World Food Fair @ Singapore Expo Hall 6

Together with A LOT OF senior citizens, I visited the World Food Fair this morning. 😀 I bought so many things that I truly regretted not bringing a trolley, unlike so many smart aunties I saw today. But it also meant that I booked a Ryde home and got to meet a very inspiring driver. I did a post about him on my Facebook page but I’ll share it here too, at the end of this blogpost. 🙂 In this blogpost, I’ll share with you some of the good offers I spotted and also, what I bought! Didn’t have time to queue up for the SPH lucky draw though as the queue of seniors was SO long. I guess I’ll just have to come back again. Today I did not have my lunch at the Fair, nor did I tabao something home. Just steamed some Kong Guan pau that I bought there, and that was it. 😀

Apart from the SPH lucky draw, there’s also one from the organizer:

$12 for a whole roasted duck seems like a good deal:

And there’s $2 Braised Duck Rice too:

Another stall was selling Braised Duck at $16:

As I already have dinner plans for this evening, I didn’t buy any of the roasted delights. Now I really have to return to the Fair before it ends on Sunday! 😀

One of my favorite booths! Win2, or should it be pronounced as ‘Win Win’? You can pick 7 items for just $10. PLUS you get a freebie (a box of biscuits) and 1 free spin (to win some candy). REALLY worth visiting this booth. It’s F09, if you’re keen:

Next to it, I bought some MD2 pineapples from Ananas Republic. It’s $3 each. The large ones on display are going at $8. But you can buy the small $3 ones to ‘test’ first. I followed an auntie’s lead and requested for ripe pineapples and these 2 look pretty good:

Another booth I came to the Fair for: BUZZ

The usual price for a pack of these noodles is around $14(?) and now when you purchase two, it’s $9 per pack. I got 4 actually. I’d thought the free tote with every $25 purchase would be a large one. It turned out to be a teeny weeny one probably only big enough to store one of these noodle packs. LOL. And I got some bottled drinks here too. 3 for $1 only!

And here’s the PAU I mentioned… from a brand I really like. The Gourmet Pork buns are going at 1 for $3.50, 2 for $6.50. I really should have bought just 1 pack ‘cos it’s not as good as Nam Kee’s and cost savings = 50 cents only. (@_@) However, the Salted Egg Custard ones are good! Comparable to what you get in dimsum restaurants! $6 for 1, $11 for 2 packs.

In Mandarin, we call this ‘big bag small bag’. Would not have been able to get home via train / bus.

SO I booked a Ryde and met this guy I shared about on FB:

“Just met a Ryde/Grab/Gojek/Tada driver who clocks $400/day and I feel a bit shaken…

He was so so so friendly. Apologised for keeping me waiting, which was fine as I wasn’t in a hurry and I already knew the ETA from the app.

Asked me if the aircon temp was OK. First time I’ve had a driver ask me that!

And when I shared that the Expo has a food fair, which I visited, and there probably will be a lot more visitors he can ferry later, he was so grateful and thanked me for the info 😅

In the course of our conversation, I found out he is 30 years old (but he looks more like a 20yo as he’s so smiley and cheery), has 2 very young children (6mths and 3yo) and his wife is a SAHM.

He says he has a target set for himself: to stop only when he clocks $400 per day. I did the math and told him WOW that’s over 10K a month, no?! And he says that May was the best month, with $12.2K after deducting comms. But that’s when he had to go to a hospital… as he had suffered a mild stroke from working so hard.

😭

He revealed that he works so hard because he’s the sole breadwinner and he doesn’t want his wife and kids to feel that they don’t have what other people have.

I really didn’t know what to say to him except to please take some time for lunch and rest, maybe a little exercise too, to stretch.

And I gave him some of what I’ve gotten at the food fair, for his older kid and himself.

I really hope his two kids are extra filial and take very good care of their father in future. Because he’s pushing himself so hard for the family now.

Somehow learning about his story makes my eyes water.

But I quickly hopped out of his rented vehicle as I know he has another passenger to pick up nearby. 2 phones, 4 ride-hailing apps, 1 amazing driver and father. 👍”

If you’re going to the World Food Fair, it’s at Expo Hall 6. 12 to 15 Sept, 11am to 10pm daily. 🙂 Have fun and bon appetit!

