Packet Sg Laksa: A Miss

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Singapore laksa from the packet: looks good but tastes otherwise.

As you know, I love laksa, any kind of laksa, but my top favorites are Penangassam laksa and Singaporelaksa. Both these laksa are elusive here, especially Singapore laksa, so when I found ready-made Singapore and Penang laksa paste in a supermarket recently, I grabbed a box each, made by Alif, a Malaysian company.

Okay, so I had to substitute a number of ingredients. I couldn't find thick rice noodles so I replaced that with flat rice noodles. I don't eat those spongy artificial fishballs from the market and couldn't get the right fish to make them so I had do without, and there were no cockles (terrible, because cockles are just as important asdaun kesomin a bowl of Sg laksa) so I bought sa bak, a hard shelled clam. Totally different I know, but it's a clam.

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Daun kesom, also known as polygonum leaves (not that it helps because nobody knows what that is outside South East Asia), grows easily. Just buy some (rootless is fine) from the wet market, stick them in a glass of water for a couple of days and then plant in a pot of soil. Needs direct sunlight.

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Daun kesom leaves are toughand slightly hairy so they should be cut very fine, almost one-cell thick.Oh, that fragrance!
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Nah, back to the kitchen labs you two!

The Alif Sg laksa was utterly disappointing. It smelled and tasted more like Penang laksa, with lots of tumeric and lemon grass and very little coconut milk, blachan or dried shrimps. I immediately searched for the packet of Sg laksa paste I had bought on my previous trip to Sg a few months ago and made another pot of laksa base. Asian Home Gourmet'slaksa paste(made in Thailand) was marginally better, stronger in flavor but still far from good. I mixed the two soups together, added extra coconut milk and ate a very disappointing dinner.

Conclusion: eat Singapore laksa in Singapore.

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Three Bags Full @ Richmond, Melbourne

Every weekend is like a mini foodie adventure for the Wife and I. It's been a mix of checking out new places to eat and cooking at home. The good or bad thing about Melbourne is the flood of food reviews you can get your hands on. Admittedly while I enjoy reading them, too many chefs spoils the soup, so there's always that judgement call to say "we will go there" or "nah, it doesn't look promising".


I remember Three Bags Full quite well because after my average experience in St Ali, with the exception of their coffee, one of my readers said I should give these guys a go instead. Guess what, that weekend, we did just that.


Three Bags Full is a big place. It looks like there's two separate dining areas and if I have a tip for you, the smaller one next door is a quieter and more pleasant place to be.


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It was one of those rare occasions that I actually remember to bring my camera, more the reason since I got myself a new lens for it.


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Deciding that coffee was not for her, the Wife, she settled on some juice, watermelon and a few other kinds in one. Refreshing and it makes you want to drink fresh juices everyday till you realise you got to buy a juicer first.


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Weekday or weekend, I need my coffee and it was a good coffee.

Their breakfast menu compared to some of the more adventurous places we had recently is more conventional. Not to say, it is necessary bad at all.


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Its nothing fancy and to be honest had no idea why the Wife ordered mushrooms, spinach, avocado, tomatoes and poached eggs. I guess it was in conjunction with the juice, a way of comforting the mind and body that this is detox. She did mention the mushrooms were pretty good although I caught her glancing at my breakfast a few times.


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Beetroot tainted and smoked salmon with corn fritters was more like for me. The fritter was hearty and was more of the softer variety and definitely one of the bigger ones I have seen and eaten. All in all, scrumptious. You can't really taste the beetroot in the salmon but had the right balance of smokiness.

The service was pretty good although if you dine in the main area, it might be different. The food and the ambience was lovely. If there is one problem though, there's so many breakfast places to try before coming back, so Three Bags Full, will you! wait fo r me to return?


Address and contact details:


Three Bags Full on Urbanspoon


Verdict: 4 stars out of 5 stars. Except for being too busy, there's nothing not to like about this place.

