April 28th, 2010 §
I got all jittery at the National Museum of Singapore as the moment to meet my idol, Ian Wright drew close! I thought he would turn up wearing that amusing Siberian wrestler outfit!
Nah he didn’t wore that. But I still love him!
(:
The event was graced by the attendance of VIPS from Starhub and Discovery Travel & Living. Was glad that Catherine, Walter and Jayden were here as well to savor this tasteful dinner! You guys were great company. Thanks Belinda and Audrey for the invite. I had so much fun and it’s a brilliant idea to showcase a tailor-made menu in relation to Ian recent travel adventure. I couldn’t agree more that travel and food goes hand-in-hand together.
While we chow down these variations of exotic cuisine, Ian shared snippets of Okinawa, Siberia, Cuba, Venezuela and Sri Lanka. I think the highlight of the day was him proudly stripping off his shirt to reveal a peachy sun burn he acquired in Bali prior to his visit to Singapore. How lovely.
He caught everyone’s attention. Mine especially.
Right, lets move on. Ah since the dishes meant to mimic the cuisine of places Ian features in his latest show Out of Bounds, I anticipated something out-of-the-ordinary. The dishes by Novus were decent but I presume that authentic exotic ingredients were unavailable and thus, everything served tasted like fusion cuisine with a dash of Singapore lurking in it somewhere.
First up was a variation of Pelmeni, Siberian meat dumplings.
These wanton-look-alikes were average but I could grasp the idea of remoteness and the unforgiving environment in Siberia via the edgy combination of sour cream, dicey minced chicken and smooth broth with chives. But if that harsh environment could not deter Ian from trekking across the wastelands of one of the world’s most isolated regions, I could not be bothered too. After all, this was the country what put the ‘cold’ into Cold War. Can’t wait to catch Ian on his epic journey to Siberia where he learns the art of throat-singing from young Tuvans, takes on their dads in a wrestling match, and spends the weekend with Yurt-dwelling sheepherders. I am so jealous.
Kakuluwo. Blue crab curry with coconut and rice.
A fusion dish with influence from a country that has just ended a thirty-year civil war which left thousands dead, the chunks of crab meat with aromatic spicy curry brought to mind of a violently attractive place. Imagine spots herds of elephants roaming wild in the jungles, awesome giant Buddhas or castles that float on the top of giant rocks. Well, here’s where Ian indulges in some of the most delicious food in the world, and hangs out with the spooky Devil Dancers of Kandy. Trust me. You wouldn’t want to miss that episode.
Mojito. This mocktail was enthused by Ian’s visit to Cuba! A refreshing concoction of lime, brown sugar and mint, the last thing that came to my mind when I tasted this Cuban drink was cigars.
Blame me for over-generalising this beautiful island that lies just 90 miles off the Florida coast. But for 50 years, Cuba has been a no-go zone. Boycotts, blockades and Bolsheviks have meant that most people harbour a fear and mistrust towards this country. You too? Not anymore I guess after Ian swore to change all these negativity. Expect to see him venture into the heartland of Cuba on a journey that takes him from the bubbling metropolis of Havana via Fidel Castro’s secret mountain hideout to Cuba’s buzzing music capital, Santiago Di Cuba. I’m looking forward to watch him go wacky with cowboys, boxers, dancers, musicians and a 90 year-old coconut collector who showed him how to climb a palm tree! Sigh. What a remarkable journey. I wish I’m Ian. AGAIN.
Then there was the Lamb Shwarma, a Syria inspired lamb dish. I could smell the grilled lamb before it was served.
Accompanied by pita bread with yoghurt and hummus, the essence of this dish was strong and dry. Pretty much sums up the ancient city of Damascus that has been consistently welcoming visitors for thousands of years but has parched and become a symbol of repression and aloofness today. I was told that Ian took part in an ancient Christian festival in Melula, and finally takes a train to Alleppo where he discovers the secrets of Islam’s Whirling Dervishes. Mythical and mysterious. That’s Syria in a nutshell.
Last dish inspired by Ian travels was Quesillo, a Venezuelan dessert.
The idea of serving Venezuelan caramel flan with fresh berries offered a double-edged take towards Venezuela’s provocative character. I mean the dish was pretty just like how Miss Venezuela always shines at Miss World Universe pageants but the mix of all these subtle sweet flavours just burst over the seams; intriguing me even more. Thus it is not surprising that this is where Ian did more extraordinary stuff ie. witnessed one of South America’s biggest Christian festivals, journeys down river to meet indigenous tribes, hunts for a children’s ghetto orchestra, and finally ends up on Margarita Island – one of the world’s most notorious cocaine smuggling haunts.
Sounds like an awful load of work was put into filming this travel series.
(:
Food aside, I actually quite worried that I would utter gibberish when he was going to pop by our table, and hence, I decided to shut up. My gawd. He was always in TV. How on earth did I manage to even stand next to him? This is the guy who travelled everywhere and now he is just millimeters away from me. I thought I was dreaming again.
