Following the previous post on my kind of breakfast, here is another favourite; Cereal with granola topped with blueberries, strawberries and drowned in fresh milk!

Food Blueberries, Breakfast, Cereal, Food, Strawberries

This is my kind of breakfast.

I made pancakes with strawberries, bananas and blueberries on top, you like?

Food Breakfast, Pancakes

Ok it doesn’t LOOK that great, but it did taste good!

Recipe taken from Jamie’s Ministry of Food
Serves 6
Ingredients
* 60g unsalted butter
* 150g caster sugar
* 4 large bananas
* ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 orange
* Plain flour, for dusting
* 250g puff pastry
* 500ml creme fraiche

Method: How to make banana tart tartin

To make your caramel bananas
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Cut your butter into cubes and put into a sturdy deep-sided baking tray approximately 19 x 30cm.

3. Place the tray on a low heat, let the butter melt, then add the sugar and stir constantly until completely combined.

4. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has all dissolved and the mixture is golden and caramelised. By the time this happens the mixture will be roasting hot so be very careful and whatever you do, don’t be tempted to put your fingers in the mixture as you’ll give yourself a nasty burn.

5. Meanwhile, peel the bananas, halve them lengthways, and lay them carefully on top of the golden caramel.

6. Remove from the heat, then sprinkle over the cinnamon and finely grate over the zest of half your orange.

To make your pastry topping
1. Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour.

2. Rather than putting your pastry down flat and rolling it out, place it on its side and roll it from there, as this will give you a lighter, crisper texture.

3. Roll it out until you have a rectangle shape about the same size as your tray and about 0.5cm thick.

4. Drape your pastry over your rolling pin and carefully lay it on the baking tray, gently tucking it around the bananas to make sure they’re well covered, with no gaps.

5. Using a knife or fork, prick the pastry a few times.

6. Place the tray at the top of the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.

To serve your tarte tatin
1. When your tarte tatin is ready you must turn it out at once or it will end up sticking to the baking tray. Again, you want to be very careful and make sure you don’t burn yourself on that hot caramel mixture.

2. To turn the tart out, cover your hand with a folded tea towel, carefully hold the tray with a serving plate or board on top and gently turn it over.

3. Using the tip of a knife, pull a corner of the pastry up to check if it’s all cooked underneath (if not, pop it back into the oven for another couple of minutes), then ease the whole thing out of the tray.

4. Put your crème fraîche into a bowl, grate over the rest of your orange zest and stir well.

5. Serve your tarte tatin with a dollop of crème fraîche and eat immediately!

Food Banana Tart Tartin, Food, Jamie Oliver, Recipe

So I’ve heard about the infamous chicken rice at Newton, but it was only last november when I tried it. Jim is a visiting brit so it was mandatory to have chicken rice checked off his must do list, I almost believe it’s our national dish! Our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomach, and ordered far more than we could handle for 6 of us.

My advice is to go with more people, so you all can have a taste of these must try dishes:
- Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Marmite pork ribs
- salad yiu tiao
- baby kailan with garlic
- fish head curry
- char siew, siew yok (roast pork)

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant
Address: 275 Thomson Road, #01-05 Novena Ville
Tel: +65 6255 6396
Opening hours: Daily 10.30am – 2am

Food Fish Head Curry, Food, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Marmite Pork Ribs, Salad Yiu Tiao, Singapore, Wee Nam Kee

It seems like gourmet burger joints are popping up everywhere. Definitely trending. Jono insisted I try this new place called Jus Burgers in Leederville Perth when I was there last November.

What I liked about this place was their emphasis on using local produce and the transparency of cooking methods, ingredients and suppliers used. At least you know what exactly you’re eating and where it comes from. Very much like the philosophy Jamie Oliver tried to preach in “Jamie’s Kitchen“, knowing the source of your ingredients.

Below is a list of suppliers and companies that are likely to be used at the time of writing:
Meat/small goods Mondos, Ryan’s meats, Mt.Barker chicken, Princi, Mahogany Creek Bread Turkish bakery Fruit & Veg Morley Growers, Supa Spud Fish Festival fish Dry Goods Angry Almond, European foods, Eustralis, Ladle and Table, The Grocer, Pisconeri, Sealanes, Centra

I also like the honest story about how Jus Burgers came about and who were the people behind it all. You can read about it HERE.