Lazy Lizard: The Promenade @ Pelikat

The Promenade @ Pelikat is this super ulu “mall” in the Hougang / Kovan area. I’m not quite sure whether it should be called a “mall” since it doesn’t have many stores open on a Sunday and most of the units look like they are owned by small businesses which have an online presence and do not rely on the (probably non-existent) walk-in crowd to survive. In fact, one unit we went by had signs to warn people against entering – apparently the guy who’s renting the unit just wants a place to store his vast collection of CDs! (@_@) Anyway, we’d made an Eatigo reservation for 50% off at the restaurant / bar that’s called Lazy Lizard. I think this place is great for folks who want to watch a soccer match while having some dinner / supper. There are around 18 tables (which can seat 4 pax each) and 8 individual seats at the bar.

He ordered the Lazy Lizard Sirloin ($22.80++)

It came with a GIGANTIC serving of fries. OMG. You’ll have carbs, protein and veggies all on one plate. But probably not in the way that the Health Promotion Board would have wanted. 😀 Turn the plate to the other side, and you’ll still see LOTS of fries:

If you’re catching a soccer match here (on one of their two screens), you’ll certainly enjoy / appreciate the abundance of fries. However, it was a bit overwhelming for us this evening. Also, I found that his Sirloin steak was rather raw. Not quite the ‘medium’ cook we were looking for. In any case I have to say the meat was well seasoned – love the rub on it.

In this ulu place, an eatery like the Lazy Lizard is a great place to chill. Before we entered, it was just two girlfriends having a late lunch (?) I guess.

Both the female and male wait staff took turns asking us how’s the food. I’m not sure if it’s a question they take seriously. The guy asked us first. I said the meat’s undercooked. And he asked if he should take it back to the kitchen. I said never mind. Since my darling was not appalled by it, and quite enjoyed it, it was fine. Waiter probably heaved a sigh of relief then. Next, my darling asked him if this place serves iced water. The waiter replied that they serve alkaline, distilled water and it’ll cost S$1 per cup. Erm… OK… I just gave you feedback that the food’s undercooked, and you want to charge me for water. In a way, I don’t blame him. The onus is on the management to empower the staff – you’re allowed to serve a diner a glass of water for free if there’s already been a complaint about the food… no?

If he had responded differently, I would think the Lazy Lizard is worth a second visit.

As for my Har Cheong Gai Burger ($16.80++), I think it was unremarkable. It wasn’t juicy enough, and neither was there sufficient prawn paste. It also came with a HUGE serving of fries – around half of which were, ironically, overcooked. But since there were so many fries, I didn’t mind picking out those which don’t make the cut and only eating those which were golden brown, and not fried to a crisp.

I really do like the Lazy Lizard’s promotions in-store though. Such a pity I won’t be back.

For one, there’s the Valued Guest Card. Just follow them on facebook and get 10% off henceforth plus a free main on your birthday.

Secondly, there’s a bill waiver if you correctly predict the score of a football match. Haha!

Also, there’s a Carnivores Buffet at $30++ between 12pm and 4pm on weekends and public holidays. *I hope you tell the staff you only want the meats. And to ensure there aren’t any fries, because food wastage is chargeable at $5 per 100g.

Lazy Lizard is at #01-20 of The Promenade @ Pelikat.

Tel: 6243 6826

Professor Brawn Cafe @ Pathlight School: My New Favorite Cafe

Finally met my pal Julia here today. Professor Brawn Cafe is at Pathlight School in Ang Mo Kio. The cafe provides job opportunities to people with special needs, and also the disadvantaged in society. Besides serving up delicious food, there’s also a store within – The Art Faculty – with merchandise designed by youths with autism. If you recall the Dino Pouch that was made famous after Ho Ching was photographed carrying one… yes, you can get it at The Art Faculty / Professor Brawn Cafe. 😀 In fact, there’s now a version 2.0, which arguably is even better than the first version which I bought and have already discarded after I washed the pouch and the zipper got so rusty it couldn’t be used anymore. 😀

Hopefully, my pal likes the pouch. I think the lighter blue is really nice! 😀

There are card holders too! The one in Champagne is so classy. You can get it in a set with a notebook too. Go check in store and get it while stocks last! 😉

I ordered the Special Lemonade ($3.90) while my pal had tea. I found out why it’s “Special” – it’s super sour. 😀 Like drinking lemon juice at home. I think I’ll go with the $3 Ribena freeze next time.

