Gaga over Japanese sweets

It's Hokkaido Fair again! The last time I wrote about it was back in 2007!! Yea, after being back from Japan, I can't help but get addicted to anything Japanese again easily.

 

That day I read about the fair, I immediately made my way down just to purchase the mille crepe. But sadly, I did buy more than just the cake (a box of 4 for S$18). I got myself Sakura Mochi ice cream (S$5.50) which was mildly sweet, with a grainy texture and quite to my liking. I also got a few skewers of dango (something I missed out in Japan), each costs S$2.70, not the cheapest. I like the sesame one best, so rich and flavorful. The colorful ones were just pretty. The green tea with red beans were alright, very "Japanese" themed but otherwise nothing special. For the mille crepe, as no sample was available, I decided to go for the original flavour. It was so good, my family loved it. So I made another trip down for more.

I got the rare cheese flavour as well as the green tea (that comes sandwiched with two layers of red beans). I quite like the cheese, though the sister did not, it's a bit salty and cheese-y. The green tea is refreshing, something different and those red beans added some sweetness to it. If you get two boxes, it's at S$34 (S$2 cheaper, which I didn't know the first time!) and comes with a cooler bag. I feel like getting more, but I might be going to Malacca for freshly made mille crepe... So I should refrain from buying more!

Wheat Baumkuchen Pastry & Noodle Bar

I patronised this place twice, Wheat Baumkuchen Pastry & Noodle Bar, and will highly recommend it :) It's way too crowded at lunch but I'm sure they will need to expand soon, business is surely good. Besides doing noodle (in the form of salad), they also sell Baumkuchen, more information on Baumkuchen is here.

Its german name surely got my attention! So I began to do a little googling on it. So it originated from Germany, from what I read from their site. Wikipedia also has some information. Here's some excerpts I quoted from Wikipedia.

"Baumkuchen is a kind of layered cake. It is a traditional dessert in many countries throughout Europe and is also a popular snack and dessert in Japan. The characteristic rings that appear when sliced resemble tree rings, and give the cake its German name, Baumkuchen, which literally translates to "tree cake" or "log cake".

Baumkuchen is one of the most popular pastries in Japan, where it is called baumukūhen (バウムクーヘン?), or often erroneously, bāmukūhen (バームクーヘン?)[citation needed]. It is a popular return present in Japan for wedding guests because of its ring shape."

It resembles a lot like our Kueh Lapis in Singapore. Look here if you want a picture, actually that blog even gives you the recipe! Or get them from Bengawan Solo, they invented the prune version, see picture here. Kueh Lapis, like Baumkuchen has a complication background, they originated from somewhere and then got improvised and adapted in different places. Quoted this from the blog, "The cake which evolved from the Dutch Butter cake in Indonesia during the Dutch colonisation days."

You know what, I want to buy it as a birthday cake next time, perhaps for my mummy as she can't take the normal cakes which are too sweet.

I bought the Matcha (green tea flavour) one the day I went for lunch, it's mildly flavoured, not the bitter green tea I imagine. I could still taste the original Baumkuchen taste (I imagined!), and it's a lot like our Kueh Lapis!! It costs S$2.50 for one, and S$4.20 for a decorated one which resembles a mini cake! Of course, they also have the big version which will work as a birthday cake.

Anyway, I actually went to this place for the noodles. They have this interesting method of making noodle as salad, yes it's cold but its invigorated by the seasoning sauce they added to it. I tried the Lava set which comes with warm curry, also the Reindeer set with grey soba noodles. Both I totally enjoyed, very refreshing taste, very appetising, and very fulfilling. If your stomach can hold more, try the Ice Cube, which is a tender tofu sliced very neatly. The sets are currently S$7.80 with a drink, and I hope the prices will stay the same for as long as it can :)))

p.s: I'm not sure where it originated from, but with Baumkuchen, I would label it under german and japanese.

Omamori

Omamori are Japanese amulets... and I have just received the third one as a gift. I just wiki-ed it and realised its said it should be replaced once a year and the old ones should be returned to the temple. How am I going to send them back?? I guess I would retire them in a box.