Here’s a sample of their menu:

Jus Burgers use Turkish buns; fresh white or wholemeal, gluten free bun available. All burgers served with fresh lettuce, beef tomato, Spanish onion, relish & house made aioli

For special dietary advice, please refer to our board, or speak with Chef on the pass or our till bitch. Thanks

Original Beef Recommended with creamed horseradish or balsamic onions (+ $1) $10
Cheeseburger Blue, swiss or cheddar cheese, recommended with mushroom (+ $1) $12
Pommy Burger Cheddar & back bacon $13
Spanish Snag Chorizo sausage & sweet red peppers $14
The Mullet Bacon, beetroot, cheddar cheese, & free-range egg $14
Wagyu Beef 100% wagyu beef, wasabi mayo $14
The Guvnor 270g burger, recommended with foie gras/duck liver, France (+ $6) $15

Jus Burgers Leederville
743 Newcastle St
Leederville, Perth WA 6007
Phone: 08 9228 2230

Jus Burgers Subiaco
1 Rokeby Rd (rear), Corner Roberts & Rockeby
Subiaco, Perth WA 6008
Phone: 08 9381 2093
Takeaway: 08 9381 1895

Website: http://jusburgers.com.au/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jusburgers/
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10.00pm (Tuesday to Saturday)
12.00pm – 9.00pm (Sunday)
Closed on Monday

Food, Travel Australia, Burger, Food, Jus Burger, Perth, Restaurant

No trip to the city is complete without a sit down coffee at the Merchant Tea & Coffee House.

Also bought a bag of my favourite beans to have at home:
The Merchant Espresso Blend – A medium – dark roast that is full bodied with an earthy aroma and a smooth lingering finish.

Merchant Tea & Coffee House
Address: 183 Murray Street Mall, Perth, Western Australia 6100.
Phone: +61 8 9221 1323
Website: http://www.themerchant.com.au/

Food, Travel Australia, Merchant Coffee, Perth

I’m not a fan of lollies, but we were walking around the city decided to go in to show D the live demonstration at the store. My favourite designs were the moustache for movember and the skull & crossbones one for halloween!

Went on their website, and found the page where you can design your own candy!

Roc Candy
Shop 34/36 Piccadilly Arcade
700 Hay St
Perth WA 6000
Australia

Ph: +61 (0)8 9324 3060
Mob: +61 (0)414 519 211
Fax: +61 (0)8 9443 8346
Web: roccandy.com.au

Food, Travel Australia, Perth, Roc Candy, Sweets

The minute my parents told me they were selling the Perth apartment, I quickly booked myself a ticket in November for a week. My friend Duncan hadn’t been to Perth before, so it was a perfect opportunity to show him around. It worked out well for me too because that meant I could do mini-road trips (because I could never do it alone, far too dangerous for a girl to be travelling by herself).

Perth was always my escape and sanctuary, so it was bitter sweet going back there this time round.

First full day in Perth was absolutely beautiful. November is around the time summer rolls in so it was the perfect time to be there. Bottom left is a picture taken from the apartment balcony, look at how all the colours just pop! Almost looks DI-ed.

Duncan said he could cook pretty well, so the only way to test him is to ask him to poach eggs for breakfast. Check out the result above!

Now that’s a brilliant way to start the holiday! Nom nom…

Food, Travel Australia, Breakfast, Perth, Poached eggs

When I was studying in Perth, I would drive down to the farmers market at Subiaco every weekend to do my weekly grocery run. I just loved walking through lanes and lanes of fresh produce, planning my meals for the week. It just has a different vibe to the wet markets here in Singapore, I don’t know what it is. It’s just different.

Most common items in my basket would be:
- a punnet of strawberries
- Courgette
- Mushrooms
- Avocado
- Cherry tomatoes
- Grapes

When I went back last November for a holiday, I re-lived my Uni days, walking through the isles picking out vegetables and fruits for picnic baskets, dinners in and breakfast. I’m really going to miss this place.

Subiaco Markets
Station St
Subiaco WA 6008, Australia

Food, Travel Australia, Perth, Subi, Subiaco, Weekend Markets

Whenever I felt like a need to escape, or be taken away to a place for some ‘Me Time’, I would just close my eyes and let myself be transported to this very place in Perth, Australia.

