Moments from Melbourne, but worlds away from its hustle and bustle, Daylesford is a quiet and quaint town in Shire of Hepburn. This is the place to unwind, pamper yourself, indulge your senses, or simply enjoy an enticing menu of natural attractions.

Surrounded by pristine bushland and freshwater springs, Daylesford is a tranquil place to enjoy a farm stay and farm tour or just relax by the lake and soak in the atmosphere in the Australian outback. During my recent trip to Melbourne, I had the privilege to visit Jonai Farm at Daylesford.

Stuart, Tammi and their three kids have been raising rare breed Large Black pigs on their 69 acres of volcanic paddocks since 2011, and started selling ethical pork in last year. They respect what Salatin calls ‘the pigness of the pig’. Their animals are free to roam around as they would in the wild and feed on crushed grain mix.

We wandered about checking out the heritage-breed large black pigs, lowline cattle, chooks, a huge rooster called Marlon Brando, hens called Gertrude. I loved the rambling seasonal garden and the refrigerated container where the charcuterie magic happens. They do the butchering themselves and are able to confidently share with you how is their bacon cured. We ate bacon and sausages from the farm and they tasted delicious.

With agritourism growing more popular worldwide, it’s time to put farms and farmers at the centre of your next holiday, and sneaking a period of back to nature into your daily life. My day trip to Jonai Farm has been an eye opener. It allows me to escape the rat race for some special moments of farm life. On our way back, we even met a couple who is going to spend 3 months working in their farm. This is the real Australia I wanted to experience.

I had a great time meeting Stuart and Tammi who live and work there. And I learnt so much more about bacon and sausage, and not just any other ingredients you can find in the supermarket. And being in Australia’s rural regions means you are up close to nature with wide range of activities and experiences. Not only is it a wonderful escape from our daily lives, I believe it also helps the farmers to run viable businesses.

Jonai farm is a gorgeous, peaceful, hospitable, relaxing place to visit. So if you are looking for a unique place to hit the hay on your next gateway, consider visiting a farm, ranch or winery. You can feed the pigs, pick your own apples or even just spend time to daydream.

Jonai Farms
129 Morgantis Rd
Eganstown VIC 3461
8km west of Daylesford just 1km off the Midland Hwy

Celebrating Australian food with Tourism Australia. To find out more, check out the best of Australian road trips.

Being the second largest traded commodity in the world (after oil), coffee means a lot to many people. While Melbourne is highly regarded as one of the best espresso style coffee town, the next step in the ever evolving industry is specialty coffee.

With the opening of Filter about a month ago, a new cafe on Collins Street that is not pure espresso but rather specialises in pour overs and all things filter, it seems like coffee lovers are always in search of a better cup of coffee and more convenience in producing it.

Esepcially for filtered coffee, it is definitely making a comeback in trendy cafes. I recommend that you try it with single origin coffee (and of course no milk) as every mouthful will give you an insight to the flavours. Here’s 5 cafes in Melbourne that does specialty coffee.

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Pardon
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The fellows behind Cup of Truth at Degraves Street have emerged from the underground to set up a new cafe in the backstreets of Prahran. Their filtered coffee is a perfect morning caffeine boost and they also serve excellent coffee with a selection of sandwiches and Matt Forbes’ pastries.

Filtered coffee is a different approach to coffee. If it is done well, it provides the most clarity of flavour, and achieves a refined and well-rounded drink. The ground beans are placed into a paper filter and slowly pouring hot water onto it to allow the water to seep through the coffee, absorbing its oils and passing through the bottom of the filter.

Address: Shop 4, 155 Greville Street (entry via Izett Street), Prahran
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 7:30am – 4pm
Website: www.pardoncoffee.com.au

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Dead Man Espresso
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Coffee is the main event, with high quality blends by North Melbourne’s Seven Seeds. They pour-over and filter too. Food-wise the focus is on quality, they have a herb and veggie garden on the roof.

Address: 35 Market St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205
Tel: +61 (03) 9686 2255
Opening hours: Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm; Sat to Sun 8am – 4pm
Website: www.deadmanespresso.com.au

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Chez Dre
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Chez Dre started doing batch brew in May with The Maling Room’s 3 Africans filter blend, beautifully aromatic with notes of berries and citrusy fruits. It is a perfect combination with their selection of cakes and macarons.

Address: Rear of 285-287 Coventry St, South Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9690 2688
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Website: www.chezdre.com.au

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St Ali South
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Hidden down a laneway in South Melbourne, the warehouse styled café is named after Ali ibn Uma al-Shadili, a 14th century mystic who apparently gave birth to coffee passion. Aside from espresso-based cuppas, you can also expect brewing methods like pour over, syphon and cold drip (cold processed coffee which takes 5 hours for one litre).

Address: 12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne
Tel: +61 (03) 9686 2990
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 7am – 6pm
Website: www.stali.com.au

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Top Paddock
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Top Paddock uses Five Senses coffee, as well as using green beans and an in-house roaster to create signature blends to match the food. The long bar features a white 4 group Synesso Hydra and a pour over brew station.

Address: 658 Church St, Richmond 3121
Tel: +61 (03) 9429 4332
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Website: www.toppaddockcafe.com

Celebrating Australian food with Tourism Australia. To find out more, check out the best of Australian road trips.

After months of planning, I am happy to announce that I am leading a 5 Days TAIWAN Tam Chiak Foodie Tour with Hong Thai Travel Singapore on 23 October 2014.

Follow me as I bring you around Taipei and Taichung to look for the trendiest restaurants/cafes/eateries in town. Not only that, we will also visit the flower fields in Xinshe Township and you will also learn to make your own bubble tea, thunder rice and pineapple cakes! Gosh, I am so excited myself. Below are some of the places/restaurants we will be visiting. You can also view the full itinerary here.

Miyahara used to be an ophthalmology clinic. A portion of the building was being destroyed by earthquake and typhoon until a pastry business name Dawn Cake bought the building and transformed it into a place full of wonders and history selling traditional desserts like pineapples cake, suncakes etc. and they sell more than 50 flavours of ice cream making it uniquely attractive.

It’s cooling weather in Taiwan in October. Hence, we will be having Man Tang Hong Spicy Hotpot. While they don’t offer the wide selection of ingredients that most hotpot outlets in Taiwan do, they do promise top-quality ingredients. Meat is served fresh and cut only after you have placed your order.

They are also well known for their spicy chili broth, which is cooked for 8 hours to ensure a fiery spicy flavour. If you have a weak stomach, have no fear! The restaurant offers a Yuan Yang Guo, meaning half a portion of normal broth and half a portion of spicy broth will be given.

We will also visit Hawji Dan Zai Noodles which is well-known for selling 2000 bowls of Dan Zai noodles everyday, and the famous Formosa Chang for their Taiwanese-style soy stewed meats served on rice.

We will also walk along the street where you can have your dinner at Deja Vu Restaurant – a joint venture by Jay Chou & Liu Qian. This “Magic” themed restaurant features some of their European personal collections. Accompanied by Magic Performance and music, this is a should-go spot in Huashan. (own expense)

Hsimenting is a heaven for teenagers and youngster! It has become one of my favourite hangout in Taipei as well. I simply love the vibe there. Besides having so much fun and entertainment, the famous “Ah Zhong Noodle”, goose duck, Bubble Milk Tea and etc. can be found there too.

Night market is the soul of Taiwan. This foodie trip includes visiting two night markets – Rao He Night Market in Taipei and Feng Jia Night Market in Taichung.

To be honest, Rao He Night Market is my favourite night market out of so many others. Every trip to Taiwan, I will definitely make a trip back. It is a long alley with rows of eateries and shops. You can hop around to different stands tasting typical Taiwanesesnacks like oyster omelettes, herbal soups, stinky tofu, roasted corn, bubble teas, as well as some unusual treats.

When we are in Taichung, we will also visit FengJia Night Market – the largest night market in Taiwan. It is a great place for a variety of novel, interesting snacks and trendiest clothes at reasonable prices. Try the delicious snacks like “cheese potato”, “honey lemon aloe vera”, “paper cake” and more!

Traveling is not solely about tourist attraction, understanding the culture plays a big part too. In Taichung a place where traditional tea transformed into the popular ice drink by introducing the black pearl made from Tapioca starch. Bubble tea shops occupy nearly every corner in Taiwan’s street, now try and choose a flavour of your choice and shake it till you drink it.

In addition, you will enjoy hands on experience making the Hakka’s specialty tea “Lei Cha”, mixed wuth tea leaves, peanuts, mint leaves, sesame seeds, beans and herbs, which are grounded into a powder and served as a drinks.

Dessert lovers will be happy to know we will also learn to make pineapple cakes from dough and bake it with the delicious ingredient.

Of course, the tour is not all about eating. We will also be doing some sight seeing where we will visit places like Xinshe Flower Oasis. IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL with endless panorama of colourful picturesque scene (I want to take my wedding photos there). Waltz through the meadow with a sea of flowers like lavender, sunflower, spider flower and many more. Feel the breeze gently blowing through your hair as you tilt your face towards the rays of sunshine.

We will also visit the Summit Resort – a beautiful green town with picturesque scenery, like waterfall, garden, plum tree forest. The main lead is definitely their glamorous castle. Many people came here for the scenic spot.

Banana New Paradise links culture, art, food and drink. You could see colonial style in daily life at that time. Through dream maker’s collections, you can see a lot of Taiwan’s traditional culture relics and feel those old memories again. Enjoy your meal, relax and try to touch the truth of history, the kindness of human nature, the beauty of life.

Shopping is also included in the itinerary as we visit Wu Fen Pu (Lady’s Shopping Alley). A wholesale garment district that houses over 1,000 little shops selling trendy clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. A definite “shop till you drop” place many shoppers won’t want to miss!

We will visit Pingxi Old Street where you can find all kind of special authentic local restaurants here, you can also enjoy the beauty of architectures or simply walk around and feel the train passing through the bridge above you.

Come to Pingxi, must fly Sky Lantern. Also known as Kong Ming lanterns, the flying of Sky lanterns has become a symbol of prayers to the gods for their blessings. The activity is becoming very popular among tourists and the Pingxi Lantern Festival was even voted by Discovery as the Second most Grand Festive Carnival. This traditional custom was also filmed in the current Taiwanese movie debut .

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I hope I have enticed you enough. I will only be doing ONE tour this year and it is happening on 23 – 27 October 2014. This is pretty good timing because there is a public holiday before the trip and you get a longer break. PLUS the weather in Taiwan in October is cooling so it will be lovely to walk around. You can view the full itinerary here.

What’s the good news? We will be flying to Taiwan by SQ! And we will be staying in Chaiin Hotel Tzung Tung Fu. It is a 10-minute walk from Taipei Main Station, and situated within a 5-minute walk of shopping options at Ximending. In Taichung, we will be staying in Hotel Elizabeth with tastefully designed guestrooms.

Tour fee starts from $999 per pax. You can also get more pricing details here or call 6533 1788. See you in Taiwan!

Hawker food is an unique aspect of Singapore. Whenever my overseas friends come for a visit, I will definitely bring them to a hawker centre to have a good meal. But if you ask me, what is Singapore’s national dish, that is really a difficult question. To answer that, I did a Facebook post asking my readers what do they consider as a national dish. There is no right or wrong answer. But it is interesting to understand other’s perspective of Singapore’s National Dish. So here’s what I gather from the response.

1. Chicken rice

Chicken Rice is the most unique iconic Singaporean dish. It is a dish of Chinese origin most commonly associated with Hainanese and Singaporean cuisine, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Thailand and Malaysia.
The chicken is usually boiled and the stock is used for rice preparation, producing an oily and flavorful rice. The succulent steamed white chicken is then cut into bite-size pieces and served with the fragrant rice.