Watch: The Fat Ducks virtual candy shop experience


Hotel Review: Hilton Singapore, Orchard Road

Fly me to Singapore
Let me shop on Orchard Road
Let me eat macarons and cakes
In Antoinette and Canale
In other words, eat and shop
In other words, let's be happy

(sing to tune of Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra)
**********************

During our visit in Singapore, we stayed in Hilton Hotel located on Orchard Road. Hotels in Singapore are terribly expensive when compared to KL, one night stay in the Hilton is about S$400 excluding tax. I did some survey and even the not-so-nice hotels are around S$200 after tax. Well, at least we were only staying for the night.

We flew in to Singapore via Tiger Airways, we booked at the very last minute and paid about RM170 each, after airport tax,service charge and convenience fees. The journey takes 50 minutes, and when you arrive at Changi Budget Airport, you can either take a taxi (20 mins), or bus or MRT (40mins). The hotel is located about 200m away from the Orchard MRT station located inside Ion Orchard building. It is also walking distance to all the main shopping centres on Orchard Road, so definitely very convenient.


The moon was still out at 8am


Fluffy clouds


Lots of boats before we landed at Changi


We stayed in the Deluxe room with a king bed. The layout and furnishings are pretty similar to Doubletree by Hilton in KL. The bed was very comfortable, so much so that we overslept the following day! (LOL and also thanks to the very effective black-out curtains) Luckily we didn't have an early flight to catch.


Sofa (where I had my Antoinette macaron photoshoot LOL)

Desk

LCD TV

There is a bathtub/shower in the bathroom, and Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries are provided, a norm with Hilton hotel nowadays.


There is a shopping gallery at the lobby, housing some designer brands.

There is no free wifi in the room, but you can get up to 2 hours complimentary wifi at the lobby. In the evening, we sat and Instagrammed some photos while listening and enjoying the Jazz duo playing at the nearby hotel bar/lounge.

Hotel Lobby

Some macarons at Checker's Deli (but we didn't try)


Heart-shaped chocolates


The hotel houses a few restaurants, Checkers Brasserie, Checkers Deli, Glow Juice Bar & Cafe, and il Cielo. Iggy's (voted no.1 in Singapore and Asia by The Miele Guide) is also located at Hilton Singapore, we tried to get in for lunch but they weren't open. And dinner was too expensive since they were only doing a tasting menu for S$275 each, ok maybe we will go when we have something special to celebrate next time.

Outside the hotel, we spotted quite a number of fast cars, Ferraris in particular.




Hilton Singapore is within walking distance to ION Orchard and the Orchard MRT.
Louis Vuitton Ion Orchard

Cool roof

Verdict: Comfortable enough hotel in a convenient location, if you plan to stay here, book in advance to enjoy earlybird discounts.

Location: Hilton Singapore, 581 Orchard Road, Singapore 238883.

Nearest MRT: Orchard

Tel: +65 6737 2233

Website:http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/SINHITW-Hilton-Singapore-hotel/index.do

*All photos taken with iPhone4S.

Jaya Pub (par SZ)

L o le Tanamur et autres anctres de Jakarta ont sombr, le Jaya Pub n'a pas failli et honore avec brio son titre de plus vieux bar de Jakarta, ayant rsist contre vents et mares. C'est l que tous les vieux expats qui habitent Jakarta se retrouvent. Tout est d'poque : L'ambiance dtendue, la dco (qui ressemble un entassement de souvenirs), les habitus, les serveurs (adorables), l'ordinateur, et les chansons joues par les groupes live. Les musiciens sont d'ailleurs excellents (trs bonne sono galement), et la bir bintang pression frache est succulente.



La clientle est clectique et se compose de vieux expats tous bourrs qui hurlent les paroles d'Hotel California jou en live, d'anciennes prostitues, de riches chinois venus chercher autre chose que l'ambiance clone des clubs de Kota, et de quelques on-ne-sait-trop-quoi.

Au milieu de tout a, derrire le bar, Toto fait semblant de travailler (il fait l'inventaire puis s'assied sur une chaise en scrutant tout ce qui passe en s'endormant moiti). Toto, c'est le serveur emblmatique du Jaya pub : 70 ans, toutes ses dents et 30 ans de service.

