eevon.sg

We were somewhere near Raffles place one afternoon, wondering what to have for lunch when our hunky friend, Darryl T recommended a quintessential retro Chinese roast meat shop opposite the UOB plaza! This restaurant serves roast duck, roast chicken, roast pork, Char Siew, pork ribs and even roast pig!

I had the roast duck with rice. It was so-so only because I’ve tasted better ones. Though the skin was fine, the flesh was a tad too salty for my liking. Hm also felt that the texture of the rice was not smooth enough! They didn’t use fragrant rice. But hearty portions! They were so generous with the servings till I have no choice but to pass some meat and rice to my adorable rubbish bin.

Well in addition to my leftovers, adorable rubbish bin had a plate of roast pork with rice. Slightly charred at the edges, the roast pork slices are thick and crispy. It goes crack crack crack when we chomp on it. Tasted better than the duck. I stole a quite a few pieces from his plate. Heh.

I enjoyed the clear flavoursome soup (I think I tasted sweet corn and pumpkin) and the brown gravy splattered over the rice was ok, not too salty but the texture of the rice kinda spoils it! Bad rubbish bin complained that I was too fussy because he thought that the rice was fine. Grrr.

Rice issue aside, for only $3, it’s a good deal if you are craving for crackling roast meat and you happened to be around Raffles area.

Gourmet Corner
15 Philip Street #01-00 Tan Ean Kiam Building
Singapore 048694
Tel: 6533 3033

2 days ago, I woke up really early for a special tour at the Central Fire Station! Was pretty excited to visit the oldest existing fire station in Singapore with 3 other bloggers! Thanks Andric, Andy and Claire for making time to join me on this tour! Well, I was supposed to facilitate them as the representative from 24seven but it was more like a fun outing with friends.

(:

Our guide was LTA Foo Yiing Kai, a former Fire & Rescue Specialist and presently an Senior Officer. Pss. He has a gold badge for IPPT! Impressive! LTA Foo Yiing Kai was also deployed to Sichuan when international help was needed for the earthquake disaster. He’s exactly how I would imagined a fireman to look like! Suave, muscular and manly! Oh la la. Haha. OK come to think of it, all of the officers there fits the bill too! Perhaps it’s because they were all oozing with passion for their vocation. That must be it. Don’t you agree that passionate people are extremely sexy?

Well it’s no laughing matter to be in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). This is not an occupation for the faint hearted. Besides providing fire-fighting, rescue and emergency ambulance services and mitigating hazardous materials incidents, these guys also formulate, implement and enforce regulations on fire safety and civil defence shelter matters. We are talking about a dedicated team that respond to all types of life-threatening emergencies round-the-clock.

They actually sleep in their uniform and are ever-ready to grab a pole, hop on the fire-fighting vehicle and leave the fire station in 1 minute after the alarm bell rings.

After giving us a really informative special-guided tour with exclusive entry to some of the off-limits areas to the public, LTA Foo Yiing Kai shared a heart-wrenching story with us of how he once rescued a toddler from an accident scene. The terrified baby girl actually clung on to him like a koala baby, refusing to let him go because of the trauma she suffered. He had to leave his team at the accident site and accompany the baby to the hospital. I can’t imagined how bloody the scene was. The little girl’s mom was on her way to the hospital for a check-up. They were in a cab and apparently the cabbie took a wrong turn. When the stupid cab driver made a u-turn ILLEGALLY to get to the ride side of the road, a lorry ran over the cab. Luckily the mom and baby survived.

High chance that the firemen had to use this super loud and scary saw to rescue the mom who was stuck at the back of the car when they found her. The roar of this heavy machine (which he lifted effortlessly) was deafening.

After the tour, I kinda got inspired to join SCDF as a part-time fire woman. Oh look! I had loads of fun trying out the equipments!

The gun-like hose handler was so heavy! How can they hold on to this thing for so long while fighting fire? No wonder their arms looked so yummy sturdy!

Oh that’s the Light Fire Attack Vehicle or more affectionately known as the “Red Rhino”, a formidable well-designed vehicle which could maneuver into every corner of a HDB void deck! Woah, it looks small but it is equipped with a hydraulic system for rescue tools, a water mist gun and a water monitor.

You know, it was amazing to see so many families spending their Saturday morning at the fire station! Kids were running around in firemen helmets and attire, playing pretend. These mini fire-boys/girls were so adorable! I strongly recommend parents to bring their kids to visit a fire station! There’s a few fire stations around the island. Just pick one that’s near you. Visiting a fire station a fun activity for both kids and parents to do on a weekend. Plus, they will get so exhausted by the end of the day, you can enjoy some quiet time with your spouse alone. Have some wine and laugh over your kids’ hilarious stunts at the fire station.

