Hainanese Chicken Rice

This is one of my all time favourite dishes. I went to Hainan to try this dish at the source and they did not have this Singaporean version so this is truly unique. It makes a good summer dish. The sliced chicken (usually boneless) is served cool over a bed of sliced cucumbers with soy sauce and sesame oil poured over.

Whilst the rice is served hot and is an event in itself. Cooked in spring onions and either chicken or pork stock, the rice takes on a fragrant, full-bodied flavour and can be eaten on its own. Traditionally, my parents like some thick black sweet sauce on the rice to enhance the flavour. Personally, I like to go without as a little sweet sauce goes a long way. Served with a garlic chili for dipping, the recipe for which is sometimes a closely guarded secret by the stall owner. If you are lucky, the stall might have minced ginger (my favourite) in addition to the chili for dipping.

Everyone in Singapore has their own favourite Chicken Rice stall they patronise regularly. The most famous is TianTian in Maxwell market. I like Wee Nam Kee & Boon Tong Kee, my friends like Five Star and my dad likes Leoung Yeow at Waterloo street. It boils down to personal preference. Some like it not so oily, more cooked etc. But, it's all good.

Club 21 Sale ... again

Sprained ankle aside, I made a trip to the Club 21 Sale. Still reeling from the last Club 21 sale 6 months ago, I was determined to exercise restraint this time around and was successful. My bill had 1 digit less than the last one. Picture above shows a dove grey leather necklace by Natalia Brilli. I bought the matching bag in the last sale.

Scored a bag from Isabela Capeto, the new up & coming label. Handmade in Brazil, This felt and brass bag reeks of the new age yoga vibe. I was lucky too. The sales assistants said there were fewer small label or high-end IT bags. I spied 3 Dolce & Gabbana patent totes that were snapped up the moment they were displayed. Loads of CK and DKNY though.

New fuchsia Dolce & Gabbana flats for me (yay!). I just realized I always get at least 1 item from D&G at these sales.

And 1 more pair of shoes for the road. I always cave in to toy shoes. By Dress Camp a Japanese label.

I also picked up this leather CK organizer. Hhmm...not sure what I am going to use it for.

You know there is more than just clothes and accessories at the Club 21 Sale. There is also stuff for the home and tech gadgets (because Christina Ong also owns Apple Ishop, Shambala Yoga and a Club 21 home section). Had to get my hands on Shambala's house brand "Shelter" shampoo and conditioners.

Singapore National Museum

The newly refurbished grand dame is now a mixture of colonial architecture and modern design. Quite a different vibe offered by mixing the new and old in 1 space.

Museums are always trying to reach out to families like the Zoo. It's always interesting to see the new ways they execute it in.

It's interactive art that even adults can join in on.

Love Tank (The Temple) by S Teddy Darmawan. what's with camouflage and art. Didn't Murakami come up with a camouflage print for LV last year as well?

End the visit at Novus cafe, next to the Museum Gift Shop. With piping hot Italian thin crust pizzas and gourmet sandwiches. For dinner, there is Novus the restaurant with its foam and cheese desserts.

Yang's wedding

A traditional Chinese wedding with a twist. Instead of the hotel ballroom, we had it in the Hotel restaurant Hai Tien Lo. The circular 37th floor location with breath-taking views that the staff utilized to maximum effect by drawing the blinds only after all the guests had seated. So we could take in the sumptuous skyline.

The Chinese wedding dinner has a certain order. There is the Cold dish or the appetizer platter followed by Soup, usually Shark's fin. Then a meat, a vegetable, a seafood dish, a fish, carbohydrates then dessert. Out of sentimentality or ostentation's, there may be 1 or 2 more dishes added to this fixed menu. My sister's wedding had an additional roast suckling pig served before the cold dish, imagine 50 piglets culled for just 1 wedding.

True to the restaurant's reputation, the Cantonese cuisine had touches of western influences that added to it's finesse. The first course of Beijing duck with pan fried Foie Gras was a crowd pleaser even with the old folks. Followed by Shark's fin soup, an essential wedding dish known for being rich in collagen. Hai Tien Lo's version isn't so much soup as chunks of shark's fin in a reduction.

Oh, did I mention free flow of alcohol (spirits, wine and hard liquors), Chinese tea and soft drinks are a must as well. Chinese are known to be hard drinkers. Picture above shows a deep fried lobster coated with butter, milk and lemon.

Then there is the fish. It is an understatement that your entire dinner will be judged by this one dish. It will be remembered by all your guests for years to come. It has to be fresh, firm and perfectly cooked (not over, not under) in a clear & light sauce so the fish isn't overpowered. I remember for my Brother's wedding, the chef served the fish separate from the sauce. Pouring in the hot liquid on the fish only at the table. Thereby ensuring the fish was perfectly cooked and pleasantly warm. They did this for all 78 tables.

The evening ended on a cool note with Coconut ice-cream in a pool of avocado cream.

Sprained my ankle

Fell down while hurrying to work this morning and sprained my ankle. Somehow I managed to trudge to work. But, by the time I got home my ankle had swelled to a puffy lump. And it's the day before the Club21 Sale starts!! oooohhhh.....=(

Floral Arrangement

PS Cafe

Just when you cannot stomach another sandwich, you walk by PS Cafe with its made from scratch pesto, freshly baked gourmet breads and sweet juicy chicken. I think you can guess my favourite item on the menu...chicken sandwich, followed closely by the Blood Caesar Salad with half a fresh lemon and egg confit.

During the age when boutique cafes were all the rage (remember DKNY Cafe or even fashion cafe?), Project Shop (same people with Blood Brothers) started their own cafe as well. The food was so good that I stopped bothering with the clothes and started coming here only for the food.

Fresh from renovations, they have new furniture and an updated menu. Some things haven't changed though, like the table arrangements and the daily specials. I really like the PS Burger Club as well as the popcorn appetizers.