Auction for Makeup

A friend will be leaving Singapore for a year and in the process of packing and clearing her place, she decided to give away her cosmetics (mostly new or used just a smidgen) to her friends who appreciate makeup.

Instead of bringing out her stash of goodies and letting her friends choose what they want, she decided to make it fun. An auction! But it is a semi blind auction as we were not told of how many items were there for bidding, nor were we given a glimpse of what were available. Instead we just had to bid based on how much we want the item that was being auctioned off then.

We were given replicas of monopoly money (yes, copyright issue but it was for a personal use and not to the public) to bid on the items. All of us started off with $360 and by the end of the auction, I was left with $150 or $160.

It was a fun and hilarious night, bidding then taking breaks for food and back to bidding. We started off slow as we tried to get the hang of it. We did not want to bid too high as we wanted to conserve our cash. Then we decided to just bid for the fun of it, even if we did not want to item, just so we could jack up the prices for those who really did want it. The highest price bid was $200 or so for a Too Faced palette (the two bidders bidding fiercely on it did not realize there were actually 2 Two Faced palette up for bid).

For myself, I was extremely pleased to get the Urban Decay eyeliners (Covet, Graffiti, Electric) which were my favorites. Stila eye/cheek palette, Nars blush, Paul & Joe eye shadow and face blotter and others.

It was a night to remember. I will miss my friend when she is away for the year. Thank you AN for bringing all of us together 6 years ago. I am sure we will have many more years of friendship to celebrate despite the distance.

Thank you also for the cosmetics and for creating memories throughout the years.

Baked Beans on Toast

I must admit. I am never a big fan of baked beans. I think the years of having floury tasting beans in gooey pale tomato sauce over rice when I was growing up quite put me off it. Maybe the brand matters? The local beans are bigger and are not the same as those in found Heinz baked beans which are made of navy beans.

In any case, I was talking to someone about it. He commented that the baked beans (in a pic I took) looked bigger than what he was accustomed to. So being a curious person, that set me off in a flurry of research. I never knew there was so much being written about baked beans :p

I found out the the typical baked beans served in UK is actually navy beans and Heinz blue label is the can to buy. The other Heinz baked beans contained molasses and other variations. The Heinz blue label is vegetarian and only contains tomato sauce.

So I set out to re-create a quintessential British basic breakfast or snack food. Baked beans on toast. It is really simple and took me less than 10 minutes to make.

After googling and finding out more ways to have baked beans, I decided to go with 2 variations. 1. Buttered toast with scrambled eggs and baked beans

2. Buttered toast with melted sliced cheese and baked beans

Ingredients

1 can Heinz blue label baked beans

sliced onions

2 eggs

milk

pepper

grey sea salt

2 slices low fat cheddar cheese (or any cheese you like)

2 slices of thick sliced bread

butter

Method:

1. Heat bread in non-stick pan till it is a bit crispy.

2. Sliced onions. Beat the eggs and add in milk.

3. Remove bread and spread butter on them. Place 2 slices of cheese on 1 slice of bread. Transfer the bread to a toaster oven to melt the cheese and to continue toasting the bread.

4. Melt butter in pan. Add onions till softened. Pour in eggs and scramble the eggs. When it is partially set, sprinkle with sea salt and scramble further. Remove from pan.

5. Pour can of baked beans into pan to heat up.

6. Remove bread from toaster oven and pour baked beans over the toasted bread.

7. Grind pepper over egg and serve.

The trick is to have a thickly buttered toast so that there is a rich underlying taste. I must confess. I still am not a big fan of baked beans. It was not awful and the beans definitely tasted much better than the versions found locally but they did not make me go "wow"!

The French Bakery @ East Coast Road

If you live in the East Coast area, you would probably have stumbled upon The French Bakery. It is a bit of a misnomer as it is not a boulangerie as you would have thought, with no scent of freshly baked bread wafting out from the ovens. Instead it sells cakes and simple pastries such as butter croissants, danishes and chicken pies. There is a tiny selection of bread for sale but they are not the highlight of the store.

It is not a cafe so dining in is not an option. There are a couple of tables and chairs for you to wait though.

148 East Coast Road is in between Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road, across from Glory and near Savory Fare.

The array of baked sweet goods at the display counter. Prices are reasonable.

The savory baked section with the pies and puffs and rolls and tarts.
Close up of the baked goods.
Cheese Twist - this is simply yummy. Instead of the usual cheddar, they use emmental which has a piquant taste which gives a bit of kick to the crispy and flaky pastry.

