安记, An Ji

Sauced Fish Head ($13)

Chinatown Market and Food Centre is the place to go for cheap Song fish heads. As much as i'm looking forward to the famous fermented black bean sauce fish heads of An Ji (#02-194), Ric misread the menu, so we ended up with the sweeter 'sauced fish head' instead of the briny 'black bean sauce fish head'.

I was disappointed. But the presentation was impressive - the fish seared with crispy pork lard in orangey sauce. It was pretty. And the fish head was absolutely fresh, the generous gelatin was most pristine. I ate until it was too much even for me, a fish lover.

The bitter gourd dish showcases the prowess of good Cantonese cooking. It was smoky, savory and rustic. The ribs were falling off the bones. We are returning for more.

Bitter Gourd Pork Ribs ($8)

Ah Hui Big Prawn Noodle @ Balestier Rd

Big Prawn Noodle (Standard, $12)

This is Ah Hui Big Prawn Noodle from the old Long House food centre at Thomson. Despite our many visits to the old Long House, they were always for the famous boneless braised duck rice. And it's not hard to understand why, after our taste of the prawn noodle today.

For the higher prices charged here, we expected more. Their standard prawn noodles at $5-7 does not offer sweet prawns. The big prawns at $12 are tastier, but not exceptional. The gentle broth left us wanting, since we are expecting a much robust sip.

On a kinder note, the prawns are definitely fresh and properly de-veined, making it easy to eat. The fresh fried shallots and pork lard bits are good effort.

Prawn Noodle (large, $7)

BURGS!

Do we even need an introduction to the hottest burger joint in Singapore now. Yes, this is Burgs at the Golden Mile Food Centre.

The Classic beef burger totally stole our hearts! and palate. It was thick, juicy and flavorsome. This is one of those rare instances which i don't want to share my food with Ric. Haha. But having pickled green chili, in place of drill pickles is a little disappointing for a classic.

The Seoul fried chicken was most beautifully deep fried and marinated, but i rebuff sweet mains. And the coleslaw is miser in this one. Last, we had a tough time chewing off the pulled beef brisket in the Hickory smoked beef burger ($5.50). Awkwardly, the shredded meat got caught in between the teeth. If you are even on dentures, forget this.

The Classic for repeats. And we are definitely coming back for their Teriyaki Chicken burger ($5.50) which got sold out during our queuing!

The Classic - Beef Patty, Caramelized Onions, American Cheese, Pickled Green Chilli ($4.50).

Seoul Fried Chicken - Korean style fried Chicken, Homemade Coleslaw ($5).

肥佬, Fei Lou Porridge

(#01-116)

Come dinner time, there are always 2 long queues in the Telok Blangah Crescent Market and Food Centre. One belongs to the char kway teow, and the other at Fei Lou.

Their bountiful items on the yellow board might make you feel lost. Well, you just have to get what the guys in front are ordering!

Boneless Fried Chicken Wings ($1.20 each), Porridge ($1), Fried Bee Hoon ($1)

Steamed Chicken ($6)

Primarily it's the boneless fried chicken wings! (better than IKEA's) and steamed chicken that makes it to everyone's table. They have this classic 'fried shallot oil with spring onions' dip for their steamed chicken which i find most nostalgic!

The scalding hot porridge and savory fried vermicelli are the carbo to indulge. Occasionally, we will have their herbaceous braised chicken feet with peanuts! Get you a photo of it soon.

Braised Chicken Feet with Peanuts

Our Pokemon Go Journey

12 Sept 2016

We were never virtual gamers. Today we celebrated our levelling up to level 39 playing Pokemon Go. Another 5 million XPs to grind before ascending to the final level - we can finally go easy.

Our journey starts slow on 6 Aug 2016. The memorable photo on top marks our beginning, when we were still amateur and catching mons with low combat power. And when Ric had refused to walk the eggs for me. =)

(This post is dedicated to Ric, who walks the miles for us, evolving decisively, catching accurately, watching the roads for me and evolving the mons bravely when I dare not look on.)

7 Oct 2016

- Bagged the rare Snorlax and Lickitung minutes apart, while travelling along Bukit Merah View!

- Near missing our first Chansey at Marsiling MRT station! On a morning ride to work.

