Paradise Dynasty Singapore

I suppose everyone knows about the colored Xiao Long Baos from Paradise Dynasty ($13.80) for 8. I've had it before some long long time ago. Flavors include Sze Chuan (too spicy), Garlic, Cheese, Foie Gras (can hardly taste it), Truffle (just the oil), Ginseng, Crab Roe and Original. To ensure the optimum tasting of the distinct flavours, you have to start eating with the white original flavour, moving along to more adventurous Black Truffle and Cheesy, ending with the reddish Szechuan dumpling. Some flavors are there more for the sake of providing novelty and variety. I'd say stick to the normal flavors e.g. Original or Crab Roe. You will not go wrong with that.

The skin is thin with a nice chewy dough. I like the sweet savory broth which i lightly seasoned with the mild vinegar.

There is a powdery texture to the finely minced meat probably due to the flour used to hold the pork together. Nevertheless, it was nicely seasoned and the dish perfectly executed.

While waiting for our food to be served, we were entertained by the chef preparing the la mian (noodles) behind the open concept kitchen panels. They were pretty amused by us, as we were by them. Caught them spying on us a couple of times.

I ordered the Beef La Mian ($10.80) which is perfect sick people food. The noodles were quite soft and smooth. I felt the texture was more like mian xian (or overcooked angel hair pasta). The pork bone broth has been cooked for hours to achieve that milky appearance and it is surprisingly oil free and not too rich in flavors. The generous slices of meat were tender but not braised sufficiently to give it its individual taste. It was a little on the bland side (or was it my spoilt taste buds..).

The voice got progressively worse over the course of the night. Was dying for some cold desserts to soothe the broken throat. I was so happy when i saw the Chilled Aloe Vera and Osmanthus Jelly ($3.50). Aloe vera is the best medicine for sore throats. I like that it is very refreshing. Could taste a splash of lime juice. The light fragrance of the Osmanthus could be tasted but i was wondering about the jelly (didn't eat any!).

Other than that, we also ordered the Souffle Balls with banana and red bean paste. The texture is very interesting. I was expecting it to be puff like but it really tastes like egg white (which it is anyway) but with that slightly chewy and bouncy texture. The let down however is the lack of filling! There was hardly any red bean paste in it and i only spotted 1 pathetic slice of banana. BOO!

Food: 4/5 Not too bad. It's more of home cooked food than gourmet.
Service: 3/5 Not very attentive but it could be due to the massive number of diners.
Atmosphere: 3/5 A little on the cold side. Glad to be sitting next to the kitchen. Some blasts of warm air to keep us cosy.

Paradise Dynasty
#04-12A ION Orchard
Tel: +65 6509 9118
Mon–Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat–Sun & PH: 10am – 10pm

Cafe Review: Hidden Finds- De La Crème

Another weekend, another 2 days of scouring the island for delectable brunch food,  dainty tea canapes and sinful supper haunts. Absolutely no proper meals allowed. This is why i live for the weekends. Anyway S complained that i didn't credit him for some of the awesome finds that are highlighted on this blog. He is the one who does the searching (most of the time) and i simply eat and review. So here you go piggy. Another one for S. :P

We took a drive around Siglap and Frankel estate to arrive at De La Crème, a french- styled patisserie specializing in the macarons (no wonder S brought me there) and other desserts. The silly me happily brought the camera out without my SD card AGAIN. This happens to me ALL THE TIME! Urgh. Back to the bakery- it is opened by a cute 22yo pastry Chef Rayner Tan who has trained under Le Cordon Bleu and then gone on to intern at 2am and Canele before setting up his own place.  

The cafe is small and cosy, kinda like someone's living room, except there's a delightful display of desserts in the middle. Dear friends, you know what you should do with your living room next time :))) It was quite empty during Sat brunch hours but that's kinda a good thing for us since we hate the crowd.

Couldn't help but be drawn to the desserts chiller. The Ispahan, which was raved about by some reviewers, was nowhere in sight. All that's left were the Mango Shortcake, St. Honore, Lemon Meringue Tart, Mogador and macarons. Desserts are priced around $7-8, which is the market price to pay for something decent. Since desserts were the first to catch my eye, i shall review them before the savories.