The humble butter croissant is excellent too. It is buttery, light, flaky and slightly sweet. It will be fantastic with a cup of cafe au lait or spread with jam. It has been a long time since I had such gorgeous croissant. I wish I live nearer to buy this for breakfast.

The chicken pie is quite average to me. It is reminiscent of the old-school style of chicken pie (but with better crust), so you are in for a treat if you have a hankering for such fare. It is generous with the filling so every bite will have a bit of chicken and veggies.

Lemon cheese tart sounds like a strange combination but it actually works. The slight tartness of the lemon and the savory cheese make it quite refreshing and not too rich. It goes down very well with a pot of tea.
The chocolate fudge cake is one of the bestsellers. I tried it cold and it was still moist. The chocolate sponge cake is light and covered with a thin coat of chocolate fudge. It is not too sweet and it will actually be great to have it warm and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Another store favorite is the creme brulee. Somehow I am not too impressed with it. It is too eggy for my liking, plus I like my creme brulee to have a thin layer of burnt sugar so that I can crack it with my spoon. To me, that is the fun of having a creme brulee. The hard top layer hiding the soft smooth creamy egg custard. This version is just an egg custard which is not too sweet. To each his own.

Petit fours. These sizes are created for tasting purposes and when they cater for functions. The usual size is much bigger. From top row, left to right:

1. Snow white berry - It is milky creamy with tangy berries in it.

2. Rum chestnut - this reminded me a little of mont blanc. It is sweet like yam and has a strong alcoholic taste. Perfect for those who like a bit of liquor in their dessert.

Middle row, left to right.

3. Raspberry mango - It is sweet and sour, also another store favorite.

4. Passionfruit delight - tangy sweet mousse over a light chocolate sponge base. I like this better.

Bottom row, left to right:

5. Cool lemon chocolate - dark chocolate mousse with lemon. I like it.

6. Icy royale - dark chocolate mousse with a bittersweet aftertaste.

7. Tiramisu - It has a strong coffee taste but the true taste is hard to discern. Maybe because the portion is too tiny to tell.

The usual size of the Icy Royale. This is my absolute favorite.

A French Bakery cannot be without its financier. Over here, there are two versions. Original and green tea flavor. I like both. The green tea version is not too sweet and both have a slight nuttiness in the teacake. I would like this over a madeleine or canele with a cup of tea.

Rum Bola. It is like rum ball, but it is so much more than the stale tasting rum balls sold at the traditional bakeries.

The rum bola is very rich, moist and nutty with rum permeating throughout the small delightful treat. Very nice!

Location

The French Bakery

148 East Coast Road

Tel: 6344 6826

Note: This is an invited review.

Gadgets to get

I guessed it is time to retire most of my electronic stuff as they are considered "old". With age, they are not working as well as they used to. And we all know that most companies actually make their products not to last more than 2 years. This encourage a high turnover so that people need to keep buying their goods and so they can go on making money and hiring people to continue working. Well this may or may not be true but this is a theory I am holding on to on how companies are making the economy goes round.

Gadgets I need to get:

1. Cell phone

--> Nokia phone which was bought in March 2008. Already falling apart with a back cover which will pop out anytime.

2. Digital camera

--> Can anyone say Canon Ixus 50? Bought in September 2005. Well over 5 years now. The pictures are no longer as sharp and often turn out blurry. Probably one of the reasons why I am not posting so much on this blog now.

3. Laptop

--> Samsung Q35 bought in March 2007. I do love this laptop as it has not given me any major problems despite its age. It is very stable. Unfortunately unless there is a way to increase the RAM and processor speed, I will soon need a new one which can handle more programs.

4. Ipod Touch

--> Well, this is a new "want". I just want something small and portable for entertainment value. The new ipod touch looks great and is slim and packs a whole load of functions, including face time.

Thoughts from 25-35 year olds by John S.

I found this over here and it is brilliant! John S. who wrote it seemed to read my thoughts most of the time. Love it!

Thoughts from 25-35 year olds

-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter.

-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with.

-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what was going on when I first saw it.

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and I instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

- Bad decisions make good stories

-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

Taking a break

My laptop is driving me nuts as it is "old" (3.5 years and counting) and thus slow. Obviously the specs are no longer up to speed to all the websites which have the latest flash or what nots. So it is frustrating to try surfing the net or even to do simple things like checking my emails or reading news sites.

