What’s a girl to do on Labour Day in good ol’ Singapore? Indulge in a fantastic movie and savour some food, of course.

The buddy and I started the day with lunch at my favourite cafe.

We then proceeded for my second viewing of the Avengers, which was just as entertaining, and now I feel as though I need to watch it at least once a week. I AM NOT KIDDING.

Dinner at Equinox was not bad, but not inspiring. Thankfully, we had a great view of the Singapore skyline to distract our tastebuds.

Some unexciting bread to kick things off:

Amuse bouche was some tomato thingy. The buddy will know what it’s called.

My Lobster Bisque with Fennel, Dill and Linguine Ribbons:

Grilled White Asparagus with Mousseline and Crushed Hazelnuts:

Pork Tenderloin with White Asparagus, Spring Onion Tart and Sage Butter Sauce:

Because there’s always room for dessert, the buddy ordered Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime, Chilli Syrup and Coconut Sorbet:

I ordered the Madagascar Vanilla Mousse with Caramelised Apple Jelly and Sweet Brioche.

Some petits fours to end things off:

Like I said, great view to distract our palette.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Set Fire To The Rain, by Adele

On my way back from work, I was chatting with QQ about food and the dishes she cooks. I was helping her think of ways to make her fish taste better then somewhere between mixed herbs and butter, I realised how much I actually enjoy cooking.

I get quite excited about cooking. Perhaps it’s the fun we all have especially when the buddies come over for a cook-in session. We always manage to cook up a bit of a storm, a storm we’re all thankful we don’t have to clean up after all thanks to my wonderful domestic helper. Heheh. And even when the buddies are not around, there are times when I just feel like taking over the kitchen and preparing a simple meal for the family. Not only is it a good stress relief, it is also completely gratifying when I see the satisfied looks on their faces. :)

I don’t think we’ve ever failed miserably but we’ve always played it safe with easy-to-make pastas and salads. In the last couple of years though, we’ve tried to step it up a little. Nothing spectacular, but always pretty darn delish.

We’ve done a full English-style breakfast:

Cooked a Christmas dinner:

Here’s a simple roast salmon dinner:

And this was lunch today:

I wish I had more time to cook and experiment with fancier dishes.

After putting it off for a whole month, we finally went to Cut and it did not disappoint.

The buddy was excited, of course. I’m pretty sure it was all she could think about the whole day. Heh. I was really looking forward to it as well, thinking of it as some sort of treat to myself, celebrating a successful school camp for the graduating kids which I co-organised, as well as the start of my one-week holiday. WOO.

We loved that Cut was not a stuffy restaurant, despite its celebrity status. The leather chairs and oak furnishings, together with the floor-to-ceiling wine display was contemporary and charming. And while this is usually not mentioned in typical restaurant reviews, I especially loved that they played good music, good ol’ 80s classics by the Stones and David Bowie, among others. :)

We were given a choice of bread, so I went with the Onion Focaccia. The server insisted we try this pretzel-like roll, so we did. It was nice.

For starters, we shared the Blue Fin Tuna Tartare with Wasabi Aioli, Ginger, Togarashi Crisps, Tosa Soy…

… and the Bone Marrow Flan, with Mushroom Marmalade, Parsley Salad.

Both were incredibly good, and elicited a lot of mmms and oohs. We particularly loved the perfectly creamy Bone Marrow Flan, which we learned from our server was a bit of an Austrian tradition. I could eat this once a week for the rest of my life.

For mains, we both ordered the “Kobe Style” beef. Here’s the buddy’s massive 280g Rib Eye…

… and my 170g Filet Mignon.

Our cuts were done to perfection, nicely charred on the outside, and packed a great meaty punch. It was definitely one of the better steaks we’ve had and really didn’t need any other condiments. We also shared two sides – the Yukon Gold Potato Puree, and the Creamed Spinach with Fried Egg, which were good, but we were too satiated to stomach second servings.

Overall, it was a good first-time experience at Cut, with special mention to our very friendly servers and whoever put together the playlist this evening. And while the total bill burnt a slight hole in the pocket, I honestly wouldn’t hesitate to go back. Just not anytime soon.

We walked around Marina Bay after, to help digest the food, but I’ll post more about that tomorrow, because it deserves its own post. ;)

. . . . .

Song of the Day

My Father’s Father, by The Civil Wars

I’ve never been very successful with baking. Cooking’s not a problem. But me and flour, and sifting and whisking? Somehow, somewhere, something always gets lost in translation. With the exception of cheesecake, everything else I’ve ever tried baking either got burnt or became some kind of inedible. So when the work mates decided to sign up for a Swiss Roll & Macarons class at Sugar Inc, I jumped at the opportunity, hoping – with all fingers crossed – that I won’t fail under proper instruction.

