A simple lunch, or is it not?

A lunch, just a lunch,
Or so, one thought.

No longer as simple as it sounds.
Like before no more.

To ask or not to ask?
To eat or not to eat?
A duo, a trio, a quartet or solo?
A duo invites talk, a trio too much of a click, a quartet but that's just a fraction of a whole.

Much thought (full and less) goes into it.

One's absence or presence speaks volume, much volume.

Laksa goreng

Lunching and steeping ourselves in nostalgia at Curry Times.

*laksa goreng or dry laksa

*sesame oil chicken with plain rice

*handful of nostalgic biscuits we remember from old times (complimentary)

*cold winter melon drink with selasih seeds. These are actually basil seeds but popularly known as selasih and used in Asian dessert and drinks. When they come into contact with water, they plump up and turn somewhat gelatinous. I've used them for konnyaku jelly.

*our favorite side dish of cold tofu topped with salted egg crumbs and century egg slivers

Green gyoza

Interestingly delicious gyoza or 'guotie' at Zhou's Kitchen.

It has got chives in it and is toppped with a cheese sauce. Chives and cheese surprisingly go well together.

Steelcut Oat on a steely Tuesday

Breakfast of steelcut oat.
With cinnamon and dried cranberries.

Here's an earlier posting on how best to make this - http://cookzbookz.blogspot.sg/2012/05/overnight-irish-style-steel-cut-oat.html?m=1

Other recipes for Steelcut oat -
http://www.theyummylife.com/Slow_Cooker_Apple_Cinnamon_Oatmeal

Playhouse nestled in Rochester Park

Seb's Bistro at Rochester Park.

One of our favorite places to go to when we feel like a treat. And where we can slowly enjoy dinner while the kids have fun at the playhouse (entry charges apply).

There's a trampoline which can take 2 to 3 kids and it's netted all round to prevent them falling off.

The Weekend Roast ($48 before taxes) is popular and usually runs out by dinner.

The dining area is al fresco and gets hot in the afternoon. The playhouse thankfully is air-conditioned and gives respite from the humidity and heat.

http://www.rochesterhouse.com.sg/Sebs_Bistro.html

Price : $$$$

Japanese-style Korean BBQ

Happy to have found this new eatery located at Central Mall.

Haramiya's the name.

Good food, reasonable prices.

Toasted marshmallow

Dessert of toasted marshmallow on a breezy Sunday. Over our portable grill.

Homestyle satay bee hoon steamboat

What better way to make use of excess food from last night's BBQ dinner than this.

*satay sauce left over from BBQ
*pack of sausages left over from BBQ
*fried fishballs left over from BBQ
*assorted BBQed items such as chicken wings, beef, satay, stingray

On the side, we had blanched bee hoon, kang kong, sliced bean curd puff (tau pok), fresh pig's liver.

The veg, taupok, sausages, fishballs and liver go into the steamboat for a quick boil.
Then we scoop them out and place them onto our individual plates of bee hoon, and ladle satay sauce over.

A birthday BBQ

It drizzled and poured, then poured and drizzled. From dawn we waited pensively willing the rain to please stop. Toggle we did : Plan A or Plan B? Plan B or Plan A? And it finally stopped. On the dot. At 5.45pm, the time we were to receive our pre-ordered food from the BBQ wholesaler.

And celebrate our boy's birthday we did, a birthday BBQ he asked for.

*fried bee hoon
*chicken curry
*the obligatory chicken wings, sausages, satay, otah, sambal stingray, sweet potatoes
*button mushrooms in cheese packed into foil cups. Great BBQ item to make on our own next time
*store-bought baguette to soak up the curry sauce
*home-blended pineapple sauce, to go with the satay sauce
*homemade salad using iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, onion slices, minced garlic, crabstick chunks with a random but yummy sesame dressing from Daiso
*homemade yakitori sticks of bacon and golden mushroom, and with young asparagus (400g bacon for about 14 adults. 1.5 bundle of golden mushroom. 1 small pack of young asparagus)
*home-prepared dessert of canned longans and honey sea coconut with lemon slices (2 cans longan, 1 can honey sea coconut, lots of ice)

Ribs at Tony Roma's

Quiet lunch at Tony Roma's. After a hectic morning at the pediatric dentist.