On my first inspection, the macarons look amazing. There is a nice height to the macarons and they look airy enough. Is it any wonder that DLC uses quality ingredients to achieve this texture? Ground almond meal, sugar and egg whites. Instead of using jams and pastes, the fillings are chocolate-based, caramel-based, or buttercream-based. I really abhor the wet creamy ones. Can you see the lovely feet as well? Looks wise, it is comparable to Pierre Herme.

There is quite a selection of flavors, with some infusion of local flavors such as Pandan and Gula Melaka. Other flavors include Chocolate Amer, Basil, Yuzu Sel, Pistachio, Rose, Violet, Passion fruit, Earl Grey Chocolate (i chose that of course) and others. Price- $2.40/pc, $12.90 for 6, $24.90 for a dozen

Sadly in terms of taste, it is a far cry from PH. I would have to say the macarons looked much better than they taste. They do have a crunchy exterior but once you bite into them, you will realize that the base has quite a spongy texture in the middle, which is typical of an uncooked beaten egg white. That was disappointing. Even though the filling was dense in many of the flavors i have tried, they were too sweet for my liking. Again, i'm comparing it to the Holy Macaron Grail by PH. I didn't like DLC's at all but it's probably better than Bakerzin. Obolo definitely has better stuff than DLC and i'll introduce another place which has perfect texture. Watch this space!

The other highly recommended item is the Mogador ($7.50), which is made of made of Guanaja (70%) dark chocolate mousse. Again, i didn't like it. Someone must really have a sweet tooth because i have no idea how this is dark chocolate.  The chocolate ganache wasn't crispy or nutty enough for my liking and the jaconde sponge was flat in texture and taste. The sourish raspberry compote attempted to liven things up by breaking the monotony of the intense sweetness but it simply couldn't be redeemed. Use this as a mirror, not for eating.

It's funny how DLC places so much focus on their desserts but they were all sub standard (at least the ones we had). I do however think that their savory items are stellar. Despite the limited food selection- 3 pasta, 3 tartines, 2 appetizers, all the diners finished every bit of their hot dishes. Now what does that tell you? Hmm. And say hello to All Day Breakfast (probably on weekends only). My little eye spotted some truffle fries. The next table ordered it and it smelled deli! Why did we make such a terrible choice to save space for desserts :((( 

What really wowed me was the Duck Tartine.

8 bucks for 4 huge slices of toast generously slabbed with a buttery & savory duck meat paste. Think spongy and cottony white bread that barely holds up the weight of the toppings and a heavenly emulsion that preserves the duck rillettes (in order words duck fat) seeping through the fluffy goodness and into your mouth.

I'm gonna make this my regular afternoon snack from now on. Serious. Love that golden brown crust on the exterior and the soft and moist savory center. They also have a chili crab tartines that is based on Chef Rayner's mum's recipe. I bet that is awesome as well. Tried to find out where DLC gets their bread from but the server wasn't sure. Oh wells.

Standard selection of drinks but it's the first time i see a Roasted Almond Latte ($4.90) being served. Naturally i had that. I'm quite sure it's just syrup but there is a light nutty sweetness to it. Not gourmet but it's still a decent cuppa.

Would i be back? Surely. For the savories instead of the desserts. Maybe i'll give the Lemon Meringue Tart a shot but i'll definitely skip the rest.

Verdict- Recommended
Food- 4/5 (SKIP THE DESSERTS)
Service- 3/5 Adequate, friendly.
Atmosphere- 4/5 Cosy and quiet. Good place for friends to hang out on a lazy afternoon.

De La Creme
42 Siglap Drive
Tel: +65 6246 2476
Tue - Thu: 2pm - 11pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm - 11pm
Sun: 10am - 10pm

(Closed Mon)

Food Review: Hidden Finds- Izakaya Nijumaru

Cuppage Plaza is really a Japanese food heaven. Like what i've mentioned before previously, the dodginess of the place has failed to deter me from exploring the wonderful offers there. I hope you are not put off by that as well or you would really be missing out on quite a bit! Previously, i have written a review on Kaiho Sushi (which was quite delightful) and i finally managed to grab some pictures of Izakaya Nijumaru for this review so here you go!

Located on the corner of the 2nd storey of Cuppage Plaza lies this pretty huge restaurant that serves tasty bento sets at reasonable prices. I was pretty impressed with the selection the first time i had dinner there with S and we have introduced it to our friends after. The bento and sets range from $8- 25, with most of the sets being priced below $15. Other than that, choose from a variety of yakitori (there is a grill counter in the corner of the restaurant where the chef prepares the grilled items), sashimi, tempura and cooked items. Items are written in Japanese and katakana so it helps if you know a little Jap. If not, simply tell the servers what you feel like having and have them recommend. I'm a visual person so i really need pictures to help me decide what to eat. So read on to find out what are some available dishes over here.