Where to eat?
1. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice: #01-10 Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street
2. Yet Con: 25 Purvis Street
3. Boneless Chicken Rice: Katong Shopping Centre #B1-85/87

2. Bak Chor Mee

Bak chor mee is actually a dialect for minced pork noodles. A good rendition of this popular Teochew dish will have fluffy minced pork, succulent stewed mushrooms, springy noodles in a dark vinegary sauce. As I savour my bowl of Bak Chor Mee, I like to pair it with a can of Coca-Cola to cool my tastebuds.

Where to eat?
1. Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle: Blk 51 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh #01-62
2. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle: Block 466 Crawford Lane #01-12
3. Yan Kee Noodle House: BK Eating House, 21 South Bridge Road

3. Hokkien Mee

Only available in Singapore, this plate of rice noodles and vermicelli is cooked in a fragrant stock, together with prawns, egg and sometimes lard. Add calamansi lime and sambal to give it the kick!

Where to eat?
1. Tian Tian Lai: Blk 127 Toa Payoh Lor 1 #02-27
2. Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Noodles: Chomp Chomp Food Centre Stall 27

4. Chilli Crab

Another national signature, chili crab is one of the most requested dishes for anyone who comes to Singapore. It is listed at number 45 on World’s 50 most delicious foods complied by CNN Go in 2011.
Despite its name, chili crab is not a very spicy dish. The crabs are cooked with thick tomato and chilli based gravy and usually eaten with fried ‘man-tou” (fried buns). But there are more ways to do the crab now. If you aren’t a fan of chilli, you can choose to cook the crabs with black pepper, salted egg yolk, steamed with wine etc.

Where to eat?
1. Roland Restaurant: Block 89 Marine Parade Central #06-750
2. Mellben Seafood: Blk 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 #01-1222

5. Laksa

Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from the Peranakan culture, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Malaysia and Singapore. It consists of thick rice vermicelli in a rich, spicy coconut gravy. Katong Laksa is a variant of lakes from the Katong area of Singapore. The soup is thick and made from ground dried shrimp. Stir in the dollop of sambal and fragrant laksa leaves and enjoy!

Where to eat?
1. Katong Laksa: 1 Telok Kurau Road
2. Sungei Road Laksa: Blk 27, Jalan Berseh #01-100 Jin Shui Kopitiam

Thirsty for more? Follow @cokesg on twitter.
*This post is brought to you by Coca-Cola®.*

Tetsu is one of the newest Japanese Yakiniku restaurant in Central Embassy, Bangkok. Paying homage to Japanese taste, the restaurant focuses on good quality beefs from Japan. During my recent trip to Bangkok, I had the chance to try a few nice restaurants. One of which is definitely Tetsu.

To kick start, we ordered a sweet tangy roll (520THB) with unagi and avocado wrapped with ripen mango and then topped with a piece of foie gras before drizzled with teriyaki sauce. Good to share with two to three persons. For a stronger flavour, try the Double Trouble Sashimi (390THB / pc) which comes with rich uni, shiso on a plate of wagyu and a splash of shoyu and wasabi.

The menu’s highlight is, unsurprisingly, high quality Japanese Omi beef. Top of our list is the Premium Japanese Wagyu Platter (2700THB) with Striploin, Jo Rousu and Rousu, which was nicely-marbled and truly delicious.

Omi beef is one of the three most famous type of Japanese wagyu (Omi, Kobe, Matsuzaka). It is served to the Japanese Emperor as the inital official Japanese Wagyu. Up to this day, Omi beef is the official beef of the Japanese Imperial Household. The cows only feed on good quality organic grains and raised in a rich natural environment with abundant water and scruplous care. This is why Omi beef is so different from other Wagyu.

The beef is grilled over charcoal to give a sweet smoky flavour. After grilling it, it has a glistering exterior and melts in the mouth. With a soft smooth velvety texture (especially Ronsu), the meat is juicy and rich in flavour. Note that there are different cuts of beef which mean different sizes, textures and thicknesses, so cooking time should be adjusted accordingly.

Drizzled with some homemade sauce, it is gloriously tender and enough to make me finish a bowl of rice. Unfortunately, because the beef is sooooo good, I forgot to take a photo of how the beef looks like after grilling it.

Yeah I know, besides stuffing myself silly with street food, I also want to explore the restaurant dishes. Tetsu is one of the best restaurants we visited for this Bangkok trip.

TETSU
Address: Central Embassy 1031 Ploenchit road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Thailand
Tel: +66 2 160 5722

Located in the heart of Bangkok, Central Embassy is the new kingdom of superb luxry shopping lifestyle mall. Even though many of the brands here are more for financial elite, there’s still something affordable that suits us, that is the food court / supermarket EATHAI at the lower ground floor. Occupying 5,000sq.m., EATHAI is really huge and we were spoilt for choices!

KRUA 4 PAK
This place is like a Thai food kingdom. Yes, there is not Japanese, Korean, Western or Chinese food within EATHAI. Just simple and delicious Thai food. They have assembled signature dishes from all 4 regional cuisine – central, southern, northern, easan food.

My favourite is Som Tam (papaya salad) and Kai Yang (charcoal grilled chicken). Spiciness is the holiness in Esan cooking so be prepared to drink a lil more water when you eat these dishes. We also enjoyed Goong Phan Oi 9pounded prawn on sugar cane) which has a slight Vietnamese influence. Not forgetting the milk Kao Soi noodle which I had in Chiang Mai before. Prices range from 120 to 500 baht.

Chom Tom – Punded Prawns on Sugar Cane

Fried rice with shrimp paste relish, puffed catfish, glazed pork and fried vegetable

Stir-fried melinjo with eggs and dried shrimps

Chocoal grilled chicken with papaya salad

Kaow Soi Kai, Northern Thai style noodle in curry soup with chicken

STREET FOOD
Moving on to the street food corner, even though you pay a higher amount of money to eat street food, but good thing is, we are eating it in an air-conditioned food court. And you won’t get the possibility of having stomach upset. Prices at this section range from 50 to 120 baht. My favourite is the grilled pork. You definitely must try it! These succulent skewers are real juicy and tender! They even have the kurobuta version!

Grilled Pork

Fish Cake

Mussels, fried egg and rice flour

Sweet traditional Thai crisp crepe

Rice cake in traditional Thai style

Of course, the supermarket corner is where I went into crazy shopping mode because they offer so much Thai snacks and cooking sauces! I bought a whole box full of snacks!Not forgetting the Issaya Cooking Studio, a baking school under the concept of creative and private party service.

EATHAI
Address: Central Embassy 1031 Ploenchit road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel. +662 119 7777
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Directions: 5 min walk from Phloen Chit BTS station (or Chit Lom station, both with covered walkways)

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* Thank you Central Embassy for the invitation to Bangkok.*

Two years ago, I went to Bangkok and wrote a blogpost on “10 Must Try Food Places in Bangkok“. YC, my Singaporean friend who has moved to Thailand more than 20 years ago, offered to bring me around and introduced some really good Thai food that are hot favourites among locals. Thank you for all your interest, that blog post has garnered more than 1 million views so far and it’s time to present to you the 10 Must Try Food Places in Bangkok (Part 2)!

My stay in Bangkok this time round was shorter than the previous trip, so we really had a tight schedule to visit the hawkers and I am so glad that we managed to do it. In addition, we also re-visited some hawkers which we featured previously such as Ning Mango and Crabmeat wanton noodles @ Soi 38, as well as the fish maw soup and pork buns @ Thanon Mahannop. These hawkers said that many of you have actually walked to their stalls with a printed copy of the blog post.

To make things easier for everyone, we have printed our own yellow labels that has already been pasted on most of the hawker stalls which I have featured in Part 1 & Part 2. In addition, I have spent a long time finding the exact GPS coordinates, so hope that makes it simpler for you.

I really thank you for all the love and support from the bottom of my heart. We paid for all the meals on our own and no monetary compensation was received. It is also nothing about getting the hits, really, but I am happy to be sharing delicious finds with everyone and am also happy to see that these hawkers’ efforts pay off. This 2nd series blog post definitely didn’t come easy. I spent 2 weeks consolidating it. It may not be the best to some, but they are definitely well known among the Thai people. Enjoy the second series and drop me a comment if you have tried any of the places!

If you ask me which is most memorable in my part 2 series, it is definitely this Hainanese rice noodles along Thanon Mahannop. This street has a series of good food and all the stalls which looks the most unassuming, has got some very good food! I featured fish maw soup, chinese fluffy buns, kaya toast and roast duck in Part 1, this time round we visited this stall which sells excellent hainanese rice noodles and herbal mutton stew.

Owned by a Hainanese couple, they sell homemade rice flour noodles with either clear soup with sio bak or braised pork with salted vegetables (40 baht each). I personally love the clear soup one very much. Pair it with the spicy chilli sauce, it has the fragrant prawn sauce added into it. The wife wakes up at 2am everyday to make the noodles and starts business at 7am. As a Hainanese myself, I enjoyed their herbal mutton stew (150 baht) very much. There was much finesse in it. All the spices and herbs were so delicately balanced, the mutton wasn’t outrageously gamey.

How to come? Alight at Tiger temple at Sao Ching Cha. Walk about a minute along Thanon Mahannop (right in front of the entrance of the temple) and you will reach your destination.

Goh Loon Nom Jeen Hailam (Hainanese Noodle)
Address: Mahannop 2
Khwaeng Sao Chingcha, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/GPB66
GPS: 13.753598, 100.499944

At 30 Sukhumvit 77 Rd (near to BigC Onnut), we arrived at this 40-year-old stall that sells excellent pig trotter rice (35 to 55 baht) and mix organ soup (35 to 45 baht). You are greeted with a spread of pig intestines and other various parts such as pig skin, trotters and pork belly right at the entrance of the shop. Yes, it is very similar to our local kway chap, except that they serve it with rice instead of the kway.

My lunch was a plate of pig trotter with beancurd, pig’s blood and many other ingredients. The owner took effort to clean and braise the offal for a long time. Texture of the pig trotter is good, thick skin and tender meat but still retaining some bite. The mixed organ soup was flavourful and tasty with generous serving of pork liver, pig’s blood, lean meat, salted vegetable etc. Opens from 10am to 6pm daily.

Address: Thanon Sukhumvit 77
Khwaeng Phra Khanong Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/lm0z2
GPS: 13.709304, 100.600321

At Soi Sukhumvit 77/1 (near On Nut BTS Station), there is a fishball noodles stall that says “拉差粿条自制鱼丸可口会跳”. Very interesting caption! This stall used to be at Pratunum, but the 39-year-old owner let his relatives run it and he moved to On Nut 10 years ago. This is the 5th generation fishball noodles and the whole family has many fishball noodle stalls around Bangkok. Each stall used to do their own fishballs but it was too much work, so one of his uncles started the fishball making business and supply it to all the outlets.

The fishballs are made purely from ikan parang (Xi Dao) and it is very soft and bouncy. They serve 3 kinds of soup base here – clear soup, tom yam or yong tau foo. I recommend you to go for the yong tau foo version with the pig’s blood. The pinkish red soup has an addictive sweetness and there are about 5 different kind of noodles for you to choose from.

Address: Soi Sukhumvit 77/1
Khwaeng Phra Khanong Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/qdttt
GPS: 13.707828, 100.600185

You know ah, even though I have been eating the whole day and feeling quite full, there are some food that you just don’t mind eating. YC introduced us to this beef hotpot at Rama IV road, opposite Chamchuri Square. The atmosphere is typical Thai eatery: noisy, no-frills and full of life. This place has a variety of regulars, including neighborhood families, students and office workers.

The deal here is easy. They are famous for their beef hot pot. So simply order a hot pot, and the staff will bring you a plate your beef. You can take some vegetables at the corner. We simply mix the eggs with beef and cook. The soup is just a typical chicken broth but it is such a comforting meal. Don’t share I never share, the chilli sauce is VERY GOOD!

Sukiyaki Number 1
Address: Soi Mahaphruttharam
Khwaeng Si Phraya, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/5j989
GPS: 13.731506, 100.531016

Thailand not only has Tom Yam Soup, they also have other choices like SUPER Teen Gai (Chicken Feet in spicy soup). Opposite On 77 Condominium (near BigC), there is a cze char place called Kao Tom Yao Wa Raj (ข้าวต้มเยาวราช อ่อนนุช ซ.2) which opens from 4pm to 4am.