When one of my good friends was flying, she brought me back one. One that would bless me in getting my wishes fulfilled. It's bigger than the others I have, with chinese characters sewn on it.  Then when another friend of friend living in Japan first got back to Singapore, he gave me another, pink with a goat sewn on it and a tiny golden bell. I had no idea why I was the receipient as we weren't that close but he said he felt that I was the right person to have it. I guess it was wrong because somehow it lost me shortly. I was devastated as it was a gift and exceptionally cute. That one was meant for love, and it probably wasn't meant to be.

Last year during my trip to Taiwan, I also got myself one (similar to the Omamori) from a Chinese temple in Tainan. It's not free, you have to buy it from the counter and have it blessed in the temple by circling it around the pot of joss sticks. I don't know what it was specifically meant for, but most of them are used to ward off bad luck, so I guess no harm getting one!

Few days ago, I met my ex-colleague, a feisty young lady. I was surprised when she passed one to me, because friends whom seem to go Japan would just get that for me. This one also had chinese characters sewn on it, pink with a tiny bell and in a petite size. It's also meant for love :) Well, let's see if this works, I have to keep it well this time.

Original Tokyo Banana with Omamori

I also received this box of Original Tokyo Banana. Many thanks to Cheryl. I tried the chocolate version which is delicious but it seems like its no longer in production now. They now have the caramel version which I am not a big fan of. I still prefer the chocolate one. They are very similar, banana shaped cake with banana cream (made from real banana). Give it a try when you're in Japan!

Always a second time

I'm definitely recommending these places because I've been back the 2nd time ;) I might have written about them briefly for my first visit but here's some real pictures taken during the re-visit :)

I went back to Ma Maison again, this time to another outlet with another friend, BS. This is taken a couple of months back but I still think it's worth mentioning. I ordered the sizzling steak which the waiter came over and lit my steak on fire! WOW. The service is polite and attentive, ambience is superb and cosy like the bugis outlet. The staff there are mostly Japanese as I think the Central branch has a lot of Japanese customers. Read about my first visit.

This is my dinner at Food for Thought at North Bridge Centre. Like the first time, the food is only prepared when you order, and of very good quality. The Shiitake Mushrooms (pasta) in garlic and olive oil dressing came with a side salad hence the portion is smaller. It does good for me, not sure for a big eater. I also had the Lychee Saga drink, which is a freeze but it dried up fast (gotta admit I'm a fast drinker), I think there was too much ice than juice! If you're thinking about having the fanciful looking cakes, think twice. After trying this Old Southern Red Velvet cake (photoshopped into the picture), both my friend and I didn't want to finish even half of it. I would have gone for Chocolate Banana Malteser but its not available that day, but I'm having second thoughts since the quality of the cake is greatly disappointing. But I will always go back for the food! The only thing I don't really like about dining there is sitting near the cooking area, it made us smell of grease at the end of the dinner!  Read about my first visit.

The Rotisserie, an australian place offering grilled juicy chicken (a little like Kenny Rogers but feels more like a healthier option) and a great venue for lunch. I have not written about this place before, but I have already been there twice by now. The picture above is my first visit, we weren't allowed to have chips as we opted for salads, so we must choose two salad types. Chips come as one of the choices but you are not allowed any vegetables or salads. There's the vegetables option and you can have all four of them I am surprised when I heard the staff saying that. So one could have the mashed potato, sweet corns, macaroni and cheese and califlowers if I remeber correctly. The second time, my friend had the chips while I remained with my salads so we could share :) The desserts also look tempting, and I heard the coffee's good too. Delicious and always worth revisiting as there's other stuff to try!

Snacks, from all over

Long long overdue... and thus I'll try to collate them in one long entry or possibly a few. Yes, yes, it's all about food and I just love talking to you about them ;)

Some time ago, boss gave this to us at work. Apparently, it's from Scotland. It's Tunnock's Caramel wafer, I normally dislike caramel because it's too sweet for me. Since it's imported, I decided to give it a try. The caramel made the wafer very sticky and chewy, unlike the crisp ones we normally get here. My colleague didn't enjoy it, however I quite like the "chewy" feel :)

Another Scottish import! Well, I brought this one back the other day... I happened to see this when I was having tea at Haddo House, it was sold in their bakery cum cafe. Apparently, it's handmade. It's more chocolate than toffee really, a misperception I had from the packaging. Milk chocolate with crunchy toffee bits, and yes it's sweet. I'm not a toffee person, bought this for anyone who likes it but ended up poor chocolate is being neglected so I had to do it. But it wasn't as bad as I thought as the toffee was minimal.

