Bak Chor Mee @ Sim Lim Square

When it comes to shopping, people often cite Orchard Road/VivoCity (Singapore) or Mid Valley/One Utama (KL) as their favourite places to shop. As for me, Sim Lim Square at Bugis is a great place to hunt for bargains on electronic goods (especially computer hardware) and to update myself on the latest gadgets available. Don't get me wrong, I do have my fair share of love for my Tommys and Calvins but somehow, only sale items excite me. And when the place you love to shop includes a fantastic foodcourt (or that's what you've been told), you just know that you have to make time to pay a visit.

That's exactly what I did on Deepavali. Knowing how bad the traffic congestion can be on the North-South Highway during the holiday season, I stayed put in Singapore and had myself a little feast with a group of friends. Prior to that, I was at Sim Lim to check out the Micro-SD cards and bought myself a 2GB Kingston-type for S$31.50 (which I thought was a good buy). After the satisfying purchase, it was time for food.

I've never really paid attention to the foodcourt at Sim Lim Square until I heard that there's a famous Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodle) store at the foodcourt. This TeoChew delicacy is the best hawker food I've ever tasted in Singapore and I do try to make an effort to track down the best ones in town. So far, it's a tie between Ah Kow's (at Hong Lim Food Centre) and Tai Hwa's (at Crawford Lane). So, how did this version fare compared to the two giants?

For S$4.50 (large), the portion came rather huge for food court's standard. The mee kia (thin egg noodles), which was lightly seasoned with lard oil and soya sauce, came al dente. A dollop of chili paste was added to provide extra kick to the otherwise bland noodle. Side ingredients came aplenty and diversed, including fishballs, poached pork, stewed mushroom, fish cake, dumplings, chinese lettuce and scallion (as topping). Free flow of fried lard (a must!), Chinese black vinegar (a must too) and chili paste are also available, at your disposal. The crispy lard literally exploded in the mouth, releasing exceptionally aromatic flavour that complemented the noodles very well. Black vinegar and the mushroom added an interestingly contrasting and refreshing taste to the noodles. I wished they'd included a slice of dried flatfish, which would have added certain savouriness and aroma to the dish.

For an additional S$1.00, you can get a bowl of soup with 3 pieces of dumpling. I found the dumplings a tad too bland and lacked in ingredients (for the filling). To me, a good filling should include wood ear fungus, waterchestnut and again, flatfish. Then again, there's a limit as to what S$1.00 can offer.

It was generic Bak Chor Mee at it's best. Generously portioned with lots of side ingredients but lacked in subtly (taste-wise), as displayed by Ah Kow's and Tai Hwa's more traditional versions. Perhaps it was the control over usage of vinegar and soya sauce.

Minced Meat Noodles
Food Court @ Sim Lim Square
B1-08-26
1 Rochor Canal Road
Singapore 188504

Sage - The Restaurant

Exactly 7 days ago, I was privileged enough to be invited to join a monthly dinner at Sage (Robertson Walk) hosted by Kelvin from TimelessFacade (one of my Foodspirations). I must say I was thrilled as it was my first food outing since starting my blog 2 months back. It was not just a opportunity to savour some delicacies but also a chance to interact with other floggers (and bloggers) as well as to learn a thing or two about blogging from them.

As I entered the restaurant, I was greeted with a minimalistic-styled interior, which in my opinion, represented the type of cuisine Sage serves, which was modern European (particularly French). An opulent interior would have suggested a more traditional approach to the dishes, I presumed.

Despite tasting rather bland, the petitely cut herbed bread was rather fluffy. Similarly, the complementing butter also tasted bland. Salted butter would have heightened the flavour of the bread.

The complimentary amuse bouche (which literally means mouth amuser in French) was served next and looked rather interesting, thanks to the very contrasting colours of the layers in the shot glass. The cream-coloured lower layer of the glass consisted of compressed cooked pork and was covered by a layer of burgundy-coloured jellied tomato paste. The slight tanginess of the tomato paste complemented the richly flavoured ground pork very well. Once sandwiched between bread, it could be turned into a main dish instantly. An interesting opening for the night.