The SUPER here is super spicy! It has a mild herbal taste and even though we were sweating through dinner, we enjoyed it. Their prawn pasete fried chicken is also very addictive. Another popular dish here is, surprisingly, the stir fried bittergourd with egg. Such a simple dish yet it has enough wok hei.

Kao Tom Yao Wa Raj
Address: Thanon Sukhumvit 77
Khwaeng Phra Khanong Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ntsh8
GPS: 13.710709, 100.602580

Where to find 12 baht (S$0.50) noodles? This stall at 121 Dinso Road sells kuay teow reua (boat noodles ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ). It is called Boat Noodles because the noodles were originally served from vendors on boats floating in Bangkok’s canals.

Just a spoon of noodles with chilli mixture, a slice of pork liver and some minced meat. This may seen to many as a marketing gimmick, but well it tasted really. The guys enjoyed it very much. We finish one bowl in one mouthful and we ate 5 bowls. They also have fried pork skin and crispy wanton skins. Victory Monument has boat noodles too.

Thing Tiao Reur
Address: 121 Dinso
Khwaeng Wat Bowon Niwet, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ntzJD
GPS: 13.755279, 100.501525

This bowl of porridge, used to be just a bowl of comfort food cooked by the mother. But the daughter loves it so much that she asked for the recipe, learnt to cook it and now has a shop called “Jok Moo Mae Su Lin” that only sells pork porridge (25 baht only meat, 35 baht with intestines). This is also the only shop that supports the whole family financially.

Made with pork bones, small intestines and pig stomach boiled for 6 hours, the moment they remove the cover for the whole pot of soup that were used to cook the porridge, the aroma from the soup filled the shop and makes you want to have another bowl of porridge. Opens from 5am to 2am daily (yes 21 hours), you can come here for supper!

Jok Moo Mae Su Lee
Address: Khwaeng Phra Khanong Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/anbyn
GPS: 13.721296, 100.595844

Along chakrabongse road, in the secret alley between Tang Hua Seng Dept Store and Plus One, there is a stall called Khanom Chin Namya that sells Thai style Laksa. Out of all places, I never expect a food stall to open here. Neither did I expect a crowd, but I was wrong.

Opened for 27 years, this is a hot favourite for laksa among the locals. They offer 3 different pots of laksa base – fish, coconut curry and pig’s blood (my favourite). After getting a plain bowl of laksa with your desired soup base, you can pick the condiments you want to pair with it – bittergourd, bean sprouts, salted vegetables etc. A plate of laksa costs 30 baht (with egg 38 baht).

Khanom Chin Namya
Address: Khwaeng Talat Yot, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/7fdqU
GPS: 13.761233, 100.497608

After finishing a plate of laksa, you can cross the road to the opposite to have a bowl of duck noodles. It started from the Dad about 4 decades ago and now the son took over the stall (even though the 80-year-old father still comes to the stall daily). After graduation, the son went to a bank to work but after a few years, his dad asked him to help with the stall.

The noodles here are specially made from a traditional noodle store in Chinatown. The clear duck soup was made with more than 10 herbs. It is tasty and yet not too herbal, and it is paired with roast duck. A second helping of soup is most welcome. His braised duck wing is a wetter dish but very well braised. Open from 8am to 4pm daily.

Kway teow pead yang balampoo
Address: Khwaeng Talat Yot, Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ZKRNS
GPS: 13.761226, 100.497481

Penang has 2 old sisters who sell curry mee. Bangkok has 2 old sisters who sell chicken rice and hainanese style stewed beef. At Dao Thip Pochana, opposite Khlong Tan Post Office, 2 old hainanese aunties in their 70s has been selling chicken rice for 33 years.

Their chicken rice is not as oily and fragrant as Singapore’s version, but is a favourite among Thais. I love their roast pork slices, which is a variation of our char siew rice. What is most memorable is their hainanese style beef stew has very tender meat and very flavourful, reminds me of my aunt’s hainanese beef stew. 

Address: Soi Pridi Banomyong 38
Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Watthana, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/i8tkA
GPS: 13.730627,100.596600

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Other Thailand posts:
– 10 Must Try Food Places in Bangkok (Part 1)
– Or Tor Kor Market
– Baan Silapin Artists’ House
– Amphawa Floating Market
– Eathai @ Central Embassy
– 10 Things to do in Chiang Mai

For my Ipoh makan trip, we spent a huge amount of time visiting more hawkers than usual, and hence the time spent in cafes are much lesser. Plus some cafes are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays which make it harder to visit. But it is obvious that many cafes have sprung up along the old streets and shop houses. Some locals have taken this opportunity to turn abandon or vintage shops to boutique cafes.

When I go to a foreign country to do a mini food guide, I really spend alot of time and stomach space to eat. But not all of them are worth the calories. So when I do a compilation, it is the process of eliminating and only presenting what is really good. You may notice, the past few food guides had a title starting with “must try…” because I really stand by it (not for the SEO). It’s a long and tedious process because lots of elements are taken into consideration – ambience (if any), concept, food and service.

During this trip, I visited 5 cafes in Ipoh. Some has very nice ambience but not very good food. So I don’t really want to add the words “must try”. I will definitely be back to try more cafes before offering a more complete guide. If you have any good recommendations, do drop me a comment. Meanwhile, enjoy reading and happy Monday!

Tucked away in one of the back lanes, Ben & Lynette Maison Patisserie is run by the same group that manages Secret Garden and MyGopeng Resort. Housed in a colonial mansion, it serves all day-breakfasts, pasta, pizzas, pastries, cakes, cofee and with a pick-your-own salad bar.

The cafe has a minimalist decor with vintage items and mono-toned furnitures. Signature dishes include Sandwich Train and Charcoal Burger, big enough for 2-3 people to share. But upon arrival, we we were mesmerized by their cake offerings so we decided to just have Tiramisu (RM12.90) and Strawberry Tart (RM8.90) instead. Tiramisu in a cup is not too bad even though I wish they have stronger espresso. Not a fan of their strawberry tart as the fruit is too sour for my liking and the crust is not buttery enough.

BEN & LYNETTE
Address: No. 42, Lorong Cheah Cheang Lim
Tel: +60 1-700-81-7773
Opening Hours: 9am – 12.30am daily

Among the 5 cafes which I have been to, Missing Marbles (same owner as Burps 7 Giggles) is my favourite. I have seen many cafes in modern decor and I have eaten so many cafes serving typical breakfast set such as eggs benedict or omelette. But I have seldom enter into a cafe like Missing Marble. This place used to be an optical shop. The owner kept the original facade and yellow signboard, but converted into a old school playground concept with childhood toys like marbles, bicycles and origami fortune tellers around the cafe. It definitely brought back so much memories.

Missing Marbles’ menu is all on the wall, offering Asian flavours like Ramen Hakata, Dry Ramen, Mee Siam, Mushu Lamb, Calrose Rice and more. I ordered a plate of mee siam which came in a generous portion. Tart and tangy are the two main flavours that make a good plate of mee siam. I think they have clearly achieved that. It’s tangy and spicy and paired well with Funny Mountain soya bean drink.

MISSING MARBLES
Address : 99 Jalan Sultan Yussuf
Tel: +60 5 241 1564
Opening Hours: 8.30 am – 8.30 pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

Came here on Monday when they were closed, so I visited the second time on Tuesday. Unlike many other cafes, this romantic white cafe located beside Adonis bridal shop has so many beautiful English decorations and sweet floral motifs that will make many girls (including me) go wow.

The Smoked Duck Spaghetti was recommended by our friends but I am not a fan of smoked duck from the beginning. So I went for their Chicken Chop instead. Simple offerings but the chicken meat is well marinated which retains its juiciness and the sauce is rich in flavour.

POTPOURRI HOUSE CAFE
Address: No. 2, Jalan Woodward
Tel: +60 5 254 6886
Opening hours: 11am – 10.30pm. Closed on Mondays

This used to be an old furniture warehouse that has been abandoned for years. Plan b took advantage of the architecture and turned it into a modern cafe with industrial elements. Extremely beautiful interior and I love how they incorporate Yasmin Ahmad’s words on the wall. Definitely didn’t feel like Ipoh at all and be sure to explore the surroundings for photo opportunities. The style of food at Plan B is Aussie-meets-New York deli (but pork free), with contemporary flavours, comprising of salads, sandwiches, pastas and a huge variety of cakes.

Our breakfast was nothing out of the box nor unique. I ordered a French Toast which was too oily for my liking. The saving grace is my cup of cappuccino. It is smooth and robust, definitely a booster for my early morning of waking up. Plus point is, they did such a cute latte art. How not to love to my coffee?

PLAN B
Address: No. 75, Jalan Panglima
Tel: +60 5 249 8286
Opening Hours : 9am – 10pm daily

Set in a majestic colonial-style bungalow in Ipoh, Indulgence is not a stranger to many. Owner Julie Song started a cakes & coffee join in 1996 in Canning Gardens which was a hit, and then opened Indulgence in 2005. In fact, they are probably one of the first few to have their F&B establishments in Ipoh.

Dining in the huge bungalow is rather relaxing as the space is huge and you can have some quiet corner by yourself. Honestly speaking, I categorize them as a restaurant instead of cafe because they offer an extensive array of modern European cuisine. We ordered a Boxy (RM 26) for breakfast which comes with poached egg on crisp bread with wild mushrooms, smoked salmon & roe. Presentation was excellent and it was slightly different from the usual poached egg brunch. Love the smoked salmon and roe!

INDULGENCE
Address: Indulgence Restaurant & Living @ 14, Jalan Raja Di Hilir
Tel: +60 5 255 7051
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 11.30pm

FAUCHON, an internationally renowned French’s leading culinary store, launches its stores in Bangkok at Groove@CentralWorld. Opened in early April, FAUCHON is franchised by Tea The Cha (Thailand) the operators of Whittard of Chelsea. The store offers 4 core concepts of traditional French culinary products; The patisserie & bakery, French snacking, The grocery & gift collections, and Café FAUCHON, all in one place.

FAUCHON’s first store in Bangkok offers a selection of iconic products including FAUCHON’s signature pastries (éclairs, imported macarons from Paris, desserts, etc.), bakery, stylish snacks (sandwiches, soups, salads, soft and hot drinks), lunch and dinner menu, and a wide range of FAUCHON branded products including chocolates, biscuits, Candied chestnuts (Marrons Glacés), creative jams, teas and wines.

Inspired by the Brasserie tradition, the café offers simple, deliciously elegant cuisine in a highly contemporary setting. Complemented with the outdoor terrace, Café FAUCHON allows customers to experience truly Parisian style café. I visited FAUCHON at Groove@CentralWorld during my recent trip to Bangkok and was pretty surprised that the outlet offers a variety of starters, salads, main courses, signature platter and brunch.

The kitchen is directed by French executive chef Jerome Deconinck and French executive pastry chef Bruno Le Francois. To ensure an identical culinary impression as you would find in Paris, most of the ingredients are imported from France, while local products have been carefully selected from well-respected artisan producers and organic farmers.

Our whole lobster with market vegetables (1,255 THB) is a delicious appetizer with Thai basil scented crustacean coulis that accompany the lobster beautifully.

The duck liver terrine is flown in from Paris in a ready-to-serve form. Duo of French duck foie gras, terrine and pan fried (890 THB) is excellent with its firm silky and sweet creamy quality liver terrine that’s superbly complemented by the tasty garnish. The pan fried foie gras is well-executed with a nice medley of sweet, rich and savoury flavour.

From the main course selection, we had the Truffle Risotto (990 THB) which definitely pleased many. Topped with pieces black truffle and Parmesan cheese, I consider Truffle Risotto as a type of comfort food, especially on those rainy days. It’s not too creamy for our taste, the risotto rice grains were robust and not too soft.

