Kelsey's ~ Canada

Doesn't this picture of a cheddar bacon sirloin burger just grab your attention? So thick and juicy that you can practically feel its juice running down your chin when you bite into it. Crispy bacon with melted cheese and fresh tomato slices with toasted bun and fries. It looks so appetizing.

I have only been to Kelsey's once. Long time ago on a dark cold night when I was in London, Canada. Yes, there is a London town/city in Canada which is more known for its students population (University of Western Ontario is there). Despite only one meal there, I have always remembered it as the pasta I had was just so good! Unfortunately there was no Kelsey's in Vancouver then (but there is one restaurant now in Richmond area) where I spent more years than in Toronto side.

After googling for White Spot, I decided to find out what has been happening with Kelsey's and this is the result. The new menu for Kelsey's with its beautifully taken pictures and really good food. I would think it is still good if I can still remember that chicken alfredo pasta dish I had so many moons ago.

Kelsey's is just a homely place for good basic food like burgers, steaks, pasta, soup, salad, etc. Typical of so many restaurants over in Canada. It is a regular place for families, friends, students. Not a high brow type of place at all.

The Lobster and Crab linguine with a light butter sauce with garlic, chili peppers, fresh lemon,
green onions and parsley.

Unfortunately I cannot find the chicken alfredo pasta from the menu but they do have the shrimp version with sautéed mushrooms, grilled red peppers, spinach and spices in their signature Alfredo sauce. Based on the pasta I had, the sauce was really very creamy and rich and so so good when you are in the mood for such richness. It was a very big portion and I had lots leftover. So it is wise to share or doggy bag it. It is common to doggy bag food in Canada since the portions are really very big.

See the thick slices of the grilled chicken breast. That was the kind of meat I had on my chicken alfredo, none of those skinny slivers of chicken meat which are served in the restaurants in Singapore. It is also common for pasta to be served with a piece of toasted garlic bread, again it is a huge piece. Basically everything is big in Canada/America :p

Even the salad looks so yummy with the grilled chicken, double smoked bacon, guacamole,
bruschetta tomatoes, Feta cheese and croutons in ranch dressing. Somehow this reminded me of Cobb Salad.

This is totally new. I hardly see spinach dip in restaurants, and this is four cheese. Wow! I love spinach dip, it goes so well with plain ritz crackers. Over at Kelsey's, it is served with toasted garlic naan.

And the French onion soup. It looks so good in the picture. It is onions slow roasted in white wine and smothered in a rich beef broth. Topped with Gruyere cheese and baked to a golden brown. I would love to try this.

The meat - flame grilled sirloin steak which looks so juicy and meaty. I am not really a steak person but this could entice me to order.

Another restaurant to check out if you are in Canada, especially in Toronto area. Kelsey's started from Mississaugua, Ontario, so there are many more outlets in Ontario side than in the West Coast.

White Spot ~ Canada

I was reading about White Spot and it reminded me of the meals I used to have when I was a student. There was a White Spot joint right on campus and it has served many. The famous burger with its Triple-O sauce and the huge pickle on the side.

I love its veggie burger, Jack Monterey burger and the original. The fries were always crispy and hot. And the milkshake...ooohhh...it is still the best milkshake I ever had. The strawberry milkshake has real bits of strawberries in it and can be a meal on its own. It is that thick and creamy and filling.

Reading more about White Spot, it seemed that it is trying to go upscale with its restaurants and is more than just a burger joint now. It has the usual salads, appetizers (I love the zoo sticks - fried zucchinis) pastas, sandwiches, grills, desserts.

Its current promotion is Celebrate BC (BC Day or Civic Day was in early August) and the above pic showed the burger with the pickle, caesar salad and blueberry pie combo. Looks so yummy. Why are there not more burger joints in Singapore? Places that serve really good and affordable burgers, some homestyle cooking.

If you are ever in Vancouver, do find a White Spot and try the strawberry milkshake. Apparently there are some White Spots in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Seoul. They are called Triple-O's and are like a fast food chain.

The Cookie Corner

I received a "care" package the other day. All the way from Hawaii. It was totally unexpected and brought a smile to my face.

The Pre-Fall Catalog from Bottega Veneta and cookies! The Cookie Corner is a cookie shop which is only found in Hawaii. The cookies are baked fresh daily and they only deliver within Hawaii and mainland USA. Bummer :(

Macadamia nuts shortbread cookies - plain and partially dipped in milk chocolate. These are oh so good. Fresh and so buttery rich. It crumbles and melts in your mouth when you bite it. The burst of macademia nut flavor just makes want to continue eating it. The crunch of the nuts makes it hard to stop at just one.