Nijumaru Bento ($20). This is one of the more popular sets. I would go for this for its sheer variety. Love bento sets for that reason. Fresh and firm sashimi, stewed dish (usually pork), tempura, grilled fish (saba). The stewed pork is nicely braised and tender. This goes very well with the rice. The tempura is crisp and light so you don't quite feel guilty from consuming all that deep fried food. All sets are served with rice, miso soup and fruits.

S had the Sashimi Bento ($15)- 9 pieces of Sashimi. Usual suspects as shown from picture. Try not to order this dish on a Sunday. Fresh sashimi is usually flown in only a couple of times a week and never on weekends. Nevertheless, the sashimi wasn't too bad. It's kinda weird that they don't serve Chirashi don though.

The Unajyu Bento with Sashimi set ($25) is another popular dish. According to the server auntie, this is the upsized version of Unadon. The generous slabs of grilled eel, nicely glazed and tenderly sizzled over the charcoal flame, were indeed very tasty. R was quite amazed at the texture of the meat and repeatedly told us to try some. The Kabayaki sauce was wonderful with the starchy Japanese grains.

I decided to try Shogayaki Beef Set ($12). This is a sliced beef stir fry with ginger and onions. I would say it's more Chinese than Japanese. My mama does this with pork instead and we never fail to drench our bowls of rice with the gravy, which was exactly what i did here. I was expecting more of the spice from the ginger but the soy sauce kinda overpowered it. Nevertheless, it's quite a homey dish. Definitely something i would crave for if i'm away from home for some time.

W had the Ten Don ($10) which came looking quite drenched the tendon sauce (made from Dashi soup, mirin, sugar and soy sauce). The tempura looked a little soggy to me but W said it was very good. So anyway, generous toppings of tempura of all sorts- Prawn, sweet potato, some unidentified but tasty root/veg, peppers etc. I think it's really cheap. Of course it can't be compared to the tendon chains in Japan but it's still quite awesome by Sg terms.

The Ika Butter Yaki ($8)- Grilled Salted butter squid is also a great choice at Nijumaru. The squid is extremely fresh and succulent. I could taste the sweetness of the Ika and you only taste that if it's really fresh. It is lightly grilled to give the exterior a nice charred pattern but not too barbequed to retain the moisture in the squid. Love this dish.

Here comes the negative. On my last dinner visit, we had a terrible run in with the servers. We made a reservation for 7pm for a large group of 10 (on a sunday). The aunties refused to let us into the restaurant until everyone has arrived. They claim it to be a company policy. Even though more than half the group was present and the place was empty, they were reluctant to let us take a seat.

After we were finally seated, they kept rushing us to place our orders. Then we noticed that some of these aunties were giving us the dirty look and grumbling and complaining in the corner. Seriously WTH? It's just really bad service. It's not as though we were going to cancel our reservations. We felt very harassed throughout our meal because they kept trying to clear our dishes even though we were not done. Honestly the service really put us off and such attitude from the servers is uncalled for. I believe that service is something that dining establishments should really brush up on because it helps to build loyalty to the restaurant. I have other friends who have had bad experiences with Nijumaru and have sworn not to patronize them again. I probably will take my business elsewhere unless i'm really such a sucker for punishment. So yea, eat there if you can take the lousy service. Extremely disappointed because i have not experienced this previously. BOO to bad service.

Verdict- Unsure. The bad service is quite hard to stomach.

Food: 4/5

Service: 2/5 Some servers were quite attentive and patient but the others really suck. 

Atmosphere: 3/5 Authentic feel of a Japanese Izakaya complete with the sleaziness of the other businesses in Cuppage. 

Izakaya Nijumaru

#02-10 Cuppage Plaza 

Tel: +65 6235 6693

Mon-Sat: 12pm - 2.30pm, 6pm -10pm

Sun: 6pm - 10pm

Cafe Review: Black Bird Cafe

I'm always hard pressed to find adequate brunch places in town. My favorite is of course Wild Honey but even their variety of breakfast from all around the world isn't enough to keep me going back every time. It's pathetic really, the lack of quality dining places in where we call the heart of shopping in Singapore. Anyway, i'm glad to have found out about Black Bird Cafe at Handy Road, right next to The Cathay. The location used to house 1 Caramel but they have since moved on. So 1 Sunday, i suggested having our extremely irregular meet up with the FYP gang at Black Bird. A major plus point of the cafe is that its convenient location makes it easy for all of us to run along with our errands after.