I have to click many times before the page will move up or down or go to another site. Even my "de-stressing" time i.e. playing Farmville is no longer fun and relaxing for me due to the laptop. Add to that, we changed ISP to Singtel Mio or whatever and I keep seeing the "resolving host" almost every time I go to another website. Another reason to click and refresh so many times.

I cannot even have many programs running on the laptop now. The page will hang for a while if someone messaged me on MSN. So I have also taken to not logging in at times or just ignoring (or not replying instantly because I could not even if I want not ~ the "not responding" message will appear too) my friends who messaged me. Sorry :(

Until I get a new laptop, it will be some time before I update my blog or really have a presence online. Facebook does not count since I only go in there just to continue my farming activity and that is really what I do. I hardly ever have the time to see what is happening with my friends.

The good news is, I have finally shortlisted and decided on the new laptop to get. Now I just need to find the time to go get it. Hopefully it will be very soon. Pretty excited about getting the new laptop though I will definitely miss my current Samsung Q35.

Big Easy @ Resort World Sentosa

I love Southern Cajun food and it was always a treat when I traveled down south in USA as I could have all the gumbo and corn bread I want there. Looking back, I kind of regretted not making the side trip to New Orleans (before Katrina struck) when I had the opportunity. Somehow you always think you have all the time in the world and that it will always be there for you. So I was pretty excited and keen to try the food at Big Easy when I passed by it the other day.

We were there early so it was pretty quiet. Service was average. When you do not need them, they would always come over but when you need them, they are not to be seen. Murphy's Law, I guess.

SC ordered the shrimp and sausage jambalaya which came with a piece of cornbread. The portion was huge and was best shared. It was very nicely done. The prawns were fresh and sweet and the pork sausage was very tasty.

I ordered the creole gumbo which was not totally what I expected. Even though the server warned me that it came with rice (I knew there was rice in there), I didn't expect it to be more stew-like and dry-type and poured over the rice. I expected something a bit more watery. I guessed there are many versions of gumbo after all. It was still good with the scallops and prawns and sliced okras. Under the soup section, this could easily pass off as a main dish.

As I was expecting a more soupy gumbo, I also ordered sides of mashed potatoes. This was not too bad, but not brillant.

The corn bread was quite alright too. It was still better than Kenny Rogers' version which was sweeter.

I would not mind going back to Big Easy again to try the other dishes as they do have so many other things to try.

Kitoko Kalani Face Sheet Masks

I am just so lazy to mask my face (as I find it a hassle to do it at home when I am always in glasses) that it is quite a marvel I actually bought these face sheet masks from Kitoko Kalani at one of the numerous beauty shops in Toa Payoh when I was in the area. I guessed I was partially sold on the products by the sales assistant. She was good enough not to use the usual tactic. Instead she was not pushy and when she saw me paused and took a look at the rows of sheet masks again, she just casually recommended the "Coenzyme 10" to me, saying that my skin is already pretty good, just a bit dehydrated around the mouth area, so that would be better for me.

I decided to try them as I was thinking they would be nice gifts to get for my girlfriends (who are more into skincare products and face sheet masks than I am) if they are good. The nice SA just selected the masks for me to try.

~ Coenzyme 10 (rejuvenating)

~ Collagen (firming)

~ Lingzhi (regenerate and radiant)

~ Sake Yeast (renewal and replenish)

~ Pearl (smoothing and radiant)

There were about 10 or more types of masks available but what I have are meant for hydration and better for sensitive skin.

I decided to try the Coenzyme 10 when I got home. The sheet mask was soaked with the serum and felt thick and gooey though it was not watery enough to drip all over my face. Ok, you could probably tell I hardly use sheet mask that it seemed like a big production for me. The fit of the mask was good, all the cut outs were where they were supposed to be.

After 15mins or so, I massaged in the liquid on my face and used the remainder on my neck area as recommended by the SA. It felt a bit sticky. After another 5-10 mins, the liquid was absorbed into the skin and had dried.

Wow! I was pretty much amazed by it after that. My skin was extremely smooth, similar to the skin texture after cleansing. The only difference was the smoothness remained. The fine lines around the mouth area were visibly reduced.

So I am pretty happy with the mask at the moment. I was told to mask 2x a week. Let's see if I will be that diligent :p

Kitoko Kalani is from Japan though the sheet masks were made in Taiwan. I do like the packaging. The brown paper attracted me more than the usual plastic packaging of the typical sheet masks.