Ajoutez cela les klaxons libre service pour fliciter les clients qui montent sur scne pour chanter leurs song resquests, les gens qui dansent parfois, les chanteuses qui se dplacent sur le bar, le billard, les cafards qui passent sur les tables... Et vous obtenez un cocktail magique, unique Jakarta, unique au monde. C'est l'un des bars qui m'a le plus marqu dans ma vie. A dcouvrir absolument !



2 hics nanmoins :
- Le prix des bo! issons, qui s'est align sur les salaires grimpants des vieux expats (compter environ 40.000 Rp pour une Bintang pression)
- Les morceaux jous par les groupes (majoritairement du vieux rock anglo-saxon), quasi-identiques chaque soir

--

Lieu : Menara Jaya, Jalan Thamrin (en face de Sarinah)

Class : ? (d'poque)

Nakal : D'poque

Originalit : Le Vendredi soir et le Samedi soir, 2 groupes se relaient continuellement, pour ne pas avoir de pause au niveau de la musique live sur scne

Note : 9,5 / 10

Suggestion : Avant d'aller boire des bires au Jaya Pub, passez manger au Bistro (dans le mme btiment), restaurant franais sauce Jaya Pub... A dcouvrir absolument galement ! (http://www.jakarta100bars.com/2011/06/le-bistro-french-restaurant.html)

Five Fatboys & A Funeral


Round Two for both Fatboy's The Burger Bar & Paradiso Lounge at Publika.
Earlier entry on Fatboy's: February 27. Earlier entry on Paradiso: February 26.

The fun facet of Fatboy's is "Building Your Own Burger" _ contemplating the cafe's list of buns, patties, toppings & sauces (most add-ons cost around RM2 each) to combine them in whatever fashion your heart desires. The sauce selection is cropped out of the photo above, but it includes blue cheese, wasabi mayo, honey mustard & garlic aioli.

Customized burger No. 1: We're calling this the Tex-Mex Sin Burger _ a beef patty topped with (deep breath!) chili queso, guacamole, jalapeno, mushrooms, caramelized onions, fried egg & cheddar cheese. A reservoir of juiciness, with each bite casting open the floodgates of flavor.

Custo mized burger No. 2: Let's label this the Aussie Abstinence Burger _ a pork patty partnered with wild arugula & beetroot & no sauces whatsoever. Lean & green (the meat seems too lean); as with many things in life, sinning is more satisfying _ at least in the short term.

Customers not into customization can choose one of Fatboy's regular burgers: this Holy Caesar sounds like an unholy union of fowl & swine _ grilled chicken & pork bacon _ but it's blessedly tasty, synced with romaine lettuce, Parmesan & kitchen-made Caesar dressing.

Bolly Wooly _ a lamb patty with curry remoulade & mango chutney on a honey-oat bun. The meat is so achingly tender, we imagine it might deliquesce on our forks. But in spite of the savory-sugary topping, it might be too assertively gamy for many of us.

For the next Meatless Monday, bite into this Big Bello _ chunky portobello mushroom with balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions, peppers, pineapple, mozzarella cheese & chipotle sauce in a wholewheat bun. It hits a high benchmark for vegetarian succulence.

What would go well with all five of those burgers? Beer-battered onion rings. Fatboy's also serves non-burger fare _ fish & chips, hot dogs, country-fried chicken & more.

Alcoholic milkshakes! Vanilla & chocolate, spiked with Kahlua & Bailey's respectively. The booze is discernible, though barely potent enough to make a ten-year-old tipsy.

For real liquor, it's only a 30-second escalator ride from Fatboy's to Paradiso Cine Lounge.

A couple of Paradiso's cocktails are named after Hugh Grant movies: Four Weddings & A Funeral comprises JW Black, lime, lemon, palm sugar & vanilla with cinnamon foam.

Bitter Moon, a more obscure 1992 Hugh Grant movie. This one has absinthe, Greek yogurt, Bombay Sapphire, cucumber & mint leaves _ a creative combo that illustrates how the bar here takes its concoctions very seriously.