Did a quite check and found out that there's a brunch menu which is served from 10am – 3pm. Made a reservation to ensure we get seats because i heard that it gets pretty packed on the weekends. When we got there at 11, it was surprisingly quiet. We hung around till 1pm and the place was still empty. Guess everybody is lazing at home but good for us because we had the whole place to ourselves. 

Somehow the cafe felt very warm and us girls were busy fanning ourselves. The waitress took note of that and immediately set the temperature to cool the place down. Very attentive. I like.

The Brunch Menu is pretty limited- Big breakfast, Eggs Ben, Ham & Cheese Omelette, Croque Monsieur, Buttermilk Pancakes, Bread Basket, a couple of sandwiches and salad. There is also a choice of 1 Main of the day. The prices are reasonable, all items priced below $12 except for the Big Breakfast ($18). However, several items were unavailable that morning, so it really depends on your luck.

The coffee served here is from Havana. Which uses the hot air roasting technique to enhance the caffeine level of the coffee. I couldn't taste the caffeine in my Iced mochaccino ($6.50), it tasted pretty sweet and harmless with all the chocolate and milk. But damn i sure did feel the coffee when I was high as a bird in yoga class after brunch. Obviously the silly me has conveniently ignored the double shot espresso with full extraction description.

I went with the Eggs Benny ($12). I'm quite boring when it comes to picking items for brunch. It's usually Eggs Ben or Big breakfast (due to its sheer variety). 2 perfectly shaped poached eggs came dressed with a light hollandaise sauce on top on the crispy muffins which were perfectly toasted. Despite the small servings, i was extremely satisfied after my meal. I guess that's partly due to the effects of the caffeine. 

Anyway, the eggs were perfectly cooked. The eggs bled a sunset yellow all over the slightly spongy muffin which nicely absorbed that rich flavor. I like the hollandaise sauce which wasn't overpoweringly sour. It actually has a nice creaminess texture to it and i tasted a hint of cheese. Love it. 

Alexis (read about her review here) had the Buttermilk Pancakes with maple syrup ($10). It costs an additional $3 each for strawberries, bananas or back bacon. That to me was quite a ripoff. I expect my pancakes to come with sides! However, the scrambled eggs only cost $2 which was reasonable. Anyway we all agreed that FfT would give us something better for a similar price.

The pancakes were not served piping hot and we had to send it back to be warmed up. Always do the butter test. If it doesn't melt, it's not good enough. Alexis thought that she could taste a wee bit of buttermilk but it's just really mediocre pancakes to me. Too spongy and thick for my liking. Somehow Macs is our standard for consistent pancakes. Revel in the simple things in life.

Nette wanted something small and so she order a BLT sandwich without avocado. The irony is that it was pretty huge compared to what i ordered. The bread has a nice powered crust that crackles nicely when bitten into and also has a firm spongy texture. Despite her lack of appetite, she managed to finish most of it. Verdict- she likes it and that is big for a fussy eater like Nette. :P

Some hits and misses but i think on the whole it's better than many of the other establishments that does brunch in town. Great place to chill out on the weekends. Just about time for brunch now! Ta!

Afternote: Tried the Croque Madame (i topped the Monsieur with an egg) and it's the most fab. Black Bird is the place i'd go to in town for Croque Madame and a strong cuppa.

Blackbird Cafe
6 Handy Road, #01-01A The Luxe
Tel: +65 91858116
Mon–Thu: 11am – 10pm

Fri–Sat & PH Eve: 11am – 12am

Sun: 10am – 10pm
Sun Brunch: 10am – 3pm

Restaurant Review: No Signboard Seafood

TGIF again! Here is a dinner/supper food review to kick start the weekends! 

When friends come back to Sg for visiting, i'm always very accommodating to their dietary needs. Most of the time they want local signatures- Crabs, Char Kway Teow, Chicken Rice, Ba Kut Teh, Seafood, Laksa, Nasi Lemak etc. That's when i eat them as well. I'm really not a local food fan, at least not on a daily basis. Olivia was craving for some Sg crabs and was determined to stuff herself full of them before she heads back to Hong Kong. I don't know how this girl did 2 crab meals one after another but she did it. So we headed to No Signboard, one of the more famous seafood restaurants for the crab dish. 

