鼎泰豐, Din Tai Fung

Fried Rice with Eggs ($7.30++)

We never fail to wonder, "Why the perpetual queue outside Din Tai Fung restaurant, always?" Simple and pretty decent food with mid-range pricing might be the reason - the limited menu was quoted by many as boring, but it does make ordering easy which the men appreciate very much, right? My group of guys has been revisiting.

Every table seems to be having their Oriental Salad in Special Vinegar Dressing ($4++) as the appetizer; while i was looking forward to their 18-folds Xiao Long Bao dumplings. One bite and hot juices ooze out, also with traces of crab roe but i remain unimpressed. The taste is very much forgettable. I can't be reminded of that intense flavor from the crab roe Xiao Long Bao from Nan Xiang Xiaolong Mantou in Shanghai, China.

The dumplings played only the supporting. Our guys love to order their fried rice; refusing the noodle. Between 4 of us, we shared 2 servings of it - one was just the plain fried rice with eggs and spring onions; the other plate which i calculated to be more value for money, has a thick slab of luscious pork chop throw in at just $10.80++.

Steamed Crab Meat and Pork Dumplings, 10 pcs ($14.30++)

Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shao-mai, 10 pcs ($14.80++)

福星菜馆, Hok Sing Eating House

Prawn Paste Chicken ($20), Fragrant Vegetable Bean Curd ($20)

Hok Sing at Commonwealth Crescent is our Plan B; Plan A, the Two Chefs Eating House is closed for renovation. Hok Sing is regrettably second-rated.

Your best bet would probably be their fried chicken and bean curd which were the favorites today. The coffee pork ribs ($18) were rather sweeten; and we have oil-soaked claypot brinjals ($12) and Malay kangkong ($12) vegetables. If you can help it, don't order the toughly fried salted egg sliced fish ($18).

It's business today. A humdrum hour of talking shop over unappetizing lunch... 

Clementi Tian Seng Fried Chicken and BBQ

Chicken Cutlet ($5)

One would never think of ordering from Tian Seng's unattractive stall which have their signboard hand-written. If it wasn't from friends' earnest intro, we wouldn't been here - some of the most remote part in Clementi, at Blk 308, Ave 4 where the road to the S21 Kopitiam ends in a dead end.

Friends gave their two cents' worth on the Chicken Cutlet. "Must try!" They had said. And our heart sank when we saw the dry and tough looking fried meat (fried cutlet has never been my cup of tea). Proceeding, we were delighted by the succulent chicken piece! For once, i preferred cutlet to chicken chop.  

The cutlet deserves a second. Quiet dining in a tranquil neighborhood and ease of parking here are the extra bonuses.

Chicken Chop ($5)

Bio-essence Basic Face Care

Face Lifting Cream, 10g 

Radiant Youth Essence, 5ml 

Deep Moisturizing Cleansing Foam, 100g

Blogging about beauty products; it is truly difficult to judge the effectiveness of it without running our skin under microscopic lens. I usually decide my support for the product based on the comfort of application and after-skin-feel, that's it.

This month i got to try Bio-Essence, our very own Singapore branding which was established in 1985.

1. Bio-Essence Youth Essence - This is rich but super absorbent! I can even use it on a warm, humid day without sweating on a sticky face! The skin seems to lock in the essence and feels hydrated and powdery smooth. Soft to touch, almost immediately. I love this.

2. Bio-Essence Face Lifting Cream - This is very oily. Not for application if you are venturing to the outdoor. But it does feels effective; the skin feels bouncy even after that evening wash-off. Perfect for the dry air of air-conditioned office, it helps preserve my skin throughout the day.

3. Bio-Essence Deep Moisturizing Cleansing Foam - It feels luxurious doing the simple face wash every time. The foam is fine and gentle; and there seems to be 'bubbles' cushioning my rough palm and the face. It feels great. The facial skin felt clean, yet softly moisturized. I can skip the moisturizer if i'm staying indoor, in non air-conditioned room. Just a light pat of my Olay White Radiance Cellucent Essence Water after wash, will do. 

荣和, Eng Ho Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

Before we could leave Teck Ghee Square hawker centre in peace, a very busy food stall caught our attention. They are the fried Hokkien noodle featured in the 2nd installment of "Where the queue starts", and that was like few years back!

We reckon the cook must have been much dependable; given his surrounding tables of loyal customers. So we place an extra order of dinner to stuff our already bloated tummy; never regretting the savouring of the bountiful prawn essence in every mouthful. Can you see some of the beautifully charred noodles by the fierce fire? And few hawker does vermicelli for this dish nowadays - the bee hoon giving it the correct texture.

Fried Hokkien Bee Hoon Mee ($3)

汕源, San Yuan Gourmet - $2 Noodle Soup

Fishball Noodle, dry ($2)

Everybody's complaining about rising food prices. It is very true, that even buying raw ingredients from the market to do our own cooking is hurting mom's purse. Not mentioning, eating out at hawker centres where $3 is the norm for a simple meal - clear soup noodle.

How luxurious does one wants their fishball noodle? I just crave for a serving of lightly savory hot soup, fresh crunchy fishballs and al dente noodles - satisfying our unsophisticated needs at a 24hrs stall in Blk 409, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, Teck Ghee Square hawker centre.

Remember their Laksa too, with loads of fresh cockles! and soft-boiled Tau Pok! Support! Support!

Laksa Noodle ($2)