Fatboy's T! he Burge r Bar & Paradiso Cine Lounge,
Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Worlds oldest liquor collection a true passion

BREDA, Holland, Feb 29 Forty years ago when Dutch businessman Bay van der Bunt bought his first two bottles of vintage cognac on a road-trip to France, little did he know it would be the start of a collection worth millions of euros today.

Collecting old liquor never even crossed my mind back then, Van der Bunt, 63, told AFP as he uncorked an ancient-looking bottle, part of what is regarded as the largest collection of old liquors in the world now up for sale for a mere 6 million (RM24.2 million).

Go ahead have a taste, this is an 1895 cognac from the house of A.E. Dor, he said, pouring the deep brown liquid into a snifter glass then holding it up to the light as the cellar filled with a musky, velvety aroma.

A glass like this could set you back several thousand dollars in any top restaurant in the world, he added as he carefully lifted his own snifter to his nose, savouring the rich bouquet before taking a small sip.

Bay van der Bunt holds up a glass with a snifter of 1895 cognac from an ancient-looking bottle in a converted cow shed at his rustic farmstead on the outskirts of Breda. AFP pic
Van der Bunt wants to sell the collection in its entirety otherwise its integrity will be compromised. And he has already received solid interest, notably from potential buyers from China and Russia, but has accepted no offers yet.

In the early 1970s, the businessman owned a small antiques shop, which frequently took him on trips to France to look for hidden gems in second-hand stores.

But many times there were also old bottles of cognac or armagnac and I decided to buy these, not even thinking back then what it would one day become.

In 1978, his collection got its first major boost when Van der Bunts father gave him a gift of some 100 bottles, presents my dad received while running a small gardening service company for the well-h! eeled in the area.

My father said: You are out of your mind to collect liquor. Why dont you invest in something worthwhile?

Well, I didnt listen, he said, smiling.

His collection has grown to more than 5,000 dusty bottles, kept safely behind lock and key in a converted cow shed at his rustic farmstead on the outskirts of the southern Dutch city of Breda.

The collection consists mainly of bottles of rare cognac and armagnac, distilled from French grapes, as well as a variety of ports, madeiras and rums.

Asked whether he preferred cognac or armagnac, Van der Bunt just laughed: Its like asking a polygamist which one of his wives he loves the most.

The crown prince of the collection is undoubtedly a six-litre bottle of 1795 Leopold Brugerolle, bought at an auction by Christies in 1990.

Obsession avarice

It is the last remaining hand-crafted bottle in the world that accompanied Napoleon Bonapartes army on its campaigns and is valued at 138,000, according to Van der Bunt.

There are also three complete sets of eight bottles of A.E. Dor cognacs, dating from 1805, 1811, 1834, 1840, 1858, 1875, 1889 and 1893, valued from 70,000 to 80,000 a set.

Or a hand-blown bottle of 1789 Courvoisier & Curlier that will set a potential buyer back 49,000, or an Armagnac Eau de Vie of the same vintage.

The year of the French Revolution, Van der Bunt said proudly.

I have even been approached by some of the cognac houses in France wanting to buy back their own historical product, he added.

By his own admission, as his collection grew buying at auctions and stock from famous restaurants such as Maxims in Paris so did his need to possess some of the old spirits in existence.

It became a passion, an obsession and ultimately a form of avarice.

He tells the story of bidding at a Sothebys auction in London in the 1970s on a rare 1789 vintage cognac.

I told my wife Ria: This is the one bottle I must have, it simply has to be rem! oved fro m the market, no matter the cost, eventually paying 5,000 (RM23,840) an astronomical amount at the time for the privilege.

Two months later, another existing bottle is up for auction at Christies. That one too, simply, had to be removed from the market, he laughed, adding I paid way too much money for it.

But after 40 years of passionate collecting, the collection is up for sale on account of Van der Bunts wife.

I promised my wife when she turns 65, I will sell the collection and well use the money to build a smaller house, Van der Bunt, who has no children, told AFP.

There will, however, be one bottle not for sale.

Its a 1780 Remy Martin, believed to be one of the worlds oldest existing bottles of cognac, a gift from my father. AFP

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