Chik's Crib: January 2017

31 January 2017

The Loft (Chinatown)

Restaurants January 31, 2017 0

The Loft is one of the top gems we uncovered this year. It's close to Maxwell Food Market.

Obscured by Nanyang Old Coffee, it's easy to walk past without a second glance. (Protip!: Take a harder look at the window panes on the second floor.) In fact, Miss XS has to point it out to me three times before I finally cottoned on.

For such a hidden cafe, business is bustling, especially at 4pm on a weekday. Groups of university students sit around the cafe typing onto their laptops using the free wifi. Others scrawl furiously into their notepads, although the dim hipster lighting makes me wonder how well they are studying here.

Our favourite dish was their Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart ($5), with its thin, crispy chocolate tart and luxurious chocolate filling. For $5 a pop, it's a total bargain.

The Latte ($5.50) had a strong coffee bite which everybody appreciated, but the frothed milk was underwhelming. The foam cap made it looked like a cappucino rather than a latte.

We also shared an Apple Pie ($4). The pie crust is soft and fluffy, which my sister loved.

Must-Try
Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart

24 January 2017

Staycation! Royal Plaza on Scotts (and Things to do)

Staycation January 24, 2017 0

There's nothing quite like walking down Orchard Road leisurely at night and enjoying the sights. While everybody seems to be finalising their purchases and thronging the bus stops, it feels nice to know that a comfortable bed is just a stone's throw away. Even if it's only for one night.

Por Kee Eating House (Tiong Bahru)

zichar January 19, 2017 0

I haven't been so impressed by a Zi Char stall since my personal favourite West Coz Cafe. The wok hei of the Beef Hor Fun with Black Bean Sauce (S - $8) was one of the best I've had in Singapore, imparting every mouthful with a smoky depth that lingers. Cannot recommend more highly.

Also tops in our books: the Champagne Pork Ribs (S - $18). Despite 'small', but we still ended up with two generous slabs - one each. It was well-seasoned, with tender meat and a fatty layer running between the meat. The champagne marination is masked by the other marination, but no one was complaining.

The Bamboo Clam ($12/portion) is a seasonal special. The ones here, cooked til tender and seasoned with an abundance of minced garlic, are as good as they come. But the price for bamboo clams is generally so steep, this would probably be my last bamboo clam for a long long while.

Service is brisk, our dishes arrived within 10 minutes of one another. Excellent. As I paid the bill, I already made plans to come back the next week.

Cons

The interior is air-conditioned, but the tables are reserved for large parties. If you rock up in a party of two, you're destined to sit out in the humidity with the chain-smokers. Even if you call ahead to reserve. Bon appetit!

Must-try

Everything I had... maybe except the bamboo clams. At least, until I find a job.

Update!

I heard that their signature Home-made Braised Tofu with Mushrooms and Sea Cucumber Strips is a real winner, and boy, it did not disappoint. The tofu was soft on the inside, and with the thick flavourful sauce, paired really well with a bowl of white rice. The bits of sea cucumber didn't hurt either, and I grabbed every one that I spotted.

The Fried Sweet Potato Leaves were decent, just a tad on the oily side to remind me that no, vegetable dishes are not made equally healthy.

11 January 2017

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Fondue

Recipe January 11, 2017 0

An edible chocolate fondue?

Ever since I watched this video by Ann Reardon, I could not get it out of my head. I mean, how brilliant is that? In fact, go ahead and click on the link. I'll wait.

I rarely go for recipes that have too many steps or seem too complicated. Call me lazy: I like recipes that can be done under an hour. But when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to give that a shot. Ann Reardon calls this a modern interpretation of a lava cake, and well, I don't need any more convincing to break out my baker hat. Call it a brownie, or even an edible fondue bowl. Me, I'm content to leave the terminology to others, and just stick to what I do best (eating).

Picture by R

This is one recipe where having a microwave would be handy. It makes tempering chocolate (for the chocolate disc), and making chocolate ganache a breeze.

Tas-Mania: Accommodations (and recipes for easy meals!)

Travel January 04, 2017 0

I remembered feeling a little uneasy when R and J broached the subject of renting apartments for our stay. It feels a little strange staying at a short-term rented house, especially in a rural area. What if it's a body-napping scheme? No one can hear us scream...

(Writing this, I realised in hindsight that I may have a streak of paranoia inside me, but it made sense in my head at the time.) Luckily, cooler heads than mine prevailed, and we spent a good portion of the five lovely days in Tasmania lounging around our lovely ~~houses~~ homes.

Photo by R

31 January 2017

The Loft (Chinatown)

24 January 2017

Staycation! Royal Plaza on Scotts (and Things to do)

19 January 2017

Por Kee Eating House (Tiong Bahru)

11 January 2017

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake Fondue

04 January 2017

Tas-Mania: Accommodations (and recipes for easy meals!)

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