*dimsumdolly* - the different morsels of the life of a foodie

Lulu

The name and the rather kitsch black and pink interiors of this restaurant at the basement of Raffles City didn't exactly make me want to rush into it for a meal. Somehow, the name 'Lulu' seems more befitting for a cabaret bar rather than a restaurant.

Nevertheless, for the sake of trying a new place rather than Shokudo which had a snaking queue, my friend and I decided to eat there. Actually I think many of the diners at Lulu are there only because they changed their minds about Shokudo due to the long queue.

Lulu serves Shanghainese and Sichuan cuisine. Being not a big fan of Sichuan cuisine because I don't like spicy food, we ordered only the Shanghainese food on the menu. We had the sweet and sour braised pork ribs (甜酸小排) which was tender and tasty. My friend, though, found it a tad too sweet for her liking. As for me, I have a sweet tooth, so I actually liked what must have been a big dose of honey in the glaze.

For vegetables, we had stir-fried Kai Lan with preserved fish and black beans. This dish was a bit too oily and I thought the preserved fish and black beans didn't do much for the dish. Somehow those two ingredients didn't add much flavour to the vegetables and the flavours of the individual ingredients didn't meld together. I would much rather have eaten parboiled Kai Lan seasoned with a small amount of oyster sauce. That way, at least the original flavour of the vegetable is retained.

The last dish we had was the Special Fried Rice which I found interesting. It was served in a claypot and contained prawns, squid, diced pumpkins and mashed salted egg. A red-coloured fermented bean paste was then mixed in with the rice to add flavour. Without it, the rice tasted rather bland as the bean paste was both salty and spicy. That bit of chilli added an extra dimension and kick to the dish.

Overall, service was efficient. The service staff were prompt in topping up our glasses of water. Expect to spend about $25 to $30 per person. It's not a place I would choose as my first choice for a place to dine, but for somewhere convenient to eat in that part of town, I wouldn't say no to it either.

Lulu
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44B Raffles City Shopping Centre
Tel: 6338 7441

Hate Hotpot

Friends are always perplexed when they learn that I don't like to eat hotpot (火锅) or what is popularly known as steamboat in Singapore. Yes, I just can't see the allure of it no matter how hard I try. Here are the reasons why not.

1) It's too hot in Singapore to enjoy sitting in front of a steaming pot of broth. It's worse if it's a spicy (麻辣) broth. OK there's aircon in the restaurant, but I still find it too hot. I would only enjoy it in the throes of winter, which is something that will never happen in Singapore. I don't like perspiring when I eat.

2) The variety of food available here is pathetic. If I really have to have hotpot, I'm only going to have it in Hong Kong where there's a great variety of broths and food to choose from. There are also more condiments that are available to concoct your own dipping sauce, e.g. sesame oil, peanut sauce, fried garlic, fried ginger, fried shallots, chilli oil, fresh red chilli, chilli flakes, spring onions, XO sauce, etc. The quality of food in Singapore just doesn't quite match up to what I've had in Hong Kong.

3) I don't like cooking my own food when I go out to eat. When I dine out it's because I want to eat something that someone else whom I think is a more competent cook to cook for me. I honestly don't see any fun in preparing food for myself unless I'm actually preparing a homecooked meal. I want to see and savour the chef's skill. I want to be impressed and wow-ed.

So please don't suggest having hotpot if you're going to dine out with me here. I might go to the restaurant just 'cos everyone else wants to eat it, but I wouldn't eat. It's true – I sat out a dinner last night and spent the entire time drinking tea and chatting with my friends while they ate. Of course, I had the good sense to have my own dinner before joining them. OK, call me a hotpot/steambot snob or whatever, but I'm not having it in Singapore!

A Pig In Provence

A good book is one where you're able to experience the sights, smells and sounds the author is describing through words. In A Pig In Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France, American cookbook author Georgeanne Brennan brings us into the Provence she got to know in the 1970s when she moved there with her first husband and daughter to eke out a living making fresh goat's cheese.