Next on the list was the first entreé for the night, the Seared King Scallops on a Salad of Homemade Squid Ink Capellini, Marinated Ocean Trout and Avruga Caviar, Braised Scallop Lips and Leek & Potato Vichyssoise. The scallop was well cooked and tasted very fresh. The al dente capellini complemented the savoury trout and caviar very well too, with its blandness. The caviar was also not too savoury nor tasted "fishy" and provided an interesting texture to the dish. The rich vichyssoise was flavourful but not overwhelming. A great dip for the bland herbed bread earlier. However, I wished the vichyssoise was served cold as it would provide an interesting contrast to the warm seared scallop.

The second and last entreé for the night was the Pan-Seared Duck Foie Gras with Pistachio Crust and Fig Compote, Granny Smith Apple Puree and a Dressing of Red Grape Mustard Vinegar. The sinfully rich and creamy liver was well seared (complete with a layer of crisp skin) and went well with the crushed pistachio coating, in terms of texture. The foie gras basically melted in the mouth, releasing an aromatic flavour, leaving everyone with a smile on the face. The chef must have contemplated on presenting a well-balanced creation in terms of taste as the compote, apple puree and mustard vinegar (each with its own distinctive taste) provided optimal tartness, which complemented the foie gras very well. Tres bon!

My main dish was the Caramelized Black Angus Beef Cheek Topped with Melted Foie Gras Mousse and a Fricassee of Mushrooms, Compote of Butternut Squash and White Onions. Despite the wonderful presentation, the ensemble tasted rather bitter, presumably due to the caramel sauce (slightly burnt, perhaps). The foie gras mousse did not provide much hindrance to the bitterness as it was by itself, a rich and bitter-prone ingredient. The compote on the other hand, tasted rather bland. Albeit the disappointment in taste, the beef cheek was actually very well cooked as it was flaky and soft at the same time.

Those who chose the Cod and Bouillabaisse seemed to have enjoyed the flavourful stew very much. The dish consisted of an Effeullie of Cod and Grey Prawns in a Seafood Bouillabaisse with Ratte Potatoes and Garden Vegetables Accompanied With Rouille on Toast.

No one chose the Lamb Loin for their main. A short description of the dish would be an Australian Grain Fed Lamb Short Loin with a Cassoulet of Summer Beans Scented with Garlic, Rosemary and Lardons, Crispy Parmigiano Reggiano and Roma Tomato Coulis.

Dessert consisted of Lavender Créme Brulée with Blood Orange Sorbet on Redcurrant Jelly and Navel Orange Meringue. The Créme Brulée was creamy in texture with good control of sweetness but I could not detect the scent of the lavender. Perhaps overpowered by the vanilla flavour. The meringue was light and crispy but did not ignite any amusement. The sweet sorbet and tangy jelly complemented each other well in terms of taste and texture as well, thanks to the creaminess of the sorbet and the firmness of the jelly.

Throughout the night, we also had a bottle of Pinot Noir (2005) from Huia (Marlborough, New Zealand) to complement the dishes.

The bill came up to approximately S$1000 (for 10 pax). A tad high for a dinner but I must say that most of the dishes were noteworthy and memorable, especially the scallop and foie gras. A great culinary adventure nonetheless, with great company to boost.

The taste of the excellent foie gras lingered on my mind until the next morning.

For more on Sage, check out this website:
www.sagerestaurants.com.sg

Botak Jones @ Clementi

I was reading the Sunday Times, dated 28 October 2007 and chanced upon this interesting article titled, "Ang Moh Hawkers" (which literally means Caucasian Hawkers) in the lifestyle section. It was about 2 permanent residents of Singapore (Botak Jones and Crazy Ang Mo) penetrating into the wonderful "Singapore Hawkersphere", each with their distinctive business philosophy, history and taste. There was even a comparison of food between these 2 eateries.Still, to me, despite all the hype, it's just "western food" lah. (My first ever Singlish/Manglish vocabulary on my blog!).

When a colleague of mine, Mr. D asked to me join him for dinner at Botak Jones (Clementi branch) last Friday, I was hesitant, not because of my preconception, but rather a dinner appointment with a group of food avids at Sage (which I will review right after this one) later in the evening. After much persuasion (it's an exaggeration), I agreed to give it a try.