One of my favourite-est places to spend some ‘Me time’ is at this cafe called Barchetta on Cottesloe Beach. It’s not fancy, nor does it have great reviews online for the food. But it does over look the Indian ocean and that just did it for me. It’s perfect for coffee and cake at Sunset with a book in hand.

I brought my DSLR on this trip, and managed to take some really awesome HDR photos. Here are my two favourite shots taken from Barchetta.

Two different sets, two different treatments.

Barchetta
149 Marine Pde, North Cottesloe
Phone: (08)9385 2411
Open: Seven days breakfast and lunch; Tuesday to Saturday dinner
Licensed: Yes
website: www.barchetta.com.au/

Food, Travel Australia, Barchetta, Cafe, Coffee, Cottesloe, Perth

Birthday morning hangovers are not fun, and the only way to recover is a P.S. Cafe brunch with my favourite eggs benedict and skinny latte. Usually that would have been the case, but I don’t know why I decided to go with something different that day. Had major food envy when I saw the eggs benedict on the table next to me.

Next time, just stick to the usual Angela!

And you know what’s one of the best presents I got this year? Watching my nephew Julian walk/run on his own. He is growing up so fast!

Food, Friends & Family Birthday, Brunch, Julian, P.S. Cafe

Still to date the best I’ve tasted. Fried oyster omelette from Jalan Macalister/New Lane. Good amount of fat oysters, and gooey egg omelette.

Fried Oyster Omelette
Macalister Road/New Lane junction
Price: RM7, 10, 13, 16

Food, Travel Food, Macalister Road, Penang

This is what we all look forward to every time we are back in Penang. Macalister Road Chee Cheong Chook! (hehehe say it out loud, its a bit like the transformer sounds that the autobots make! *geek*)

We first discovered this stall during one of our Penang Jamboree trips, and since then, Chee Cheong Chook has become mandatory on every visit there.

From left: Janice couldn’t contain her excitement! And me taking photos of food again

The pushcart stall is at the corner of Jalan Macalister and New Lane. You can’t miss it! Just look for the stall with hanging pork intestines and char siew above a huge cauldron of congee. They start selling their Chee Cheong Chook from 2pm onwards, but the best time to go is at dusk when the weather isn’t so hot.

What’s in a Chee Cheong Chook?
Congee, pig’s tongue, char siew (barbequed pork), pig intestines (done 2 ways: fried and boiled), pepper and spring onion to garnish.

I know it sounds rank, and I’m the sort of person who is quite adversed to trying new things. But trust me on this, it’s delicious! Especially the crunchy fried intestines, that’s the best part!

Chee Cheong Chook
Corner of Jalan Macalister and New Lane, Penang
Price: RM4, RM4.50, RM5

Other food you can find on Macalister Road

Satay, Carrot Cake, Chicken Wing, Cuttlefish

Food, Travel Chee Cheong Chook, Congee, Food, Penang

It was a scorcher of a day in Penang, and when in need of a cool down dessert/drink, first thing that comes to mind is the Penang Road famous Teochew Chendol.

This little pushcart stall has been there for years, steadily churning out bowls after bowls of shaved ice goodness. There’s actually two stalls directly opposite each other, so make sure you go to the correct one.

It’s so popular, people will just STAND and eat at the road side (limited seating available in the coffee shop next to it).

Also available at the coffeeshop are two more Penang specialities: Penang fried kway teow and Penang Laksa.

Teochew Chendol
Address: Lebuh Keng Kwee 10200, Pulau Pinang
Price: RM1.90 – Take Away, RM1.70 – Eat in

Food, Travel Chendol, Food, Penang

Was in Penang last month for the Jamboree, and while I was there, we took Grace and Jo on a culinary tour round the island. First stop was for Dim Sum lunch at Zim Sum Restaurant (点心之家).

Zim Sum Restaurant is located along Jalan Anson, diagonally opposite KDU college. Most taxi drivers would have heard of it, so no trouble getting there. But if you’re driving, here’s a tip for from someone else’s blog:

It is not easy to find a parking lot there. Many customers prefer to take the risk and park on the road side for free. Alternatively, you can pay around RM3 per entry to park safely at Penang Chinese Ladies’s Chin Woo Association.