I am not sure where this box of Pocky is from (I bought it in a snacks shop), I think it's manufactured in Thailand. It has two of my favourite things, chocolate and banana - always the best combination. I always got to have it when I see chocolate banana crepe, ice cream, muffin... or anything you can think of!

A colleague got back from Hong Kong and has a whole bag of these duck tongue. She asked if I would like to try as she has too much for herself. So I said, "Why not!" Mmmmm, I kind of regretted saying that because after the experience, I didn't even want to bring the rest home for my family. I passed them on to the daring souls in the office who have acquired tastebuds for them! Fortunately, a Hong Kong girl, an Indonesian guy and another guy from China seem to enjoy them :)

Let me share with you the experience. When I opened it, it literally looked like a tongue! It was coated with some sticky syrup. So I decided to close my eyes and popped it in. It was soft and the texture felt like eating a chicken heart (if you ever tried)... except that there were bones!!! I didn't really enjoy it as I felt like I was biting some muscles (attached with bones) off an animal. Ermm... I guess let's just stop here.

Hell no... Don't underestimate these small little packets. There are very addictive. I think I had almost 30% of the whole box my colleague brought back from the Philippines.Wikipedia says Polvorones are spanish shortbreads and indeed Philippines is one of ex-Spanish colonies, so no surprise there! It's said they are popular during the Christmas season, I wonder if they have it during the normal time... If I ever visit, I will buy a whole lot of these! By the way, the original flavour is the best, I also like pinipig and cashew!

These are variation of the normal "Baby Ball" or so called "Egg Boro" snack I used to have when I was young. They melt in your mouth after some time... that's why it's a baby snack, you don't need to have teeth to eat them. But the Japanese version as captured above has exotic flavours, spinach and pumpkin. I thought these are also a more healthy type of snacks, my parents also seem to enjoy them.

I bought this the other day because it looked so queer. It's sweet potato ice cream shaped just like sweet potato. The Japanese are really imaginative! But it's not cheap, it's about S$5 for this, but just for the novelty of it, why not! I find it pretty unique, it has sweet potato flavoured ice cream and bits of sweet potato on the bottom as shown. It's also not too sweet for me.

Credits to my dearest Taiwanese friend, Carrie (I mentioned this the other day but without a picture)!! Thanks for the authentic sun biscuits from Taichung, they are simply the best :) I prefer these to wife biscuits from Hong Kong now.

This has been my dinner for some of my fat-free diet days. Oh my... I always like the Dairy Farmers yogurt; they are Australian, thick and creamy just like the tagline says. I used to buy the small cups which do not come as worthy as this. I have been dying to try this flavour ever since I saw it but it doesn't come in the small cup. So there, I just gotta have this! It has real passionfruit in it!

Craving for cakes II

After another round of cakes from Rive Gauche pâtisserie, it is time to retire from them. I have to say I'm not impressed by the Mont Blanc, at least the Cherry Pistachio is a more exquisite flavour. I only ate half of each of them, the rest finished by the sister and parents. Somehow I can safely say for the coming 2 weeks, I'm going to stop spending on them. Great way to cut down some unwanted calories as well as saving my pocket for something else better :)

Anyway, I was looking for reviews online when I realised a Mont Blanc from them costed S$4.50 in January 2010, and in November it's already S$7! A 36% increase!!! Gosh! So where's the promotion now ya thinking? And this was how it looked like, which is so much prettier than the one they're having now. Here's what it looks like today...

My sister even threw away the chestnut on top! Oh well! It was a little too sweet and creamy and I don't enjoy too much spongecake in my cakes. I guess I'm more a mousse person. Overall, it's just a very average tasting cake, just as bad as how it looks. I somehow prefer its former look, and having read good review about their Mont Blanc, I decided to give it a go... Unfortunately, not impressed at all!