The book centres around food and Brennan takes the reader into a time where there weren't hypermarts, and where more people were in tune with the land and what it had to offer. Readers are introduced to her French neighbours who teach her about French Provencal life. She learns how to make fresh goat's cheese the French way and ends up pleasing all her neighbours because no one in the area makes it anymore.

She experiences what it's like to herd goats and rear pigs. We feel her excitement when she goes on her first mushroom hunt and learns how to identify edible mushrooms. We can feel her squirm when she witnesses a pig being slaughtered to make sausages. Brennan also learns what it takes to make an authentic Marseille bouillabaisse. Her description of the long summer meals the locals enjoy seduces us to the charms of rural Provence.

If you love food and you're looking for an easy read for the weekend, this is the book to pick up!

For Singaporeans: This book is available in the National Library.

Ham

The most exquisite peak in culinary art is conquered when you do right by a ham, for a ham, in the very nature of the process it has undergone since it last stalked on its feet, combines in its flavour the tang of smoky autumnal woods, the maternal softness of earthy field delivered of their crop children, the wineyness of a late sun, the intimate kiss of fertilising rain, and the bite of fire. You must slice it thin, too, almost as thin as this page you have in your hands. The making of a ham dinner, like the making of a gentleman, starts a long, long time before the event.

~ W.B. Courtney

A Little Less Wise

There are certain situations in your life where, no matter how garang a person you are, you just turn into a petrified mouse. Garang, by the way, is the Malay word to mean 'fierce' or 'powerful'. It can also mean 'impulsive', 'courageous' and 'foolhardy' (definition taken from TalkingCock.com).

Quiet and reserved a person I may be, I consider myself a pretty garang gal. But the one situation which reduces me to a pulp of trembling nerves is when I'm seated in a dentist chair. I've never liked going to the dentist. The sight of all that equipment scares me and I don't like seeing them being inserted into and being poked around my mouth. I hate the sound made by those instruments. I tense up every time I'm in that chair and I grip the armrest like I'm holding on to it for dear life. I guess it's an irrational fear but I just can't seem to get past it.

This morning I found myself in that dreaded chair again because I had to have my upper right wisdom tooth extracted. Initially I had thought I had to have the bottom right one extracted as well, but the dentist said I could leave that one for now as it isn't impacted like the top one was. Before this, I've never had a tooth taken out so I didn't really know what to expect.

Thankfully it didn't turn out as bad as I thought and the procedure didn't take that long either. It was, however, horrible hearing the crack of the tooth and feel the pressure of the instruments pressing on the tooth and gums. The procedure I had was considered a surgery as it involved the cutting of the gums. I asked the dentist what was the difference between surgery and extraction and she said surgery involved the cutting of the gums so as to get to the tooth that's not fully erupted. It would also usually involve the cracking of the tooth so that it's easier to take out. An extraction would apply to a tooth that's already fully erupted.

Anyway, I'm so relieved it's over even though the right side of my face is now swollen and my wound is still bleeding!

Birthday at Timbre

It was the Sassy Slumbering Girl's birthday on Friday night and we had a celebration that night at Timbre, the alfresco restaurant at the Substation along Armenian Street. The venue was chosen by the birthday girl for the life band performance that was to come on at 10.30pm.

The Sassy Slumbering Girl had gathered eight of her closest friends from uni to celebrate the day with her. It was also then that we realised we have known one another for ten years. How time flies! It was also interesting to note that everyone at the table had worked or is still working at SPH (Singapore Press Holdings).

Anyway, we ordered two pizzas and a pasta. The thin-crust pizzas weren't too bad (we had the Cajun chicken and the pepperoni) but they weren't exceptionally good either. It was just normal bar food where the main objective was to fill one's stomach. The sauce in the seafood pasta was also a tad too spicy for our liking.