I took a gamble and ordered the Gourmet Sausage + Rosti ($14.90) and wondered if it would be as good as the one at Marche. And my goodness. I think it’s even better! As I explained to my pal, at Marche, either you get almost burnt rosti or not-quite-burnt rosti. It’s generally all of the same color on the plate. But here, it’s very crispy on the surface but within, the potato’s still pale. So… my guess is the temperature is really high so it browns very quickly all round. A bit too oily though! And the sausage (I chose the peppery version instead of the original or with cheese) is SO GOOD. The salad by the side is unremarkable and the sour cream is not as good as Marche’s BUT STILL… I like this dish:

My pal ordered the chicken. She says it’s crispy on the outside, normal/regular chicken on the inside, BUT THE SKIN IS CRISPY. So ok… if you want regular chicken with really crispy skin, order this. The potato wedges are decent too.

The dessert took really long before it was served. And the icecream had already melted a little. My pal had already stood up and gone to the counter to ask if they’d forgotten our waffle when the wait staff came over. Presentation-wise, it looks a bit amateurish (sorry) but the taste is OK. Not the best waffle in Ang Mo Kio for sure. But the ice cream was enjoyable.

I think the cafe does mains really well. Waffle + ice cream maybe not so much. But definitely come by if you’re looking for a cafe that’s not too crowded, where you can chill with friends and colleagues. Also, you can indulge in some retail therapy (OMG I needed that today). It’s for a good cause too. Every time you order some food or drink, it gives the staff opportunities to learn and to hone their skills. And when you buy some merch, you support these young artists with autism, and their families too. 🙂

*As an aside, mainly for my own reference, the payment counter on the left seems to be able to process paywave payments a lot faster. The one on the right was said to have many issues – was super laggy today.

The cafe is open from 9am to 9pm daily, except for Sundays.

Tong Heng: A Modern Look, With Eggtarts Still As Good

Popped by Tong Heng at Chinatown yesterday and couldn’t resist getting some of their famous egg tarts. Interestingly, they still taste as good this morning, without having to be heated up. The store itself has gotten a revamp, the packaging has become much more classy and I think that overall, it’s a good change. Maybe the service can be better, but I guess nothing’s perfect, eh?

Golden Piglets are pineapple tarts. Way too cute.

I bought one of those ‘Dragon Phoenix Pastry’. Tastes like one of those piggy-in-a-basket mooncakes. Not quite delicious. Save your $4.

The mooncakes look really, really good though. I didn’t buy them ‘cos I think I’ve had enough of mooncakes this season. 😀

The upgrade was worth it, I think:

Yesterday, we came by around 4.30pm or so. By right, it should not be their ‘peak hours’ yet the female staff member who attended to me (I’m not even sure the word ‘attended’ applies) kept ushering me to the payment side. I want the egg tarts, yes, but I would like to get some other items too! And there wasn’t a queue, and there weren’t any customers after me! (@_@) Maybe she needed to go to the loo or something. Good grief. On top of that, no receipt was provided! I’m not even sure she rang up that order on the cash register or not. I think I shall have to drop Tong Heng a note about this.

Folks Collective @ China Square: Hits and Misses… Again!

It’s been a while since we last visited Folks Collective at China Square Central (20 Cross Street) but we fondly recall the yummy Thai food here. I did a blogpost about Folks Collective previously so today we made sure to order what we liked previously, and avoid what we didn’t enjoy. Alas! Even with the benefit of an earlier review, there were still surprises today. 😀 Anyway, before I talk about the food, how about some pictures of the interior first? Gorgeous place, isn’t it? And I found the table we were seated at actually has parts of a sewing machine:

We ordered the same beverage: Lemongrass Honey ($3.90 iced, $5.90 hot). It was served in mason jars and wasn’t too sweet. In fact, it was perfect.

The Grilled Pork Skewers ($8.90) which were so enjoyable previously were served up almost cold today. There wasn’t any flame below. Asked the waitress but did not get a satisfactory reply. Well, if it’s not going to be served hot, just put the skewers on a plate lah. Thankfully, no upset stomachs after dining here.

The Pad Thai w/Seafood ($12.90) was delicious. I didn’t notice there’s an option for Softshell Crab with green mango. OMG. I’m so ordering the Pad Thai with softshell crab and green mango ($18.90) next time!

Today we had the Yellow Coconut Prawn Curry ($12.90) and if you ask me, I think the Roasted Duck & Lychee Red Curry (also $12.90) we ordered the last time was better. 😀 Too many prawns! Especially with the seafood pad thai we were having.

