It is a truism to say that Singapore is not short of Japanese restaurants but Yoyogi Sushi and Sake Bar, stands out for its blend of quality and hospitality.
Month: March 2014
Surquillo Market, Lima
I love visiting markets to get a sense, a hold of the pulse of a community and its diversity. When I visited Surquillo market near my house, out of convenience on a Saturday afternoon, I found it conveniently stocked with all sorts of fruits and fresh produce from different parts of Peru, a good part of which cannot be found outside of the country.
Better than takeout: Thai beef basil rice
When I was visiting a friend in New York, I was mildly horrified to find out that her kitchen was almost never used for cooking save for the occasional two-minute noodles. While she had not yet reached Carrie Bradshaw levels of storing sweaters in her oven, I decided to unabashedly boss my way in.
Dark chocolate covered digestives
It’s been a while since I have baked or cooked – between work, baby happenings and numerous other social going-ons, the best laid plans kept getting postponed. Lately, however, I have become increasingly conscious that it’s about time to begin to cultivate baby J’s awareness of how things end up at the table for our eager consumption, and I also thought it would be a fun activity to do together with the 18-month old toddler (how time flies).
Five quirky and cool must-dos when in Tokyo
Tokyo might be my favorite city in the world. It’s got an amazing mix of world class food, an incredible culture, a rich history and well…lots of quirky and cool things to see and do. Of course when you go to Tokyo, you should go to Shibuya and see the famous crossing, have yakitori and a beer on the street, buy electronics in Akihabara, etc… but there might be some items you should consider adding to your list of must-do things when visiting Tokyo.
Matcha Greek yogurt teacakes
I’ve been on a matcha bender lately, imbibing copious grande green tea soy lattes, and dreaming up all sorts of recipes using this lovely jade green powder. These matcha and Greek yogurt teacakes have emerged as my favourite so far. Possessing a tremendous tender crumb, and a soft, soothing fragrance from the tea, they are ideal for an uplifting afternoon snack. And because there is not too much sugar, nor any butter in this recipe, they are significantly lighter (and I’d like to think healthier!) than the more common teatime options of cupcakes or muffins.
Sweet treats at Ciel Patisserie
I am lucky to live in a neighbourhood where I am surrounded by food establishments that produce delicious food at a reasonable price. One of them is Ciel Pâtisserie. Nestled underneath a public housing block, Ciel Pâtisserie’s chef-owner, Chara Lum (a graduate from Le Cordon Bleu, Paris) churns out an amazing array of French treats. Amongst them, my favourites are the Fuji and the strawberry shortcake.
The food and restaurants at Mulia Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali
Last month, I left my hubby (bless him!) with the kids at home in Singapore, and indulged in a little personal R&R at the fabulous Mulia Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali. On top of my list of to-dos were lazing by the pool (très importante!), reading a Larsson novel and getting a Balinese massage at the spa. But being the greedy person that I am, the one single thing I was really looking forward to was pigging out at the various restaurants in the resort. The Cafe, famous for it’s daily international buffets, Edogin for Japanese food, and Soleil, their posh Pan-Asian/ Mediterranean restaurant, have swiftly carved out a name for themselves at the top of the island’s exciting food scene since the resort opened in December 2012. With waiting lists to boot, these are arguably the best places to eat at, in Bali currently.
Farm crawl – The exquisite mushrooms from Kin Yan Agrotech
I love me a good fungi. Ever since I first wrapped my lips around the stuff when I was a boy (in a Burger King in the old Thomson Plaza, part of a Mushroom Swiss Double meal with fries, onion rings, and a large Coke – but let’s not talk about that), I’ve been hooked on mushrooms of all kinds. So you can imagine my glee at discovering some of the freshest and juiciest mushrooms can be found in Singapore’s wild west, at Kin Yan Agrotech.