Here’s a few points to note when you visit Zim Sum:
1. Although there are a few dim sum pushcarts being trolleyed around, customers are actually asked/advised to go to the counter to pick up the dishes instead.
2. The final bill is calculated based on how many plates of food are on your table (similar to how they do it at Sushi conveyor belt restaurants)
3. They don’t serve any other drink except Chinese tea
4. The more people you go with, the more worthwhile in terms of cost and variety
5. MUST try the Chee Cheong Fun, which is made freshly on the spot

Zim Sum Restaurant (点心之家)
35 Jalan Anson 10400 Pulau Pinang
Business hours are from 6.30am to 12.30pm.

Food, Travel Dim Sum, Food, Malaysia, Penang

Our last full day at Villa Azaya was bitter sweet. We all knew we had about 24hrs left till we left paradise, so we tried our best to soak up every bit of sun we could. Day was spent walking around Seminyak and sunset massages back at the Villa.

Being our last night in Bali, we opted to eat in at the villa gazebo. Our amazing BBQ dinner was prepared by the villa chefs who painstakingly stood by the grill even when it started to drizzle. Lots of seafood on the menu; Lobsters, King prawns, lamb, beef steak, salads, vegetables, corn on the cob, all which cost next to nothing in comparison to Singapore prices.

The rest of the night was spent faffing by the pool. Definitely a more subdued evening than the previous few, no thanks to Duncan’s klutzy performance involving the glass door. We shan’t get into that so as to salvage what’s left of his ego. Time to head home and face reality. Till next time, Goodbye Bali!

Food, Travel Bali, BBQ, Dinner, Indonesia, Villa

On our second night in Bali, we decided to eat out at a nice restaurant by the beach, and the first place that came to mind was BREEZE at The Samaya which overlooks Seminyak Beach. It’s not my first time there, but it was my first time there at night.

Here’s a little write-up from their website:

The menus that Chef Michael Shaheen showcases is an interpretation of Euro-American and blends the best of the environment with his own vision of contemporary American and global cuisine. Using the many indigenous ingredients Chef Michael’s menus are dictated by the local harvest and giving them as he defines a “Simple, Seasonal and Uncomplicated approach with a connotation of modern plated presentations, with very light full flavoured reduced sauces, and an air of freshness which appear in his dishes.

The food was good, prices reasonable, but what really did it for me was the venue and ambience. Eating with the sounds of waves continuously crashing on the beach was incredibly therapeutic for me. As someone said, the experience can be summed up as “comfortably casual in an elegant way”.

On my plate that evening was Local Wild Snapper with Truffle Scented Mushroom Risotto, Roasted Asparagus, Fennel, Oven Cured Tomato Reduction – 235 Rp

Breeze at The Samaya
Jl. Laksmana, Seminyak Beach,
Seminyak, Indonesia
Opening hours: 7am – 11pm
Telephone: (62 361) 731 149
Capacity 100 seats

Food, Travel Bali, Food, Holiday, Indonesia, Travel

Gurney Drive aka Persiaran Gurney aka ‘The New Esplanade’, is one of the more touristy areas in Penang. The place is most well known for its local hawker food stalls. It’s not exactly by the sea as some websites describe it, you can’t really see much from where you’re seated.

Gurney Drive was named after Sir Henry Gurney, a Malayan High Commissioner who was assassinated by the guerrillas of the Malayan Communist Party during the Emergency period in the early 1950s.
Courtesy of wikipedia

The hawker centre only comes alive at night, with a massive selection of local delights for the discerning tourist. Prices are marginally more expensive than other places, but still very cheap!

From left to right
1. Oyster Omelette
2. Indian Rojak *must try*
3. Yong Tau Hu
4. Penang Laksa
5. Kueh pai ti
6. Cuttlefish Kang Kong
7. Popiah
8. Muah Chee *must try*

Address: Persiaran Gurney, next to Plaza Gurney, Penang Malaysia

Food, Travel Food, Gurney Drive, Penang

I had the pleasure of having a dinner at The Standing Sushi Bar on the first week of opening (Thanks Howard!) and brought along my ex-colleague who loved sushi as second reviewer.

Loved loved LOVED the balloon arrangement outside the shop as opposed to the usual congratulatory basket of flowers. I reckon those the balloons should be a permanent fixture! Too Cute!

So I was expecting to be standing for the whole course of dinner, but to our delight, they bring out high-chairs at dinner time. So after standing for about 10mins trying out some sake, we sat down for dinner. You can either order ala carte, or opt for the Omakase dinner.