With 50% discount (off a la carte food items, not drinks) and a $20 Eatigo evoucher, I paid just $10.50 for this meal for 2. 😀 Book here via Eatigo for 50% off!

Would we be back again? I sure think so!

With a group of 4, I’d probably get the seabass – fried or steamed – and definitely that pad thai again. 😀

Crispy Chocolate Cake from Chateraise: Price, Review

September and October can be considered the birthday season for us. Lots of friends and family members celebrating their birthdays within these 2 months. I got a cake from Chateraise today: it’s a 17cm Crispy Chocolate cake. If you are getting a cake for someone’s birthday, let the staff know so they can provide a piece of chocolate with the words ‘Happy Birthday’ on it. I love that it’s edible (versus those plastic pieces you have to throw away). We did away with the candles this time too as the birthday girl does not want people to know her age. 😀 Isn’t it funny how some people are SO secretive about their age? Gosh. It’s not like you’re asking for their bank balances. As for me, I’m always stating my post-birthday age. Like I’m not 33 yet, but I’ve been telling people I’m 33. I even write that down on lucky draw slips, to my darling’s amazement. I don’t get it. What is there to hide?

Anyway, as for this cake, I have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the nama chocolate on top. If you’re wondering what nama choc is… well, it’s those small chocolate squares on top of this cake. According to guide.michelin.com, “Nama chocolate is a type of ganache, which is made from a mix of melted cacao and fresh cream. As the mixture solidifies, the block of chocolate is cut into pieces and sprinkled with cocoa powder on top.” To put simply… it’s expensive chocolate blocks you can also buy from Royce. Expensive but yummy.

According to Chateraise, the crispy chocolate cake is “made with authentic Belgium Couverture chocolate, truffles and smooth white chocolate fresh cream. Garnished with abundance of chocolates, you’ll enjoy the crisp in each bite!” It’s actually quite difficult to cut, especially with their flimsy plastic knife. You’ll need a REAL cake knife at home to do the job!

It tastes really good at first bite, but quickly becomes quite jelat. This 17cm cake is good for sharing. The more people, the better. Just get a small slice with a piece of nama chocolate on top! 😀

The cake costs S$40. The additional Happy Birthday chocolate sign is complimentary. Also, with every $10 purchase, you get 1 stamp. Accumulate 40 stamps and you get 2 nights’ stay for 2 pax at Gateaux Kingdom Hotel in Sapporo. Sweet! I expect I’ll be getting more cakes from Chateraise. Will review them one by one here so stay tuned. 😀

*If you’re interested in getting some less sweet mooncakes, do read my earlier blogpost.

Mooncakes: Less Sugar, More Enjoyment

A pal of mine asked to meet up yesterday as he wanted to share his Mao Shan Wang durian mooncakes with me (awww, thanks Clarence!) but I was dog-tired and just wanted to be reunited with my bed. 😀 That doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying any mooncake though. I have some less-sweet ones at home from Bing Liang (https://www.bingliang.com.sg/) and Pine Garden (https://www.pgcake.com/). So if you’re keen on purchasing some low sugar mooncakes, read on…

Low Sugar Single Yolk Mooncakes from Bing Liang:

At under 50 bucks, it’s definitely worth getting a box of 4 for the whole family to enjoy:

I have a sweet tooth but need to watch my blood sugar levels so low sugar mooncakes are the way to go. Paired with the baby pink box and oriental floral design, I’d say Bing Liang’s mooncakes are great as gifts for parents and grandparents. 🙂

And this is my Pu-Er Tea Paste Baked Skin Mooncake from Pine Garden:

No egg yolk, or anything fancy. But the pu-er tea paste is delightful. You can pair it with tea or eat the mooncake on its own. As it’s less sweet, you might find yourself eating a few more pieces than you usually would. So do watch out for that. 😉 (If you’re wondering, it cost $15 per piece when purchased separately, sans box)

We also bought the Snow Skin D24 Durian Paste mooncake and Lotus Paste ones. They cost $3.50 each for the mini versions. The price seems a little steep, but was definitely worth it!

Pine Garden also provided a complimentary lychee beverage for customers when we were there on 26th August:

Such good service for a neighborhood bakery! It’s almost unheard of!

