Late Lunch cum Dinner at NTU

Ric has a 'sweet heart' working in NTU who introduced him to the canteens and food at NTU. All's forgiven as i now got a chance to visit the NTU campus for some yummy haunt :))

Still devoid of his lunch by 4pm today, he suggested to bring me on my first visit to the new Canteen A of the campus. I was of course, "all hands and legs up" in agreement.

Driving pass the impressive full grass-patched roof of the Art, Design & Media Building, we reached Lee Wee Nam Library block where Canteen A is located on the top floor.

Hand-Made Noodles Soup ($2.30)

Western Chicken Chop ($2.80)

Minced Meat Fishball Noodle ($2)

The dish of fishball noodles was what we came back for today. It was stated on its newspaper cuttings that they were a famous stall from Hougang. Clearly the noodle texture was unbeatable, and definitely value for money.

Our drink of avocado was very disappointing, pls don't try it yourself.

Not wanting to leave empty-handed, i packed dinner for mom & dad with Vegetarian rice and Indonesian Grilled Chicken rice set. A feeling of deja vu with the Indonesian Panggang food stall at NUS? But it cost $3.80 here compared to $3 at NUS, had prices appreciated that much already?? Overall, food at NTU certainly cost more than that at NUS canteen.

Henderson Waves - Lights

Revisit to Henderson Waves; this time with Ric but our weekend timing is wrong for a quiet weekend getaway. The bridge was full of running, screaming, jumping kids...

Until the dust settles do we took these pictures that give us that sense of peace we're looking for.

Locating a quieter spot, we ate our packed Subway's Ham & Cheese Parmesan Buns while sipping on red wine and munching on peanuts; this was my planned surprise dinner out for Ric that didn't turned out as planned but thankfully all ends well.

Young Brother's Engagement Ceremonial

Getting married is no small issue, it's a lifelong commitment. And there's no turning back once you embarked on the journey that marks one of the most significant turning point of your life.

It can either be your choice pick or a nightmare that will haunt you for the rest of your life; a gamble, many referred it to. Mistake made may be lesson learned but the price to pay would be too great. Serious leh...

Young brother had been much enthusiastic about welcoming this important step of his life and is in raptures of his matrimony and wedding ceremony that would take place in September this year. Mum equally elated.


Today is the chosen auspicious date for our presentation of the betrothal gifts to the bride's family. The father of the bride was of Hokkien dialect group but the mother being Teochew chooses to do it the Teochew way??

It actually matters because the gifts vary according to the dialect group you belong to.
The gifts would usually mean a dowry of a token sum of money, different combinations of jewellery (for example, Teochew requires the 4 items of bracelet, earrings, necklace and ring) bridal cakes, traditional confectionery, oranges and liquor.

The bride's family would then returned some of the betrothal gifts to the groom's family, such as part of the dowry sum, few boxes of bridal cakes & oranges. The rest of the cakes are meant to be distributed along to the bride's relatives and friends, as part of the wedding invitation.

Tiresome as it may seem, yet, it is these very rituals that evoke that sense of solemnity befitting such an important step of one's life. And this is only the beginning of the many oncoming rituals to be performed...

Signing away his freedom over a little family dinner tomorrow night; maybe the childish boy had outgrown his freedom and finally wishes to settle down. (chuckle)

Set Lunch @ Cafe Cartel (I)

Cafe Cartel, well-known for its reasonable pricing and good food was tad lacking in service, especially during the lunch time hours when your request or food order can be easily forgotten?

These were so at the IMM branch today; a lady in our neighboring table had her order of ice-cream waffles totally forgotten despite her repeat request.

We never thought this would happen to us as we ordered from the common Set Lunch list. Alas, we had to go without our coffee & dessert today after asking for it and left sitting for 25mins without being served.

But what's totally annoying and frustrating was having our main courses pushed to us even before our day soup was served?? And the 2nd time was when we had just began tucking into our soup?

I don't wish to mention the 3rd time... it's very disappointing that my good lunch experience at Cartel was totally discounted.

Grilled Fish Fillet with Lemon Butter Sauce with Cheddar fries & mixed salad

Teriyaki Double Chicken Spaghetti (Pan- fried spaghetti with Chicken fillet & sliced chicken in Teriyaki sauce)

Food quality here was rather faultless but the lack in an organized restaurant management and service recovery was much regrettable.

Lunch Special @ Azabu Sabo

Been 'plotting' all ways and excuses to enter the CBD to catch the 2nd Anniversary lunch special at Azabu Sabo since i last spotted its promotion poster last week.

With the upped of ERP charges and the new gantries put up, we really had to plan our city route to scrimp that dollar. Alas, our car sensor 'beeps' as we skim pass the gantry at 12pm sharp, no grace whatsoever. Such is living in a highly developed city :(

Brushing this unpleasantness aside, we look forward to our ramen meals at Azabu. Twin Special of A+B set; our choice of Ramen (A) & Don (B) were our pick.

Cold Ramen w/Chicken & Sesame Sauce & Ebitentama Don ($7.80++)

Refreshingly cool ramen in sesame sauce, great for the scorching summer here! Cold ramen or Udon has always been my favourite.

Succulent prawns deep fried in thin batter topped the layer of moist scrambled egg was my little Don bowl.

Unagi Rice Ball & Spicy Tantan Ramen ($7.80++)

The spicy Tantan broth was a delightful surprise whereas the Rice ball was served disappointingly cold.

I love cold noodles, but never cold rice.

May have mixed this up with those warm lightly grilled rice ball served in Japanese Yakitori eatery.

Soft Ice-Cream w/Dumpling, Red Bean Paste & Green Tea Sauce And Soft Ice-Cream w/Sweet Potato, Almond & Chocolate Sauce ($2.80++ each)

Dessert special of soft ice-cream was the usual fare you would have gotten at McDonald's but what constantly entices me was its Red Bean Paste & Caramelized Sweet Potato.

Joe's Thai Kitchen (I)

Cracking our heads for a dining location that's nearby brought us to Joe's Kitchen again. And this being mom's first visit here with us, i hope to impress. Ordering her favourite Thai fare; a different menu from our first visit here.

Fish Slice TomYum Soup, Small ($4)

The TomYum soup based here was of such delight, it was definitely a winner among those served in the many little Thai eateries that have mushroomed in our city.

The enjoyment of TomYum burning sensation down our throat was long overdue since our last dining at P&P Thai. Now they have found a match.

Thai Prawn Cake ($2/per piece)

For a prawn lover, you would have found your love here. It was a compact stuffing of prawns in crisply thin-fried crust, nothing less.

Seafood Tofu ($4)

Something we had on our previous visit; so good that we have to have it again.

Pad Thai ($4.50)

A sweet and savory dish of stir-fried springy Kway Teow noodles, in authentic Thai seasoning. A drier and less oily version from our local Fried Kway Teow.

Claypot Crab w/Vermicelli ($15)

Mum's ever favourite Thai cuisine. The picture was evident of its moist and flavorful Tang Hoon. Not of an avid crab eater, we were satisfied with their use of common local crab that was smaller but still fresh, meaty & yolk filled.