OMG I had so much fun! A big thank you to LTA Foo Yiing Kai for broadening my knowledge on your occupation. Don’t you agree that the peeps at SCDF are unsung heroes who we remember only in times of need? Perhaps in time, more will acknowledge the efforts put in by SCDF to protect and save lives. You can start by finding out more about what they do here or even drop by a fire station and talk to one of the friendly officers. If you’re lucky, they may stay long enough for a chat before the alarm bell rings!

(:

I’m so pleased with my experience at the Central Fire Station that I shall end this post with a whacky picture of me taken by Andric! Thanks aaandric de blondee for the nice shot! The building totally rawks! I mentioned earlier that it’s 100 years old, remember?

Disclaimer: SCDF is a client of 24seven. This post is not an advertorial by SCDF. I wrote it because I really enjoyed myself and I want share my awesome visit to the Central Fire Station with my friends!

Baby had cravings for thin yellow egg noodles in spicy curry soup when we were around Bugis area last weekend. Thus, we dropped by Albert Centre Temporary Market to see if we can find any noodley goodies there.

Yes we did! Check out this stall.

This curry soup was just so addicting! We finished everything! The curry soup was thick yet smooth and we could taste the fragrant spices. There’s tau pok, sliced fishcakes and some kangkong veg but that’s not all. The best part has yet to come.

THE CHICKEN IS FREAKIN GOOD! The chicken is tender and soft. These big chucks of meat practically melts in my mouth.

When we were about to leave, the goreng pisang stall right opposite the curry mee stall caught our attention! 

Well the goreng pisang here is good! It’s crispy and the banana is sweet! Plus, these fried goodies do not smell as if the oil used to fry these items had been used repeatedly. It’s quite hard to find the perfect golden brown goreng pisang in Singapore. Most of the time, those I’ve tried in Singapore’s ‘pasar malam’ is too dry and the banana is not sweet enough!

Mr.Song, the boss, strongly recommended the fried durian. OMG D24 durian goodness! The durian filling is so rich and creamy! The more we ate of it the less we felt inclined to stop. We enjoyed the crispy layer wrapped around the oozing durian paste. They must had whipped the egg white extra foamy to make the snack so crispy! No idea what’s secret ingredient they included in the batter.

Now I know where to get fried fritters to curb my goreng pisang cravings when I’m in Singapore.

Albert Centre Temporary Market
160 Queen Street
Singapore 188555

Earlier this week, I was invited to COVA to taste their festive menu! Thanks Noelle!

Specializing in coffee, pastries, cakes and chocolates, COVA’s finest delights have stood the test of time for over 190 years. Yup, COVA’s heritage dates back to 1817 when it was founded in Milan by Antonio Cova. What we have here at Paragon is reminiscent of the COVA establishment that is situated on the famous fashion street of Via Montenapoleone in Milan, Italy. Interesting?

We sat at the Tea Room , a cosy space decorated with chandeliers, mirrors and paintings, as well as flanked by a six-metre cake showcase. This snug cafe is perfect for girlfriends to enjoy a cup of tea while updating themselves on the latest gossip.

However, guests can also dine at the Main Dining Café, an open concept space with a distinctive bar where guests can watch the baristas at work. Nah I still prefer the Tea Room!

COVA’s specialties include its wide array of pastries, cakes, breads and cookies which are freshly baked every morning at 5 am and ready before 9 am for breakfast.

These dainty little delights looked so scrumptious right? In fact, all the pastries, coffee, cakes and chocolates at COVA looked exquisitely divine!

Alas, I’m not here today for high-tea/brunch.

I’m here to taste the festive menu and was treated to six authentic Italian fare. Do note that the serving portion as shown in my pics are just for tasting so it’s a mini version of the real thing!

OK I shall begin with the Cappesante Avvolte nella Pancetta con Asparagi Verdi e Caviale di Barbabietole (woah that’s a really long name) aka seared sea scallops wrapped in pancetta served with green asparagus and beetroot caviar.

The lead character of this dish is a juicy Hokkaido Scallop wrapped in pancetta and lightly seared. OMG this chubby scallop is so naturally sweet and it goes perfectly with the boiled asparagus and beetroot ‘caviar’! Haha yes the purplish ‘caviar’ is actually boiled diced beetroot. I like the colour of this dish. It looks so feisty.

Note: Chubby Hokkaido Scallop is available in COVA’s four-course festive set lunch at S$48++ per person from 14 to 24 December 2009.