Red wine braised beef cheek with fresh basil tagliatelle (790 THB) stands out as the tasty beef cheek has been simmered till the flavours are fully absorbed into the tender meat.

My afternoon meal was perfectly enhanced by the beautiful Megève. A House classic for over 30 years, the Megève combines the tradition of the French meringue with Tahitian vanilla and the smoothness of a dark chocolate ganache on a crispy praline biscuit, enhanced with the slight bitterness of cocoa.

Having travelled all the way to FAUCHON, I can’t afford to miss sampling some of Fauchon’s world-famous eclairs. Named “Ayudhaya”, FAUCHON identifies the coconut and assortment of Thai herb and spices to create a signature éclair for its flagship store in Thailand.

All pastry made in their central kitchen uses imported flour, French cream and AOC butter. Their macaroons are only made in Paris and exported frozen worldwide. It has an airy outer shell with a creamy centre that melts in the mouth.

FAUCHON’s retails products, which are an ideal for premium gifts, are also available at this outlet.

FAUCHON
Address: 2nd Floor, Groove@CentralWorld
Tel: 02 264 5808-9
Website: www.fauchon.co.th

During my few days stay in Bangkok, Jacqueline, a fellow Singaporean, dropped me an email inviting me over for dinner at her family restaurant – Ping’s Thai Teochew Seafood Restaurant. My schedule was really packed but how can I not show support to our fellow Singaporean!

This is a successful collaboration between Jacqueline and her family who are passionate about good food and the renowned Chef Saetia Hung Ping, known affectionately as “Ah Ping”, with an experience of more than 45 years in one of the most competitive shark’s fin markets in the world. They own the 13-year-old Ping’s Shark’s Fin on Asok Road. We visited the outlet in Pathumwan Princess Hotel (next to MBK shopping centre) which is a very comfortable and clean restaurant where we can enjoy our food dressed up or dressed down (in this case, dressed down haha).

Oyster omelet is a favourite night market snack. Ping’s Deep fried oyster omelet on sizzling plate (180 baht) does it very well with its abundance of textures and flavor. It is crispy with fragrant taste from the fish sauce. Fresh oysters are embedded in the batter, and pan fried until it was golden brown. A quick dip in the sweet tomato sauce, added an extra tanginess to the crispy pancake.

I didn’t go for their Shark Fin Soup for the obvious reasons but I tasted various of their best dishes such as the Braised Fish Maw & Crabmeat in Broth (300 / 500 baht). Made with a well-guarded secret special brown sauce with chicken stock base, this was a dish of textures. The fresh fish maw had a chewy feel.

Fish Maw is the air bladder of large fish, but it is one of the luxury ingredients in Chinese cuisine. In Thailand, due to the geographical advantage, the country is abundant with fish maw. We also tried the Fried Fish Maw w/ Prawns (500 / 1000 baht). Honestly, I prefer the braised version because of the enticing brown sauce.

Braised Abalone with Sea Cucumber in Claypot (1800 / 2500 baht)

Another surprisingly well executed dish is Braised Goose Web & Noodles in Claypot (400 / 600 baht). Why surprisingly, because it looks the most unassuming. Plus the soft mee pok was nothing similar to our local noodles as it lacks the crunch. However, as we continue to savour this dish, we fell in love at how the stewed goose feet paired well with the most flavoured noodles which soaked up all the essence.

Thank you Jacqueline for the invitation. When I am back in Bangkok, I would definitely be back to try their hot pot!

Ping’s Thai Teochew Seafood Restaurant
Address: 2nd floor, Pathumwan Princess Hotel, 444, Phayathai Rd., Pathum Wan, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Thailand
Tel: (02) 661 7860
Website: http://www.pingsharksfin.com/
Lunch A La Carte: 11:30 a.m. – 02:30 p.m.
Dinner A La Carte: 05:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Started by San Carlo Cicchetti, Cicchetti is one of the most successful Italian restaurant in the United Kingdom. Cicchetti Bangkok is San Carlo’s first franchise outside of England. Decorated with an elegant high ceiling and Italian marble, its interior offers a touch of Italian flair.

Cicchetti (pronounced as ‘chi-ket-tee’) literally means ‘small plates’ in Italian. Even though the restaurant is located in Thailand, Cicchetti Bangkok does not fail to bring Venetian flavours to the plate. The open kitchen concept allows us to enjoy the sights and sounds of cooking – the flames, steam and pots clattering are part of the dining experience here.

We tried a few of their signatures including fresh ravioli (250 baht) stuffed with pecorino cheese and black truffle cream sauce. The pecorino ravioli was simply delicious with its mysterious musky aroma of black truffle and the smoky richness of the buttered cream.

Grilled lamb chop (720 baht) is really tasty. Served with caponata Madeira sauce, the meat is grilled just right with lovely pink centres and a nice roasted glaze on the exterior.

Cooked with N’duja spicy sausage and cream, Cod Fish (420 baht) was milder but tender, and light enough to taste the goodness from the cod.

New on their item is Pizza Focacia (280 baht) which is also my favourite. The pizza bread is filled with mascarpone cheese and drizzled with white truffle oil. Very simple ingredients but tasted extraordinary. The truffle and cheese combination has a creamy richness and seductively truffle aroma.

If you’re looking for a lively, upscale dining setting with affordable prices, this place is for you.

Cicchetti Bangkok
Address: 1/F, Groove, Rama 1 Rd. Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: (02) 251-6551
Opening hours: 11am to 12am

Bean sprouts chicken, white coffee, hakka mee, assam laksa, chicken rice, satay, rojak, beancurd, cuttlefish, char kway teow, caramel custard, chendol… Ipoh is best known for its hawker fare — some of which are hard to find anywhere else. People here usually drive around for makan, walking is really impossible. Here is a guide on where to eat in Ipoh, featuring some of my personal favourites.

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Sin Yoon Loong
15A Jalan Bandar Timah
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What’s Ipoh most famous for? White coffee! Sin Yoon Loong is started by Mr Wong Poh Chew, a Hainanese who emigrated from China to Malaysia in his early twenties in search of greener pastures. He was employed as a chef by a British man in a restaurant where they served local and Western food. After years of hard work and with some savings, he decided to venture out into starting his own food business. In 1937, Wong together with his brother Wong Poh Ting opened ‘Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong’, one of the oldest traditional Hainanese coffee shops in Ipoh old town. They served quality hot and cold beverages, toasts with kaya, Chinese sponge cakes and other local delights.

The brothers are very passionate about serving superior coffee and every morning, this coffee shop is packed by patrons coming for their famous white coffee. They uses Hainanese white bread loaf, sliced them thinly, toasted till slightly charred on the surface before spreading a layer of their homemade kaya and butter. The white coffee here is frothy and very rich. It has a slight bitterness at the end but you can totally smell the fragrance of the coffee. Honestly, the combination of their toast and coffee is a killer. However, if the bitterness is too much for you to handle, I suggest you pop by Nam Heong instead, which is just directly across the road. Nam Heong’s coffee is slightly milder and sweeter.

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Assam Laksa @ Big Tree Foot (Dai Shu Geok)
652, Jalan King, Pasir Pinji
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How many times have you dine under a tree? I probably have done it once when I was having Da Jia Fa Duck Rice in JB. Now I have done it again at Ipoh. And I am telling you, this is the most memorable meal I had in Ipoh. It is supposed to be a yong tau foo stall (忠记兵如港口大树头炸料粉). So you pick your yong tau foo pieces (RM0.50 each) and choose your noodles – kway teow soup or assam laksa. The yong tau foo pieces has excellent fish paste, what stands out more is the assam laksa. There is a balance of spiciness and sourness. LOVE IT!

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Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah
2, Jalan Yang Kalsom
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Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah is one of the most popular Nasi Vanggey outlet. It has been around for more than half centuries and is on a rented premise in a Chinese coffeeshop Yong Suan in Jalan Yang Kalsom. During lunch time, it is always packed with hungry people and tables would be occupied. Hence, sharing tables with strangers are very common.

Honestly speaking, the coffeeshop may not look the most hygienic eatery but its nasi kandar is really addictive. A standard plate would be ayam merah, sambal kelapa & salted egg topped with some achar. The curry goes really well with the fried chicken and the salted egg is an good addition to the nasi kandar. Parking may be a problem here though, so clear your plates quick and leave.

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Lou Wong Bean Sprout Chicken
49, Jalan Yau Tet Shin
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Ipoh is a hotspot for bean sprouts chicken “Ngah Choy Kai” (芽菜雞). I was recommended to try Onn Kee, which is opposite of Lou Wang (老黃芽菜雞). But during my stay in Ipoh, we visited Onn Kee every single day but they were unfortunately closed. So we settled for Lou Wang, which honestly speaking, I think it tastes not bad from a tourist’s point of view.

Using free-range chicken, Lou Wong’s steamed chicken’s skin had this slippery smooth texture and tender yet firm flesh. Ipoh’s hard water from the limestone hills surrounding the Kinta Valley has allowed its bean sprouts that grow here to be crunchy and succulent. Slurping on the smooth hor fun and crunchy bean sprouts, together with the tangy chilli and tender chicken, makes it a perfect lunch. Oh, this is also a good supper venue as they close at 12am.

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Funny Mountain Soya Bean & Tau Fu Fah
49, Jala Theatre
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I don’t know why Funny Mountain Soya Bean & Tau Fu Fah has such a funny name. But heck, their beancurd is really good! So good that I want to have a bowl every single day I am in Ipoh. They do traditional beancurd which is so soft, so smooth and so cheap (only RM 1). Of course, portion is small so it enticed me to eat 2 or 3 bowls at one go.

The Tan brothers have been running this place since the 50s. Something unique here is, you can either stop your vehicle in front of the stall, signal a little and the workers will deliver your orders. Or if you are not that lazy, walk to the stall and get your drinks after a short wait. The beancurd literally mels in my mouth. Can’t wait to go back to it again!

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Satay
73, Jalan Bandar Timah
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This is one of the coffee shops worth going because they have a variety of good food there. There’s “Kai See Hor Fun” aka Chicken Kuey Teow Soup, caramel custard, chee cheong fun and satay! This satay stall operates from the side alley between Kong Heng & Thean Chun. Stepping into either of these two coffee shops feels like I am being teleported back to the 60s.

They are probably one of the rare stalls in Ipoh that sells pork satay, pork innards and coagulated pork blood satay. The pork skewers are grilled with charcoal flames, with minimal burnt bits and a small proportion of fats. The satay is so succulent and served with spicy sweet peanut sauce. If you still have some tummy space, go for their caramel custard. It’s smooth and melts in your mouth.

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Restoran Ayam Nasi Pak Kong
27, Jalan Theatre
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Restoran Ayam Nasi Pak Kong (白宮雞飯) is always crowded no matter what time you are there. There is always a queue for takeaways but never get intimated by it because they are pretty efficient. The lady boss will come and take your order, she is friendly. I see this as a totally different category from the bean sprouts chicken. The steamed chicken is very juicy and tender. The fluffy rice is slightly tinted with chicken oil, not for the faint hearted. This non-halal restaurant only serve lunch (till 2.30pm). We paired it with their achar and kai choy.

The spicy and sour kai choy is surprisingly very tasty. I have only seen it during CNY but apparently, it is quite common at chicken rice stalls. The stock is flavoursome and paired with mustard greens, dried chillies and tamarind. If you come here for lunch, you can walk to Funny Mountain Soya Bean, grab a Aun Kheng Lim Salted Chicken across the road or go for second round at Lou Wong and Onn Kee Bean Sprouts Chicken.

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Cendol
Jalan Bunga Raya
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Drive along Jalan Bunga Raya in Pasir Pinji and you will see a few food trucks there. There are two chendol stalls, one by an Indian uncle and another one by 2 Chinese uncle. We picked the latter and had a cooling bowl of dessert in the sweltering heat. Their cendol includes red beans, gula melaka and chendol strips with pandan fragrance. They are always famous for their “Wan Tau Long” jelly or Yellow Jelly which is perfect for the hot weather. This stall opens in the afternoon only, and does not have fixed rest days.