One major gripe we had was the fact that diners were only allowed to have one small serving of water. Any subsequent cups of water would have to be bottled water. They also stop serving water after 10pm. The staff there also lacked initiative. We had a cake for the birthday girl, and when we requested for it to be brought out, they didn't take the initiative to provide us with small plates and forks. To provide good service, you must be able to pre-empt your customers' needs. They are obviously lacking in that.

The band that played was called The GoodFellas and they sang covers from bands like Maroon 5, Travis, Coldplay etc. The highlight of the evening, however, was when the Sassy Slumbering Girl went to perform on stage! Well, she was sabo-ed by us lah. But she very gamely went on stage and sang the song 'Love Me' by Colin Ray and impressed the band and everyone in the restaurant with her lovely vocals. My dear friend here is the best singer amongst all the people I know. When she sings, her alto voice is like flowing warm honey that's absolutely delectable to the ears. This talented woman also writes (both music and lyrics) her own songs!

The Sassy Slumbering Girl and I stayed on till the band finished their last set at 1.30am. The rest of them who were married or attached left earlier, and us two single and unattached ones enjoyed the rest of the moonlit night chatting to each other and listening to the music.

Happy Birthday dear friend and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself!

Dining Report

I've been eating out quite a bit, what with meeting up with various friends over – you guessed it – meals. Here's a summary of the places I've eaten at.

1) Waraku – Ate at the Marina Square branch and I wasn't impressed by the food. The slices of fish in my sashimi salad weren't very fresh and the fish just tasted flat. The mixed yakitori also tasted rather bland and didn't have the nice, smoky flavour of well-grilled yakitori. My verdict is that I'm never going back again.

Price: At least S$15 per person

2) Nogawa – Named after its owner, this small Japanese restaurant in Le Meridien Hotel is something I wouldn't have known of if not for my Japanese food-loving foodie friend The Skinny Epicurean. Eating there isn't cheap, but you can see why from the quality of the sashimi and the service. It'd be best to make a reservation before going. I had the chirashi (sashimi placed on a bed of rice) and took delight in seeing the chef preparing it with such care . But I took greater delight in the taste of it!

Price: At least $30 per person

3) Ramen Santouka – Had the charsiew ramen with soya broth. My friend went for the charsiew ramen with miso broth. I preferred the soya broth and though it was rich and flavourful, I felt it could have done with a tad less salt and oil. The soya and miso broth were much too oily, partly also because of the fat-laden charsiew. I also didn't like the noodles which I thought were too starchy. I prefer my ramen with a more springy and chewy texture.

Price: At least $18 per person

4) Ramen Miharu – This ramen place at Gallery Hotel is another popular joint for ramen lovers. I like the noodles here because I like its springy and chewy texture. There is bite in the noodles if you know what I mean. The broth though slightly less flavourful than Santouka's, is less oily. Overall, I prefer the ramen here.

Price: At least $18 per person

5) Bar & Billiard Room – I was treated to a dinner buffet at this restaurant in Raffles Hotel. For a meal that costs S$69+++ per person, this disappointed. But I guess that's what you get from buffets – quantity but not quality. It's an international buffet but with more emphasis on Western fare. The barbecued section had a long queue for the tiger prawns, beef and sausages. I gave up queueing. Instead I just went for the sashimi, lobsters and lobster pancakes. The salmon and tuna sashimi weren't good as the fish didn't taste very fresh. The raw oysters were rather small and I didn't think they tasted very good either. I would much rather go for an a la carte meal at another restaurant and get better food for the same amount of money. Definitely not recommended unless you're going for quantity and not quality. But really, there's only so much you can eat and it definitely wouldn't add up to the amount you would pay.