We learnt how to make Swiss Rolls first. The very personable Chef Anna starts off with a table demonstration, before sending us to our stations.

We paired up and followed her directions to a T.

We were all happy with how it turned out. :)

Macarons were next, and boy, were we eager about it. Here, Chef Anna tells us about how we can’t compromise on the amount of icing sugar added, because it apparently makes all the difference.

The process seemed overwhelming, but we did our best and the shells came out looking really decent.

Then came the ganache and the buttercream. Alas, they were all premade. But it was understandably so, because there wasn’t quite enough time.

Then we started piping. Piping is fun (read: easy). ;)

Look at all the pretty colours!

I’m so proud to announce that I have officially made my first batch of macarons! :)

Unfortunately, I really don’t know if I can find it in me to make my own macarons again. There’s a lot of work involved and because it requires a lot more precision than cooking, I’m not confident that I’ll be able to replicate this. The Swiss Rolls were a lot simpler and I can see myself giving it another go. But oh macarons… Now I know why you’re that pricey.

Regardless, it was a very lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon and I really enjoyed myself. We all did. ;)

The second day of the Lunar New Year was all about FOOD.

Lunch at my uncle’s was gut-busting. My aunt cooks really, really well so you can imagine how tormenting it was to have to control my intake. It wasn’t the most elaborate of meals but everything tasted of perfection.

Naturally, we started off with Yusheng:

Following that, we indulged in a very delectable spread featuring Fried Bee Hoon (Vermicelli), Broccoli with Abalone & Mushrooms, Kong Bak Pau (Chinese Braised Pork with Buns) and Tom Yum Soup.

Bloated from all that, I lumbered through the next couple of houses and struggled to strike conversations. It wasn’t until the second last house that I regained my bearings and managed to stomach a few more snacks.

The buddies then came over for dinner and we finalised plans for Dia’s 30th. We realised how it wasn’t going to be a cheap affair, but neither were we going to scrimp on our own 30th birthday celebrations. As much as it’s just another number, there’s no denying (for us at least) that 30 is a landmark age. So we settled on a staycation at Capella (because the girl doesn’t do cheap) after plenty of deliberation. It may not exactly be a weekend getaway at a nearby resort, but it’s certainly fancy enough. ;)

And because it’s not a festive season without some alcohol (I think?), Min brought a bottle of Baileys to share with us:

A toast to all of us, and all our other girls who turn 30 this year!

Here’s to another 16 years of friendship, and even more to come!

*clinks*

. . . . .

Song of the Day

More Today Than Yesterday, by Goldfinger

Did everyone have a great first day of the Lunar New Year? I spent all day at home entertaining guests, discussing aquariums (I’m thinking of getting a new pet fish) and babysitting in between.

Lunch was a scrumptious bowl of Chicken Curry with 3 slices of bread.

The parents had Ayam Pongteh.

And that was my only meal of the day, no thanks to the incessant snacking while waiting for guests to arrive. Yikes.

When evening came, I immediately assumed babysitting duties, as I am wont to do each year. To my credit, I am a terrific babysitter. How do I know? My four-year-old nephew Elijah was extremely upset when it was time to leave. Everyone wondered if I had some kinda special game that got him so hooked. All I had was a Magna Doodle board and plenty of imagination as I played along in his constant “killing” and “reviving” of a certain Jango Fett. I know right. BOYS.

It also helps that the cheeky fella was adorable.

Dad was mesmerised by my other nephew, Rafel, and couldn’t stop cuddling him. But really, the kid was that huggable.

My family and I are heading out to visit the rellies tomorrow. That means more food, and more trouble for my waistline. The gym is gonna appear extra laborious this week.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

If This City Never Sleeps, by Rosie Thomas

I’m not the biggest fan of the Lunar New Year. Believe it or not, there’s too much fanfare for my liking, not to mention the garish decor, and don’t even get me started on the music (wayyy too over-the-top cheerful for my liking). Yes, it’s festive and there’s always good food and good company, but because we all have so many other homes to visit, everything becomes rushed and quality time is compromised.

My dad loves it heaps though, and never fails to decorate the lobby right outside our apartment.

It’s become a bit of a highlight for our neighbours (and their visitors) who actually look forward to it each year. No kidding.

We get a fairly large number of visitors each festive season, and we usually have a good assortment of goodies awaiting them. This year, though, I think we might have outdone ourselves with 11 different types of snacks, including three variations of pineapple tarts:

I can only think of one other household (the Gohs) that serves more food.