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Xin Quan Fang Curry Mee
174, Jalan Sultan Iskandar
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Ipoh has so much good food that it is really impossible for me to have normal white bread for breakfast everyday. I started our day eating the famous curry noodles at Restaurant Xin Quan Fang (or the locals call it Ma Ta Liu curry mee). Our bowl of noodles arrived with a side of roasted pork, char siew, prawns and chicken seated on top of a bed of blanched bean sprouts. Dip it into the curry sauce, oh man, it is sooooo shiok. I don’t think they have any coconut milk added, the curry was very delicious with lard and garlic. The braised roast pork is from their own recipe and cannot find anywhere else. If you are coming by, got to be patient cuz the wait can be quite long.

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Rojak @ Restoran Ding Hao
Jalan Pasir Puteh
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Because we live near Shatin Court (now called Restoran Ding Hao), we went there for supper one of the nights. I know the claypot chicken rice is famous there, but we just wanted a small bite and went for rojak instead. This plate of rojak is full of grounded peanuts. The rojak sauce is very thick with well balanced flavours. Each piece of ingredients is nicely coated with the sauce and at the end, the whole plate was not soggy at all. I like the addition of crunchy prawn crackers, which gave a totally different texture to the unassuming dish.

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Hakka Mee @ Restoran Cathay
17A, Jalan Dato Tahwil Azhar (Osborne Street)
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We wanted to go the famous Restoran Paris Hakka Mee but it has been closed for 2 days. So we settled for the hakka mee stall at Restoran Cathay. I haven’t had enough Hakka mee to compare but I like the friendliness of the stall owner. Hakka Mee is a favourite breakfast among many Ipoh-reans. You just have to order single portion, one and a half portion or double portion, then they will pick the different yong tau foo items for you. The eggy noodles are topped with a scoop of minced meat seasoned with soy sauce and fish sauce. The chili sauce with blended garlic in vinegar goes well with the eggy noodles and a scoop of minced meat.

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Golden Char Kway Teow
Corner of Jalan Bandar Timah-Jalan Panglima
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Ending my Ipoh makan trip with a plate of the golden char kway teow at Sin Lean Lee. Some love it, some hate it. But This petite size char kway teow comes with a pretty egg on top. Perhaps that’s the reason why they call it golden. Each small plate of CKT costs RM3.50 with two prawns and a few cockles. The kway teow and yellow mee is fried till a wet style and has a slightly charred flavour.

Read: 5 cafes I visited in Ipoh

TGIF peeps! I finally have time to take a breather and share about my trip to Tweed. The Tweed region in Northern NSW is a must-see destination for travellers who want to get off the beaten tourist track to discover the real Australia. Besides the world heritage listed rainforests, green farmland and unspoilt beaches, there are also many culinary adventures in the region. What’s the best? It’s only 15 minutes drive from Gold Coast Airport!

Adjoining Gold Coast, Tweed Heads provides a less crowded alternative to the glitz and glamour. And Kingscliff has become a popular dining destination with a string of restaurants and cafes lining the beachfront. You can choose from award-winning cafes and restaurants offering a taste of Japan, Thailand, Spain, Italy, Mexico, India, Nepal and Tibet. Australia’s favourite flavours are also well represented with great seafood, health food, exotic breakfasts all prepared from locally grown produce.

We begin our Tweed journey with Scoot, which is the only airlines that flies directly from Changi Airport to Gold Coast Airport. The flight is 7h 30m. We departed at 10.30pm and arrived at 7.50am. To be honest, this is my first time flying Scoot. I was pretty surprised by the spacious seats! We got the Scoot In Silence seats which gives you extra leg room as well as privacy.

Meals are not provided on board. But Scoot have expanded their inflight meal menu with a selection of premium meals, hot meals, light meals, snacks, and beverages to choose from. I had the Chicken Ciaccatore Pie with drink which is not bad, I like the buttery pie crust. While watching movie, you can purchase a Scoot Snack Pack to munch! (NOTE: Don’t forget to apply for VISA!)

Our Scoot flight landed in Gold Coast early on Saturday morning, about 8am. After clearing immigration, we were met by our friendly host Jayne of Aria Events & Entertainment and wanted to check in to our hotel – Peppers Salt Resort & Spa. Located 20 minutes south of the Gold Coast Airport, it is a great beach holiday accommodation! I woke up to a beautiful pool view every morning. Unfortunately, our schedules are too packed. If not, I won’t mind spending my whole afternoon in the pool.

As all of us were hungry people, Jayne brought us to her favourite cafe – Kettles On. This cafe is relatively new, but they have already established themselves as one of the best cafes in Kingscliff as they are rated number 1 of 40 restaurants in Kingscliff on Tripadvisor. Their focus is creating great food using fresh, locally sourced, organic produce where possible.

We ordered almost everything in the breakfast menu which includes eggs benedict with bacon and mushrooms, omelette with spanish onions, tomatoes and parmesan, roast pork belly with red cabbage slaw and braised lentils, avocado & fresh tomato with sourdough & pesto and more. The avocado here is so velvety and creamy!

Awesome cafe for breakfast with great service and friendly staff. My cappuccino was smooth and strong, with great balance of flavors! They have become such a draw card for the town.

Kettles On
Address: Shop 3, 78-80 Marina Parade Kingscliff NSW 2487 Australia
Email: info@kettlesoncafe.com
Opening hours: 6.30am to 4pm

After a good brunch, we visited Tropical Fruit World – the world’s largest variety of tropical fruit. This is a reat place to visit for a day trip or even just to pop in and buy some Chocolate Pudding Fruit and some beautiful avocadoes! Our guide Aymon presented us with such colourful plates of fruits. Some of the interesting fruits on the table included:

- Chocolate Fruit (the black fruit in the picture)
The black sapote is very similar to persimmon, and contains no fat, virtually no sugar, 4 times the Vitamin C of an orange and has a delicious fruit chocolate flavour. We basically mix it with yogurt or ice cream.

- Rollinia
The Rollinia is native to the Amazone River Region and is also a member of the annona family, which also includes the delicious custard apple and soursop. This fruit is very delicious with a taste that is similar to sweet lemon meringue pie.

- Yellow Pitaya
More commonly known as yellow dragonfruit, it has a flavour similar to passionfruit. When you cut it into half and spoon it out, it has a sorbet-like flesh.

- Custard Apple
One of the most popular fruits during the colder months of April to September. The fruit when harvested will take approximately 5 days to ripen to a spongy softness. Cut in half to reveal a white, creamy textured flesh with delicious sweet tropical fruit custard flavour.

- Canistel
A member of the sapote family, canistel is very rich in flavour with orange/yellow flesh and skin. It has an exquisite sweet flavour which is slightly dry (feel like pumpkin to me) and can be eaten with ice-cream or blended into smoothie.

After tasting the fruits, we went on a guided tour to discover more than 500 varieties of the world’s weird and wonderful exotic fruits in their farm. Safaris and shows commence regularly throughout the day, I suggest you arrive before 2 pm and allocate 1/2 a day. You’ll discover rare exotic treats such as the Chocolate Pudding Fruit, Dragonfruit, Chewing Gum Tree and Lemonade Fruit.

The farm practice environmentally sustainable farming methods. They carefully select water management and soil conservation techniques together with growing, harvesting and packing methods to prevent any adverse impacts on the environment or harm to consumers. Water recycling and conservation is hugely important to Australian farmers, and they are completely self sufficient in managing their own water supply. Mulching, trickle irrigation, and management of natural springs and catchments are all used here.

The avocados here are VERY GOOD! Originated from Mexico, avocado is one of the world’s most nutritious fruit. The Tropical Fruit World grows 18 varieties of avocado and all are eaten when flesh has softened. Did you know that no avocados ripen on trees? It is actually the harvesting action that triggers the ripening process. To ripen an avocado, simply place the fruit in a brown paper bag and store at room temperature until ready to eat. It will usually take about 2 to 5 days. Include an apple or banana in the bag to accelerate the process as these fruits give off ethylene gas – a ripening agent.

It’s banana!

Are you a nutcracker? It was great fun to crack macadamia nuts from their shells!

Hungry for more? Indulge your taste buds with exotic fruit ice creams in the Rainforest Cafe!

Entry to Plantation Pavilions is free. You can purchase their fresh tropical fruits and icecreams, drinks and mouth-watering lunches. Plus their famous natural skincare and gourmet products.

If you are bringing your kids, you can enjoy a billabong boat cruise to their fauna park where you’ll meet kangaroos, emus and farm animals. Explore Adventure Island playground – try out the train ride, flying fox and miniature putt-putt golf course. Enjoy great views of World Heritage listed Mt Warning and surrounds. All of these activities are included in your Park Admission ticket.

Tropical Fruit World is located just 10 minutes from the Gold Coast Airport. They are open daily from 10am until 4pm Eastern Standard Time, except Christmas Day. Who knew there were so many different types of fruit in the world? This is a great place to visit for a day trip or even just to pop in and buy some Chocolate Pudding Fruit and some beautiful avocadoes!

Tropical Fruit World
Address: 29 Duranbah Rd, Duranbah, NSW, 2487
Website: www.tropicalfruitworld.com.au
Admission: $45 for Adults; $25 for children 4-16 years old and $35 concession

Murwillumbah is the commercial hub of the Tweed Valley and an ideal place from which to explore the villages and scenic countryside of the entire region. There are art deco shopfronts and historis Federation-style buildings that house a selection of cafes, restaurants, boutiques etc. The Modern Grocer is one of those where you can order a gourmet sandwich with generous quality fillings and have an excellent coffee in a friendly relaxed space. We wanted to do picnic after our trip to Tropical Fruit World. Unfortunately, it was drizzling and everyone was sleepy. So we picked up some items and ate along the way.

The products here are sourced both locally and internationally. If you are after a sandwich for lunch, it will be made with local bread and with local ingredients. They offer a good range of deli goods including cheeses, salami, ham, proscuitto and chorizo to shelf stock including Herbies spices, Joseph First Run Olive Oil to our locally roasted Botero coffee.

The Modern Grocer
Address: 1/3 Wollumbin Street, MURWILLUMBAH NSW 2484
Email: jo@themoderngrocer.com

After taking our power naps, we went out for dinner at FINS, one of the most popular restaurant in Kingscliff by celebrity chef Steven Snow. Chef Steven earned his status as one of Australia’s top chefs by transforming a deserted restaurant on the banks of the Brunswick River into a Two Chefs Hat restaurant, brimming with accolades and achievements. Later, he shifted to the Byron Bay Beach Hotel, picking up awards including Best Seafood Restaurant in Australia and Best Regional Restaurant.

In Australia, they use Chefs Hats which is equivalent of the Michelin Star system. And FINS Restaurant has earned every year since 1996. FINS’ menu specializes in contemporary Australian cuisine, including the freshest seafood from the local area as well as innovative produce sourced from across northern New South Wales. Chef’s cuisine is his interpretation of the best flavours and cooking methods discovered during his travels.

We had a 6 course degustation dinner which takes us through a journey of signature dishes with wine matching experience. Appetizers include yellow fin tuna sashimi in nori dust, avocado, finger lime herb salad and hot shallot oil, served with NV Dominique Portet Sparkling Rose. I like the king prawn and saffron bisque, as their seafood is so fresh!

Following that, we were served with seared scallops with char grilled rhubarb, smoked eggplant, ham hock and organic kale. In the shadow of Tweed’s famous volcano, Mount Warning, are some of the most fertile soils in the world. Exceptional produce is always ripe for the picking, while local meat and game are raised on quaint village farms. Whenever possible, their fish is line-caught. The fish is coated in African spices (aromatic, not spicy) and cooked in terracotta with chermoula, sweet potato and fresh dates, plus the occasional spike of preserved lemon, mint and olives.

Pinot Noir Glazed Duck Breast should satiate those looking for more robust flavours. It is served with spiced quince, duck lentil braise, organic greens and drizzled with duck jus. Those with a sweet tooth, meanwhile, should save space Blood Orange and Campari Brulee, which comes with coffee cinnamon ice cream and poached quince. End your meal Basarana Pacharan on the rocks with orange. Degustation menu costs $109 per person, $169 with wine matching. Menu and wine are subject to change.

Fins Restaurant and Bar
Address: 5/6 Bells Boulevard Salt Village, South Kingscliff NSW 2487
Email: dining@fins.com.au
Opening hours: Dinner from 5.30pm daily, Lunch on Fri, Sat and Sun from 12-3pm

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Thank you Scoot, Destination Tweed, and Aria Events & Entertainment for making this trip possible.

MERRY XMAS EVERYONE! It’s best to start planning for your holidays in 2015, so here I am, sharing my final post on Tweed Australia Culinary Getaway (you can read part 1 here). There is so much to love about Australia – the people are incredibly friendly, laid-back and fun; plus the food, I swear Australia does a better breakfast and a better coffee than anywhere else in world.

My journey to Tweed in Gold Coast has made me love Australia more. It is the perfect place to live and holiday any time of the year. The climate is classified as sub-tropical climate, which means it is rarely too hot and doesn’t get too cold. Along the Tweed Coast, their seaside fishing villages have held onto the magic of a traditional Aussie beach holiday where you can swim at safe patrolled beaches, paddle a kayak, find a quiet fishing spot and enjoy a leisurely time. When you think of a holiday on the Tweed, you’ve got to be thinking about morning walks along uncrowded beaches, lazy days in the sun and splashing around in the surf.

The Tweed regions fertile volcanic soil produces the most fresh, flavourful produce all year round. Attracting some of Australia’s finest chefs and most awarded restaurants who effortlessly transform this wealth of locally grown produce into mouth-watering culinary delights. So where are the best dining locations you ask? Well there is Knigscliff, Salt Village, Tweed Heads, Tyalgum, Tumbulgum and Murwillumabah just to name a few. The Tweed also dishes up some truly awesome foodie events organised by Aria Events & Entertainment.

Take a leisurely drive through the Tweed Valley and you’ll pass roadside stalls selling freshly harvested produce from nearby farms. You can also stock up your picnic basket at Farmers’ Markets where you can chat with our growers and providores. Don’t forget to sample the unique Tweed specialties like native fingerlimes plucked straight from the orchard in Chillingham!

{ CHILLINGHAM BUSH TUCKER }

Address: 1292 Numinbah Rd. Chillingham NSW Tel: +61 2 6679 1022 Website: http://www.chillinghambushtucker.com.au

Buck’s Native Bush Tucker Garden is beautifully maintained, easy to walk through plantation. The garden is full of native plants and a number of exotic fruit trees that are local to the Tweed Valley area, Chillingham NSW Australia. He supplies hard-to-find fruits, greens and herbs that are regularly delivered to the kitchens of some of Australia’s top restaurants.

In the early 70s, he has been growing bananas, avocados and mangoes since he took over the property. In the mid 90s, he decided to try something different. He looks at the bush tucker fruits that were native to the area because they wouldn’t need much fertilizer or insecticides. He also talked to chefs to find out what fresh produce they had trouble sourcing – like kaffir limes which, at the time, they could only get in a powdered form. So he trail planted 17 tress and it flourished. Now, he has about 3000 trees.

The finger limes also create lots of interest, as he snaps open the small pod-shape fruit to show us the caviar like small lime bubbles. His own unique seedless variety is a staple in many restaurants. He expanded his initial planting of 20 tress to almost 1000. Every Monday morning, he sends off a kilo of fingerlimes to Tetsuya’s in Sydney and Ian Hemphill from Herbie’s Spices.

Buddha’s hands fruit from the foothills of the Himalayas. He also developed his own natural fertilizers and an insecticide derived from the neem tree to produce a harvest that is totally chemical-free.

The rustic Chillingham Bush Tucker roadside stall is now manned by Buck’s wife Anne, and is a source of fresh local produce.

{ FLUTTERBIES COTTAGE CAFE }

Address: 23 Coolman street, Tyalgum NSW 2484 Tel: +61 2 6679 3221 Website: http://www.flutterbies.com.au

Flutterbies Cottage Cafe is a gorgeous place to stop and enjoy organic coffee. You’ll find an in-house coffee micro-roaster and elegant Tea Room. Locals come here for a cuppa, enjoy a hearty meal reminiscent of grandma’s cooking.

Flutterbies is open seven days for breakfast and lunch, and is fully licensed so you can enjoy a glass of French Champagne or wine with your meal. The food is fresh and homemade, and the organic coffee is roasted right here on the premises! And remember to ask for one of the world-renowned Flutterbie cakes. Every Friday night Flutterbucks hosts a Pizza Night, showcasing great local musical talent in a relaxed environment.

{ TYALGUM VILLAGE MARKET }

Address: 21 Coolman Street, Tyalgum New South Wales Tel: +61 416 019 757 Website: http://tyalgumvillagemarket.com

The Tyalgum Village Market happens on the LAST Saturday of every month. It is a mini festive market where the villagers come together and share their handmade and artisan wares, amidst music, food and festivity. Make a weekend of it and stay at Celestial Dew – the newest Guesthouse in town right next door to Flutterbies. For a small country town, there is so much to enjoy here.

{ GARDEN OF LIGHT TOURS }

Website: http://www.flutterbies.com.au

The Garden Tours are offered in association with Flutterbies Cottage Café. This beautiful property, spreading over 25 acres, has been 15 years in the making. It includes a Cottage Garden, Tuscan Garden, Wisteria Arbours, the lily shrouded pond and hillside woodlands of the Butchart and Monet inspired gardens, a Secret Garden, an Angel Walk, along with vegetable, fruit and herb gardens and a magnificent tree house beside the creek. Tours are run in September and April. Be sure to look for their facebook messages for starting dates.

Local students help to build this treehouse!

And we have 2 very friendly dogs.

{ MAVIS’S KITCHEN AND CABINS }

Address: 64 Mt. Warning Road, Mt. Warning NSW 2484 Australia Tel: +61 2 6679 5664 Website: http://www.maviseskitchen.com.au

One of the most memorable meal I had at Tweed is Mavis’s Kitchen. Much of what we have for lunch comes from the vegetable and herb garden that meanders through their own biodynamic kitchen garden. Their produce thrives on subtropical rain, sunshine, organic fertilizers, and tender loving care from Charlie, one of the owners of Mavis’s Kitchen and Cabins at Mt. Warning. And, it gets picked not long before you arrive… food really doesn’t get any fresher than that and you can taste the difference! Additional ingredients, such as free range eggs and organic coffee are sourced from nearby organic farms and they even found a few preservatives free wines to include in the list.

We started with a Mavises Tasting Plate (Min 2 People) featuring Hand-made Empanada with pork & sage, Salted Cod, Chilli and coriander fritters, Mushroom A la Grecque, Spiced Chickpea & Barley Salad, Homemade stuffed Middle Eastern Vine Leaves with Humus, prawns with shaved fernel orange salad.

My favourite dish is the lamb shoulder where the meat has been marinated with lemon, garlic and oregano for 2 days before putting it into the oven to roast for 3 hours. You get a fork tender and flavourful meat. It is served with Rosemary Salted chips, Organic Greek salad with Persian Feta & Tzaziki.

Mavis’s meat selections are specifically dedicated to indulgent meat lovers and certain to satisfy diners. Sink your teeth in country-style signature Duck Confit. The pan roasted duck thigh is served with fondant potato, asparagus, sugar snaps & rhubarb jus. The rich flavours from the thick creamy sauce complemented with every bite.

{ CHEESE MAKING WITH DEBRA ALLARD }

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/CheeseMakingClasses Email: drallard@bigpond.com Instagram: debra_allard_cheesie

Next, we met Debra Allard from Burringbar, New South Wales. She is a keen cheese maker, once started a cheese making business, but now teaches cheese making classes in her area. She is a very friendly lady and we learnt how to make cheese within 20 minutes! I didn’t know cheese is so easy to do. Careless me, I dropped my camera into the pot of milk too.

{ Kathmandu Kitchen }

Address: 2/106 Marine Parade, Kingscliff NSW 2487, Australia Tel: +61 2 6674 5746 Website: http://kathmandukingscliff.com.au

Our last meal in Tweed was at Kathmandu Kitchen Nepalese & Tibetan Restaurant. Hailing from the Kathmandu Valley, owner/chef Shankar Shrestha serves authentic dishes bursting with the aromas and flavours of Nepal and Tibet.

In Nepal and Tibet, the preparation and presentation of food is carried out with deep respect and gratitude. Thanks are offered not only for the various ingredients, but are also given to everyone involved in the production of the meal, from the rice grower through to the chef.

We ordered a MT EVEREST BANQUET which serves appetizers like Prawn Spring Roll, Sekuwa, Samosa and Momo. I really like Momo, which is also probably the most well loved meat dish in Kathmandu, Nepal. Served with a tomato and coriander chutney, Momo resembles a lot like Chinese dumpling which makes me feel like I am home.

Then came a range of mains like Star Anise Duck Curry, Jhinga Prawn Masala, Tibetan Style Chicken Curry and Himalayan Lamb Korma. The fragrant Himalayan lamb korma is cooked in coconut cream and 20 herbs and spices. For a unique way to finish off, try a slice of the chocolate chilli cake!

{ A WALK AT JOHANSEN PARK }

With so much good wine and food, it makes me want to move to Australia – particularly Tweed, perfect for a romantic getaway. Ended our trip with a quick drive to Johansen Park – such a lovely beach and the cooling weather!

{ GOING HOME … WITH SCOOT }

We began our Tweed journey with Scoot, and of course, ended our journey with Scoot – which is the only airlines that flies directly from Changi Airport to Gold Coast Airport. The flight is 7h 30mins. We got the Scoot In Silence seats which gives you extra leg room as well as privacy.

Meals are not provided on board. But Scoot have expanded their inflight meal menu with a selection of premium meals, hot meals, light meals, snacks, and beverages to choose from. I had the Nasi Lemak which is not bad as compared to other in-flight meals I have had! While watching movie, you can purchase a Scoot Snack Pack to munch! (NOTE: Don’t forget to apply for VISA!)

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Thank you Scoot, Destination Tweed, and Aria Events & Entertainment for making this trip possible.

Happy Saturday everyone! I finally got time to share about my Hong Kong trip. Almost every year, I will visit this lovely country and find more eating places. This time round, Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon (香港九龍諾富特酒店) has kindly sponsored my hotel stay.

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road on Kowloon is the only 4-star International hotel in Jordan Yau Ma Tei district in Hong Kong Kowloon. Given its great location right in the heart of the city on Nathan Road, otherwise known as the Golden Mile, Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road is the choice hotel for travelers.

As you know, hotels in Hong Kong are definitely restricted with space which is why city hotels tend to be more functional. However, compared with similar types of hotels in the area, the rooms at Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road are more spacious indeed.

The check in was smooth and fast and their executive floor lounge provides nice hi-tea and cocktail reception for their guests. In my room, there is free WIFI/broadband Internet and local calls, iPod docking station, premier Lounge access, complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. If you are a member of Le Club Accorhotels loyalty program, you can enjoy free WiFi at any of the Accor properties too!

I always start my day by working out in the gym.

Then, we will have a light breakfast. We have a choice of staying in premier lounge or THE SQUARE for breakfast. Because I wanted a variety, so we went to THE SQUARE for breakfast. Located on the 1st floor, The SQUARE provides International and Asian style cuisines in a relaxing and cosy ambience. Daily buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, healthy options for kids, as well as an a la carte menu with organic items are available.

Most of the time, we are quite easy on hotel breakfast because the main thing is to head out to the streets to eat! Especially when the hotel is in such a prime location, it is not difficult to find good eating places around the hotel. I will share more in the coming weeks. Plus, the hotel is very near to a huge SASA and I spent some of my free time there.