Pistachio Cherry sounds awesome from its name, and I have to say both flavours seem to blend well together. The sour cherry mousse was quite to my liking, but the top layer of pistachio was disappointingly savourless. It could be a lot better... and how about adding on some dark chocolate mousse?? I think that idea will be great, LOL.

So say goodbye to Rive Gauche cakes! I shall save my stomach for better ones.


By the way, my mum got these surprisingly super delightful fruit tarts from the neighbourhood bakery. I have to say they make indeed a lovely treat! She bought 2 some weeks ago and I had them all to myself, very greedy I know, but it shows how good they are! I told her about it and this weekend she got 4 back! Don't worry, I'm not going to eat them all up, this time I'm sharing :D

Best of all, they are cheap!!! I can't believe cheap things can taste so good but you gotta believe it, there are gems. Most neighbourhood bakeries only do mediocre stuff but I guess there can be exceptions! Here's the yummy tart, with crispy buttery crust, fresh cream and freshly cut fruits covered with a layer of jelly.

Craving for cakes I

Thanks to Tampines 1 and their awesome deals. This is also partly why I seldom like to go to town when I can get most things nearby ;)

So this time, let me show you the pictures first. These are from Rive Gauche pâtisserie, one of the celebrated brands around this area.

Napoleon or better known as Mille-feuille

Omelette

Anyway, there was a 1-for-1 Tuesday (applicable for same items only), and I happened to be out that morning and got lucky again, because they were sold out by 4pm the week before. I decided to get a few things home. There were too many choices and also a big risk of expanding waistline, so I would save more for next Tuesday ;) The promotion is ending 4th week November though.

After much hesitation, I settled for Napoleon, which looked really delicious by the look of it! It was as good as it looked, the cream and custard were so fresh, yet not too sweet... ARGH! Writing about it now really makes me hungry!!! The puff pastry was thin and crispy. The strawberry slices were a bit sour but complemented the rest very well. I really enjoyed it even though it didn't stay on my plate long enough ;) My parents like it but thought it is overpriced for cakes (at its original price), but good stuff are worth paying for... and I got a good deal nonetheless!

The Omelette was catchy in the display, which was why I got them. The name is very vague, but it actually contains fresh cream and banana in it. I thought,"Oh, why not have a try!" I have to admit I am not a fan of fresh cream and so it didn't appeal much to me, I like banana though. Dad loves the fresh cream, and the thin skin around it (I couldn't tell what it was made of) but this sure reminds me of the durian puff from Emicakes. Oh yum!

Dine French in Japanese style

I heart my friends. Well, most of them. The ones whom never fail to keep my spirits up when I'm feeling down... the ones whom are there to share my joy, grief, pain and tears... the ones that are not physically here but nevertheless supportive and encouraging! They are the best things that have happened in my life (besides family).

Anyway, last Sunday, Jean took me to brunch. We went to this very pretty petite cafe called Octa Hotel. Imitating a Parisan Hotel, Octa Hotel is Japanese but serves cuisine of the French. Amusing, isn't it? This is probably why Japan is so fascinating, they never fail to surprise us! This is their first foray abroad, and certainly it is an honour to dine there! They also sell tableware, accessorises, clothes and many novelty items, all imported from Europe and Japan.

Perfect setting for Hi-tea. They do not do many main courses, mainly sandwiches. So I guess it's more a place for light meals and afternoon tea. I ordered myself a smoked salmon with avocado sandwich for S$14.90 (if I remember correctly), it came with tortilla chips. Plus I topped up a few bucks for a tea or coffee. Salmon and avocado are two of my favourite things, and they will never go wrong together...

And I sure love this sandwich!

It's not very cheap, but it's Japanese, so I guess you do pay for their service, decor and cosy ambience as well! It would be better if the tea and coffee comes refillable! I just saw on their website, they are having a new hi-tea promotion that comes with refillable tea or coffee! The lunch set seems very reasonable too! Also, I very much believe the staff are Japanese too, at least some of them.

Under S$25 meals

Picture this...