I love this. I should ask my friend who is in Hawaii to send a box over.

Chocolate Research Facility - Lychee Martini

I got this as a birthday gift earlier this year and I did not open it till last month. It has expired and there was a whitish spot at the side of the chocolate bar inside the wrapper.

I called up the shop and was advised to dump it. Awww....what a waste and a pity. Lychee martini flavored chocolate. I guess I will need to go to the shop and buy it and try it.

This is my bad habit. I love to buy snacks and things but I can just leave them alone when I get home and they will go bad. So I really need to try to eat the stuff immediately instead of letting them languish inside the paper bags.

Current items to be eaten
- Milano cookies
- Chocolate Fudge pop tarts
- Wild Spice pringles chips
- Ginger thins cookies
- Ghirardelli chocolates
- Almond chocolate bar

Friven & Co.

Can you believe this is in Singapore? The architecture is so out of place in the concrete jungle or blocks of buildings we know as Singapore.

I love how Friven & Co. differentiates itself from the other buildings and sticks out in a good way. I am not sure if this is the headquarters but the items over there are discounted. I do so adore the home accessories available there.

I took this picture over at the Bukit Merah area. I should go check out the other outlet at the post office across from Tanglin Mall next time.

Flu / Sick

It happened so fast. Just a slight cough on Wednesday and it quickly escalated into flu the next day. Slight body aches and chills when I slept on Wednesday night.

Rested during the day on Thursday and I was still not well, despite the extra sleep and popping pills (paracetomol and something for sore throat) and taking honey water and gargling with salt water.

Off I went to see the doctor in the late afternoon where she told me I had a low grade fever. She gave me so much medicines - paracetomol, cough syrup, lozenges and something for the sore throat. I took those and went for my events. Dior new collection cocktail party launch and then meeting a friend for dinner and drinks.

I was feeling quite ok, just tired as the night progressed. Got home close to midnight, showered and in bed soon after. I was still feeling quite ok, no tender rawness of the throat. I could swallow, no cough, nothing.

But about an hour later, my body started to ache. So I popped more paracetomol. That was a bad mistake. Nausea soon surfaced and I managed to get to the bathroom just in time, to throw up into the basin and then the toilet bowl. Basically I was retching out my dinner (cod fish fillet, which a friend told me is oily food and not good for when I have the flu). Washed up, cleaned up, went back to bed and decided to take the cough syrup.

Again, it was a bad choice. Another round of puking. This time I could feel I was just throwing up the medicine and gastric juice. Then I took the lozenges to sooth the throat. It took about 1 hour for the lozenge to disappear and by then it was around 530am. No puke but I coughed out the phelgm.

The shivers and chills and body aches did not help at all. I could not find a comfortable position to sleep. Despite burrowing myself under the duvet, I was still shivering and I did not feel the air conditioner was cold either. By then, I was just too tired and hungry and ached too much to go find food.

Managed to doze off till 830am and forced myself to go downstairs and get a piece of bread so that I can take the paracetomol again. Had a couple of bites, all the medicine and went to sleep. It was much better, the aches were better controlled and I could finally sleep.

Woke up 10am and then to sleep again. Basically I spent Friday, dozing on and off. I would sleep for 1 hour plus before waking and then going back to sleep and the cycle repeated itself. Hope I will get back to normal self by tomorrow.

Going back to sleep now.

Sushi Tei @ Holland Village

There was a Fusion Fiesta promotion at Sushi Tei in Holland Village a couple of weeks ago. We ordered the shrimp and cheese wrap with cod roe mayo sauce drizzled over it. It was pretty good though a tad salty for my tastebuds.

I also ordered a california roll which was surprisingly good. I hardly order california roll in Singapore but somehow I was in the mood for some avocado and this hit the spot. A thin layer of rice, fresh seaweed and crunchy cucumbers made the difference.

Sun Moulin - French Cheese Bun

This is one of my favorite breakfast items. French Cheese bun it is called. It is such a simple but oh so delicious meal.

Round crusty bun with cubes of cheese in the center and brushed with butter or olive oil before baking. It is basically bread with cheese but the combination is just so filling and wholesome. It is quite big, so it can really fill you up.

French cheese bun with a cup of coffee or tea, and you are set for the day. So far I like the version from Sun Moulin at Isetan Scotts basement. The French cheese bun from Provence in Holland Village is also not too bad.

Marcelli Family Series - Susan Mallory

I recently discovered books by Susan Mallory after I started on The Bakery Sisters trilogy series. Sweet Talk, Sweet Spot and Sweet Trouble. It was a fun read. Fast paced with witty dialogues made the ride over so soon.

