德记, Tuck Kee (Ipoh) Sah Hor Fun

Clayfish Prawns Hor Fun, small ($6) or medium ($7.50)

This is one of Singapore's legendary food stalls - everybody knows them; they are from our grandparents generation. A revisit today, and after tasting the familiar goodness, i was heartfelt glad the stall is still here. Most times when things seem to be there forever, we took them for guaranteed.

Prices have been increasing over the years of inflation but your wallet should be more than willing after you taste their winning sea-fresh gravy, and chew on the freshest seafood - all prepared early this dawn while we are still in our warm beds. Also good chili sauce that some love to douse their plate.

Visiting Singapore? You have to mark this place in Chinatown, on your itinerary.

Lived in Singapore but like myself who hasn't visit the stall for the longest time? Go soon. And i'm sure the taste shall once again move you; the way it makes me emotional today.

Clou & Classic - Gel Candle

Tonight, we discover something called "Gel Candle" by Clou & Classic CANDLE COMPANY GERMANY. What sets this gel candle apart from the others was that its base of jellywax is medical-grade white oil! Burns without releasing lead, soot or toxins and is completely aroma free.

Being transparent in nature, these gel candles lit the surroundings like a lantern; the entire jar is luminous. This is something we don see in our solid block candles. Enchantingly pretty as it sat in the garden.

Samsung Chromebook

Samsung Chrome XE303C12-A01US, Wi-Fi (US$249 from Amazon.com)

LED HD 11.6" display screen

Most girls ain't IT-savvy; and we are especially scaredy cats to fumble with computer devices. As such, maybe why the Tablets has become a girls' best friend with 1) fast boots up, 2) 1 touch Apps, 3) long battery life and basically, 4) no operating system to maintain and defrag.

Thus i find the Samsung Chromebook a big turn-on - having all the fine attributes of a Tablet; throw in with a keyboard. Physical typing keyboard is definitely conducive and i dread doing long essay on touchscreens.

So, i was glued to the Chromebook within minutes Ric introduced us. 

And thought it was a really cool and practical device. 

A Tablet with keyboards; ease of downloading free Apps from Chrome Web Store; thin and light-weight at 1.09kg; durable battery use of 6.5hrs per charge. Superb fast boots up like Tablet PC. Expandable internal storage (16GB) by connecting to external drives via the 2 nos. USB ports.

Think laptops are becoming more dispensable now.

IKEA 10-cents Meatballs - It's once in a lifetime!

Main queue that extends into the dining hall of IKEA Tampines

11:17 am - We arrived at IKEA Tampines and Ric joined in the queue.

11:50 am - Ric arrived at our table with 30 meatballs.

By this time, another serving counter opened to serve a 2nd queue while the 3rd queue at the Halal section grew much longer! Most dining tables were occupied and the dining hall was packed with both standing and sit down customers. Thankfully, the atmosphere is one of festive rather than chaos. It was like a carnival with the store Manager broadcasting messages of patience, welcome and thanks. 

After the food scares, the IKEA meatballs return to the restaurant menu today with this 1 day promotion.

Everybody was genuinely enjoying themselves; while some customers were busy packing away more meatballs than necessary, it seems. So much, it does become a little embarrassing...

Our plate of 20 Meatballs ($2 today, usual priced at $9.50)

We hasn't had IKEA meatballs for a while, and quite miss it especially after last week, when it was withdrawn from the shelf pending a DNA lab test to confirm that Singapore's stock has no link to the Europe-wide scandal over horsemeat in food product. Read story here.

This is our share of the promotion. And we are happy.

Alas, we prayed that the humankind will forever refrain from abusing food products and food animals.

满屋, Full House Confectionery

Mini Teochew Png Kueh ($0.40 per piece, $4 for 10 piece box)

At one end of the shop houses at Blk 95 Aljunied Ave 2, you have a spacious outlet stall from the Ang Mo Kio Nonya Kueh and Full House Confectionery that operates a small store on the other end. Today, we are patronising the latter.

We like that Full House kuehs ain't heavily flavored when compared to the ones we commonly bought from market stalls that receive its stocks from factory suppliers. Full House make their own and manages to keep prices competitive.

Their mini Png Kueh, a type of traditional steamed flour snack with infill of glutinous rice, is thin skin with rice so soft, yet does not lose its grains. Many kuehs often got sold out after lunch hour, and you have to wait for second batch of food to arrive in the later afternoon.

Deep Fried Carrot Cake, Yam Cake ($2 for any 4 pieces)

Today, i am especially impressed with their Carrot Cake. Recipe from white radish that has a refreshing tang of natural sweetness; i am pleasantly surprised to taste that in my first bite! Even though it was taken after having the more aromatic Yam Cake.

Yes, and you do not dismiss their Yam cake - distinct taste of Yam with some accidental bite of dried shrimps that goes into their making!

Kuehs on display ($2 per box)

Lucy's Penang Delights

For the smallness of Singapore, it's always amazing to discover places i've never been before - like the Geylang East Food Centre at 117 Aljunied Ave 2. Some shops in this neighborhood are clearly old school and i had loved to visit them in the future.

And there's several promising food stalls in the food centre!

Penang Kolok Mee, or Wanton Noodle ($2.50)

Penang Delights is one such that caught our attention as i spotted one lady slurping in noodles that swim in dark black sauce! Thought we got to try that!?

But i was rather taken aback by the strong hint of Nutmeg in the sauce and was fighting hard to stomach it; their regular customers clearly adore it. Nutmeg and Ampulla (or better known as balonglong fruit) are both Penang's specialty, and the stall does offer them as healthy fresh drinks on their menu. Quite fascinating. But i dare not try. Anyone?

Penang Char Kuay Teow ($3)

Now now, the fried noodle is one sure bid.

We heard the hawker choking with kitchen fumes before coming up with a plate of soft and nicely burned rice noodles, flavored by crunchy pork lard. Tasted really good but it's hard to feel gratify for the small serving size.