Reunion dinner at our place is usually quite low-key with only our immediate family members. As such, we don’t typically have a huge spread, serving only four dishes: Ayam Pongteh (Braised Chicken with Salted Bean Paste), Chicken Curry, and my two favourites – Hee Peow Soup (Fish Maw Soup with Cabbage, Fishballs, Prawn balls and Meatballs) & Ngoh Hiang (Pork & Water Chestnut Rolls with Beancurd Skin).

This year, we opted to save the Ayam Pongteh and Chicken Curry for the extended family who usually come over for lunch or dinner, thus explaining the lack of photographic evidence.

As much as I love that we have Monday & Tuesday off, I’m well aware that I’m gonna have trouble adjusting back to the daily grind right after all this. Oh well. Here’s to a prosperous and joyous long weekend!

Happy Year of the Dragon! :)

Just two days into work and I’m on medical leave already. Who knew teaching would aggravate an already irritable throat? Hur hur. Anyway, since I can’t project my voice and they don’t make spittoons cute (or small) enough for me to carry around class, I had to pave the way for being the first to go on medical leave this year. *throws confetti*

So what’s a coughing, phlegm-filled girl to do on a Thursday in between sleeping off the meds? Go on Pinterest of course. And look at pictures that inadvertently cause drool to slide down the side of my mouth like a slippery sucker.

I never quite understood how Dia can look at pictures of food all day, but after two straight hours, I get it now. Not only do they make your screen look absolutely delectable, they also give you great ideas for future parties/get-togethers. Here are some easy recipes that I particularly want to try out next time I have friends over:

Cheddar Bay Biscuits (recipe)

Ham and Cheese Sliders (recipe)

Bacon Strip Pancakes (recipe)

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets (recipe)

Nutella Bread Pudding (recipe)

The rest of the recipes I’ve pinned are here, if you’re interested. :)

(Don’t quite understand how Pinterest works? You can read about it here.)

. . . . .

Song of the Day, because I’m taking a trip down memory lane back to my secondary school days…

Voices That Care, by Various Artists

My friend Angie blogged about these flavoured straws a couple of months back, and I made a mental note to look for them when I go back to Brissie next June. As luck would have it, I didn’t have to wait 8 months to try them. :D

Available only in Vanilla (for real?!), Chocolate and Strawberry, these novel straws are a product of Hungary (although manufactured in Singy) and they’re pretty fun for days when you just need that um, extra flavour. My only gripe is that the flavour is only at its most intense with the initial sip, then it sort of fizzles out. My tip is to pour yourself a smaller serving of milk to get the most out of it. Still, it’s not too bad for $1.90 and it has a pretty long shelf life, so why not?

. . . . .

Song of the Day

The Walk, by Mayer Hawthorne

Being as cosmopolitan as it is, New York has always been quite synonymous with great food. The foodie friend has already declared that our trip to NYC won’t be complete without a visit to the Michelin-starred Jean Georges, and that’s just one of the many Michelin restaurants Dia has in mind.

I’ve got my own list too. Nothing healthy. All indulgent.

1. Ice Cream

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

One of the most famous ice-creams in New York City which specialises in its “exotic” Chinese flavours like Lychee and Red Bean, among others.

Gonna try: Almond Cookie

Grom

Famous throughout Italy, this gelato even has a fan in Sarah Jessica Parker. It is known for being creamy and overpriced. Regardless, I’m getting a cup.

Gonna try: Crema di Grom, Caramello al sale

2. Burger

Shake Shack

I seem to be on an unending quest to find the perfect burger. And this one is supposedly better than LA’s famous In-N-Out? I am soooo in.

Gonna try: Shack Stack

3. Pizza

Joe’s Pizza

Quintessentially New York? Perhaps not, but I do love me a good pizza. GQ went so far as to call it the perfect New York experience. We’ll see.

Gonna try: Pepperoni

4. Red Velvet Cupcakes

Make My Cake

Located in Harlem, Design*Sponge tells me that the New York Times has rated their Red Velvet cupcakes as one of the best in NYC. *drools*

5. Soul Food

Amy Ruth’s

Someone once told me that authentic Soul Food can’t be found anywhere outside of the United States. With this one being one of the most well-known restaurants in NYC serving deep-fried fare, who am I to deny my arteries from being clogged?

Gonna try: Reverend Al (Chicken and Waffle) *gulp*

6. Hot Dog

Gray’s Papaya

This 24-hour hot dog joint has been featured in Sex and the City, How I Met Your Mother and even Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. Yeah, if it’s good enough for Mr Bourdain, it’s good enough for me.

7. Chinese Takeout

You’re gonna laugh, but I only want this so I can experience eating Chinese food from these takeout boxes. I AM SUCH A SUCKER.

I think it’s safe to say we’ll be putting on weight?

(This is the second in a series of countdown posts to NYC. The first one can be found here.)

. . . . .

Song of the Day

My Body, by Young the Giant