So I started searching for more of her books and managed to read these too:

Standalone books

Falling for Gracie

Accidentally Yours

Sweet Success

Married for a Month

Buchanan Saga Series

Tempting

Sizzling

Irresistible

Delicious

Finally, the Marcelli Family Series. There are 5 in the series. I read The Marcelli Princess (book 5) first as that was one which I saw most often in the bookstore. I love it after reading that and so started my search for the rest of the series.

It was a tough search as the series was old, and thus not in stock for most of the bookstores. I tried the various books rental/sellers stores and finally hit jackpot. 2 from 2 different stores.

The Sparkling One

The Sassy One

The Seductive One

The Marcelli Bride

Good news is that they will be re-issued in 2010 with new covers so you can soon find them in the bookstores.

So I have finally finished the Marcelli Family. It is like a soap opera on daytime telly. I am amazed by her plots and keeping track of everyone throughout the five books.

It centered on an Italian-Irish family, with 2 grannies, a cantankerous grandfather, the patriach of the family. A family winery. Feud with neighbouring winery. Twins. 4 sisters, a long lost brother who was given up for adoption. The navy SEAL. President's daughter. Prince of another country. Hot shot lawyer. Family sewn wedding gown. Food. Rosaries. CEO of security company. Psychology. Divorced with daughter. Deception. Forgiveness. Stubbornness. Humor. Whirlwind.

The elements which made the romance novels industry a success. Now I am wondering if I should just keep the books and then get The Marcelli Princess again just to complete the series for keeping.

It was basically a book a day. I just wanted to devour them all to find out what happened.

The Buchanan series was equally gripping. There is a new series now - Lone Star Sisters (Titan family) - that I have yet to start. Probably because I have not seen any of the books in the bookstores. Probably all sold out by now.

Modern Peking Duck, ION Orchard

The Modern Peking Duck was featured in the papers a couple of weeks ago and I was intrigued with ready-made peking duck which you can get on the go. Before the article, someone already told me about it and that it was very popular and always had a long line. Besides peking duck, it also sells roast pork.

For $6, you get 5 pieces of the peking duck. It looked a bit sad? 5 pieces in such a big box which made it seemed like something was missing.

Opening up the crepe wrapper, you would see a dab of hoisin sauce and a generous piece of duck meat. It was quite a disappointment as I was expecting the crispy duck skin with a sprig of spring onion and a sliver of cucumber.

On the plus side, the duck meat was not too gamey and it was quite soft and tender.

Dunkin' Donuts, ION Orchard

After a pretty long hiatus, Dunkin' Donuts came back to Singapore again. Pretty exciting, to have it here again. Being Dunkin' Donuts, do not expect Krispy Kreme style donuts with its soft fluffy sweet glazed donuts. Dunkin' Donuts' donuts are the traditional heavier version with more bite to them and not as sweet.

I ordered a set. Donut and coffee, so classic. The donut (can't remember the name) was quite normal. Dense with dark chocolate coating and chocolate balls decorating half its surface.

I must confess I still prefer Donut Factory donuts as I prefer my donuts to be light as air. However, I do hope Dunkin' Donuts will survive its 2nd appearance in Singapore. We do need more variety. At $1.40 each, it is certainly more pricey than the others.

ION Orchard

ION Orchard, the newest kid in shopping mall heaven in Singapore, opened just 2 weeks ago. Already it is packed daily, making the other malls pretty empty. Already Takashimaya has been having promotion every weekend to try to get the shoppers and browsers back.

I like that there are some art sculptures out front. At least it is not totally just buildings and shops. In fact, there is an art gallery up on Level 4. There are 8 levels in ION Orchard, making it having a bit of everything for everyone.

With Levels 1 to 4 featuring luxury and high-end goods, it will appeal to the fashionistas and tourists with money to burn. Basements 1 to 4 (yes, 4 levels underground) will be where you get food from the various food stalls, restaurants and food court, plus regular stores to cater to the teenagers and budget conscious shoppers.

Basically the lower it is, the "cheaper" the stores are. $100 is not cheap, but when compared to over $10,000 for an item on Level 1 or 2, then yeah, it is. All is relative :p

One of the entrances leading into ION Orchard. Sandwiched between Louis Vuitton and Prada, you sure get lots of eye candy from the window display. So far, I have always entered ION Orchard via B2 where the Orchard MRT is. I love the underpass on B2 which links to Wheelock Place. It is so convenient, especially since they have removed the pedestrian crossing on Orchard leading to Wheelock. You have to cross over at Paterson Road now.