We headed to the colourful Geylang district for the famed crabs. I received one too many leery stares while making my way through the crowd of Chinese and Indian nationals just to get to the 'restaurant'. Trust me when i say i was all ready to throw a punch in somebody's face if they came too close to me or even dare insinuate something. Anyway, despite all that unfavorable activities going on in the area, i would always come back to this main branch where i first tried their Chili Crabs. And that was when i fell in love with that particular flavor (more on that in a bit).

The crabs are $50/kg which is supposedly pricier than the other restaurants. I'm really not sure what's the market rate. I just assumed they are not cheap. The usual flavors are available- White/Black Pepper, Chilli, Butter, Steamed, Ginger and Spring Onion, Cheese. Can't remember if they have Salted Egg Yolk, which has become one of my favorite flavors for crabs.

We decided to go for 2 different flavors, 1 medium size crab each, 1 male and 1 female crab. I like female crabs for the rich and creamy crab roe (mega high in cholesterol but absolutely worth it once in a while). It adds on a different dimension to the flavor as well as the texture of the meat. What i didn't know after all these years of eating crabs is that the male crab has more meat than the female one. So if you prefer more of the juicy succulent flesh, go for the male one (that is if you don't already know).

The Black Pepper crab looks harmless enough but boy is it spicy! Really peppery flavor that turned on the faucet in my nose and had it running for a while. The restaurant gave us the male crab for this dish. I love the kick of the pepper in this dish. You gotta eat this fast because it turns cold due to the lack of a gravy to keep it heated. Apparently the white pepper crab was the original signature dish of NS but now people associate them with Chili crabs. Shall try that another time.

NS holds the standard for Chili crabs in Singapore (according to this skinnyfat girl that is). Every other chili crab is either too tomato-ish, too diluted, too spicy or too ________(insert something negative here) as compared to NS. I feel that this has the right balance of chili, tomato and egg to make me wanna mop up the entire plate of gravy with the white sponge bread! Boy i would just drink the sauce from the plate. S and i used to place our order over the phone, drive over to pick up the crabs and then head home to have this for supper in front of the TV. Couch potatoes much!

I'm sad to say that the standard has indeed fallen. I thought the gravy is watered down a little. It kinda lacks that oomph and punch that it used to possess. While the meat of the crab is succulent as before, the crabs are really pretty puny these days. The image of those HUGE Sri Lankan crab pincers from eons ago is still etched in my memory and the size of the current ones are really disappointing.

We also ordered the Fried Man Tou (Buns) 4pcs and White pillowy soft sponge bread (half a loaf) ($2 each) to soak up the gravy. I think that's pretty pricy for fried man tou because they are really small! I'm sure i could buy a dozen at that price at the supermarket. Grr. The sponge bread is really awesome in mopping up the sauce. I'd say choose the bread over a rice/noodle dish. It is pretty sufficient.

Sambal Kang Kong ($8) if one of the must order when you go to a Zi Char stall. There's a nice spiciness to it with the pungent and savory sambal. Even the girl who doesn't take much spice couldn't stop eating this. It's a little more on the cooked side so the vegetables are not very crunchy but the texture is alright and the softness of the leaves allows it to pick up more of the sambal gravy. Pretty decent dish.

I can still remember the first time i had the Fried Cereal Beancurd ($8). Homemade tofu mixed with some fish paste and minced vegetables with a mashed up and creamy smooth texture to it. That was exactly what i was expecting but the current taste has fallen short of my expectation. These were a little more like seafood sticks than tofu sticks. Definitely need more tofu instead!

In all, the meal was pretty decent and satisfying though the standard has indeed fallen by a significant bit. Definitely needs to buck up in that department if they want to remain as a worth contender for the Chili Crab title. Ladies if you are dining at the Geylang branch, be careful and be ready to protect yourself. An eye gouge or a choke slam would come in useful when the need arises so learn those well. If the sight of rolled up shirts with exposed tummies turn your appetite off, i suggest you head to the other branches which may have better clientele.