- Our first Lapras jumping on us along Punggol Rd, towards the waterfront!

     

22 Nov 2016, Woodlands Ring Rd (Snorlax)      22 Dec 2016, Bukit Batok Central (Muk)     09 Jan 2017, Woodlands Ave 4 (Rhydon)

- It was wlways exhilarating meeting the larger mons. Although many can be evolved from baby mons, meeting and fighting the full grown is fun.

- I was actually afraid of the ugly Muk.

21 Nov 2016                                                                        24 Nov 2016

- Farming Charmander candies on Mount Faber.

- Completed our GEN 1 pokedex on 20 Nov 2016 when Aerodactyl was caught at Bukit Panjang. Another one at Hort Park days later.

9 Dec 2016                                                                         13 Dec 2016

- Dashing out every night when Machop started a small nest in the neighborhood garden. And grow to love this cute little guy with a tail. He and Dratini remains our favorite till today.

- When an error occurred during play, we get fun pictures. See a fist clenched Machop on my foot?

6 Jan 2016                                                                           27 Jan 2016

- During the Fire event, caught our first wild Charizard (with AA moveset!) at Jurong West.
- Chasing Lapras during the Water event! Rhyhorn, Geodude and Omanyte during the Rock event.
- One Sunday morning, Aerodactyl decides to appear in my path.

4 Feb 2017                                                                           24 Feb 2017

- Never dream of meeting Ms Chansey again until she starts spawning more often during the Pink Valentine's event in 2017. We ventured into unknown grounds to get many her!
- Finally meeting the naughty, giggling Gengar in the same month too.

25 Mar 2017

- GEN 2 pokemons were released in Feb 2017. We filled up our pokedex fast within 2 days, leaving Unown to be most unpredictable.

- Beat the jam when we spotted the creature unexpectedly in Changi Village. Turned the corner to Leuchars Rd, walked the dark path with an exciting crowd to nab it!

11 May 2017

- Ampharos was last to enter our GEN 2 pokedex.

- She stood at the end of the Woodlands Waterfront, and made me ran on waters to reach her!

27 Jul 2017                                                                         08 Aug 2017

- Legendary birds were introduced in July. Doing just 1 raid per day, we were lucky to bag them all.

- The new gym system that started in June also encouraged us to begin active gym guards and defense.

                                                                  12 Aug 2017                                                                       24 Nov 2017

- Our tally at level 39.

- 40, we are coming. (updated.)

Haron 55 - Satay Babat!

Satay Babat

Probably our most bizarre yet toothsome satay skew - Haron's satay babat (cow's stomach/ tripe)! Trust Ric to order it, when they were sold out on the mutton satay.

We were unsure, of course. But the babat actually tastes awesome for being soft, little chewy and pretty meaty at the same time. It is splendid barbecue skills when the skewered meat actually picked up most of the smoky aroma, without getting charred!

Do you even get this in restaurants? Just come down to the East Coast Lagoon Food Village.

Satay Chicken, Beef, Babat ($0.70 cents per stick), Lontong ($0.50 each)

786 A.L. YUSRA - Mee Goreng!

Mee Goreng, with Egg ($4.50)

With so many stalls offering the Malay fried noodles at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, you can't go wrong with one who specializes in Goreng (meaning 'fried' in Malay language), and nothing else. They (at stall 59) are the specialist. We are making this return trip specially for them tonight.

Like our last visit, we taste a good plate of fiercely fried noodles, which charred even some of its noodle strands. This is easily one of the best mee goring stalls in Singapore.

Arnold's Fried Chicken

2 Piece Meal ($7.30)

It does take some convincing to do with Singapore's most expensive fried chicken fast food outlet - Arnold's Fried Chicken (Also one of Singapore's oldest food establishment from the 1980s!). But you may soon find their claim on using farm fresh chicken to be authentic; your taste buds will tell you.

The thin garlicky skin, juicy chicken meat makes it all very memorable for us at Arnold's, our first visit. So tender is Arnold's signature dish, the spring chicken, i was feeling very guilty for yearning after the less than 28 days old chickens.

So much for my repentance, i am actively planning for our next visit on their whole spring chicken. Now, i am condemned.

1/2 Spring Chicken Meal ($7.70)

Whole Spring Chicken Meal ($12.80)