My dream turned in fantasy when he kindly obliged to give me a kiss! He’s such a good sport! I’m so glad that I managed to calm my nerves and boldly requested for a tiny little peck on my cheek.
That’s not all! I was given the chance to go on stage and play Pictionary with Ian! I was on his team! Awesome! Ian’s exuberant personality is so contagious.
The euphoria following this event gave me the motivation to keep on sharing my experiences with friends via this humble blog of mine. And come to think about it, my love affair with Ian started way back when dad signed up for cable TV and I hungrily pestered him to subscribe to Discovery Travel & Living. My rational was that if I can’t travel extensively at that point, might as well start doing research and join wacky travel hosts on their adventures. Never did I know, years later, Discovery Travel & Living would be a source of inspiration for my blog which have evolved over time to what it is today.
AND honestly if you are still reading this super long post, I can assume that you are either a hardcore Ian Wright fan or you are really keen to catch a breather yet still stuck in your apartment.
If I’m right, feel free to join Ian at Discovery Travel & Living. Simply catch his latest show Out of Bounds that is premiering on 20 May, 9pm!
He never disappoints!
Ooh one last thing before I forget. If you are on Twitter, you can follow @travelnliving for updates AND watch this space because I’m so gonna rave about my trip down under right after this.
December 27th, 2009 §
Pa insisted to grab lunch here when we were at Malacca 2 weeks ago. Well, he and ma dined here once with a few of their friends. But all they could remember was how yummy the food was. Yeah they even forgot the name of the restaurant! The only clue we had was roughly how the shop front looked like. Nevertheless, pa’s persistence to hunt down this restaurant tells me that lunch is going to be very good.
Thank goodness Bro got one of his university mate who happened to be around the area to help. His task was to bring us to an unidentified nyonya restaurant located next to a half-shop selling cendol and local snacks. He’s a very smart lad. He found Restoran Nyonya Suan in less than 10 minutes.
Everyone was HUNGRY! Our orders were taken to the kitchen even before our seats turned warm. Our first dish, the Assam Fish (RM30) was served in less than 15 minutes. Goodness. Spicy tamarind fish never tasted so good. I love my white rice with dishes like this! The fish was very fresh and was accompanied ladies fingers, eggplants, onions and tomatoes. I really love the tangy spicy gravy that had a slight creamy taste of coconut milk. It was more sourish than spicy and that really perks up the dish. It went so well with the steamed white rice that all of us got extra serving of rice.
Then we had the Ayam Rendang (RM9) which was awesome! This Nyonya flavoured chicken was hot, spicy, sweet and had a distinct coconut flavour! This dish was so good my tastebuds are still dancing with joy. Do you now that Rendang is a dish which originated from the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia ? Apparently Nyonya cooking in the South (Malacca and Singapore) has an Indonesian influence. Thus, the Nyonya food is generally sweeter, richer with liberal use of coconut milk and traditional Malay spices. That explains the richly pep up chicken chunks that had thoroughly absorbed the spicy condiments. Ah fusion food at its best.
Ma loovess sotong/squid so we got the Sotong Kunyit (RM10). Other than the kunyit/tumeric, the dish was laced with lots of fresh aromatic herbs that made the scrumptious dry sauce. My guess, the sotong was stir fried with a blend of chilies, shallots, lemongrass and belachan (dried shrimp paste). Nonetheless, the main ingredient, turmeric did gave an essential earthiness to the dish and I can taste a tinge of lime which left a pleasing soft citrus tang. Mm delicious!
The Telur Dadar Cincalok (RM8) was probably the only dish there I couldn’t appreciate. Though the addition of Cincalok (fermented small shrimps usually served as a condiment together with chillis, shallots and lime juice) gave the typical omelette an exotic twist, I thought that it was a tad too salty.
My favourite! Brinjals! That’s the Terung Sambal Cili (RM8). Mouthwatering. I love the combination of sambal prawn on top of brinjals. These purple delights carried a peculiar pungent-spicy taste when accompanied by fragrant curry and fiery sambal. Am really puzzled why Cablenazi hates this tasty vegetable so much. Tsk Tsk Tsk
Oh one thing you must must must get here is the nyonya cendol, shaved ice with tiny green starch noodles, red beans and syrup! Mmm the taste of fresh coconut and gula Melaka/palm sugar charmed me and by the way a bowl cost RM2 only!
A trip to Malacca is nothing without a bowl of cendol. It’s a excellent choice to quench your thirst after all that well-seasoned Nyonya food.
Pss you know, thanks to MediaCorp mass advertisement of peranakan culture, I used to secretly thought that Peranakan cuisine is overrated. Not anymore. The peranakan lunch I had at Restoran Nyonya Suan has exceeded my expectation.
Dear Gilbert Nyam, I will be back.
