So Pho

Lemon Grass Chicken ($7.50++)

Life returns to normalcy in Singapore. The obedient citizens don their face masks and only go out for work, the supermarket or when they need to make a new pair of reading glasses, like today.

It was pretty enjoyable dining out as all restaurants practise safe distancing. There was much privacy and quiet. At So Pho, culinary was warmed and sterilised before giving to us.

Food tastes great. Not overly salted, as we have grown so used to home cooking.

Beef Tendon, Beef Ball Soup ($12.50++)

Beef & Beef Ball Soup ($10.80++)

Summer Roll & Spring Roll ($4.20++)

Saigon Food Street @ Bukit Panjang

Classic Viet Noodle w/Pork ($5)

Viet Fresh Southern Rolls w/Prawn & Pork ($3)

If you are looking for something different and clearly appetizing for the weekend, do visit the new Bukit Panjang Ring Road Hawker Centre for this Vietnamese food stall. The petty Vietnamese lady chef, hails from the kitchen of Nam Nam Noodle Bar, Raffles City, does raise some eyebrows with her wide offerings. And i was trying to imagine the tiresome work behind all these!

The best part was the pricing here - the Wagyu Pho cost less than halved of that from restaurants. And i regretted not hoisting up the many succulent slices of Wagyu for some photo moments; it was simply too tempting to delay further. 

If Pho kway teow isn't for you, you may like to try their Vietnamese classic instant noodle which was flown in from Vietnam. It reminds me of the texture of Thai Mama instant noodles, but sturdier and more substantial. Can try. 

Pho w/Wagyu ($8.50)

Banh Xeo Viet Pancake ($5)

Our first try of Vietnamese pancake, and we like it! It wasn't just flour. It actually has the flavor of our local five-spice prawn crackers. The friendly hawker taught us to break and wrap up the crunchy pancakes with lettuce, cucumbers or the mint leaves. Then dip it all, into the spicy fish sauce provided.

This is definitely refreshing and yummy.

 Viet Banh Khot/ Viet Mini Pancake w/Prawns & Pork ($8)

Beef Pho @ Madam Saigon

Special Beef Noodle Soup - Sliced Beef, Brisket and Beef Balls ($10.90++)

Late lunch at Millenia Walk. We couldn't feel our hunger until food was before us. The morning at the City Hall left us emotionally drained.

Having been reading up on Vietnam and their heavy use of MSG seasoning on Pho, i was looking forward to tasting some local beef Pho, tweaked to suit the local palate. So Ric readily purchased their online deal at $7++.

The soup failed to rouse appetite. It was less flavorsome than our Hainanese beef soup; and the added MSG demotes it further. Fresh herbs and vegetables were left raw when submerged into the lukewarm soup. We like their beef balls best; bouncy and well-textured.

We just took in everything to fill the void in the stomach. Emotional emptiness in our heart reminds.

Sliced Beef, Brisket Noodle Soup ($10.50++)

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Wings - Vietnamese

Read this recipe off a cook book in the National Library; and came in handy today for my preparation for the Christmas's Eve dinner. It was surprisingly easy to prepare and won the diners' praises readily.

MARINADE 1 - Vietnamese Caramel Sauce
2/3 cup (135g) Sugar

1/2 cup (125ml) Fish Sauce

8 Shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black Pepper

Heat the sugar over low heat in a skillet, stirring constantly, until it begins to melt and caramelize, 3-5 mins. Remove from heat and add the fish sauce. Return the pan to heat and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Simmer uncovered for 3-5 mins, stirring constantly until the mixture turns into a thick syrup. Add the shallots and ground black pepper, mix well and remove from heat.

Grinding of spices in Mortar and pestle.

MARINADE 2

2 stalks Lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, sliced

3 Shallots

4 cloves Garlic

1 finger-length red Chili, deseeded

1/2 portion of Marinade 1

Prepare the Marinade by grinding the lemongrass, shallots, garlic and chili to a smooth paste in a blender/ mortar and pestle. Combine with the Marinade 1 and mix well. Pour the marinade over the wings and rub it in with your fingers until the wings are well coated. Allow to marinade for at least 1 hour in the fridge.

Final Marinade

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Bake the marinated wings in the marinade for about 20 minutes in the oven, turning over once, then turn on the broiler and grill the wings for an additional 5 mins on each side, basting with the Marinade, until well browned.