Food: 3.5/5 Standard has fallen. :((
Service: 3/5 A little on the slow side
Ambience: 2/5 KPT style with dubious characters around

No Signboard Seafood
No. 414 Geylang
Tel: +65 6842 3415
Daily: 12pm - 1am

Other branches- Vivocity, East Coast Seafood Centre, Esplanade

Bag Review: MyBags- Mulberry Sister Bags

The idea of friendship has been redefined with the rise of social media networks. Gone were the days when we used to categorize people we actually know into lists on autograph book (pardon primary school kids of the past). Today we add random acquaintance onto FaceBook and call them our friends when perhaps and most likely, don't even communicate with us. (No, reading status updates does not constitute communication). Back then we actually have 1 Best friend (Duh, isn't that what Best represents?) These days, we call everyone our BFFs (plural?!!). 

I'm guilty of all of the above. After all, friendship changes as we grow. I would say that at any 1 point in time, we may find 1 person (if you are lucky) who is the perfect friend. The one who has the same interests, likings, taste, thoughts, and understands everything you do. That person would be your best friend at that time (for as long as it is till you grow apart). I'm glad to have met friends like that.

That said, there are those friends who will always remain special in your heart, regardless of the distance and space between you. They are the constant. The special ones whom you have shared memories, secrets and inside jokes even telepathic conversations with. By now you must be wondering how does this relate to the title of the post. Let me explain. 

After i bought my Mulberry Grape Alexa (AW2010) (Read about it here), i brought it on a holiday in Hong Kong (Spring 2011). I also met up with my beloved friend Olivia, whom i have been friends with since we were 9. She is exactly one of those rare special friends that i've described above. Despite studying, working and living in 2 different countries for 9 years, she is still my evil twin (we always accumulate bad karma when we meet up ;)) That was when I introduced her to the world of Mulberry with my Alexa (she is such the classic Chanel girl) and she fell in love (we have such similarly good taste). I believe that was also when i planted bagaholistic thoughts in her head and exposed to her a world of limitless possibilities (of bag choices. haha). So she began the hunt for a perfect Alexa. In the end, i found the perfect option for her which is the Buckle Satchel in Eggplant (AW2011).

I was in love with the colour when i first saw it at the stores. It's a nice deep burgundy/maroon which i would have gotten if 1. I don't already have an Alexa and 2. If the shade isn't too in between my Mulberry Grape and Balenciaga Pourpre. Furthermore, the pebbled lambskin is so buttery soft and squishy and you know how i love my pebbling (a la AW Rocco and YSL Easy). It took her some time to convince herself that this is the bag (she wanted to get the Cabbage Alexa?!!) and now it's her most loved bag. So yup, sister bags for the separated at birth sisters!

Now onto the bags. The 2 look almost alike. Postman's lock, braided handle, 2 buckle straps and a belted shoulder strap that's way too long for petite Asian girls like us. We doubleloop ours for a more ladylike look. It becomes a shorter shoulder bag that makes for easy reach for our phones and stuff in the bag. The subtle differences lie in the detailing and finishing such as the full metal buckles and glossy shine finishing for the embellishments. The side hooks are also a little different, the Buckle's being a little bigger. Alexa uses a soft buffalo skin while the latter is a Nappa leather in lambskin. Overall, Alexa is a little more street style while the Bucket Satchel is more ladylike. Kinda like the 2 of us. :)

Since i'm on the topic of Mulberry satchels, i've noticed that with the birth and success of the Alexa, Mulberry has been rehashing (more than reinventing) the iconic satchel look and i wouldn't say it's particularly exciting me. Here are some of the spin offs.

Bayswater Satchel

Now this is the miniature version of the iconic Bayswater style. Poacher style straps with stud closures and cross body straps. I hardly see any modifications to the original. Plus i'm not liking the stiff handles that stick out from the main body. I foresee they would probably get in the way when i sling the bag over my shoulders. If i want a Bayswater, i'd just get that and not this. Though i must say i love this Nightshade blue shade with rose gold hardware. I would say this is more of a work satchel (that is if a satchel is office wear appropriate).

Tillie Satchel

Now this is one weirdly shaped bag. The D ring in the middle is quite purposeless though the trompe l'oeil buckle detailing is quite cute. Not digging the shape or style but exotic skins? Anytime. This is ostrich btw.

Postman's Lock Satchel (Edie)

The simpler Postman's lock satchel is the exact shape and design as its predecessor Edie. I don't get why they renamed it. The Postman is a lot slouchier ie. more shapeless as compared to the other satchels. I prefer my bags with a little more structure. This Beige shade will make a nice addition to any Pastel collection and it is so in this season. I sure wouldn't mind this neutral.

Travel Day Bag

The latest variation is the Travel Day Bag which takes the heritage satchel shape but gives it a twist with a metal luggage tag inspired plaque in front and metal tipped embellishments on both sides of the bag. I think all the metal tags around is quite redundant and boy that would add a lot more weight to the already heavy bag. I'm already complaining about the weight of my Alexa as it is, can't imagine how this would feel on my shoulders after a long day.

So yeap, that's my take on most of the Mulberry satchels. Alexa remains my favorite out of the lot and it has become one of Mulberry's icon in such a short span of time. Love the Buckle too but it hasn't been featured after 2011. So Olivia is one lucky girl, that's practically a limited edition. :P

This post is dedicated to my evil twin Dr. Olivia Tan. Welcome to the land of pretty bags and clutches. I'm glad you love your Mulberry as i love mine. To everlasting friendship and bagaholism! :))

*Photo Credits- Mulberry.com

Food Review: Hidden Finds- Yeo Keng Nam Chicken Rice

I'm not a Chicken rice fan (like i've mentioned in a previous post here) and i wouldn't make a meal out of Chicken Rice typically. However, i have to say that it is one of the most convenient and tasty takeaway meals. It doesn't matter if you leave it sitting in the packet and soaking up the moisture from its condensation, it'll still taste good, or perhaps even better. You don't quite have to worry about your sides turning soggy because the chicken is steamed or roasted and it even tastes ok when cold! Most importantly, most of the stalls over the island has been able to produce decent chicken rice so the standard is pretty consistent regardless of where you are (of course if you're darn unlucky u'll get the really bad ones).   

 The most memorable chicken rice that i've tasted was dabao-ed (takeaway) by S. It was the most fragrant and fluffy rice cooked in chicken fat that i've tasted. I immediately proclaimed it to be the best chicken rice in Singapore in between gobbles. According to S, it was a random buy but i thought we hit chicken rice jackpot. However, that still didn't make me crave for the dish. Even thought we often drive past the same stretch of road and we'd always chime "Best Chicken Rice in Sg" when we spot but we never ate there.

Fast forward a couple of years to 2012. S met me for lunch in the vicinity and he suggested trying the dish again. I guess it's a good test of whether it was really as fantastic or was it just a figment of my imagination. So here you go- Yeo Keng Nam Chicken Rice.

It was only when i took a closer look at the stall that i realize this is no ordinary chicken rice stall. They have won some award back in 2009 for their traditional Hainanese dishes. S is such a kukubird sometimes. Anyhow, this is also proof that i have the makings of discerning food critic! :P

The location is indeed very nondescript, Yeo Keng Nam has car repairs workshops as their neighbors. S said that there used to be another chicken rice place at the corner but it has been taken over by a mixed veg stall. YKN is more of a restaurant than a coffee shop. Fully air conditioned, clean and uncluttered seating area (though it is really small) and polite servers to take your orders. There's no oily greasy grime and dirt or smokiness to the place. I like. 

At YKN, you can order your chicken rice individually for $4 a plate. It's only $3.50 if you take it away. For sharing, you could go with half a chicken for $15 or $30 for a whole (if i remembered correctly).

The rice was exactly how i remembered it. I like the broken and slightly soft rice grains? Can you see that they are nicely split in the middle? This shows that they have been simmered in a rich stock of fried ginger, garlic, chicken stock (and some fats) and salted for additional flavor. Some people have complained that this is too healthy. Seriously?? I don't care as long as it tastes good. The fragrance of stock has penetrated and locked itself within each grain of rice and you can simply eat this on its own. No need for chili or dark soy sauce (i thought the dark soy overpowers the flavor of the rice). I actually contemplated having a second bowl of rice! Amazeballs!

The chicken is nicely flavored as well. They served us breast meat for the individual plates though. I should have said i want the thigh meat for that additional succulence and tenderness. The breast meat wasn't dry though and was juicy enough.

The chili was a killer. It really stings. There is a nice sourness and spiciness to the blend of ginger, garlic and chili. Go easy on it if you can't take chili. 

I've been warned not to eat chicken rice at night because the chicken has probably sat there on the rack for the entire day. At YKN, batches of steamed chicken and rice are cooked over the course of the day. They are only prepared when the previous batch runs out. This ensures the freshness of the ingredients. Yay! Wouldn't say the same for the other regular coffee shop stalls though.