Prima Taste Laksa Fried Rice

I went to the Esplanade Theatre over the weekend to watch Fried Rice Paradise. To my surprise, we were given a pack of Prima Taste Laksa Fried Rice on our way out of the theatre. That was a very nice touch and great marketing tie-up for Prima Taste. What could be more local than Prima Taste? In addition, you could also get a 20% discount when you order the pastes online.

This was the Laksa Fried Rice. It did have a mild laksa taste which was not overpowering. It was pretty nice. I added chopped up prawns, veggies, bean sprouts and eggs to the rice and sprinkled with chopped green onions.

Roast Pig on Spitfire

I was invited to a party where the highlight was a pig roasted whole on a spitfire. It was quite a sight to see the small or medium size hog being trussed up and being rotated manually over the hot coals.

The pig had been roasted for about 4-5 hours when this was taken. It took about 6 hours before it was done. Inside the pig, they stuffed 3 whole chickens inside. There were apples and onions and garlics in there too.

Not a big fan of pork, I only tried a bite or so. I did not really like it as it was too "porky" for my taste. Plus it was dark and I did not know what I ate. Some bits were very fatty tasting, probably I got the fatty bits :p

The chicken was tender and normal. What I liked best was the garlic bread which was toasted over the coals and spread with home-made garlic butter. Utterly sinfully delicious. The potato salad was mixed with hardboiled eggs and gerkins which gave a refreshing crunch.

Awesome house party with simple fare and great company and music and alcohol.

Rose Veranda @ Shangri-La Hotel, Peranakan Fare

I have been wanting to take a day off so that I can head to Rose Veranda at Shangri-La to just chill. It is one of my favorite places for an afternoon tea as it is a bit far out and the place is not too stark or noisy (though at times it can be when there are lots of children or big groups).

We got a table by the window with view of the greenery surrounding the hotel. The burgundy velvet deep armchair was quite perfect to relax in with a book and some nibbles.

Rose Veranda has changed its menu and now serves tea by TWG. The downside of it is that we don't get to keep changing the type of drinks (hot tea, iced tea, different types of coffee) unless we pay an additional $10++ for that option. The additional cost is not that much of an issue (though $48++ for tea?) but just that it is different from expectation. Usually I like to start with a glass of iced tea (usually some berry flavored), then a pot of hot tea before ending with the Viennese coffee which I love so much.

I decided on the Emperor's White Garden Tea which was under the White Tea selection. I typically prefer white tea as it is milder and not as acidic as black tea which has a sharp taste to it. The Emperor's White Garden Tea was a bit bitter but still mild enough to enjoy it without any sugar or milk. I am not sure if it is the teacup, but the tea gets cold very quickly so it is best to drink it fast if you do not like cold tea.

There was a Peranakan promotion on the day we were there, so the food was geared towards that. It was still good. I liked the char siew bun a lot. The bun was slightly sweet and soft and the char siew was tender and covered with just enough sauce. The siew mai and shrimp dumpling were equally good. Maybe I was lucky to get them when they were still fresh and had not been sitting in the steamer for ages.

The salmon sashimi was fresh and I could just eat this the whole day. The sushi was not as good as the seaweed wrap was a bit hard and dry by then.

There was the duck soup with kiam chye (salted vegetables) and straw mushrooms which was delightfully tasty. I did not really care for the straw mushrooms which tasted like they were out of a can. I guessed I am used to fresh mushrooms that I really dislike canned mushrooms.

The fried mee tai mak (short or mouse tail noodles) was a bit too oily for my liking and the prawns seemed overcooked. The assam fish was average and the prawns were not too bad. What I really liked was the beef dish. It was slightly sweet and reminded me so much of Indonesia. I could not remember the name but it was a bit dry with coconut shavings? Not beef rendang but something else. It was not a common dish that was usually found in Peranakan restaurants.

At the carving station, there were roast duck which was really good with the plum sauce. I also tried the otak which was not too bad. I do liked the quiche with its flaky crust and eggy filling.

I still loved the chocolate truffle cake and creme brulee. The creme brulee was rich but I liked it that way. The Parisian Beard was interesting with a light peanut filling.

The macaroon which was sticky chewy sweet. I guessed it could be airier and lighter but it was not too bad.