*full slab of baby back ribs
*half an onion loaf
*potato soup
*baked beans, mashed potato and coleslaw

How to pry a chestnut out of its shell

Useful instructions on the pack

Homestyle Chinese croutons to go with porridge

A creative solution when you can't get hold of dough fritters (you tiao) or wanton skin to go with porridge.

This is made from flour, corn flour, salt, water, coriander seeds and sliced spring onion. Knead into dough, roll out and cut into ribbons. Make a little shape from it by cutting a slit down the ribbon and push one end into the slit. Fry till crisp.

Lettuce salad with blue cheese dressing

250g bacon, cut up and cooked till crisp
100g blue cheese
125g sour cream
3tbs mayonnaise
2-3tbs lemon juice
2 heads of iceberg lettuce, quartered
2 stalks spring onion
Some plain yogurt, to taste

For the dressing, crumble blue cheese into a bowl. Add sour cream, yogurt and mayo. Mix. Add lemon juice, to taste.

Plate the quartered lettuce and spoon dressing atop. Scatter bacon and spring onion.

A hint of mint

Hint mint. The name says it all.
A hint of mint.
A mint to hint at bad breath.

Www.ez.com.sg

Bear taking a warm bath

Isn't this cute?

From http://www.think-if.com/website/ Facebook page

Kalipok!

Kalipok from Shazah Confectionery.

Made fresh and sold piping hot. Opposite (the back of) a mosque at the Joo Chiat area.

There was another one that we've tried that faces the entrance to the mosque (at the wrap of a video-shoot), but this one is nicer.

Factory direct - durian puffs

Durian puff $4.30 for 6
Profiteroles $3.50 for 6
Cheesecakes $4/wedge
Sponge cakes, scones etc.

Where:
D'Pastry
Blk 3020 Ubi Ave 2, 01-121

67427168

Open :
8am to 6pm daily
Closed on alternate Sundays

Www.d-pastry.com

Factory direct - Roast duck

$15 roast duck
Char Siew $20/kg
Roast pork $20/kg
Suckling pig $98

Also has kiosks at Ion Orchard and ViviCity but at higher prices

Where:
Yan Chuan Roasters
Blk 3020 Ubi Ave 2, 01-111

67472623

Open : 7am to 6pm daily

Factory direct - Nasi Lemak

$1.90 Nasi Lemak with ikan billis, peanuts, otah and sambal

Honey glazed chicken wings $1.30 each

Otah 60 cents each

*Chicken curry $30 for 8 to 10 servings

*Lontong $38 for 8 to 10 servings

(*order a day in advance)

Where :
Lee Wee & Brothers' Foodstuff
42, Lorong 1 Realty Park

63859122

Open: 9am to 5pm daily

Www.leeweebrothers.com

Factory direct - Popiah and Kueh Pie Tee

Popiah skins $14/kg
Pie tee shells $15 for 50
Take home Popiah set $22 (15skins, filling and condiments like peanuts, chili, sweet sauce).
Take home Pie Tee set $26 (50shells, filling and condiments)
Ayam koro (braised chicken thighs in steamed buns) $30 for 15bun set
Laksa $40/set

Where:
Fortune Foods
Blk 3017 Bedok North Street 5, 01-13

62432118

Open : 9am - 3pm daily

Www.fortunefoodsg.com
Fortunefoodsg@gmail.com

Factory direct - herbal jelly

Herbal jellies in various flavours.
Starts from $1.20 for a 240g jelly.
Starts from $4.80 for an assorted family pack of 2.3kg
Starts from $3.30 for pack of 6 mini 140g jelly cups

Where:
Greengrass Gardens
Blk 3020 Ubi Avenue 2, 04-107

67457608

Open :
6am - 3pm (Mon to Sat).
Ad hoc hours on Sundays

Gggrassjelly@yahoo.com.sg