It's a rainy evening, and you're trapped at Parco Bugis Junction. Your stomach is growling and you crave for good food, something hot, steamy and juicy. Not FASTFOOD! No Mos Burger, no McDonald's, not even the barely satisfying food from the basement food stalls. So what's there to eat??? Okay, and you've only a budget of S$25.

There's MOF, it was pretty crowded when I was there. Food was alright but on the higher end for their quantity. However I miss their rice balls - I can't remember the names, I only remember it was one of the best things I had.

There's also a Hong Kong cafe, which is best kept for having a cuppa or two.

There was Sketches, my favourite place to have customized pasta or pizza but unfortunately is replaced.

There's Soup Spoon, suitable for the days you feel like having liquid diet!

And then you suddenly remember.... Nando's just opened their first restaurant in Singapore! And it happens to be at Bugis Junction! Yes, it's the replacement for Sketches, not that I'm very happy that Sketches has closed down... but well, at least there's another dining option! I just found out that Nando's is Portuguese! Ma Maison, it rings a bell. Go google it and you'll find a French-Japanese fusion restaurant. It's tucked in a cosy corner behind the Hong Kong cafe which I never noticed - OMG!

To cut the story short and save your creative juice churning... I dined at the two places recently and would like to share my experience! The cost per person during my visit came up to S$21+, same for both restaurants, but for Ma Maison it was after a "Ladies' Night" 20% discount.

Nando's
Located at #01-85 Bugis Junction
Timing: Sunday lunch
Card promotion/discount: None at the moment

It was a celebration lunch, for my dear friend who has completed her last paper. I suggested to give a try at Nando's since it's pretty new and I never had it anywhere else. I was there about 1245pm and there was already a queue, fortunately the wait wasn't too long. The place is very cramped, and only if you're super skinny, you could probably squeeze through the space between tables without saying "Excuse me". Other than a group of noisy kids at the neighboring table, our dining experience was quite pleasant. It seems not the case for everyone as I read of a few nasty reviews on friends' Facebook status. They probably went for dinner when things have ran out and was extremely crowded and so they couldn't wait for the diners to leave once they cleared out their plates. Still I wish they have a larger area!

We each ordered a 1/4 chicken (Mild) with cous cous salad and peri peri/old-style fries and drinks respectively. I didn't like my drink! Both the fries appeared the same to us! My friend didn't quite like cous cous but I happily finished mine ;) The chicken portion was just right, and was tender and hot (unlike the hungrygowhere reviews). We didn't have the bottles of sauce at our table, but was attended to quite promptly when we requested. I prefer the mild and hot sauce, to the extra hot and garlic sauce (sour!).

It reminds me of Kenny Roger but the latter has a better variety of side dishes (e.g. macaroni cheese!!). I suppose the price is fairly close to Kenny Roger's too. But if I am to return for comfort, I think Kenny will be a better option. Nando's can improve with a bigger area with more comfortable seating, better service and shorter waiting time (especially when calling for bills).

Ma Maison
Located at #02-51 Bugis Junction
Timing: Monday dinner
Card promotion/discount: JCB UOB Card & ANZ credit cards / Every Monday "Ladies Night" @ 20% off

I have heard and read lots about this place and thus specially made the trip down on a "Ladies' Night". It was near 7pm, and a queue was already quickly forming, this place must be quite impressive.

The majority of the staffs are Japanese, so were some of the customers. It certainly felt like I was in Japan (not that I've been there), but the service was prompt, polite and excellent! The ambiance was delightfully romantic, and it just made you want to sit there forever... slowly savoring the food and drinking sake! I have promised myself to return ;) Not sure when but definitely!

We were served ice water almost immediately after we sat down. I was amazed at their service! Then we were asked if we wanted garlic bread or something else (I can't recall!) while waiting for our main course to be served. The garlic bread came in two long pieces, delicious! It costs us S$4.20 if I remember right. We ordered a big hamburger steak and gratin with scallop and prawn to share, which was a very good idea indeed.

The steak came, a huge patty drizzled with brown sauce and surrounded by pieces of roasted potatoes and cauliflower. Not forgetting, it was topped off with a sunny side up. The steak was soft and tender! Like minced meat patty, it was a heavenly combination with the brown sauce, we finished it in no time. No wonder it's one of their signature dishes, next time we should try the one on hot sizzling plate!