As it was the soft opening, not all the stores are opened yet. Plus I don't think it has achieved an 100% occupancy rate. So you see some hoardings still around ION Orchard. I do quite like the series the ad agency has come up with. "A xxx takes minutes, A xxx takes time" with different images can be seen all over the place.

The ceiling of ION Orchard. I am quite surprised that I do like ION Orchard. I did not really expect that. It is spacious with plenty of resting areas, especially on the upper levels. The basement levels are always packed as it attract more traffic, particularly on B2 and B4 where the food and MRT are.

Prada has yet to open. It will be interesting to see what is in store. Louis Vuitton occupies 2 levels. It seemed to be a trend for designer stores to have 2 levels now. Even in Paragon and Takashimaya, stores are renovating to occupy 2 levels.

Burberry and Harry Winston. The taxi stand is on Level 2, right in front of Burberry, and the drop off point is where Harry Winston is. Landmarks to remember.

Dior is also coming soon. I heard there will be Dior Homme too, which will probably be welcomed by the men. I am also waiting for Yves Saint Laurent to open. Finally another option besides the store in Paragon. Church's (men shoes) is also opening soon, plus Car Shoe. Miu Miu has already opened and I like the place. Looks so much better and more welcoming than the one at Paragon. So Prada group has all its brands under one roof (Church's, Car Shoe, Miu Miu and Prada) in ION Orchard.

Besides labels, there are also many food places. I am looking forward to TWG opening too. Already I spied this cafe Gusttimo Di Roma which looked so inviting on Level 1. Casual, bright airy place to have a cup of coffee and reading a good book.

Another exciting store I am waiting for is Herve Leger. Currently his clothes are available at Pois.

4 levels above ground. You could see almost all the stores in one glance which is very welcome. I am so tired of all the other malls where there are so many nooks and crannies. With so many levels, there are escalators which will take you directly to B4 from B2, or Level 4 from Level 2.

Level 1 and 2 are where the premium luxury watches, jewelry and designer stores are. Level 3 is where you get local watch stores like Cortina and Hour Glass and local designers like Alldressedup and Kwanpen and the lower end of designer stores i.e. Furla, Longchamp.

enVie de Pois is also on level 3. Lovely display with its gowns and chandelier and runway shows on the backdrop.

See the different escalators leading up to the various levels. It is quite a massive place though you will more or less know where things are if you spend an entire day walking the mall. I did that and it did not feel so huge there after :p The only mall I have not finished walking all over is the West Edmonton Mall in Canada (the biggest mall in the world in the 1990s, not sure about now, but still the biggest in Canada). For that, you really do need about 3 days just to explore.

I am used to big malls. After living right next to Metrotown (largest mall in British Columbia, and 2nd largest in Canada) for a few years, I have to be. It was my playground and had everything I needed. Another reason why I rarely went to Chinatown or even Richmond for Asian food or stuff.

A whiskey store on Level 4. I like its tagline. "See - Sample - Savour"

My favorite supermarket for now. ThreeSixty Marketplace on Level 4. It has all the stuff which you hardly get at other places. It is probably the most expensive of all the Marketplace too. I am so excited that it has Ghirardelli chocolates with more choices than the one at Raffles City Jasons. If that is not enough, there is also Hediard (also available at Paragon Jasons), Dean & Deluca, Waitrose (available at VivoCity and elsewhere), and so many others which I don't remember now. There is the dessert section with yummy looking cakes and brownies. Some cakes are so huge that it reminded me of the 7-layer cake.

It also stocks many selection of ready-made food for cooking. Freshly made burger patties, roasts ready to go into the oven, plus the various frozen food too. It has a small section for fresh seafood too. Very nice.

Cinnamon French Toast with Red Berry Sauce - Curtis Stone

I vaguely heard or read of Curtis Stone before but since I hardly cooked, I don't really pay attention to what is happening in the food world. I happened to catch Oprah last night where it was showing celebrity chefs who went to viewers' homes and taught them how to buy fresh food and cook their meals instead of always buying frozen stuff or junk or take-out. Curtis Stone was one of the celebrity chefs on the show and he (all of them) made it look so easy.

I found his website and voila, there are some recipes which he shared and this Cinnamon French Toast with Red Berry Sauce looks simple and fresh and delicious.

Serves 4

Ingredients
Red Berry Sauce
1 6-ounce/170g package fresh blueberries

1 6-ounce/170g package fresh raspberries

1 4.4-ounce/125g package fresh blackberries

3/4 cup/180ml sugar

French Toast
6 large eggs

4 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche bread, halved diagonally

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup crème fraîche

Assorted fresh berries

Method

1. To prepare the red berry sauce: Combine all the berries and sugar in a blender and puree until smooth.

2. Strain the berry puree through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds, and into a small saucepan.

3. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Remove from the heat and keep warm while preparing the French toast.