Up next is the Ravioli di Tacchino in Sua Salsa e Semi di Melograno aka home made turkey ravioli in its own gravy and pomegranate seeds.

At first bite, I found the filling too heavy. It’s made with a minced turkey breast white ragu – a combination of meat, mire poix (diced celery,carrots and onions), white wine, bechamel and parmesan cheese. I guess it’s the cheese factor.

Luckily, the pomegranate seeds worked the magic in lightening the taste with its refreshing zest. Apparently pomegranates are commonly found in dishes during Christmas in Italy. I like!

You can get this at COVA’s Christmas Eve dinner at S$98++ per person (with a glass of Prosecco).

For those unsure of where to host Christmas day dinners, I’ve tried these 2 dishes from COVA’s four-course Christmas dinner which you will may want to share with your guests!

Cannelloni Ripieni di Aragosta in Besciamella Leggera allo Zafferano aka Home made cannelloni filled with lobster in light saffron béchamel.

Noelle said that the cannelloni filling is made with boiled Boston lobster, diced tomatoes, fresh chives and a fragrant saffron béchamel sauce. The mix is then spread onto a sheet of cannelloni, rolled, topped with freshly shaved parmesan, and then baked for ten minutes. This dish boasts a lovely moist texture but it will be a tad too heavy if not for the tomatoes.

Branzino al Forno con Patate Gratin ed Emulsione di Dragoncello
Oven baked Italian sea bass with potato gratin and tarragon foam

This filleted and baked Italian sea bass is pretty decent. I find the terragon foam particularly interesting. It smell like anise but tasted a little like vanilla. Went well with the briny fish.

COVA Christmas Day four-course dinner menu is available at S$69++ per person (with a glass of Prosecco).

Next is something special available in COVA’s four-course festive set dinner priced at S$78++ per person from 14 to 23 December 2009.

Tagliata di Controfiletto con Purea di Cannellini, Fichi Arrosto e Salsa al Brandy
Rib eye “Tagliata” with cannellini beans purée and roasted figs and brandy sauce

I had grilled Australian beef in thin slices! It is well cooked. The meat had just the right tenderness.

Oh check out the roasted fig! Roasted fresh figs and a brandy-veal jus sauce really complement the dish perfectly.

To round up my food tasting session, I had a lovely dessert which gave my brain mixed signals.

The Bavarese alle Spezie da Fragole Fresche e Salsa di Cioccolato Cova aka mixed spices “Bavarese’ flan served with fresh strawberries and Cova chocolate sauce.

This quirky dessert is a heady spice mix of cinnamon, black pepper, pink peppercorns, cloves, star anise, white pepper, that is added to milk, cream and gelatin. Sounds really complicated right. It tasted even more complex. lol. Anyway I fell in love with its unique spicey taste and the thick creamy custardy texture. This is a refreshing change from the usual sweetish dessert.

Well you can try this distinctive dish on COVA’s six-course New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu at S$108++ per person (with free flow of Prosecco).

Burp.

Too bad I’ll out of town this Yuletide season. But I’ll definitely drop by again for goodies served “The Italian Way”.

Il cibo è gustoso qui!

Cova Pasticceria-Confetteria
Paragon Shopping Centre
290 Orchard Road #01-20A
Tel: 6773 0777
Sun-Fri: 8am-10pm
Sat: 8am-11pm

I had so much fun at Snap Snap November Outing!

This is the Eevon-the-photographer shot by Geng Hui. Thanks Geng Hui, I like this pic alot!

The purpose of this visit is to discover fun places and facts of Singapore in light of the contest by S’pore Discovery Centre called SG Tidbits 365. More info about the contest here!

This group picture was taken at the Clementi Railway Track, Our last stop. Before that we were at Dairy Farm Park and Bukit Timah Hill.

It was a dewy evening
The muddy trails were soft

There was a fresh scent of greenery
and life whizzed by the moment

I thought I heard squirrels are scurrying back
but perhaps I was wrong
for the trail was mostly silent
if not for our chatters and laughs

I enjoyed the stillness of hiking
We were aware of the scenery along every hidden path

I breathed the scent of nice fresh air
I saw clouds form shapes within the skies
I smelt the flowers with my nose

No real dairy cows but
I saw two black bears play

(:

Out of the forest,
we chanced upon an abandon trail

We trekked the unkempt path and took a chance
The way across this old bridge seem peculiar, different and strange

It must had been the caramel-grained face of the rusty bridge
or the gushing waters from the river beneath it
for my senses danced as I walk upon the rustic tracks

As I navigated the old train tracks that made up the rusty bridge
I thought that this was a fabulous photo-outing
A good start for many more to come

(: