[Food Review] Two Trees Bistro & Bar (TTBB)

Two Trees Bistro & Bar (TTBB) is a quaint establishment located along the intersection of Aliwal and Pahang Street. It serves home cooked local fare as well as western delights. We were very impressed by the warm hospitality that were showered upon us during our visit. This place felt exactly like home.

Warm and cozy interior with yellow walls and paintings.

Started off with canapes and Blueberry Twist. The Blueberry Twist is a unique creation which consists of gamon ham and blueberry giving it a sweet and salty flavour which totally induces the appetite for the main courses.

TTBB's creation of grilled zucchini, tomato and Japanese cucumber topped with grilled bacon and seafood salsa on egg in crackers.

[Recipe] Miso Sunkissed Tomatoes Pasta with Basil

Got inspired by reading one of the recipes online and modified this great tasting pasta! Sunkissed tomatoes, aka sundried tomatoes adds so much flavour to the pasta. The miso stock gives this dish an extra boost and further escalated the flavours!

If you love pasta and don't want something as sweet as tomato based pasta and looking for something more flavourful than simple aglio olio, this would be an AMAZING recipe for you!

RECIPE FOR Miso Sunkissed Tomatoes Pasta with Basil

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

- Spagetti, boiled with salted water and cooked till al dente

- 4 cloves garlic (coarsely chopped)

- Bacon (sliced into small pieces)

- Handful of basil leaves (shred leaves into bits and remove stems)

- 6-8 pieces of sunkissed tomatoes with olive oil

- Half bowl of chicken stock with 1 tbsp of red miso paste (stir together with a little bit of warm water)

- Salt and black pepper

- Grated mozzarella cheese

- Italian herbs

Method:

- Fry garlic, sunkissed tomatoes and bacon in pan. Add a little bit more olive oil if not enough.

-  Add the bowl of chicken stock + miso paste

- Toss in cooked pasta and stir everything, mix well.

- Add basil leaves and continue stirring till basil leaves are wilted.

- Season with salt and black pepper (I omitted salt because the dish was already very flavourful, added lots of pepper instead)

- Dish out. 

- Add some grated mozzarella cheese over dish and a few dashes of Italian herbs seasoning. (this seasoning smelled wonderful)

This is the sunkissed tomatoes i bought (from Cold Storage):

- Enjoy it :)

* The original recipe calls for some milk but I left this out, however, dish still tastes very good.

* You may add mushrooms and more ingredients if you wish.

[Hotel Review] Mini Hotel Central- Hong Kong November 2014

After a guided tour of Mini Hotel, Causeway Bay, I was also invited to visit Mini Hotel at Central! If you haven't already, do check out my full review on Mini Hotel at Causeway Bay

Mini Hotel, Central

Central is the heart and pulse of Hong Kong. Here, you can easily access all the great attractions within minutes of walking distance. LKF and Soho, the most sought after dining and clubbing spots in HK, are just 3 minute’s walking distance from the hotel. Walk a little further along Hollywood Road towards Sheung Wan, you will find yourself lost in time in a street where modern galleries and Chinese antique shops are standing side by side, hip western cafes and local Cantonese noodle shops are neighbors. If you are keen on doing a crazy shopping, go to IFC or take a ferry across the harbour to TST Harbour City. The IFC and Ferry Pier are just 10-15 minutes walking distance from Mini Central. Isn’t it great enough?

Mini Hotel Central offers 196 rooms ranging from 100-120 sq.feet. It is truly an ideal modernistic and stylish place to stay. Let the pictures below do the talking!

[Hotel Review] Mini Hotel Causeway Bay Hong Kong November 2014

In this post, I will be covering a review for Mini Hotel at Causeway Bay. Review for Mini Hotel, Central can also be found here: http://ilovedawn00.blogspot.sg/2014/12/hotel-review-mini-hotel-central-hong.html

 They will be opening another branch next year!

We were honored to be able to stay a few nights at Mini Hotel, a chic, contemporary, modern, boutique style hotel in Hong Kong which is suitable for budget travelers. Nowadays, with so many budget airlines offering cheap air tickets to many Asian countries, it's perfect when you can also find a budget hotel to match up with the cheap air tickets. Mini Hotel is one of the rare and cheapest boutique hotels you can now find in Hong Kong, it costs approximately SGD$150 per night only.

However, despite of it's reasonable prices, Mini Hotel offers a well equipped, comfortable, cozy stay in a stylish and trendy setting and they are located in prime districts in Hong Kong.

Mini Hotel, Causeway Bay is relatively close to key locations such as the Lee Garden (1 min. walk), Hysan Place where the biggest Apple store is located (3 min. walk), and both Time Square and Sogo Department Store is just 4 min. away from the hotel. PRIME LOCATION CHECK!

[Food Review] Cheeky Chicky

Cheeky Chicky is a newly opened establishment bringing you the 'soon to be famous' Beer Can Chicken! But despite its name, Cheeky Chicky actually serves more than just chicken, they serve a fusion of Asian dishes guarantee to fill your tummy.

 The whole atmosphere was laid back and cozy with cute doodles of chicken on the black board and comfortable cushions on the seats.

 And of course, no meal that includes chicken is complete without alcohol! We were recommended to try this very exquisite Momo-shu which is Peach Sake. Tastes sweet and very easy to drink. They have a variety of other alcoholic beverages and beer.

And Cheeky Chicky's signature dish is none other than Beer Can Chicken! 

[Recipe] Stir-fried Basil leaves with minced pork

Every time when I visit Thailand, I will always order this dish because it's simply yummy and it's found almost everywhere in Thailand.

I've seen the hawkers and food vendors whipping up this dish before my eyes and I thought it wasn't too difficult to cook this and so, I tried it for myself.

RECIPE FOR Stir-fried Basil leaves with minced pork

HONG KONG November 2014- Finding an accommodation via TRAVELMOB!

As some of us may know, ever since the opening of HK's Disneyland years back, the prices of hotels have increased progressively in HK.

For small and budget hotels, the average price is currently about $100 per night and that is getting a very very tiny room with just a bed and minimal walking space. You can probably just fit one luggage and squeeze your way around the room.

Hence, during my trip last month to HK, I visited TRAVELMOB and managed to find myself a nice room to stay for 4 nights during my HK trip.

The difference between TRAVELMOB and other hotel websites is that TRAVELMOB is a world leader in vacation rentals with over 1 million listings. They offer a large selection of properties for any travel occasions and any budgets.  And that is, you won't find hotel rooms here, instead, you will find rooms, apartments, houses, villas etc for your holiday vacations! The good thing is that some of these properties are even cheaper than hotels and it's easier to find something that suit your needs because they have so many properties in almost every location!

[Recipe] Chicken in Milk (Slow Cooker and Oven Recipe)

Got this wonderful recipe from Jamie Oliver and modified it abit cuz I don't have some of the ingredients the original recipe yields for. Tried both the oven and also slow cooker style. Both tastes just as great!!!

[Recipe] Stir Fried Chinese Cabbage and Herbal Chicken

Stir Fried Cabbage

A very simple but extremely yummy dish whipped up in less than 10 mins!

Learning Courses

Recently I'm so into cooking. I simply LOVE FOOD and cooking stuff which i love brings me a sense of satisfaction.

Of course, it's always trial and error, some food I cook so far are not bad, some very good and some not so good. However, when food is wrongly cooked, not only the food goes to waste but time, money and effort goes to waste as well.

It's not a bad idea to take up some cooking lessons and get some tips so that when you try it out yourself next time, the possibility of the dish turning out bad would be lower (hopefully).

This website which I came across: http://learningcourses.com.sg has the LARGEST COLLECTION of courses in Singapore!!!

[Food Review] Three Bistro

Centrally located at Marina Square, directly opposite Suntec City, Three Bistro may be the perfect place for you to have a lunch or dinner plus a nice glass of vino or beer.

[Food Review] Hansik Korean Family Restaurant

Hansik Korean Restaurant is a restaurant run by a family of Koreans serving home cooked Korean dishes and grilled BBQ meat which are not only pleasing to the palates but also nutritious! When i visited last month, they are still serving ala carte items off their menu but recently, they have changed their menu and introduced unlimited all-you-can-eat buffet.

And the good news is that the cost of the buffet is extremely pocket friendly!!! It's very much worth it to dine here because the quality of food you get is good which is very important to many of us including myself. I am not really a buffet person because I believe in quality rather than quantity. However, when i learnt that Hansik is now serving unlimited buffet, I am delighted!!! Imagine having your favourite Korean dishes over and over again without getting sick of it :)

LUNCH SALAD BAR at only $12++!!!

This includes a variety of authentic Korean dishes like seafood pancake, glass noodles, garden salad, Kimchi stew, seafood soup, potato salad, bean sprouts, Jja Jang Myeon, seasonal fruits, drinks etc.

(It's so cheap! Where to find this kind of deal in Singapore nowadays?! Maybe can find... but nice or not first?)

and next is an even better deal.. top up a few more dollars and you get...

LUNCH (11.30am-3pm) BBQ Buffet at $16++!!

where you get an unlimited variety of meat and sides! Meat includes beef bulgogi, beef short plate, LA galbi, pork belly, pork bulgogi, pork rib, pork collar, chicken bulgogi, spocy chicken bulgogi, bbq prawns, bbq squid, kimchi stew, pancake, jja jang myeon.

(What a steal!!This is definitely super value for money!)

[Recipe] Salted Egg Pasta

I tried something new today, got the inspiration while scrolling thru Instagram last night. The instructions were not very specific so I tweaked a little bit and added some of my own ingredients.

[Food Review] Hong Mao Mian Jia 红毛面家 Angmoh Noodle House

Hong Mao Mian Jia aka AngMoh Noodle House is located in Joo Chiat, one of my favourite places in Singapore because it has really good food and also because I grew up in that area. This noodle house, as the name implies specializes in Wanton Noodles and has a very rich cultural heritage which dates back to the 60s.

[Food Review] Lai Huat Sambal Fish Restaurant

Some of you might have already heard of this restaurant which opened years ago.

However, this relatively new restaurant is opened by the nephew of Lai Huat Seafood Restaurant located at Horne Road. This is opened by chef/owner Patrick Lim and is located at Siglap. After years of apprenticeship from his grandfather and a burning desire and passion to pass down his grandfather's signature dishes, this latest Lai Huat establishment was opened.

[Food Review] The Boiler SG

Owned by bankers-turned restaurateurs, “The Boiler” is a Southern American-inspired seafood joint that serves up fresh seafood in Louisiana style known as Seafood Boil. The restaurant, despite being located in an industrial area, was almost filled to the brim on a weekday evening and is surprisingly spacious and provides not only fresh communal style seafood but also a wide range of alcoholic beverages too.

 Started off with some delicious appetizers. Clearly remembered the Southern Chicks and Waffles where a piece of tender chicken is placed on top of waffles held together by a toothpick.

[Review] chin-fillers-botox-one-point-v-face 2

More than a month has passed after my first session at  Dr Tiffiny Yang Aesthetic & Surgery Clinic. In case you haven't read yet, I did One Point V Face treatment which consists of chin fillers and botox to achieve a slimmer, v-shaped look.

Full review on my first session here: http://ilovedawn00.blogspot.sg/2014/09/chin-fillers-botox-one-point-v-face.html

The chin fillers showed immediate effects and around 20-30% of it would subside after about a week. However, for botox to take effect, it takes approximately 1 month after injection. So here I am again updating the results of my treatment because botox have fully kicked in by now.

[Food Review] Jin Long Seafood Restaurant 金隆海鲜菜馆

Jin Long Seafood Restaurant 金隆海鲜菜馆 has been established for decades in the cozy neighbourhood of Bedok. They started from a very humble stall in a coffeeshop and expanded their business into a full-fledged restaurant to provide a clean and comfortable air conditioned environment for their growing customers. 

I was introduced to this place earlier this year due to an invitation to a friend's birthday celebration. Was pretty impressed with their dishes and brought my family here few months later again.

Jin Long is now located under a HDB block facing the main road. With it's vibrant signage, it' s hard to miss it when you are at this area. There is a huge car park right at the block.

We were here on a weekday evening and the restaurant was about 80% full so be sure to make reservations before coming.

Nefertiti Restaurant & Cafe

Nefertiti is an authentic Mediterranean restaurant serving a the finest authentic Egyptian and International cuisine which is established in the charming district of Arab Street. 

This restaurant is named after the Queen of Ancient Egypt and helmed by an Executive Chef, Amr Elgohary who's experience in culinary art for more than 10 years and has travelled the world to hone his skills.

Doggie Food Tasting Session for Oven Baked Tradition

A couple of weeks ago, Water, my pet dog, if you haven't already read about him, attended a FOOD  TASTING EVENT! He's such a lucky chap, I didn't get to eat anything except for finger food during that event and he gets all the good and sumptious food to eat. :p

This event is held at Paw Pet-Radise, a cafe created by pet lovers for dogs, in conjunction with Eagle Territorial Agency, a global company distrubuting nutritious pet food and accessories and Clubpets, Singapore's longest running pet magazine.

The entrance of Paw Pet-radise looks like this, simple and cosy but vibrant in colours.

[Food Review] Sankai Japanese Restaurant

Sankai Japanese Restaurant is centrally located directly opposite Bugis Junction along Liang Seah Street.

Here, you can find decent Japanese food at very cheap prices during dinner time where they have their SUPER HOT DEAL promotion with discount up to 70% OFF!! (All prices stated in this post below are the discounted prices during dinner as of October 2014, unless otherwise stated)

Their dining area is divided into 2 sections. Upon entering, you will see the sushi bar counter in front of you and this leads to another room with more dining seats available inside.

A small private dining area is located right inside the restaurant. Good for a cozy gathering with friends and family.

Ordered my favourite Salmon Belly ($1.80/pc), Salmon ($1.20/pc), Salmon Roe ($4.50) and Swordfish ($2/pc) sashimi. They were all fresh and the juicy salmon roe playfully bursts in the mouth!

The Grilled Scallop with Spicy Cod Roe ($7.80). Succulent scallop baked with creamy, gooey cheese served piping hot, this was my absolute favourite dish of the night and it is definitely value for money.

Mixed Skewers ($14.80) is good for sharing. Most of the meat was nicely marinated, other than this, it's pretty normal and nothing much to rave about.

Their beef hotpot set is valued below $20 and it brings a warm and fuzzy feeling to the stomach due to the hot, flavourful broth. Comes with an egg for dipping, a bowl of rice, soup and watermelon. We found the soup a tad too sweet for our liking, after consulting the lady boss on this, we found out that the sweetness of the soup is actually catered to their regular Japanese customers here who actually preferred it sweeter. So, here, you can actually get authentic Japanese hotpot meals!

Another of the best sellers here is the Salmon Crabmeat Aburi Roll ($9.80). This was pretty well executed and nicely seared.

They have a wide variety of traditional Japanese fare like tempura, chawanmushi, handrolls and sushi to choose from. Besides food, they also serve alcoholic drinks and they have beer promotion too!

And to end it all, we were served a scoop of sesame ice-cream with a spoonful of red bean paste at the side. and OMG, this was SUPER FANTASTIC!!!! I almost asked if they have a tub of this where i could buy and keep it at home. As i'm typing this, i'm thinking of how yummy this is, perhaps I should come back here again some time this week for this ice-cream! MUST-TRY!!!

Thank you to the very efficient lady boss, Candy for hosting the meal. Service was fast and prompt. If you're looking for Japanese food at a very reasonable value in a centralized location, don't forget Sankai Japanese Restaurant!

SANKAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

1. Address: 1 Liang Seah St, Singapore 189022

   Phone:6336 0384

   
   

   Hours:

    11:30 am – 11:00 pm

[Recipes] Soup using Cornell Slow Cooker!

***ALL SOUP HERE ARE COOKED FOR MINIMUM 5 HOURS USING MY CORNELL 1.5L SLOW COOKER.

WATERCRESS PORK RIBS SOUP 

Watercress is rich in fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron, and is a good source of iodine as well. 

This vegetable is packed full of nutrients and has tremendous health benefits. It has Anti-inflammatory properties, Anti-oxidant and anti-cancer effects, Aphrodisiac effect, promotes strong and healthy bones, treats cough, aids the digestive system, good for nails, hair, eyes, teeth and skin, great for hangover and has a purifying effect.

Hence, this has become one of my favourite soup to cook! There are some variations to this and here's my version today:

[Food Review] Islamic Restaurant

The Islamic Restaurant has a long history which dates way back to the 1920s. Opened for as long as 90 over years and spanning 4 generations, it still serves one of the BEST NASI BERYANIs in SINGAPORE which is also it's trademark here.

[Recipe] Clay pot Rice using Happy Call Pan (HCP)

Wanted to try this out for the longest time and finally tried it today when I had some leftover chicken and shitake mushrooms.

Results turned out good, very yummy and it's quite a fuss free dish. Surprised that HCP can execute this dish relatively well :)

I found this recipe online and made a few adjustments here and there and here's my version of the HCP Claypot Rice!

RECIPE FOR CLAYPOT RICE USING HCP
(serves 2)

[Recipe] 3Ps Chinese Soup

3Ps Chinese Soup

Tried this new combi which I have never tried before today. 3Ps stand for 'Papaya', 'Peanuts' and 'Pork Ribs'. These are basically the key ingredients in this soup. Used a 1.5L slow cooker for this.

Got this idea from an instagramer and very glad that it turned out very well. Full of sweetness from the papaya combined with the earthiness of the peanuts. Soup was brought to further heights with the addition of oysters and dried scallops.

Recipe for 3Ps Chinese Soup

Used Cornell 1.5L slow cooker for this, serves 2-3.

INGREDIENTS: 200g pork ribs

                         ~ 70g peanuts

       half of medium green papaya

Handful of dried scallops

4 dried oysters

METHOD: - Scald and blanch pork ribs

- Soak peanuts, dried oysters, scallops for about 30 mins

- Slice green papaya into pieces, remove seeds and white parts

- Transfer everything into slow cooker and slow cook for at least 4 hours on high. (The longer, the more tasty the soup)

[Food Review] Chicken Up

]

Chicken Up is a casual restaurant at Tanjong Pagar serving Korean Fried Chicken, soju and beer. We visited during dinner time on a weekday and was very surprised to find the restaurant bustling with people. The crowd was made up of people of all age groups and the queue was snaking. This made us all the more curious about what this restaurant had to offer.

[Give Away] Free tickets to JAPAN vs BRAZIL!

Get FREE tickets to the Blockbuster Match of 2014 here! Watch JAPAN vs BRAZIL Live in Singapore at National Stadium on 14th October, 6.45pm. 

4 tickets to be given away. 

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