The gratin with scallop and prawn was a very good size for its price. Two juicy prawns and two scallops, inside the grain was shell-like pasta, not potatoes. Fortunately we shared, else too much of it might be icky! It tasted more milky than cheesy by the way. I didn't realize we didn't order any drinks! But our iced water was always being refilled without even raising our hands!

I had a dessert craving that evening, forget about being on diet on a Monday night;) So we had apple pie with vanilla ice cream. It was an art, when it was presented to us. So pretty that I couldn't bear to eat it:) Domo loved it too. It was not the usual apple pie, because I tasted green apple! Slightly sour, coupled with the sweetness of vanilla ice cream and the baked crust... mmmm... I think I can do one on my own next time!

All in all, thumbs up for Ma Maison! I can imagine holding a few celebration dinners over there, but I will better book in advance!

p.s: Pictures up.

Oishii oishii

Pasta de Waraku seriously is damn good. They fed us well... with very affordable pricing, reasonable portion and good food! I have also tried their normal Waraku (Japanese casual dining) twice and they do excellent food too. I have also heard good reviews from my colleagues of Mr. Curry which is also under them. So go visit them!!!

After a super long day today (which I'd tell you why later), my grumbling stomach was stuffed with so much good food that it probably wouldn't rumble for the next 24 hours! The moment I sat down at Pasta de Waraku in Central Mall, I instantly like the place. Very attentive service too! The menu provides a huge variety to choose from and I'm spoilt for choices! I decided on my favourite and must-have ingredient (for any pizza/pasta) and that is mushroom. So the choice is made - Chicken and mushroom pasta in MISO CREAM (which is pretty special!), I asked the waiter to make a suggestion for the sauce since I didn't want the normal tomato paste nor carbonara nor normal cream. If you are feeling adventurous, try the wasabi cream!

We ordered ourselves each a set meal that comes with corn soup, small salad with our main course... and then a choice of gratin (for mine) and mini pizza (for my friend). Almost wanted to do coke float but am very glad now we didn't... we were struggling to clean the plates up at the end of it! I had banana shake which wasn't that "milky" fortunately so wasn't too filling for me, so it worked out pretty well.

I felt the pasta pricing is a lot more worthy comparing to their japanese casual dining, not too sure why... perhaps japanese food is really their forte? Anyhow, I love their brand, food and service and will always think of going back for more... YUM YUM.

Oh mann, Manpuku

So much to write, so little time... that's me, with a passion for blogging.

I can't stand it anymore, I need to do some justice or at least talk about it. Finally, I dined at the super crowded "Marche-style" Japanese gourmet town at Tampines 1. It's known as MANPUKU. Finally, and probably a first and final time for me unless the food really improves. However, I have a slight suspicion that the Udon stall is probably better than those we tried.

I decided to go there for a dinner appointment one of the evenings... Craving for the ramen (thinking of the ones I had at Cuppage Terrace!), I decided to go with it. My friend chose the omelette rice that comes with chicken cutlet. Judge these pictures, and I'd tell you they tasted JUST AS BLAND as the photos. They didn't even try to make it taste good, put some MSG lah - kidding.

Anyhow, after reading so many blog entries about how exciting the food are, it turned out to be a disappointment. Are those bloggers "paid" (by getting a free meal there) to write good stuff about it??? Honesty please. Or perhaps it was really good on that day they went for food testing... probably? The desserts (fruit tarts) looked really good, but after having super average main course and looking at how much cream they're having on their tarts, we decided to give it a miss and enjoy desserts at Secret Recipe instead!

So my verdict, try it once for the super cosy ambience and atmosphere! Don't even think of returning unless food standard is raised to make it worth what we're paying for! Go to Shokudo anytime over this! I will probably 'force' myself to return to try the Udon once! Ha.

Ponyo... ponyo... a little mermaid fish

PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA by Hayao Miyazaki

I wonder how many adults love this show, because some people have been only giving it a 3 stars rating.... but for me, it is a 5 STARS.