Remove from heat, transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately. Send me your good news.

1 kg Chicken Wings with Marinade

Vietnamese Lotus Seed

Roasted Lotus Seed, 500g (S$10)

Nic was back from a work week in Vietnam and specially visited us tonight with a pack of Vietnamese popular local product - seeds of fresh-water Lotus flower.

It has a aromatic crunch and is tasty... Ummm... a texture like dried red dates but much firmer and tougher, like nuts. 'Tis an interesting buy from Vietnam which would cost you double to triple the price to purchase the rare snack in Singapore.

The Chinese especially adores these seeds for its medical values - high in protein, benefiting the spleen, kidney, heart and improving conditions of sexual, insomnia, venereal diseases, diarrhea. Even the bitter embryo within the seeds that were usually removed before processing is believed to be beneficial.

But how much of these properties were retained after the roasting process? We just popped them like popcorn snack into our mouths ;)

Salt roasted Cashews with skin

As a bonus tips - these ugly salted cashews from Vietnam is terrific too! 

They looked ugly because the testa, skin of the nuts were not removed for the roasting. But this is good! The texture is so fine, you don't taste them and it helps increase the antioxidants in the nuts. This is special treat. Must buy back, ok!

V.S. Vietnamese Cuisine

Our long absence from Prince George Park Residences Foodgle Hub. It was raining dogs and cats while visiting a colleague in NUH, so dining at PGPR seems a natural choice given its proximity and sheltered parking amenity.

Fried Chicken, Braised Pork, Cabbage Salad - 2 Meat, 1 Veg ($5)

Have you had Vietnamese food? I don't mean the ubiquitous Vietnam Beef Kway Teow Soup but their real cooked food; it might look similar to our local Chinese cooking but tasted otherwise.

Today, we joined the decent queue at PGPR Vietnamese food stall who offers a good 8 selection of home-styled dishes for dinner. The seasoning of meat and refreshing use of green Mint, Onions and Shallots characterizes their cuisine.

Stewed Pork, Cabbage Salad, Bean Sprouts - 1 Meat, 2 Veg ($4)

Without a doubt, this is pricier than the nearby Vietnamese stall in Business Canteen, NUS and of much smaller serving too but we enjoyed the variant sampling to complain ;)

The Terrace @ Business Faculty

Our lunch at Business today was gainful.

The Vietnamese food stall here really do have something special to offer, all in the queue were for its today's special of Grilled Pork with Dry Noodle (2.50).

2 grilled bacon pieces, 1 grilled pork with dry noodles in Vietnamese sauce; sprinkled generously of fried shallots, peanuts and spring onions. It's chopstick licking good!

I wonder what's other day special?

The Lemon Grilled Fish Fillet (2.20) at the Western food stall was only lightly grilled but without the muddy taste of dory. Pasta that comes with the set was too soggy for my liking and the sauce adds further injustices to the grilled fish.

My repeat order for this dish would be without the pasta & sauce, maybe the potato wedges in exchange for the pasta would be great.

The Muffins from the Western food stall were also worth a try. Fluffy and sweet, i've got here the Chocolate and Banana with Walnuts (0.80). My repeat would be the Chocolate and maybe to try out the Blueberry ones.

Foodgle Hub @ PGPR

Back to Prince George Park Residences; Ric craving for chicken & i miss its waffles. I also wish to give myself a chance on Vietnamese food.

So as to snacking, we ordered everything to share.

1. Steam dumplings from the China food stall; $3 for 8 pieces becomes the most regrettable choice of the meal.

2. Vietnamese Prawn Roll (1.80) is a good refreshing try. The Vietnamese are great with their chilli.

3. Vietnamese Beef Noodle (3.50) comes with generous beef slices is a light alternative to our usual heavier version of Chinese noodle soup.

4. Aston's Hickory Chicken (5.30) with sides of baked potato & house salad. Chicken is always a safe choice with Aston but the chicken piece is rather small for a filling meal, you'll have to stuff yourself up with the potato. Taste wise, I still prefer my previous try of their CharGrilled Chicken :)

5. Waffle with Peanut Butter (1.40) at Super Snack. Fresh crispy warm waffles; each bite with oozing peanut butter jam, SUPER!

Not forgetting the nice home brew coffee with evaporated milk (0.60) from the Foodgle food court. I believe it shall become my usual fare whenever i visit here.