After a long day of shopping, I come back to the hotel, take a shower and surf the net.

We also spend alot of time at the premier lounge as they have nice hi-tea and cocktail reception. It’s very good for business trips as the lounge is a conducive space for meetings and work. Can you imagine, I was also busy typing my blog posts in the lounge too!

Travelers on business trips enjoy the business facilities offered by the hotel while finding the hotel’s close perimeter to the business district highly convenient as well. The hotel features concierge service, foreign currency exchange, photocopy, fax, web corner, luggage storage, courier services, boardrooms, free Wi-Fi and express check-in and check-out services that the business traveler would find beneficial.

Good housekeeping and the front desk readily accommodated our request for a later checkout. Recommended for a short stay at Kowloon! The hotel is quick 30-minutes ride to and from Hong Kong International Airport via A21 Airport bus while the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre are only 10 minutes and 3 stops away from Jordan MTR station.

Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon (香港九龍諾富特酒店)
Address: 348 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3965 8888
Email: h6771@accor.com
For more information: http://novotel-hongkong-nathanroad.com/

Just across the street from our hotel’s (Novotel Nathan Road Kowloon) main entrance is a nondescript eatery Nathan Congee and Noodle (彌敦粥麵家) which has been making great congee and noodles for the last half-century. They sell a huge variety of porridge.

We ordered their signature Jidi Porridge (scholar’s porridge) – a congee with pork liver, intestines, kidney. The name originated from Qing Dynasty, it was said that people who are going to have an important exam like to have a bowl of Jidi porridge, expecting to bring the good luck to the examination and pass the examination smoothly. The congee is smooth and satisfying with generous amount of innards. Love the pork liver especially which was cooked till perfection.

My favourite is the congee with chicken fillets. The tender chicken fillets has been marinated with hua diao jiu which gives it a nice aroma.

Order a side of fritters to be dunked into congee and eaten slightly soggy.

Nathan Congee and Noodle 彌敦粥麵家
Address: 11 Sai Kung Street, Jordan 佐敦西貢街11號
Tel: 852-2771-4285
Opening Hours:730am – 11pm daily

I have been in Hong Kong countless of times, there are always so many eateries yet to discover. I am glad that our friends in Hong Kong are always bringing us to makan places or introducing us to some good ones. To be honest, I wasn’t as hardworking as I was in Bangkok. The purpose of coming to Hong Kong is always about shopping and taking a break, so I wasn’t really combing the streets to hunt for the best street food. Here, I usually eat at places near our hotel or shopping area, which is good enough. In this post, I am sharing with you some of the eateries I visited in Hong Kong. You probably want to read till the end as I have an awesome giveaway in the blogpost. *wink*

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Capital Cafe 華星冰室

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We are always visiting Australia Dairy Company when we visit Hong Kong, so this time we went for a change! After a few hours of crazy shopping, I pop by Capital Cafe (華星冰室) for an afternoon tea. Such a modern interior with a white board full of celebrities’ signatures. The usual egg and toast costs HK$20, we went for something different – the black truffle version egg and toast (HK$38). It’s the usual creamy scrambled egg with a few slices of truffle.

You need lots of skills to get scrambled egg right. I prefer Capital Cafe’s version as Australia Dairy Company because it moist and well seasoned. We also had the typical breakfast food – Piglet Bun with Condense Milk and Butter (奶油豬仔包). Labelled as “toasted french bun”, it was nowhere similar but you can’t go wrong with hot toasted bun and semi-melted butter right?

Capital Cafe 華星冰室
Address: Shop B1, G/F Kwong Sang Hong Building, 6 Heard Street, Wan Chai 灣仔克街6號廣生行大廈地下B1號舖
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 7am to 11pm

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Cheung Fat 長發麵家

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Cheung Fat (長發麵家) is the only stall we really took an effort to hunt it down because it is one of the few remaining licenced dai pai dongs in town. Hidden in a suburban side street in Sham Shui Po, with wet markets and car workshops nearby, it is quite easy to miss it as the signboard if not very obvious. Their popular offering is the 秘製豉油撈麵 – which is a thin egg noodles tossed simply with soy sauce and lard oil. To the locals, this wasn’t probably the best. To us, people who seldom have the chance to enjoy lard oil with noodles, this is actually very tasty and aromatic.

The noodles were cooked perfectly & tossed in this marvelous house blended sweet soy sauce. I love the chewy wanton noodles with fat dumpling, and the alkaline taste is not as strong as some other more famous wanton mee stalls. They also pounds its own cuttlefish balls, so we ordered a soup to share. Heard their Braised Brisket Dry Noodles are worth a try, so I need to come back here again next time.

Cheung Fat 長發麵家
Address: G/F, 1 Yiu Tung Street, Sham Shui Po 深水埗耀東街1號地下
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11am -4am

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Hing Kee 避風塘興記

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Kelvin, who blogged at HK Epicurus, brought us to Hing Kee (避風塘興記) to eat the typhoon shelter crab. It’s on the first floor of a building on Nathan Road with little signage, so it is quite easy to miss it and we had to take a very small lift to go up. This celebrity haunt is run by a fisherman’s daughter who’s known for her brilliant dishes prepared the way they were on sampans. We made reservation earlier because the place is very crowded, even though their service is almost non-existent.

The appetizers have nothing much to shout about, just some poached vegetables, crunchy cuttlefish and innards. The highlight of the meal is definitely the Typhoon Sheltering Crab, stir-fried with a mix of fried garlic and black beans. It is incredibly delicious. Using the same ingredients, they also stir-fried the spices with clams, so if you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can go for that. Surprisingly, their roast duck soup with hand cut noodles is an excellent dish with very tasty soup, tender meat and slippery noodles. I was slurping away even though I was already quite full from the meal.

Hing Kee 避風塘興記
Address: 180 Nathan Rd, 1st fl Bowa House, Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀彌敦道180號寶華商業大廈2樓
Opening hours: 6pm – 5am daily

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Four Season Claypot Rice 四季煲仔飯

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On the first night of arrival, we were craving very much for claypot rice. Wanted to go Hing Kee but was drawn by the crowd at Four Season Claypot Rice (四季煲仔飯) and the aroma of the oyster omelette (okay, it is more like the oily atmosphere rather than aroma -_-), so we went for the latter. First, we ordered the oyster omelette (細鴨蛋蠔餅, HK$20) because the aunty who has been constantly deep-frying it looks very pro. And the whole combination of duck eggs with spring onions and oysters taste crunchy and not too oily.

We went quite late at night, so some of the items were already sold out. Safest option was the chicken and salted fish claypot rice. All the claypot rice at Four Seasons are cooked from scratch- raw rice grains and fresh ingredients cooked above a charcoal flamed stove. It looks pale, but once you drizzle dark soya sauce and give it a good mix, you will be surprised by the flavours it can bring out. Trust me, the salted fish plays an important part. Here, the salted fish is solid. P/S don’t forget the charred crust at the bottom.

Four Season Claypot Rice 四季煲仔飯
Address: 46-58, Arthur Street, Yau Ma Tei 油麻地鴉打街46-58號
Opening Hours: 5.30pm – 12am daily

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Jia Jia Desserts 佳佳甜品

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I am so glad that the hotel I stayed in during my recent trip is so near to a great supper place – Jia Jia Desserts 佳佳甜品. Believe it or not, we came here 4 times (almost everyday) just to have desserts. And we have tried almost everything in the menu – red bean, sweet potato, sesame, fuchook etc.

Their sesame paste is made from scratch, where they roast the sesame seeds, blend them before cooking in a soup pot. It is very velvety smooth and fragrant. We are a huge fan of their fuchook (dried beancurd with ginko nuts). This soup tastes very like soy bean milk yet it also has a unique sweetness from the ginkgo nuts. Only 16 HKD per bowl, opens from 12pm to 4am.

Jia Jia Desserts 佳佳甜品
Address: 27A Ning Po Street, Jordan, 香港佐敦寧波街27號A
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 1.30pm to 3am

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It’s almost time for that festive season of bright red and gold decorations, exuberant music and of course, hong bao giving and collecting! And what better way to welcome this auspicious season than some Chinese New Year treats? American Express is partnering with leading hotel and air booking website, ZUJI, to offer attractive incentives this Chinese New Year for flight and package bookings.

If you intend to travel to Hong Kong, you can get return flight from Singapore from $275 (all in) with 5% rebate for American Express® Card Members. Enjoy 4* Hotels accommodation from $87 per night and 12% for American Express® Card Members. Other featured destinations on sale include Australia, Europe, America, Bangkok, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo and many more.

- 5% rebate for all flight and package bookings
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– 12% hotel code for hotels worldwide. Card Members have to click on “Hotel Code” on ZUJI website to generate a hotel code for them to apply to their hotel booking.

Promotion ends 15 Feb 2015, travel by 30 Jun 2015. Terms and conditions apply.

[ AMEX x Zuji Giveaway ]
Yes, you heard me right. ONE lucky reader from MissTamChiak.com will walk away with $500 ZUJI travel voucher. This voucher may be awarded to the general public, including non-American Express Card Members.

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Closing Date: 2 Feb (Monday) 23:59. Winner will be announced on 3 Feb (Tuesday) 12pm.

Hi everyone! I am spending the next 5 days in Perth, Western Australia. Tourism Western Australia has planned a list of exciting activities for us, including the visit to Canal Rocks, Margaret River, Fremantle and indulging in chocolate, wine and cheese tasting in Windows & Aravina Estate.

So we took the inaugural flight Perth in Scoot’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner! The first 787-9, named “Dream Start”, was welcomed at Changi Airport on 2 February 2015. It is the first of 20 787s Scoot will receive over the next few years.

So how different is Boeing 787 Dreamliner? It’s triple in size with new and improved seats, streaming movies, and inflight Internet connectivity. There are larger windows, more comfortable cabin pressure and humidity, larger stowage bins, a smoother ride, lower noise, reduced emissions, and a step-change in operating economics.

So at about 1.30pm, we boarded Scoot’s first 787-9, named “Dream Start”. The 5-hour flight to Perth was comfortable and smooooth. I am not kidding. It felt like I am at home, having lunch and watching movies!

Because it was inaugural flight, we played some games on board. You know musical chairs right? We have to pass around the huge Scoot “aeroplane”. When the music stops, the person who is holding on to it will have to sing! It was fun!

During my last flight to Scoot, I have tried a variety of different plane food. This time round, I had the soya chicken rice which looks unassuming but quite delicious.

Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot, was with us during the flight! So we took the chance to ask for a group photo. He is such a nice man.

I asked Campbell Wilson if he can do a 15 seconds instavideo introduction of 787 Dreamliner. I am so glad he gladly obliged. Here’s the video. We did it within one take!

Look at the colourful lights in the aircraft. Doesn’t it makes you want to dance? Upon arrival in Perth airport, there was even a water cannon salute to welcome the first #787baby. Scoot’s new Dreamliner has set a new standard in low-cost travel. It will definitely bring great value to Scoot’s operations and provide an exceptional experience for Scoot’s passengers. Thank you Scoot for giving me the opportunity to be one of the first to go on Boeing 787 Dreamliner!

In addition to Perth, Scoot’s 787 will be deployed to Hong Kong from today. All other Scoot destinations will progressively convert to 787 between now and August 2015, at which point Scoot will become the first airline in the world to operate an all-787 fleet.

To access promotional fares, visit FlyScoot.com. To take part in Scoot’s future promotions and get advance notice of special fares, “Like” Scoot on Facebook.com/FlyScoot. Stay tuned for more of my updates from Perth!

Perth is Australia is the only capital city in Australia where you can choose to enjoy the beach lifestyle, picnic in parks, sample world-class local wines and watch an ocean sunset within just 30 minutes of the city. With more hours of sunshine than any other capital city in Australia, chances are, there will always be a blue sky overhead. It’s no wonder Perth has been voted as one of the world’s most liveable cities.