Price: S$69+++ per person for dinner

6) Canele – Finally got to try some of their cakes after hearing so many people rave about them. I must say the cakes didn't disappoint. I had the Mont Blanc, Citron Tart and one of the chocolate cakes with some praline in it. All delicious and I'm particularly partial to the Mont Blanc as it's really difficult to find a good one with such a rich chestnut flavour! And oh, the hot chocolate's yummy too!

Price: At least $8 per person

7) Shokudo – The outlet at the basement of Raffles City is like the Japanese version of the now defunct Marche. I had the Omu Rice (Japanese omelette rice) with grilled chicken. I didn't think this was that great. I thought the grilled chicken tasted very flat. For dessert, I had the crepe with green tea ice cream and chestnut. I made a special request for the latter. The menu had put down green tea ice cream with azuki (red bean), but as I preferred chestnuts I asked for it instead of azuki and was glad that the cook agreed to accommodate my request. Again, this didn't taste that fantastic. Maybe it just wasn't 'sinful' enough! I thought the crepe batter was a tad too sweet. I felt that the batter could have done with less sugar since its accompaniments (banana, chocolate, green tea ice cream, azuki, chestnuts) already had sugar in them.

Price: At least $10 per person

8) E-Sarn Thai Cuisine – This small Thai restaurant at 20 Sixth Avenue serves good Thai food at reasonable prices. I enjoyed the Tom Yam soup and Pad Thai.

Price: At least $10 per person

9) Cafe Iguana – Located at Riverside Point, this is one of the few places you can find Mexican food in Singapore. The weekend crowds are insane but I liked my Quesadilla and my friends enjoyed their burritos too.

Price: At least $25 per person

10) Shin Kushiya – Went to the Suntec city branch (the other's at Vivocity) and enjoyed the meal I had there. My friend and I had the yakitori where the meat was succulent and well marinated. The rest of the food was pretty good too (I can't quite remember exactly what we ate 'cos that was sometime in January!) but I only wished the portions were bigger and the prices lower!

Price: At least S$30 per person

25 degree Celsius

The moment I stepped into 25 degree Celsius, I couldn't not like it. The vast array of cookbooks in this cookbook shop cum cafe presents such a visual feast that somehow lures you in to sit down for a meal. OK, my visit there was planned but even if it hadn't, I would have sat straight down the moment I walked into it.

The dizzying array of cookbooks will have you 'sampling' Chinese, Thai, Japanese, French, Italian and other world cuisines. There are also specialty cookbooks on cakes, pastries, chocolate, etc. Vegetarian cookbooks are available as well.

My friend had the pork with potato wedges and salad which was pretty tasty but rather unimaginative. Truth be told, the dish also didn't blow me away with its appearance.

I went for the chicken casserole which tasted great when I dipped the bread into it. The chicken was tender and the stew was flavoursome.

It's not a big cafe and there aren't many tables, so it'd be best to make a dinner reservation prior to turning up.

As my friends and I didn't make a reservation, we had to contend with seating at the counter which was OK, but just lacking in a little leg room.

I went back for lunch another day and had the tuna mango sandwich which was nice but tiny in size. If I had to measure it, I would say it was only 2.5cm by 10cm in dimension. It also came with some salad and chips. For dessert that afternoon, I shared the grilled butter cake with my friend. The staff touted it as their specialty and I did like the fact that it was served warm with a slight crunchiness to the surface.

The cafe always has a special of the day where the dish originates from a recipe they're trying out from one of the cookbooks. So you can always look forward to something different on the menu.

Service is good and the staff were friendly. The food is alright, but not wonderful. To me, it's also rather expensive. Be prepared to spend $20 and above per person. But overall, I like the place for its casual feel and just the fact that I can browse all those cookbooks. It's like reading food porn. :p

25 degree Celsius
25 Keong Saik Road #01-01
Singapore 089132
Tel: 6327 8389
Closed on Sundays

Growing Pains

I remember when I was in Secondary 4 my form teacher asked us what our ambition was and one of my classmates said 'housewife'. I remember feeling incredulous when I heard it and thinking, 'Huh? You mean THAT'S an ambition??? Whatever happened to all that we were taught – that we were confident young women capable of doing and achieving whatever we wanted? We were definitely not placed on this planet to be mere housewives!'