You can see customers (mostly youths and the after-work crowd) queueing to place their orders as you approach the Kopitiam at Clementi Avenue 5, while the elders were seen enjoying their wanton noodles instead. At 6.20 pm, we still managed to secure a table. According to Mr. D, the queue can be astonishingly long after 7.00 pm (Clementi branch).

The first dish to arrive was the Botak Chez Set (S$8.00). The burger basically consisted of a piece of beef patty topped with melted cheddar cheese, a halved burger bun, raw onion rings and a slice of tomato. Despite the generic ensemble, the beef was rather fresh, moist and tender (unlike those hard and dry type found in some fastfood chains). The fresh raw onions added crispness to the burger but the cheddar cheese did not amplify the taste of the patty. Sides included crinkle fries and coleslaw. Taste aside, a definitively filling portion nonetheless.

Next came my Fish and Chips ($S6.50 - for the small portion). The golden brown fish fillets were rather thin but well cooked. Since there was no hint of "frozen fish" smell and the flesh was quite firm, I concluded that the fish was commendably fresh. A drizzle of lemon juice provided slight tanginess to the fish. I personally enjoyed the tartar sauce as it was optimally flavoured (I was not sure if capers were added) and did not leave me with a cringing feeling (some eateries tend to overuse vinegar in their sauce). Sides were similar to the first dish; crinkle fries and coleslaw.

Service was efficient (and friendly too) despite the stacks of orders while the price was alright (by hawker centre standard). By the way, Mr. D mentioned that the Cajun Chicken was highly recommended too. As we packed up to leave after our dinner, the queue already doubled in length.

Was the food worth the queue, you asked? If it's a 45 minutes queue, then, NO.

Botak Jones' slogan: damn good food, damn good price.
Nic's humble opinion: so-so food, affordable price.

Find out more on Botak Jones here:
www.botakjones.com/

Hari Raya Open House

While most people are anticipating the arrival of Deepavali tomorrow, here I am reminiscing the Hari Raya Open House Lunch at Azuan's house 2 weeks back...

As soon as we arrived at Azuan's colourfully decorated home, we were treated to an array of Hari Raya cookies. Since most of the cookies were homemade, authenticity was guaranteed and I couldn't wait to try all of them.

Kuih Samperit (butter and custard flour cookie) was one of those cookies that I wanted to try since I have not taken one in a very long time. It was light and soft yet not overwhelmed by the buttery taste. A very much milder version of a Kjeldsen's Butter Cookie. It also reminded me of those Dragon (with "red eyes") Cookies I had for Chinese New Year when I was young.

The sweet Oatmeal Cookie was crispy and aromatic while the Almond Cookie tasted rather bland compared to the former but was compensated by the crunchy texture of the lightly toasted almond bits. Other highlights included Butter Cookie With Melted Chocolate Flakes Topping and the Kuih Bangkit (Traditional Tapioca Flour and Coconut Milk Cookie).

For lunch, we had Mee Kari or noodles in curry soup (not Laksa, as posted earlier. Thanks, Azuan!). A refreshing change from the ketupat (poached rice stuffed in weaved pandan/screwpine pockets) and rendang (beef in thick spiced chili sauce) that we had been offered for the past few years (which were all very tasty, by the way).

The main ingredients for the Mee Kari were green cabbage mustard leaves, hard-boiled eggs, beansprouts and of course, noodles. Red chilies and fried shallots were used to add extra flavours and for garnishing. A complete array of ingredients albeit the missing fish cakes.

The curry diluted with coconut milk tasted rich and sweet, thanks to the many flavourful ingredients added into the soup, including chicken, cockles (love it!) and potatoes. These ingredients, together with the dried beancurd added different textures to the soup.

A great lunch to reconnect with close friends and their families. To me, that's what Open House(s) are all about. Hope to do this again next year. In the meantime, I guess I should start to construct a menu for my Chinese New Year gathering (not that I have had one before).

Thanks, Azuan for the food and great hospitality! And for the Laksa correction, too.

Meng Kee @ Rawang

A sigh of relief! The last quiz of the semester was officially over 2 hours ago and it's about time I post some reviews on my blog! Even I got a little bored looking at my "stagnant" site for the past 7 days in the office.