A little boy, Sosuke, found a goldfish stuck in a jar when he went to the beach to play. Little Sosuke rescued her and kept her alive in a green plastic pail filled with water. He named her Ponyo. They had a brief time together before Ponyo's dad who was a sorcerer living in the deep ocean retrieved her back from Sosuke's hands. Poor Sosuke was so upset... His innocent love for Ponyo was put to test when Ponyo escaped home (creating a tsunami after she emptied the "Water of Life" - Fujimoto's precious store of magical elixir, into the ocean) and went back to find Sosuke. By then, Ponyo has transformed into a little girl, having tasted Sosuke's blood when he first saved her.

Will this puppy love last? Will Ponyo's dad, Fujimoto, give in to their love?? Watch to find out:)

I love the animation, it's lively and comical. Excellent. In fact, I can't remember giving another film 5 stars... have I?? The everyday life and other very simple things (e.g. opening the door with both hands full of bags) are so well depicted that I find it so amazing, though some things can be quite exaggerating (but hey it's a cartoon)!! Ponyo is such a cute, lovable and bubbly character that it really engages the audience... so is Sosuke! So entertaining that I didn't even leave the seat for a toilet break during the 2 hours show! It really takes people who have done animation (in school/as a profession) to know how much hard work it takes to appreciate what is shown in front of you! Here's a link to the very original japanese homepage.

My verdict: 5/5 stars

More tasting...

vs

Where's a nice dessert place?? Sorry, again, it's meant for people with sweet tooth.

But before you stop reading because you're NOT a fan of sweet stuff... I'm saying the Green Tea & Red Bean dessert will actually suit your taste! A friend also recommended me Monster Ice (Plaza Singapura) which also does similar desserts, but I have yet to sample it... so here's the two I have tried.

Picture on top: Mango dessert @Hong Kong Cafe (Marina Square)
Verdict: Sweet and really sweet... Lot more ice than the mango bits. And of course, that scoop of mango ice cream, altogether they will make you skip having mangoes for a few weeks!! LOL. Good for once in a while indulgence, and remember to share it!

Picture on the bottom: Green Tea & Red Bean dessert @Shokudo (Raffles City basement)
Verdict: Much nicer than I thought, not too filling... That green tea taste is refreshing and combined with the red beans which offers mild sweetness. Best for people like me, whom are not too crazy about sweetness!! Would definitely try it again and again. Got me thinking of that Japanese ice cream (Liang Court) which offers a green tea & red bean flavour - now I think I must give it a try.

Why we love Japan???

They have the most innovative taste, not just in fashion but also in snacks - they really satisfy;)))

Framboise, Brandy & Schokolade?

Is there such a perfect mix - Raspberries + Brandy + Chocolate???

YES!!!!!!!!

After Eight (Japan) has came up with this limited edition luxurious night chocolate. I read it from the papers, and couldn't wait to buy one off the shelves. And I did. They also have a lime version, but what is good without alcoholic content (sheeeeeeezzz, there I go again). Take a look inside, not plenty for S$5 but okay *think* you need to pay for the Brandy!

After having my first piece, I thought it was overrated. I went thinking,"It was just some berries, a bit of alcohol with the chocolate. Not like I haven't had any before!" But take the second piece, this time, let it melt it slowly on your finger as you hold it...

Bite it off, enjoy the moment before swallowing the whole piece. And you'll get it ;)

家庭日, die Familie, Family Sunday

You'll be amazed at the speed I finished my dinner... I nearly swallowed them than slowly digesting which is said to be bad scientifically as slow chewing means you won't get hungry soon.

Today mum cooked dinner and it hasn't happened very often since she started working and doing her usual weekend mahjong. Fortunately, she decided it should be a domestic Sunday and be at home. So it was somehow far more delicious, though there was nothing special that she made.. We had a steamed fish, broccoli with mushrooms and prawns, bak kut teh, 五香 "wu xiang" (click for viewing a similar picture, it's hard to explain, but it's crispy and crunchy filled with meat/prawn/etc).

Oiishi Hokkaido is here at Tampines Mall, and it's the last day today. It has been here a few times and it's a nightmare going to the fair which is always packed with hundreds of people and long queues for all the good Japanese goodies. I wanted to bring mum to the Metro Closing Down Sale (which is now 50% + further 20%). Erik is right somehow, I am still a "shopaholic", am I not? :( Even though I'm only especially vulnerable during sale, but that doesn't mean I'm not one... sigh.