All too soon it was time to go. If you are in a hurry, ask for the bill with at least 30 minutes to spare as they do take a long time to get back to you.

Brunch at Canele, Shaw Centre

Isn't that a lovely sight for sore eyes? Somehow when I want to have brunch, there simply needs to have an egg dish, even better when it is poached or sunny side up so that I can taste the burst of runny gooey egg yolk oozing in my mouth.

I decided to order the crepe with Paris ham, emmental cheese and egg. This was the first time I tried the crepe at Canele and it did not disappoint. The crepe was lightly browned and the leafy veggies made a perfect foil against the savory egg, ham and cheese. Really nice!

I also ordered the corn and crab chowder which came with a basket of toast and butter. The creamy soup was tasty and filled with lots of crab meat and corn.

It was the perfect way to start the day. It was still so quiet at 11am that we were the only patrons sitting at the outdoor area. A treat to enjoy the peace and quiet before the streets come alive again.

EwF @ Orchard Central

I have read about EwF (Everything with Fries) in the papers and passed by it a few times, and only got to try the food today. I was amazed by the burger. It sure exceeded my expectation.

I chose the meal ~ super burger + curry fries + diet coke. Then I added a nutella slice. I liked that they offered chili sauce, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise as condiments. It was pretty cute to have the food served on a small tray, almost like a bento box. The curry fries were cooked after I ordered and was hot but it cooled down really fast. I did not particularly like the curry fries (curry powder). Maybe I should just ordered the salt and vinegar version which was the other popular choice.

The container for the burger which looked like a take-out box. I guessed this is quite in line with Awfully Chocolate's container for their ice cream. EwF is opened by the people who own Awfully Chocolate.

Voila! The sweet bun with a glossy buttery shine. It was also only cooked after I placed my order. I was not sure if that was the norm or it was because I went there around 1.20pm and it was not very crowded.

A simple burger with cheese, sweet onions, ketchup and mustard over the 130 grams of beef patty.
I so loved the burger. The bun was soft and fluffy. The beef patty was warm and juicy. You could see the thickness of the patty and how the beef was not overly packed together and hard like the usual patty from the various fast food.

My dessert ~ nutella slice. It was warmed up in the microwave so that chocolate would melt into a gooey mess.

As with Awfully Chocolate, the nutella slice was not overly sweet at all. In fact I wondered if there was any sugar. The crust was nice and crunchy. The body of the slice tasted like a non-sweet pudding or flourless cake and topped with chocolate sauce which had a hint of bittersweet to it. In fact, I could hardly taste the nutella hazelnut.

I would love to go back again and try the milkshake and have the burger again. This is so much better than the sliders served at so many other places.

Jumbo Chili Crab @ Dempsey

It seemed like everyone loved a good seafood meal. It was full house at Jumbo Dempsey over the weekend. We were seated at the terrace which was still in the building but without the air conditioner. Instead ceiling fans rotated lazily, cooling the place. Blinds were also pulled down to block out the setting sun when we were there at 6pm.

The star of the meal was the chili crab with the deep fried and steamed mantous (buns). To feel healthier, we also ordered vegetables and tofu and juices (coconut for me, watermelon for F).

I loved this specialty at Jumbo. Tofu topped with spinach and mushrooms with a side of broccoli.

The spinach was closely packed on top of the lightly fried tofu with some spinach stuffed in the centre. The tofu was silky soft and smooth and could just slid down the throat. The mushrooms were nicely cooked with a slight crunch and bite to them.

The sambal kang kong was good though I felt it was a bit too spicy. It would be better if there was rice to neutralize the spice.
The highlight of the evening ~ chili crab. The gravy was spicy and sweet with a thick consistency which did not turn watery towards the end. I felt it was such a waste of gravy as there was too much for just 2 persons to mop up the gravy with the buns.

We ordered the medium sized crab which was around 1kg-1.2kg which was enough for 2 persons. The crabmeat was sweet and firm. It was quite a mess eating this and I had to request for extra wet tissues and napkins just to clean my hands. The finger bowl didn't quite cut it.

The service was good. The server was helpful in making recommendations and attentive in changing plates and making sure everything was in order.

Lovely meal and location. Our timing was pretty good as the sky turned pink from the setting sun when we left at 7+pm. The weather was also cool, so we actually walked out from Dempsey since we were too stuffed and needed to walk a bit. Being 7ish pm meant that there were plenty of taxis as they ferried people in for their dinner.