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Sunday, July 6, 2008

Lunch @ Bukit Timah Food Centre

Some shots of the lunch we had at Bukit Timah Food Centre today.
Walked around and did not know what to eat. End up eating CKT. From Stall 02-181. The stall somewhere in the middle, beside the Chai Tow Kueh stall. Heard that this old man has been frying CKT for a very very very long time here. Yummy...



The urge for rice flour produced food did not end with CKT. I had 2 pieces of Chwee Kueh too. ;-)



Sis had the pasta from "Mien" instead.



Looks plain? But it's tasty and very fast. You get it done in 2-3 minutes.



What's this? Ham Chim Peng. Forgot the stall number, but this was what was left. It sells out very fast. Many like the 'you tiao' here.



Hope you had a great week.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

The Stamford @ Kent Ridge Guild House

Earlier this week, I attended a course called "Achieving A Leading Image" that's organized by the training department of where I work. It was conducted by Miss Singapore-Universe in 1987, Ms Marion Nicole Teo. I did not know who the trainer is until the class members started asking her about the experience of being Miss Singapore-Universe. ;-)

Since this is a food blog, I shall not bored you about the need of guys needing to moisturize, etc. But there's a lunch segment where we are taught the proper way of eating a western meal. It was fun.

This was the menu. We went to the Kent Ridge Guild House of the National University of Singapore Society to have lunch. (well, because it is nearby ;-) )

We were role playing. Half of the group was the guest of a formal business lunch. The other half will play host. Oh, the rules and protocols, it's so funny at times.



This warm foccacia roll is yummy. If you have already knew it, the butter knife is only for spreading butter, not to cut the roll. It's a pinch, butter, eat... pinch, butter, eat. [Yes, pinch, must be civilised a bit. LOL]

Always paced your eating to your guests. If they eat slowly, eat slowly too. Never finish the meal faster than them.



Then comes the soup. Drink quietly, hold the spoon correctly, scoop the soup the correct direction, (away from you) and into the tip of your lips.

The soup's so so lah... Oh yes, always ask your guest if they want salt and pepper before taking it for yourself.



The mains was salmon steak. It was quite delicious. Yes, we always like our salmon as sashimi, but they managed to cook it that it did not smell so 'fishy'.

We were reminded, that uses of fork and knife. Did you know that your fork has directions that it can face? If you need the spokes of your fork facing up when you are using your left hand, put down your knife that you are holding with your right hand and switch the fork over. (hope you get what I mean)



It was a tedious lunch. But it was also a nice time getting to know colleagues from other departments that we have never ever met!

Oh yes, the potatoes taste good.



Yes, budget constraints, so our company's budget for the training was only to have a 3 course meal. So, the last course was the dessert.

By now, we have finished using the different utensils that is on the left and right of us. Think you guys should know the uses of the different kinds of forks and knives and spoons.

Dessert is the part where it's free from any rules. Just eat!
The chocolate truffle cake was delicious! Ooo.. I can have more of that anytime. But not everyone on the table likes chocolate though.



That was a serious lunch that was so entertaining and fun for us.
After lunch it was the colour coordination time. Getting to know if you are a cool or warm person and what colours you are to wear.

We did not eat at the main restaurant. I think the food's from The Stamford.
We ate in a private room, so that we would not disturb other guest at the restaurant.
It also allow Marion to talk and show us all the way with a formal lunch set up and walking in, where to seat your guests, etc.. all the protocols.

The Stamford
Kent Ridge Guild House
9 Kent Ridge Drive
Singapore 119241

Friday, July 4, 2008

Singapore Food Festival Official Launch @ Lao Pa Sat

Was at the Official Launch of the Singapore Food Festival earlier this evening. Met up with Nic of KHKL and AromaCookery today.

For the journalistic post, read AromaCookery's (she has done a good job), read tomorrow's newspaper or watch the news. :-)

There was an official launch by Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Lee Yi Shyan. He cooked a plate of char kuey teow. Then there was performances etc...

Today, I am eating. Posting up the photos of the real food that I get to eat. We had a stored value card that was loaded with some money to let the guest buy food. It seems that the best Char Kway Teow is from this stall in Lao Pa Sat. The queue was long, and I mean really long. It's Stall 77 if you are looking for it.



The wait was worth it. It was delicious. (yes, it's oily, that's why it is delicious!)



The 'black' version of the Chai Tow Kway (Carrot Cake) is also quite decent. I ate quite a lot of it.



I wonder from which stall Nic bought this from. The rojak was quite good too.



This is from the food sample platter that was served to us.
(wonder when it was prepared, it was a bit too cold to eat)



Wishing all of you a great weekend.