I don't know if monoceros, fatgirl or vantan remembers this incident. We were all in the same class in Secondary 3 & 4. Monoceros was my desk partner (we sat in pairs) for two years and vantan was sitting just behind us. Overacuppa was in another class so she wouldn't have known about this. As you can see, we all go back a long way!

But that was my 16-year-old self. Now on the cusp of 30 and entering a new decade of my life which marks another crossroad, I now think that was such a brilliant plan. That classmate, by the way, is now a high-flying accountant who is happily married. Pretty far-off from her then plans.

It may not be the most ambitious of ambitions, but I don't think any credit should be taken from being a housewife since it's not easy running a household, especially when one doesn't have any help from a domestic helper.

My before-20 self was filled with the vision that I'd go to uni, have a good career, get married and have a family by my late 20s etc...you get the picture. Evidently, reality has turned out very different. Reality is, as I've come to realise over the years, also not so smooth sailing and rose-tinted. But OK, it's not like I really want to be a housewife. No, actually what I want is to be a taitai. Hahaha.

Lucky are the people who manage to figure out what they want in life early on in their lives. Many, including myself, take a longer time and are probably still searching. I wonder if the many 'settled' people I see have chosen their path because they actually wanted it or is it more of the fact that circumstances chose them and they just went along with whatever was 'safest' and most 'right'.

A friend of mine messaged me over msn the other night and said he was envious of my current lifestyle 'cos I was still up at 1plus in the morning and I wouldn't have to worry about turning up for work on time the next morning. He said it was the next best thing to being a taitai. My reply to that was that that's so not true!!! 'Cos unlike a taitai, I constantly have to worry about money.

Of course, I'm nowhere near what most would consider 'successful'. I don't earn a lot and many people younger than me are earning heaps more than I do. Often, I can't help but compare myself to my peers and invariably, one tends to measure one's self against the monetary and career success of others.

I guess the important thing to remind myself is that everyone's different and that we all have our own paths to tread. I've made decisions that, for better or for worse, have given me different experiences, led me to this juncture in my life and made me the person that I am. At this point in time, I'm still figuring out and exploring options with regards to the future.

Who says only adolescents suffer from growing pains?

SOS

Feminists and maybe some of my single friends will balk at me for saying this, but I'm really sick of singlehood.

I'm sick of turning up at parties and gatherings alone. I'm sick of being surrounded by couples. I'm sick of having to deal with things by myself. I'm sick of going on holidays alone. 'Cos you see, after awhile a nice place just becomes another nice place with no apparent significance when you have no one to share the moment with. I'm sick of being on my own.

Why is that it seems so easy for others to find that special someone yet for me, climbing Mt Everest seems to be an easier task – at least I know it's something I can train for and I can control.

Perhaps I'm really just unattractive to the opposite sex. Not pretty enough. Not thin enough. Not gentle enough. Or maybe I'm just too fussy. But you see, although I want to settle down, I don't want to settle. The former's about making a commitment whilst the latter a compromise.

I haven't been on a date in a million light years. I miss the whole process of preparing for a date – the fussing over what clothes, shoes and earrings to wear, the few butterflies in the stomach, and the anticipation of an evening ahead with a, hopefully interesting, man. I miss being treated like a woman. I miss being a woman.

Sick Of Singlehood – yes, that's me.

Geisha Sightings

My friends and I were lucky to spot four geishas when we went to Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. The poor geishas were waylaid by so many tourists as they were making their way up to the temple to pray. But they were really patient and accommodating, and obliged every person who wanted to pose for a photo with them. I think if they charged 100 yen for every posed photo, they could make a substantial amount just by doing that!

Go here to learn more about geishas.