Mum was very keen to go since I suggested I would bring her... so did Dad (who has been home for years due to joint pain - I think I'm getting part of that, geezz...). They walked so slow and I had to stop/wait/stop/wait. It was a rare occasion that they would come shopping with me as they are never big fans and always complaining about the crowd/heat/legs aching. Imagine they did 3 storeys of Metro with me, amazing, I must praise them now! In the end, mum got a lot of stuff, a new set of bedsheet, a new wallet (I get her one yearly, however it is quickly wearing out due to her frequent use) and chocolate & nougats (definitely not for her, but us - the kids). I think she's certainly very excited and pleased with the purchase.

Anyway I'm sure all of you aren't so keen in my domestic affair... hahahaaa.. which wasn't my point too. I wanted to show you guys many pictures I took at the Hokkaido fair earlier with my old but superb phone. So enjoy... I'll write some captions with them!

HOKKAIDO FAIR from 6 - 15 JULY 2007

Toksuei Seafood Bento

Trueblue Japanese salesman

Butter Manju Cake (hot selling, my sister & I Q-ed damn long for this)

Otaru Marugoto Sweet Potato Cake

Camembert Cheese/Chocolate/Blueberry Yoghurt/etc Cake

Tokachi Rice Cake, Kushi Dango Rice Cake

And of course, those are only less than 50% of what was sold there... It's hella-lotta-guuuuuud-food! But they aren't any cheap I must remind you. Besides those on the pictures, there's also the very popular Eat-in Hakodate Ramen, Mori No Ikameshi (Squid with with rice filling), Takoyaki Octopus Ball, Croquette, Seasoned Salmon Roe, Isobeage Fish Cake, Spicy Cod Roe, Japanese Soft Fresh Ice Cream & Gelato, Rice Hoshinoyume, the Japanese Scallops and Hokkaido Sake & Beer! Those highlighted in colors are hot-selling.

Like Rolls Royce

Tsunami preyed on Solomon Islands yesterday morning. Poor things... there was no warning.

My mum teased me,"Now you're spending all your $$$ (savings) because Tsunami is approaching..." I bought Royce chocolate home today, just because I suffer a severe craving for good quality chocolate. I visited Carrefour but was just not keen in Lindt or Nestle or Hersey anymore... Not even Meiji. I have always seen Qs at the Royce shop but never understood why until today.

I try it! I tried!

I have a very specific craving... only dark chocolate. So after chatting with the sales person (a true japanese), I decided to go for NAMA BITTER! It's a 20 pcs box. It has to be refrigerated... so she packed it with dry ice while I carefully sent it home and into the cool temperature. Dinner was over and we all couldn't wait. Sister was more anxious than me, I could see her waiting to jump onto my tiny box of chocolates! Attack!


So I carefully opened it, of course, it being the first time! It comes in such an elegant packaging that it seems a pity to tear everything open... But when I finally lifted the cover, I went,"WOW!" So so so heavenly and they're just mouthwatering. Divine!

I poked it with the plastic fork provided, slowly put it into my mouth... It just slowly melted... Immersed, the bittersweet taste immediately surfaced and you felt the endorphin rush. It made you happy quickly, like a drug. It made you addicted, like the drug too. Endorphin: Any of a group of peptide hormones that bind to opiate receptors and are found mainly in the brain. Endorphins reduce the sensation of pain and affect emotions - quoted from dictionary.com.

All in all, I say,"If you have not tasted it, give it a go... Royce is a must-try for its affordable and quality japanese chocolate!"

Konichiwa, Watakushi-wa Tsuriki

The Japan National Team is playing against Singapore tomorrow if I'm 100% right. Both the national teams are putting up in the hotel nearby my office. It seems to be the one for most national soccer teams whom flew here. My company is dealing with regional sports events, so I have seen my colleagues speaking to the press or maybe even the players. I've noticed some Singapore players/officials at lunch time, BUT I do not recognise them. Speaking of that, my colleague was telling me how good looking Nakata is in reality, yeah? Let's see if I've any chance to see the japan players...