Restoran Nyonya Suan
No G12 & G14, Jalan PM 3,
Plaza Mahkota, Bandar Hilir,
75000 Melaka.
Tel: 06- 286 4252
August 29th, 2009 §
Finally a decent hangout place that’s unconventional enough to be cool at the north of Singapore! Yay. Raw Kitchen Bar is hidden within the defunct firestation in Upper Bukit Timah. Mr.Ong and I drove and we missed the turn into the carpark for the “Spectra” building! We were quite blur. Gotta make a U-turn ahead. Argh.
Yeah so if you are coming from Chua Chu Kang, look out for the entrance on your right hand side. It’s at the junction where the turn into Bukit Batok is on your left.
So what’s so raw about Raw Kitchen Bar? hmm. From what we ordered, it had to be either raw tuna or raw salmon. The rest are all fairly cooked! Heh. okie it has to be the deco. The restaurant gives off a comfy and homely vibe with its chic yet minimalistic interior.
When you stepped into the ‘house’ you’re greeted with a neat living room! You’ll find your way instinctively around the place. It’s very inviting.
I love the ‘raw’ cement flooring and warm, dim lighting!
The deco is very eclectic with a mix of randomness. The chairs, tables and dining utensils are all of different shapes and sizes. But all the elements blends in really well with the environment.
I ? the super low hanging lamps and the arkward thin and scrawny tree right in the middle of the room.
Looks comfy right? But we decided to sit outside! yes, the backyard of the ‘house’! Were enticed by the garden and moonish lanterns! It’s like Mid-Autumn Festival meets kitsch. haha
Anyway the ambience was great. No over-crowding. A plus point of dining at a residential hinterland, out of the city, away from the madding crowd.
Mr.Ong sat on a green camping chair which was rather amusing. But he didn’t felt unfortunate nor did he changed his chair. It must had been quite comfy for him then. An extremely hungry engineer, he fidgets in his seat like a restless child.
Let’s move on. lol
For starters, we decided to share! Evelyn made a really good choice. She ordered Ahi mango poke with japanese cucumbers and a sesame dressing with fried wanton chips ($16).
It looks kinda Mexican doesn’t it? I loved how the savoury crunchy chips brings out the freshness of the raw tuna cubes, cucumber and mango filling. The dressing just nice and the taste of sweet tangy mango was pleasant.
We also got the Seafood Ceviche ($17). Raw salmon, tuna and squid! This dish is a gastronomical delight. The zesty sauce is very appetizing. I particularly like the tuna cubes.
Starters were scrumdiddlyumptious!
For mains, we had 2 fish and 2 meat. Lets start with the fishes.
Evelyn’s nori-wrapped salmon with wasabi mash wasn’t very spectacular. The fish was served with wasabi mash and sauteed portabellos. Hmm. Had a bite of the salmon and it wasn’t very spectacular. The fish lacks flavour but the wasabi marsh was pretty awesome. The wasabi flavour was agreeable and not too overwelming.
My seabass main ($19) was mildly garlicky and nutty. The sauce tasted lemonish and was quite appetising. but I wasn’t blown away by this dish. I think the fish fillets were not moist enough. Perhaps there were pan-fried a little too long.
GY’s marsala lamb ($24) looks mouth-watering. The meat was tender and comes with pumpkin marsh. The lamb tasted 10/10 from the little nibble I had. On the palate, there’s a strong taste of rosemary. Not sure where the marsala is but I will definately order this for myself the next visit.
Mr.Ong ordered caramelized balsamic vinegar duck ($23). It has a pleasant taste of sweet and sour in contrast.
The waitress was helpful with dessert and wine recommendation. The Innocent Bystander’s Muscato ($22) was delightful. It is pale pink in colour! It has a slight sparkling fizz and we can taste a slight hint of strawberries.
If you noticed, serving was just ok. It is smaller than Bistro One Zero Three but this leaves us enough space for our desserts!
We had Chocolate lava cake and fried cheese cake. The lava cake was so-so only. The chocolate inside was warm enough but the ice cream wasn’t frozen enough. I’m not a fan of gooey ice cream. On the other hand, the fried cheese cake did fairly better but I think that the cheese were overshadowed by the strawberry and marmalade sauce.
I must say that the service was excellent. They served iced water and it was refilled quickly. Ooh and since it’s al fresco dining, the restaurant actually prepared mosquito coil for us! You can also request for insect repellant for free.
Basically, we enjoyed Raw Kitchen Bar’s fusion cuision. Fusion cuisine is always interesting. You never really know what to expect and it’s fun to wonder what influences were fused in the dish.
The bill came up to $182.88 inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% gst. About $46/pax which was quite reasonable. However since it is located at a residential hinterland, the price may be a little high. Although the food is pretty much decent, I would recommend meat instead of fish.
On your visit, do get the ahi mango starter and a bottle of muscato.
Raw Kitchen Bar
276 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Tel: : 6467 3987
Open hours: 5:30pm to 12 midnight
(Closed Mondays)