Let's continue with my "makan marathon" in KL 2 weeks back. After Marche and the Loaf, we headed to Rawang for the finale. No particular reason, just a suggestion from Cousin Andy who lives nearby.

I must say the long and expanding Jalan Rawang leading to the Rawang township (from Selayang, passing by the Templer Park Country Club) was surprisingly lively on a Saturday evening with Chinese restaurants burgeoning at both sides of the road, complete with screaming neonlights. Curiousity unravelled as to how good these restaurants can be. And there's only one way to find out.

But as I was imagining the type of food served in those restaurants, we pulled over in front of a row of garage-like, mostly unoccupied shops. There was only one shop that practically "opened for business" and I was told that we would be having dinner there. It was basically a bare shoplot (which I couldn't tell the front from back) without any slight form of renovation. In short, a garage that sells food. It was already 7.00 pm and the workers were just starting to arrange the tables and chairs. I was told that this restaurant caters for the night crowd.

We started off with the KL-styled Hokkien Fried Noodles. The portion came huge with generous amount of ingredients such as prawns, squid, green mustard cabbage and most importantly, crispy lard. However, the dark sauce was quite bland and diluted, which really lowered the grade of this dish. To me, a good plate of Hokkien Fried Noodles should be aromatic, dry and yes, oily. By the way, I forgot whether they provide belacan sambal (chili and dried shrimp paste).

This restaurant is famous for its Haruan (Snakehead Fish). The chef recommended the Stir-Fried Haruan With Scallions & Ginger and the remains of the deboned fish to be made a soup.

The soup tasted rather flavourful, thanks to the generous amount of preserved vegetables and tomatoes. Savouriness was well-controlled and tomatoes added a tangy flavour to the soup while the beancurd added texture. Despite being called "remains", there was still plenty of flesh attached to the bones and was rather tender and aromatic as well, thanks to the frying process.

The Stir-Fried Haruan, again was served in a generous portion. The thick slices of fish coated with oyster sauce were soft and didn't exhibit any hint of muddiness, in terms of taste. Scallion and ginger added a refreshing taste and texture to the dish.

Next came the Marmite-flavoured spare ribs. A typical Chinese dish nonetheless but the ribs were generously cut and tasted rather fresh. The sweet and slightly sour Marmite sauce complimented the crispy ribs very well.

After all the heavy dishes, the Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Leaves was welcomed. The young leaves were well-cooked and the heaps of crushed garlic added extra crunch and aroma to the dish.

Last came the Japanese Beancurd In Hotplate. Nothing fanciful, just beancurd drenched in sizzling egg-based sauce, complete with generous amount of minced pork, shitake mushroom, babycorn and carrots. Simple yet flavourful. Salted fish would have exclamated the dish.

A decent meal with the word "generous" basically tagged to every dish there was. Not much sublety in the dishes but flavours were well assured. It was also quite affordable (I can't recall the total price of the meal though).

Keep a lookout for Rawang, food-loving urbanites!

The Loaf

After Marche, we headed to the much talked-about Pavilion and were pleasantly surprised to find many unoccupied parking spaces! (It was around 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon.)

Despite the endless selection of eateries (which ranges from first-timer cafes to famous chain restaurants) at the Pavilion, the 2 most celebrated ones were definitely J.CO Donuts & Coffee and The Loaf.

Since time was limited, we decided not to join in the infinite queue to get the donuts and headed to The Loaf instead.

Though the queue was not as long as J.CO's, this compact bakery was also doing quite a brisk business. Despite the simple interior design, the arrangements of pastries and cookies were very "appetising" (to me at least). The usage of cardboard trays to place the bread added sophistication to the whole experience.

Despite all these and the background of this bakery, the main question still remains: Were the food good?

Since the stomach was still hard at work, we decided to have mercy on it by selecting just a few freshly baked buns. Just to confirm what the hype was all about.

The Fuwa Fuwa Toast or French Toast (RM3) which was lightly dusted with icing sugar tasted rather bland. The egg (and I presume milk) coating did not provide sufficient aroma and taste to the toast. I've always preferred my toast thin and crispy. The Loaf's version was thick and chewy. Freshness aside, the combination of thick and bland toast was not attractive.

We also had the Chicken Ham and Cheese Bun (RM4.80), which tasted rather ordinary. The ham was firm and flavourful but the cheese (which is an important component here) did not enhance the flavour of the bun. For the price, I was expecting higher (or at least more flavourful) grade of cheese.

Lastly, the Caramel Walnut Bun (RM3.60). When I chose this, I was expecting a burst of caramel and walnut flavours as I take my first bite but I was wrong. The ensemble tasted rather bland and the amount of crushed walnuts in the bun was unimpressive. It's not difficult to make the bun tasty. Just add more caramel and walnuts. Less is not always more.

Including a bottle of San Pellegrino (RM10) and a cup of coffee (RM4.80), the bill came up to RM27.51. Yes, there's no typo error here.

I realised the texture of the bread was different from the rest. It was more chewy. I'm not sure if it was the high quality flour or different technique used to make the bread, but for the price, I would expect more flavourful creations, to say the least. In the meantime, I will stick to my chicken floss bun with wasabi mayonnaise.

The Loaf
Lot 3.13.00 and 4.12.02
Level 384 Pavilion,
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2145036/3037

Marche Movenpick Restaurant

It feels so good to be back! Really.

I was having a so-called "makan" marathon 2 weekends ago and am only able to report it now, after a hectic week back in KL. Let's start with my brunch at the Marche Movenpick Restaurant at The Curve.

I've tried Marche at Suntec City and Vivocity (Singapore) but both did not leave a significantly palatable impression on me. But I do like the concept of paying by the passport, especially when you are hanging out in a huge group. It kind of reminds me of the bill found in most dim sum restaurants, too.

The mushroom soup (RM5), though not photographed, tasted rather rich and authentic. It went well with the soft wholemeal loaf (RM1.80 per piece).

For the mains, we started off with the lamb shank (RM22.50). The slightly hard lamb was well diffused with the flavours from the stew and there were plenty of vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms to provide flavour and texture to the dish. The well-controlled savouriness of the stew went well with the mashed potatoes. However, it was really not as distinctive as the Morrocan Lamb Shank at Marmalade Cafe. Perhaps addition of herbs will add more flavour and aroma to the dish.

Next up was the glazed turkey ham (RM16.50) with a choice of either black pepper or sweet onion sauce. I chose the latter. Despite the generous portion of ham, it was rather bland and lacked the usual aromatic flavour of ham. The sunny-side up egg did not help to enhance the flavour either. The up side being the freshness of the ham and the almost non-existence "chemical" taste found in most ham.

For RM22, the grilled salmon was rather large in size. The well-cooked fish tasted quite fresh. An early indication of the freshness was the bright colour of the salmon. A squeeze of lemon juice and the varied dipping sauces (wasabi mayonnaise, mustard, dijonnaise) provided a contrasting taste to salmon. As the portion was huge, it took 2 of us to finish the fish.

The pairing of chicken pepperoni (RM15.50) and plain rosti (RM6.50) or fried grated potatoes did not ignite any spark but were still flavourful on their own. The mildly spiced pepperoni was fresh and firm but for the price, I was expecting at least a side of greens.

The stir-fried vegetables (RM9.50) to me was overpriced despite the freshness and diversity of choice of vegetables (including colourful peppers, pea shoots, cabbage and mushrooms). Also, the use of oyster sauce did not perk up the flavour of the dish.

The meal came up to RM130.07 for 4 persons. Drinks dont come cheap at Marche. A bottle of Aquarius Mineral Water cost RM3.50!

As compared to the Marche(s) in Singapore, there are not much differences in terms of variation of food. I didn't find out if the branch at the Curve serves beer. The only obvious difference was the usage of paper passports instead of the magnetic strip ones.

Anyway, I must compliment Marche on the freshness of all the dishes. Perhaps I was there early (12 pm to be exact). Taste wise, most of the dishes were rather bland.

Nevertheless, a convenient place for a meal anytime of the day, plus good service too.

Marche Movenpick Restaurant,
The Curve, Lot G87, Ground Floor,
The Curve, Mutiara Damansara,
47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: +603-77289200

or check out www.marche-malaysia.com

No Post For Another 3-4 Days

I will be away for the next few days.

But will resume the food adventure very soon.

Jia Xiang Ho Po Hakka Lei Cha Fan @ Geylang

After 933 Roasted Duck and a couple of snapshots of the vivid nightlife at Geylang later, we headed to Jia Xiang for their raved Ho Po Hakka Lei Cha Fan (literally translated as Thunder Tea Rice of the Ho Po Hakka Clan). This healthy dish of acquired taste is basically rice mixed with various types of vegetables and served with a bowl of tea consisting of herbs and tea leaves.

We ordered the standard brown rice set which cost S$3. Quite economical, I must say.

The brown rice was topped with a variety of vegetables such as four angled beans, cabbage, long beans and green mustard cabbage. All the greens provided a natural sweetness and crispiness to the rice. Other toppings such as tau kwa (dried beancurd), anchovies and peanuts added texture and aroma to the otherwise bland ensemble. A standout by itself, even before pouring in the tea mixture.

The tea, which consisted of tea leaves and herbs such as peppermint, parsley and presumably sesame seeds tasted aromatically bland (as intended). I found the tea quite refreshing and soothing.

Once combined, both the tea and rice complimented each other very well. The blandness of the tea was compensated by the flavourful rice toppings while the coarseness of the rice was softened by the tea.

Since we arrived quite late in the evening, the Yong Tao Fu or stuffed beancurds were sold out. We were quite disappointed as it could have completed our Lei Cha meal.

So, the next time I need to detox or just feeling guilty after a “harmful” meal, I will definitely consider coming back to this stall.

* Back then, I guess my stomach must have cursed me for the highly fibrous meal as I still haven't completely digested the food from Kushin-Bo and 933.

Jia Xiang Ho Po Hakka Lei Cha Fan
134 Sims Avenue
933 Roast Duck Coffee Shop (see! another 933!)
Singapore 387456

Here’s a description of Jia Xiang:
http://www.sbestfood.com/jiaxiang.htm

933 Roasted Duck @ Geylang

After yielding my stomach at Kushin-Bo on Saturday night, I had to digest at a faster speed as I was having another culinary adventure with Bong, another food enthusiast tonight (Sunday night). With that, I gulped two packs of yoghurt drinks, hoping that it would help. Well, it didn’t. I should have gotten Vitagen instead.

This time, Bong and I planned to explore some other famous eateries at Geylang besides Beef Hor Fun King and Frog Leg Porridge (at Lorong 9).

Our first stop was the infamous 933 Roasted Duck (a shoplot between Lorong 19 to 21). At first, it was quite confusing in locating this eatery as there were at least 2 other coffee shops bearing the same name. Well, since it was still early, we surveyed each of the coffee shops and finally agreed that the shop filled with countless photographs of celebrities and other famous figures that patronized the restaurant was the real deal.

We had a plate of mixed roasted meat with rice. The rice came in a huge portion and the texture was quite firm, which should go well with the meat.

The meat arrived, looking rather scattered and made it harder for me to get a good shot. The barbecued pork ribs were slightly dry and charred but were saved by the sweet marinate. On the other hand, the roasted pork belly was quite tender and lean while the skin was still crispy. A dip of the belacan (dried shrimp paste) flavoured chili sauce enhanced the flavour and aroma of the meat. The pickled cabbage and carrot added a subtly tangy flavour to the meat.

The roasted chicken was rather salty while the skin, though not crispy, was actually quite flavourful. The complimentary barbecue sauce provided a sweet contrast to the savoury chicken. The main attraction on the plate was definitely the roasted duck. One bite of the tender meat revealed an explosion of flavour and aroma. Traditional roasting at its best. The savouriness of the duck was well-controlled while herbs and spices were not overused. Nice.

As we will be heading to another shop for round two, we skipped the other side dishes. The bill came up to S$11 including a can of herbal tea and a glass of homemade barley drink.

If one is looking for crispy skin roasted duck, this is definitely not the place to be. Come for the flavourful tender roasted duck meat.

I can’t recall the exact location but it’s between Lorong 19-21. You wont miss the green-coloured neonlight signboard.

By the way, this shop also offers pig organ soup at night. Judging from the hordes of customers crowding the store, perhaps I should give it a try in the near future.