Haven’t heard of the term before? It’s basically food roulette! You never know what you’re going to get. You pretty much leave it to the chef to come up with the night’s menu.

The omakase is based on your budget. You specify what the budget is and the chef will create the menu accordingly. It begins at S$50 per person. Omakase is by reservation only and the more advance notice you can give, the better – gives them time to talk to their Japan supplier and get special items for that omakase.

I did tell myself I’d be more adventurous this year with my food choice. “I’m game… bring it on!” The minute I said that, I just wanted to take it back and shove a sock in it.

First dish, Japanese sea snails!!!! *facepalm*

The Japanese Sea Snails were served chilled with a small slice of lemon on a ceramic plate. I made sure I had a dish of soy sauce and my green tea on standby.

“Tastes like squid… tastes like squid, it’s all in the mind Angela, you can do this”

Dug it out of the shell. Drown it in soy sauce. Pop. Chew. Chew. And Chew. Swallow.

Ok, that wasn’t bad at all… it does kinda taste like squid?! A bit chewy, but sweeter.

The next dish was the Hokkaido King Crab Leg with chef Roy’s home-made Miso paste (Joan said this was the must-try dish). The chilled crab meat was so sweet! And that miso paste…I’d buy a pot of that and stick my fingers in it like Winnie the Pooh does with honey. Nom nom nom.

Next up was the Sashimi Moriwase which consisted of Maguro (Tuna), Sake (Salmon), Mekajiki (Swordfish), Hamachi (Yellow Tail) and Hotate (Scallop). Fresh! Although I must admit, I would have loved it if they threw in a slice of Otoro in the mix just to bring it to the next level.

I wish the next dish tasted as good as it looked. Karubi Beef Tataki with Bonito Flakes and Spring Onions. The meat was slightly chewy, was gnawing away for a good minute or so. I love bonito flakes with anything, especially on my takopachi balls.

After that jaw exercise, I was too tired to sink my teeth into anything solid. Thank goodness next dish was Egg plant. Seemed like it was boiled, served in some soy sauce and grated ginger. Chef Roy mentioned that it’s a good palate cleanser.

Three more dishes to go, and I’m starting to feel full.

A little cup of Steamed Hotate Soup was a little too hot to handle, so I had to wait awhile for it to cool down. Soup/broth was very ‘scallopy’ and comforting. I could just imagine myself in snowing Japan, sipping a hot cup of Hotate soup. I’d imagine it would be as amazing as a frozen Margarita on Cottesloe Beach in summer.

Just when I thought the worse was over with the Sea Snails, a plate of Maguro, Hirame (Flat Fish) and Anago (Boiled Salt-water Eel) was placed in front of me. I guess I’m just not an Eel person, but that didn’t stop me from trying a corner.

Dessert was my favourite dish of the night: Matcha Ice-cream with Green Tea Cake Roll and Red Bean Paste. Chef Roy mentioned the roll was just flown in from Japan, which makes it feel even more special and exclusive to Omakase diners.

I liked the fact that everything was not too sweet, especially the matcha ice-cream. A lot of other restaurant’s matcha is mostly sugared too heavily, and they lose that green tea bitterness all together. If I wanted something sweet, I would have just ordered vanilla.

Overall verdict, food was fresh, tasty and affordable! Now you don’t see that combo often: Fresh and affordable.

And just as I was about to leave, I got handed over this cute Standing Sushi Bar badge. It’s like getting a sticker at the Dentist, but in this case I actually WANT to come back again!

The Standing Sushi Bar
1 Raffles Place
#B1-02B OUB Centre
Singapore 048616
www.standingsushibar.com
Follow them on twitter: www.twitter.com/thestandingsushibar

UPDATE:
They have just revamped the menu to offer more lunch sets and easy add-on’s like sashimi (for cheaper than a la carte price)

The revamped menu also features the special cargo they get in from Japan a few times a week (basically makes it more discoverable so you don’t have to ask the chef)

PROMOTIONS
Click here for the MSN Coupon promotion that gets you 1 free glass of sake

Here’s something a little more fun for Blursotong Blog readers:
Say “blursotong” at the register and get 15% off any ika (squid) nigiri or ika sashimi from their in-house a la carte menu. Valid during December!

Instead of trying the same ol tuna and salmon sashimi, try the squid! Be adventurous

Food, Food & Travel Food, I Likey, Promotion, SSB, Standing Sushi bar, Sushi