Pop by Lao Pa Sat if you all have the time. It has been newly refurbished. The old 'Mcdonald's style' tables are gone. It has been replaced with modern 'olden style' tables and stools.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

City Gas Singapore Chef Awards 2008 Competition Finalists (Part II)

More of the yummy photos. Which one will win the competition?
I kinda like the 2nd dish on today's post. Since we don't get to taste it, we have to imagine it.

So I imagined the pork ribs, braised under slow charcoal fire, with the fragrance of herby bak kut teh, it would have been fabulous. Then I thought of the yam cakes that mum makes. She puts in it, her children's favourite ingredients. Mushroom, 'hae bee' (dried shrimps), 3 layer marbled pork, with the aroma of 5 spice powder. Half of the above inside the yam cake, the other half as fragrant toppings. Haha. I was thinking of mummy's food instead.

Back to the photos. You all can also imagine like me. It reminds me of the Korean Show 'Da Chang Jin', where the character in the show can imagine and mix flavours in her head.

Enjoy...

















































If you are a budding cook, hope the above gives you inspiration to cook!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

City Gas Singapore Chef Awards 2008 Competition Finalists

Oh man!! It was such a torture! There you are, standing in front of these delicious food, and yet cannot eat it!

All we got was a slip of paper to vote who deserves to be the Media's Choice : City Gas Chef of the Year 2008 and City Gas Junior Chef of the Year 2008.


What's this all about?

The City Gas Chef of the Year Awards is an opportunity to showcase new culinary talents and exchange ideas, as well as to create an all-new Uniquely Singapore signature dish. The competition welcomes the participation of the various ethnic groups in an effort to create cuisine inspired by different influences in Singapore’s melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. A “Junior Chef of the Year” title was introduced this year to give up-and-coming young chefs below 23 years of age a chance to showcase their talents and hone their skills in this prestigious event.
(I just borrowed the words from their website at www.singaporefoodfestival.com/citygaschefawards.php )


Let me tempt you as well. Who do you think deserves to be Chef of the Year?















































This is the first half of it. Too many to post up.

Meanwhile you are read more about it at:
http://www.singaporefoodfestival.com/citygaschefawards.php

Don't you feel hungry viewing them?

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Singapore Food Festival 2008

Today, I went with Nic of Black Tie, White Lie to the Singapore Food Festival 2008 Press Conference. (Since when did we become the press?)

We got an invite about last week to attend the SFF press conference. We were wondering should we go? We thought, why not? So we took a day off our normal working life and experience being 'the press' for a day.

It was held at the Fort Canning Centre. We were greeted by this banner. Somehow it just makes you happy doesn't it?



Hey, this man is the poster boy of Singapore's Teh Tarik! After taking his photo, (later in the afternoon), I was flipping through the SFF Official Guide, I realize it's the same person!



The Singapore Food Festival aims to bring back nostalgia of the olden times. Look at these tin cans. If you are free this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the opening celebrations will be on at Lau Pa Sat. Boon Tat Street will even have movie screenings. Like the old old time.



The 'media' was treat to some food too. We had Satay, Chicken Rice (that's Sakura Chicken - Chicken Rice), plus other things.



Well, we did attend their press conference, so am obliged to show you, the people that make the Singapore Food Festival 2008 possible. Everyone had a teh tarik, coffee, coke and a tiger beside them. Aha, from the photo, you can see what they like!

(L-R) Hamish Brown and the official partners of Singapore Food Festival: Mr Tan Kian Chew, Group CEO, NTUC Fairprice, Mr Andrew Phua, Director, Tourism, Shopping & Dining Cluster, Singapore Tourism Board, Mr Ng Yong Hwee, President & CEO, CityGas, Mr Peter Knipp, CEO, Peter Knipp Holdings




If you would like to find out more about the Singapore Food Festival, visit their official website at: www.singaporefoodfestival.com

For food, we usually like try a bit of this and a bit of that. You would be glad to know that this year's festival will debut what is called the "Singapore Food Sampler".

There's also an Ethnic Food Tour, where you can try food in Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam.

Makan Classes. Want to know how to cook the local food that we always eat? You can join in the cooking classes conducted by renowned Singapore Chefs and some local food operators.

I am marking down 12 July and try to head down to Robertson Walk to witness the "Major League Eating" competition. It's their first debut in Singapore and they are going to make the competitors eat Satay. LOL..


Btw, if you are a tourist visiting Singapore during the Food Festival, just drop by any Singapore Visitor Centres and you get to get free redemption vouchers for the Singapore Food Sampler. (just show them your passport!)

LABEL