after a busy morning.

Be warned. The lunch hour queue does get a little too long.

Noodle Dry ($3)

Stall #01-23

Nadai Fujisoba Ni-Hachi

Hot Kamo Nanban Soba ($18++)

Thin soba noodles, sliced duck meat, spring onion, duck meat balls, dashi, snap peas, yuzu, soy sauce

Ni-Hachi means 2 and 8 respectively. The golden ratio of 20% wheat flour and 80% buckwheat flour for the perfect soba. The texture and taste achieved, was surely exceptional. Nadai Fuji Soba, at 100AM Mall holds one of my best experiences with soba, which is far and few between. My favourite Japanese noodle is Udon.

Albeit the simple food, the experience was refined and elegant. The flavors of food, kept pure and delicate. Such are the characteristics of Japanese cuisine, giving you that feel of tranquil. Even the sukiyaki soup base seems mellowed to suit the local taste. Try the duck soup; we like that it is slightly more flavorful than their standard soup base.

They have a current facebook promotion for doing a  "check-in & upload" for the restaurant. And we were rewarded with a complimentary Matcha ice-cream, dribbled over with light caramel sauce. It was bitter and non-overly-milky. An ice-cream well worth paying for, really.

Hot Ebi Tempura Soba ($18++)

Thin soba noodle, shrimp tempura, snap peas, dashi, yuzu, soy sauce

Japan Garden Foods - Sizzing Hot Stone

Oyako Don, Chicken ($8.80), Curry Rice, Broccoli ($7.80)

Includes Miso Soup.

X'mas shopping at the Orchard Rd? You may like to make a deliberate visit to the new basement food court at the Shaw Centre. A dimly lighted place with good air flow for a restful, late lunch. The noisy lunch crowd was over by this hour. Good.

The oyako don came across as the eye-catching one with wobbling raw eggs! I was tempted to make a double order for it, but glad we decided on the vegetarian curry don too. The smoky flavor of the spicy curry compliments the sweetness of the oyako don, perfectly.

The meal is a carbo galore, with the usual ingredients of poultry, onions, eggs and broccoli. Nothing quite spectacular, except for its delish burned rice at the bottom of the hot stone pot - charred but remained slight chewy for that enjoyable bite! Very unlike our Chinese claypot rice, which over-burned all these lovely grains.

You may like their other options of beef curry, cheese curry or the salmon egg too! This is interesting.

福粿园, Kueh Garden

Soon Kueh ($1 each)

Congratulations to Kueh Garden! Who actually manages to pull off their first year at the quiet Jurong East shop house. When we arrived, there was a 15 mins wait for a new batch of steaming to fulfill our order of 16 pastries.

The taste was how we like it - light, down-to-earth, home-cook. Make no mistake with a small bite, which might just register the taste as bland. Take a big mouthful into the plump kueh, and you'll satisfy your taste buds with a good aroma of fried shallots, crunch of the black fungus and pure sweetness of turnips and carrots. My folks love this.

We usually don't have the dark soy sauce, preferring to savor the original taste of food. But dip in a little into their non-sweet, natural-tasting chili sauce. It is good.

中国拉面, Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao

Szechuan Spicy Wanton, 紅油抄手 ($4.50, 10 pcs)

Dinner is a pool of vinegary oil.

The image is deeply etched in my mind. Nothing horror about it, but i was really lapping in every spoonful. Amazed myself, at how much i'm enjoying the smooth skinned dumpling in the swamp of hot zesty oil! The diet plan was thrown out of the window.

The hand kneaded steamed buns are great as well. Take less photos, and eat them warm. Tear away its thin, firm skin; slurp in the warm soup within. This is wonderful.

Steamed Mini Buns, 小笼包 ($6, 10 pcs)

La Mian with Fried Bean Sauce, 炸醬麵 ($3.50)

Maybe i'm missing a good bowl of Zha jiang mian too much. It's hard to find a decent one in Singapore. Think we have chanced upon the best ones tonight. Almost swallowed my tongue, in a haste to savor my favourite China noodle!

Surely, this is one of the best stalls serving out China cuisine in a Singapore hawker center; all at very affordable pricing and generous portion. Now, you got a queue to join at the Chinatown Market and Food Centre.

Stall #02-135

发笋粿, Fatt Soon Kueh

Chinese Dumpling, Soon Kueh ($1 each)

"This is my favourite soon kueh, you know?" touted the young man, younger than myself - my brother. He had often drove his way to the branch at New Upper Changi Rd for his craving.

Surely, the family was impressed by the crystalline pastry which looked absolutely mouthwatering. But the stronger flavor of the vegetable filling left us in disillusion. The dumpling though, boasts some of the plumpest dried shrimps we have ever seen in a soon kueh; and the sheer number of them in each dumpling, suffice to freak out any vegetarian.

You will enjoy this if you have a heavier taste buds. For us, we are sticking to the less commercialize ones.

Oyster Omelet @ 802 Tampines

Oyster Omelete ($5)

Two favorites, dish out from the steaming kitchen of the nameless stall at 802, Tampines Ave 4 kopitiam. Almost every table is waiting for their oyster omelet. But like many customers here, we too, took to their fried Hokkien noodle for its very fresh, bouncy seafood - the prawns and squids.

The highlight is still the oyster omelet - crisp, yet not overly done, retaining the moist, fluffy eggs and flour mixtures which we loved. Oiliness is well controlled here as well.

The no signboard stall, easily matches our favourite of Lim's Oyster at Jalan Berseh. Or even yummier.

Hokkien Mee ($4)

Lunch at Salute Coffeeshop

Stew Kuche - Signature pork knuckle (Served with rice)

Salute Kopitiam opened with a bang in 2014, splashing stories across blogs and Instagram. We weren't moved, because it meant loud crowd. And prices weren't exactly attractive for unproven food. It was Fave 1-for-1 set-lunch promotion that got us here today - $9.90 set lunch for 2, includes a good creamy mushroom soup.

The famous German pork knuckle from Stew Kuche gave us a hard time with its thick, tough skin. But beneath that hard baked cover, you'll harvest some flavorsome meat with lean melting fat. Nice. The acidic red wine dip is genius for helping to digest the heavy meal.

Jack the Ripper - Ripper’s Original Burger

Originally served with fries, the burger stall had ran out of it - we were offered corn chips, which was tasty enough to keep us satisfied. Then we were asked that the pork patty which was also not available, be replaced with chicken patty for the burger.

The chicken patty was heavily seasoned and moist. While we would have preferred natural meaty, grilled flavor. A burger with just lettuces and melted cheese is also quite plain. A definite no, if we are paying full priced meal.

感悟人生

春日才见楊柳綠
秋風又見菊花黃
儿孙自有儿孙福
莫为儿孙作远忧
荣华终是三更梦
富贵犹如九月霜

病到方知身是苦
健时都为闲事忙
黄金不是千年业
红日会添两鬓霜

世事本来多磨难
幻躯岂能免无常
谁人肯向死前休
举世尽从忙里老
生前枉费心万千
死后空持手一双

- 感悟人生 (杭州居士)

潮记, Teoh Kee Charcoal Roast

Lotus Roots Pork Rib Soup ($3.50)

Ever since we ate at the Outram park roasted meat, i thought i'll never accept anything less. Our impromptu lunch at Teoh Kee (#01-45, Toa Payoh Lor 8 Food Centre) however, proves otherwise.

You see, their boiled soup is quite good. Flavorsome and less grease. The crackling roasted pork is near perfect! While the char siew and roasted duck is sweet and juicy.

A hearty meal with a loved one, beats anything.

Platter for 2 - Sio Bak, Char Siew and Roasted Duck ($12)

南丰, Nam Hong Coffee Stall

Kopi, Siew Dai ($0.70)

In every hawker centre, there's bound to be a coffee stall that commends a long queue. Everyday, without fail. This is the leading coffee stall at the Taman Jurong Market Food Centre.

The good Nanyang coffee here, never had that sour after taste. It is pleasantly thick, serves in a huge mug and is seriously underpriced! Check it out.

Stall #02-88

联合本记, Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice

Seven early eight early, we came. Hoping to beat the crowd for the popular claypot rice at the Chinatown Market and Food Centre. Still the minimum cooking time requires an hour wait. The aroma from their kitchen making the tummies rumble.

It was worth it, for our first taste of Lian He Ben Ji. While they are not the only stalls who are still serving out claypot rice done by charcoal fuel, we do believe theirs spend a good time on the blacken stove for that extra smokiness.

Apart from the usual pork and liver sausages, we were certainly delighted to find waxed pork belly in our pot! Disappointingly, some chicken meat tasted dry. Generous portion of salted fish for those who love it. And a watercress soup that was flavorsome and light, none oily.

Chicken + Sausages Claypot for 2 Pax ($12 + $3. Added $3 for added ingredients)

Watercress Pork Rib Soup ($2.50)

Five Star Fast Food - Roti Prata

Plain Prata ($0.80 per piece)

Happy Deepavali! Just in time to share a local favourite of all races in Singapore - the Roti Prata, a floury pancake. It is an art often mastered by our Indian counterparts.

At the Taman Jurong Market Food Centre, the aroma of pan frying roti prata never fails to lure us when we arrived. Often we would turn to each other and smiled, "Prata?"

The Indian pancake was always crispy on the outside, fluffy and moist within. Never oily. We like their syrupy fish curry that’s a little spicy and alluringly piquant. It's hard to resist not making space for at least 1 piece of their prata!

The stall (no. 101) is at level 2. The sight of a short queue, tall carton trays of fresh eggs and lingering aroma will lead you.

稳稳白米粉, Woon Woon Pek Bee Hoon - Chomp Chomp

Crayfish Platter (S, $27)

Crayfish + Prawn + Sliced Fish + LaLa

At the set of a glorious sun, a plate of luscious seafood in savory broth was presented. The drag of a long day, i'm grateful to finish the quiet evening this way, at the weekday Chomp Chomp. The beautiful orangey broth immediately whet the appetite, and pick-me-up!

Fresh, crunchy pork lard is my favorite. But we were busy slurping in the sweet broth. And working to undress the 4 crayfishes and prawns. Even the casual Snakehead fish slices taste fresher than most others. The vermicelli were missing the wok hei, but being lesser fired, it absorbs the broth oh-so-well!

Plan your weekends here. You'll be glad a meal at Chomp Chomp doesn't always have to be heavy with hokkien mee and bbq wings.