To let us understand Perth better, Tourism Western Australia has arranged a walking tour around the city of Perth with Ryan Mossny, who is the owner of Two Feet & a Heartbeat Walking Tours.

Visitors and residents often describe the City of Perth as a parkland oasis. Within the city boundaries there are 16 major parkland areas and many smaller parks, road reserves and car parks covering a total of 140 hectares in area. The Swan River foreshore parklands form a 10 kilometre natural boundary for the City.

We started our tour at Stirling Gardens, Perth’s oldest public gardens. It honours the name of Sir James Stirling who fought long and hard for the establishment of a settlement in Western Australia. The gardens were originally used as an acclimatisation garden where many of its mature specimens were raised from seed. Grapes and other important fruits were first grown here. In 1845 it was opened as a botanical garden and some original trees planted still stand within the Gardens today.

As we overlooked the gardens, we get a view of the 135-year-old heritage listed State Buildings (formerly the Treasury Buildings) on the corner of St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street. It will be restored into an exciting mix of hotel, hospitality and retail uses. I am sure when it is ready, the CBD area will change significantly.

Within the gardens, there is Perth’s oldest building “The Old Court House Law Museum” and the Supreme Court Building. It is the highest state court in the Australian State of Western Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters and hears the most serious criminal matters.

We heard the charming bell sound from the Bell Tower which includes the twelve bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields, which are recorded as being in existence from before the 14th century and recast in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I.

The bells were again recast between 1725 and 1770 by three generations of the Rudhall family of bell founders from Gloucester in England, under the order of the Prince of Wales who was later crowned as King George II. They are one of the few sets of royal bells and are the only ones known to have left England.

As we walked further, we arrived at Howard Lane which features a series of artworks commissioned by the City of Perth including Stormie Mills’ The Swing and The Conversation and Yok’s Night Forest. Restaurants within the area includes Helvetica Bar and Andaluz.

There aren’t many cities in the world which mix commerce and retail with beautifully crafted green open space combining heritage, public art and water features. This is definitely considered a major asset for Perth. The State Government is also currently redeveloping Elizabeth Quay, with 1.5km of continuous boardwalks and promenades for great public spaces, new hotel and short stay accommodation and contemporary inner city living opportunities. When complete, it is expected to attract more than four million visitors each year and will be a place where people gather by the Swan River to work, live and play.

Want to get a perfect view of Perth? Visit Kings Park, one of the world’s largest and most beautiful inner city parks. It is home to the spectacular Western Australian Botanic Garden, which displays over 3,000 species of the State’s unique flora.

Two thirds of the 400 hectare park is protected as bushland and provides a haven for native biological diversity. Here, you can stroll on a treetop walk, enjoy picnic with friends among the gum trees, and see wildflowers in bloom. Within the park, The Cenotaph was built to honour all servicemen and women who enlisted in Western Australia to die in the Boer War, World War I, World War II, Korean War or Vietnam.

The best way to enjoy Perth is to take a lazy lunch by the river or beachside and enjoy the fresh fusion flavours of Perth’s many cafes, restaurants and new small bars. After our leisure walk around the city, we dropped by Cott & Co. Fish Bar for lunch. Cott & Co. Fish Bar offers locals and summer beachgoers a new and relaxed bar where you’re able to relax in the sun, wine in hand, and enjoy fresh, local seafood.

We had local seafood, seasonal produce and an extensive range of white wines to complement each dish. Our appetizers include Grilled Tomato Bread ($5), crispy Busseltotn Whitebait ($9), Poached Veal Girello ($21) and Flambe Prawns ($29). The most memorable dish was Ricotta & Truffle Gnudi with cauliflower and walnuts ($29). I’ve never tried gnudi before, when the waitress introduced it (pronounced like nude-y), all of us looked at her and asked “what?!”. Haha! These tender, gnocchi-like pasta dumplings are actually deceptively light and shine with simple sauces and fresh ingredients.

For the main course, I went for the safest bet – Fish & Chips ($26) made with fresh WA snapper and homemade tartare. It’s a little too salty for my liking, but definitely crispy on the outside yet succulent inside. They have a wider range of seasonal menu which changes every now and then. On the day of our visit, we also ordered Franklin Harbour Triploid Oysters ($18 for half dozen), Blue Swimmer Crab Linguine ($28) and Gold Band Snapper with balsamic strawberry ($33). The oysters were very plump and fresh, while the linguine was light and would be better if they spice it up a little more.

We took a quick tour around The Cottesloe Beach Hotel which offers a stunning Perth beach location with Indian Ocean views. There is a range of seating available including communal tables, the option to stand or sit at high tables, or you can grab casual bite at the kitchen bar. Perhaps most enticingly, there is the opportunity to relish Cottesloe’s famous sunset from the comfortable lounge seating near the windows. It’s the perfect place to relax after work, entertain friends from out of town or enjoy a wine in the sun over the weekend. And, they even have an indoor beach for events, how cool is that!

Cott & Co.
Address: 104 Marine Parade, The Cottesloe Beach Hotel, Cottesloe WA 6011
Phone:(08) 9383 1100
Website: www.cottandco.com.au

After a great lunch, it’s time for shopping at Fremantle Market! The Fremantle Markets are housed in the Victorian-era building, which was listed by the National Trust of Australia and the state’s Heritage Council in 1980. With over 150 stalls offering exquisite products of all kinds including handicrafts, specialty foods, dining halls and fish and vegetable markets.

The Fremantle Market
Telephone: (08) 9335 2515
Website: http://fremantlemarkets.com.au/

Hall Opening Times: Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am-6pm, Public Holidays 9am-6pm
Yard Opening Times: Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 8am-6pm, Public Holidays 8am-6pm
Closed on Christmas Day & Good Friday

I took a walk around Fremantle and chanced upon this small kiosk called “Legally Brewed”. It’s just next to Timezone Fremantle, away from the city’s hustle. Guess what, it is owned by a 28-year-old Singaporean Stefan Lum. Graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, he does cheap and good burritos from $7. I haven’t had a chance to try the burritos, but heard the pull pork one is good. I went for my usual Cappuccino and what was rather unique is, they serve cold drip coffee! Stefan is always super friendly and happy to have a chat.

Legally Brewed
Address: Piazza Arcade, 20 South Tce, Fremantle Western Australia 6160

Dinner is at Chesters Restaurant and Heafod Glen Winery, located in the premium wine producing region of the Swan Valley, Western Australia. The Swan Valley is situated just 25 minutes from the central CBD. This rustic yet elegant venue used to be a stable quarters for a local riding academy. The Marri columns sustaining the roof were originally set into clay, as was done in the valley during the early 1900’s.

The Head family later transformed it into a restaurant, serving outstanding modern international cuisine, by an award winning kitchen team. All of their tables, cabinet works and feature walls are handcrafted by the original timbers. Even the characteristic stable doors have been lovingly restored.

Appetizers started with Scallops Duck L’Orange ($24). The pan seared scallops is interestingly served with shredded confit duck leg, preserved orange puree and microherb salad. The Eyre Penisula ginger beer battered oysters ($24) is a dozen of fatty oysters with fennel escabeche and lemon balm.

I ordered a plate of medium Black Angus Beef Fillet ($40). Beautifully grilled steak was tender and smoky, well flavoured with Heafod Glen shiraz jus. The thing that caught my attention was the slow cooked hen’s egg in tomato pickle. When I glazed the fillet over runny egg yolk, it provided a luscious boost.

Another option is Katanning Lamb Collar Butt ($38.50) with beetroot puree, herb and wattle seed black pearl barley, peppered goat’s curd, Heafod Glen tawny reduction. There was no gamey taste in the tender meat. Vegetarian friends can go for Quinoa & Haloumi ($28.50). It looks like a beautiful garden with mint and sumac haloumi, red quinoa, grape tomato, asparagus salad, smoky babaganoush, pistachios, drizzled with pomegranate dressing.

For dessert, their Sticky Date Pudding ($15) wins hands down. It’s so moist and soft, yet not too sweet. Drenched with salted butterscotch sauce, candied pecans and malt ice cream, I don’t mind having another plate for myself. Another summer dessert is Eton Mess ($15) with refreshing strawberry compote, crisp meringue, Chantilly cream foam, popping candy and kiwifruit coulis.

From home smoked produce through to succulent local seafood dishes and prime fillet steaks, this enchanting Swan Valley Restaurant is ideal for relaxed casual dining, corporate and social functions or weddings. Fabulous cuisine with a rural edge, Chesters Restaurant and Winery is truly one of the Swan Valley’s finest culinary masterpieces.

Chesters Restaurant
Address: 8691 West Swan Road, Henley Brook WA 6055
Phone:(08) 9296 3444
Website: www.chestersrestaurant.com.au

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Thank you Scoot Airlines, Tourism Western Australia, and Accor Hotels for making this trip possible.

Located in the Swan Valley, The Novotel Vines Resort & Country Club is a picturesque beauty. This 18-year-old luxury resort boasts 103 resort rooms and 54 condominiums accompanied by the restaurants, bars and lot more facilities.

During my stay in Perth, I stayed in The Novotel Vines Resort. They offer 103 rooms ranging from Resort Style to Deluxe Spa Suites and Executive Suites, and all incorporating individual balconies or open courtyards overlooking the championship golf course, Darling Ranges or Resort vineyard. They have tea & coffee making facilties, and more interestingly, complimentary movies on demand! Every morning, I woke up to a gorgeous view of greenery.

The Muscat’s Restaurant is offers a la carte dining Monday – Friday and buffets on Saturday nights. We start the morning with the hotel breakfast.

Unfortunately, we don’t have much time. If not, I would probably be relaxing by the 25m outdoor swimming pool.

Many professional golfers stay in The Vines and their golf course is rated as Australia’s best golf resorts that is bounded by native bush, wildlife and lush trimmed gardens. They have 2 magnificent 18-hole championship golf courses – Ellenbrook & The Lakes (official venue of the Johnnie Walker Classic 2009), available for you to play 365 days a year. Or if you can’t play golf, it’s okay. Spend some time to find the kangaroos!

During our first night at The Vines, we are invited to try their new dinner menu. We shared a range of appetizers including confit duck spring roll ($20) with mango and coriander salsa and soy caramel; beef carpaccio ($18) with nicoise salad and creamed truffle; sesame crusted tuna ($17) with asian greens and roasted soy; and pickled beetroot ($15) with candied pistachio, goats cheese beignets and rocket.

Barramundi is a popular fish in Australia. Caught off local waters, the Crispy Skinned Barramundi ($37) is roasted very nicely, with a crisp coat, paired with spiced lentils and crocodile popcorn to relieve the monotony of the fish meat. Yeah crocodile popcorn, it tasted a little like chicken meatball.

For a wider variety, go for their seafood platter ($38) which includes catch-of-the-day, king prawn, crushed pea, sautéed potato, with shellfish dressing. The Aged Beef Fillet ($39) tender and well grilled with wild mushroom ravioli, cauliflower soubise and potato fondant.

We ended the night with bitter chocolate fondant ($17) with yoghurt ice cream and roast banana gel; lemon meringue with sable crumb, raspberry textures and baby meringue ($17); vines snickers ($17) with peanut parfait, candied peanut, salt caramel and chocolate soil; and mango cheesecake ($17) with shortbread crumb, mango gel and toasted white chocolate.

I enjoyed my stay at The Vines. It’s spacious and comfortable accommodation. I enjoy waking up early to take a stroll around the hotel, enjoying the greenery and looking for kangaroos. Thank you The Novotel Vines Resort & Country Club for the hospitality.

The Novotel Vines Resort & Country Club
Address: Verdelho Drive, The Vines, Western Australia 6069
Website: https://www.vines.com.au

Opening Hours for Muscats Restaurant:
Breakfast – 6.30am till 9.30am (7.00am – 10.30am on weekends & public holidays)
Dinner – 6pm till 10pm Tuesday – Saturday (closed Sunday & Monday evenings)