5. To prepare the French toast: Using a fork, beat the eggs in a 13x9 baking dish to blend. Place the slices of brioche in the eggs and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the eggs are absorbed, turning the brioche slices once.

6. Melt the butter on a heavy large griddle pan over medium heat.

7. Add the brioche slices to the hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside and heated through.

8. Meanwhile, stir the sugar and cinnamon on a large plate; set aside. Immediately place the hot French toast in the cinnamon-sugar and turn to coat completely.

9. Divide the French toast among 4 serving plates.

10. Top with a dollop of crème fraîche. Spoon the berry puree over the French toast.

11. Scatter the fresh berries over and serve immediately.

A 11-step method to making a fabulous and healthy breakfast.

Pictures and recipe from Curtis Stone website. Check it out for more great ideas. The pizza with pesto and tomatoes and mozzarella looks good too, and the espresso creme brulee, and chocolate souffles and crabcakes. I should go check out his cookbook too.

Another Chill Out Place in Sentosa

I love this heart-shaped lounger at the Sakae Teppanyaki further down Siloso Beach. There are only 3 of such loungers which face the sea. Imagine just lying there, staring out into the horizon. Even better if it does face the west and you can see the sun set. Just don't get practical and think of how dirty the cushion can be with so many people lying there in their bikini or sand-encrusted feet or bodies.

When night falls, you also get to see the fireballs and pyrotecnics from the Song of the Sea show. Since there are two shows a night, you can catch them twice.

The fountain sprays from the old musical fountain (now the Song of the Sea). So lovely.

Basically I guess you can catch these anywhere from Siloso Beach. There are just so many changes in Sentosa that you can spend many days exploring.

Coastes @ Sentosa

It was perfect weather to head to the beach for some sand and breeze and sun and fun. We headed to Sentosa with sunnies, hat, book and mags. No beach towel though. We ended up at Siloso Beach after checking out Palawan Beach. Another reason for Siloso Beach was Coastes. 3 signature drinks "Coastes Breeze" or was it Freeze? It was very refreshing and good for a hot summer day. Fries to whet the appetite.

Full portion of the grilled chicken wings (6 pieces) which was so good with the lime and chili sauce. Fantastic. Succulent bbq meat was always so taste-bud enticing.

Another signature drink "Coastes Freeze or Breeze". This was the non-alcoholic version with lots of citrusy fruits, making it so sour. Icy cold was good, the tartness was a bit too much for my liking.

We sat "indoors" on the wooden benches and table. The sea view from the table. It would be lovely to get the wooden deck loungers though. Nice food and wonderful view = gorgeous!

My 2nd drink - Hawaiian Iced Tea. Instead of Long Island Iced Tea where coke was included, the Hawaiian Iced Tea had all the alkie and mixed with pineapple juice. It was potent. At least you knew they did not stint on the alcohol. Very nice.

This cracked us up. The weather forecasting stone.

Click to enlarge the pic. It was too funny for words. I do like that you could get water from the water cooler. They provided plastic cups and napkins on the service trolley next to the cooler, so you could help yourself. There were 2 sinks to wash off the grease or sand from your hands too.

The rustic, beach sea feel of the place. Shells hanging from the wooden beams above.

We could not resist and finally ordered a pizza. Margherita - tomatoes and cheese. Simple and plain but oh so yummy. Freshly baked and on super thin crust. It was like eating crackers. No wonder we saw so many people polishing off a pizza on their own. It would be so easy to do that though you could probably get a bit tired of it about half or 3/4 through it.

Hmmm...maybe I should just go there one weekday and just chill on my own.

Mini Pot Noodles, Food Republic at Wisma Atria

I used to order this at the old food court at HarbourFront Centre a few years ago. It was basically one the dishes where I could just have a few spoonfuls of noodles and finish the rest of the ingredients and soup. That was when I was on my no/low starch diet.

Being in Food Republic for lunch meant I finally got the chance to order the fried dumplings. They were always sold out when I got to the stall around 8+ pm. Considered pricey at $2 or $2.50 for just 4 pieces.

I like the "mouse tail" noodles (or short rice noodles) as I am always partial to rice noodles. Vermicelli (bee hoon), flat noodles (kway teow) and this. It is very nice with the sauces, especially when doused with vinegar. It just gives a kick and taste to the noodles.

The soup was flavorful and generous with the veggies and meat and balls. I just adore the meatball. Maybe I should request for more of that and not the minced meat or meat at all.