S ordered the Sambal Kang kong($7) for sharing. I love the chunky dried shrimp bits and how they really pack in a punch. The kang kong wasn't mushy or overcooked and had a nice crunch to it.On hindsight we should have ordered kailan. That would have gone better with our chicken rice but oh wells, the boy is weird in terms of placing food orders.

There's a variety of dishes to pick from if you are not particularly interested in the chicken. Hot favorites include the Nonya Curry Fish Head ($23). The snapper head was simmered in a red gravy of eggplant, lady's fingers and tomatoes to give it that tangy and lightly spiced flavor. Coconut milk is used sparingly but it doesn't weaken the robustness of the hearty curry. Based on a 18 year old secret recipe by Mdm Yeo (the founding chef).

Hainanese Pork Chop is a popular choice as well. Think tangy sweet and sour sauce on top of crunchy cream cracker battered pork chop.

Had their home made barley ($1.50) to extinguish the fire from the spice. This barley is super gao3 (thick). Just look at the dense and viscous stream that's flowing from the straw. No i wasn't playing with my food again.

So here you go, still the best Chicken Rice in Singapore. It gets packed during lunch and dinner so go early. If not, they also have a delivery service! Yay!

Verdict- Recommended!
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5 Comfortable

Yeo Keng Nam (Tradition) Hainanese Chicken Rice
8 Braddell Road (Main Restaurant)
Tel: +65 6285 4153/ 6285 4261

Tue to Sun: 10.30am to 10pm
(Closed on Monday except on PH)

562 Serangoon Road (Branch)
Tel: +65 6299 1128/ 6299 0218
Daily: 11.30am - 11.00pm

Travel Review: Fraser Place Kuala Lumpur

Some time back in Feb when Z and i celebrated her birthday with our sassy weekend in KL, we stayed at the wonderful Fraser Place Serviced Apartments. We were choosing between several chain hotels but decided on a serviced apartment instead for a more cosy stay and we were spot on with our choice. Fraser Place Kuala Lumpur has recently been crowned the Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice® 2012 for being the most trendy and luxurious in its category.

View from the 18th floor Pool at day break

Situated right in the heart of the capital, Fraser Place is conveniently located within the KL's Golden Triangle, which has the highest concentration of renowned shopping, entertainment and commercial facilities. We were situated a mere 5-10minutes walk away from the Suria KLCC mall, Pavilion mall and foodie heaven Bukit Bintang Street.

What really impressed us was the hospitality that greeted us upon arrival. The staff were extremely helpful and made us feel right at home immediately even though we arrived way before our check in time. We were given access to the 18th floor pools and entertainment facilities where we freshened ourselves with a dip in the outdoor infinity pool before heading out for brunch. The gym is also very well equipped with new machines and also a yoga room! There are also 2 game rooms- Xbox Kinnect and Nintendo Wii available for play if one decides to stay in.

Absolutely great way to start our awesome girly weekend! 

Heated Indoor pool with Sauna facilities

The apartments were newly furnished contemporary design elements that made for a cosy and chic stay. Firm and springy King size beds that made us feel like princesses with plush pillows and silky bed sheets. The spacious lounge area could be converted into a private dance floor, with the comprehensive home entertainment system to provide music to groove to ( Yea that's what we do in hotel rooms). The floor to ceiling windows let in natural light that brightens up the place, creating the illusion of space (not that it wasn't spacious enough). 

Our studio apartment also came with a fully equipped kitchenette, induction cooker, utensils, crockery and cutleries, microwave oven, coffee maker and all! I wanted to cook lunch for Z but obviously she didn't trust me with my cooking skills. :(

Instead, we settled for takeaway tea from Ben's General Store (Read about my review here) and chilled out in the comfort of our lovely room. 

Breakfast is served at the ground floor cafe and there's a decent spread of western and local cuisine.
For about 330RM a night, you could enjoy a pleasant stay when you next head over to the cosmopolitan city for a weekend getaway or for business. Bigger apartments and long term stay options are also available.

Will definitely be back the next time i head over. :)

Fraser Place Kuala Lumpur
Lot 163 No 10 Jalan Perak, Kuala Lumpur 50450, Malaysia

Tel: +603 2118 6288

Fax: +603 2118 6388

Email: reservations.kualalumpur@frasershospitality.com

Malaysia on Dwellable