If you’re getting just 1 or 2 pieces of mooncake for someone, and you’re wondering what else would complete the gift, may I recommend a Flower Bloom Box? I got this one for a female client…

You can get bloom boxes from as low as $35 (with delivery) over at farmflorist.com. I would think they make great gifts for people who work in offices as they fit nicely on any work desk. Probably not so ideal for a dinner or trip to the cinema (get a bouquet). 😀

Have a great Mid-Autumn Festival ahead!

Sesame Street Run 2019

I attended the press conference for the launch of the first Sesame Street Run in Singapore this week. 10am on a Wednesday morning meant there weren’t many guests from the media. Instead, there were LOTS OF preschoolers from a centre called Learning Kidz (yes, spelt with a ‘z’ @_@). I was a little shocked at the sheer number of tiny kiddos (only some shown in the picture below) so my reaction was similar to that of the lady on the screen: WOAH! But I have to say that it’s brilliant. The kids are free to attend this presscon on a weekday morning and they LURRRRVE Sesame Street! 😀 If you’re a fan of Sesame Street too, then this Run is not to be missed!

Just a few of the kiddos who were present at the event:

The emcee also went around giving them high 5s – so cute! And though it seems like the words behind him read ‘Pub Service Centre’, I assure you there was no alcohol served. It was actually Public Service Centre, I believe. 😀

He also made sure they committed to memory the date for the run: 17 November 2019.

I heard that Tampines’ residents get a special Oscar tier while the rest of us can use our PAssion card and get 8% discount. We’ll get to celebrate 50 years of Sesame Street and run together with our favorite characters (mine’s Cookie Monster). At the Run, you’ll pass a letter of the alphabet every 200m or so (snap a selfie!), there’ll be bubble foam, and the fun doesn’t end at the Finish line. Collect your limited edition medal then go enjoy some carnival games, step into a special ‘globe’ in which even a family of 4 can be inside for a photo. There’ll be stage activities, a movie corner, and lots of photo ops – Big Bird’s Nest, Hooper’s Store, etc – together with a crafts corner where you can make a sock puppet. What I’d probably find most irresistible would be the merchandise: get Sesame Street notebooks, mugs, apparel and more! And finally, pen your wishes at the Wishes Wall since it’s Sesame Street’s 50th birthday!

We got to meet Grover, Count Von Count and Abby Cadabby but not Elmo and the rest of the gang, who’ll only be at the Run 😉

Singapore’s the 2nd leg of the Sesame Street Run Tour. It was held first in the Philippines and by the looks of it, they had a blast:

I think the shirts are so colorful and really very attractive. And the merch are definitely worth collecting.

You can pick the 5km run, or even go for the 3km or 1km leisure run if you have grandparents and young children with you. Sign up over at: https://www.sesamestreetrun.com/

Playmade’s Carrot Tea Smoothie w/Carrot Pearls

Carrot bubble tea?! I was as incredulous as when I found out The Body Shop had a carrot range of skincare products. Yes! Playmade, in partnership with Shopee, has launched Carrot Tea Smoothie (M$4.20, L$5.40) and Carrot Yakult Tea Blend (M$4.60, L$5.90). Best of all, there’s currently a drinks bundle at $9.90 whereby you can pick 3 drinks from a list of 6, and each will come with a topping of your choice! Today, I ordered the Taiwan Milk Tea with Chrysanthemum Pearls, Carrot Tea Smoothie with Carrot Pearls (YES! There’s such a thing! OMG) and Chrysanthemum Tea with Pink Cactus Pearls.

First up, you must be curious about the carrot tea smoothie, right? How does it taste? I was expecting an overwhelming carrot-y flavor but no, it was pretty acceptable. I think there were some grainy carrot bits in the drink but overall, it was enjoyable. I’d actually requested for 50% sugar with this smoothie. But I think I might be able to have it at 25% or 0% next time. The carrot pearls tasted better than I’d thought they would, too.

Not as disgusting as I’d thought it would be:

In fact, my darling said he preferred the Carrot Tea Smoothie over the Taiwan Milk Tea which is one of Playmade‘s bestsellers. So that’s saying a lot about this newly launched drink!

Also, there’s an ongoing promotion now whereby you can get a stamp card and collect a stamp with every purchase. Once you collect 5 stamps, you can take part in the lucky draw to win $99 in Shopee vouchers (no minimum spending required). There will be 5 winners. Drop your completed card into the box at any Playmade outlet before 12 September, which means there’s not much time left! *Interestingly, my 3 drinks today gave me 3 stamps on the card. I’d thought the promotions would not be ‘stacked’ but now I just need to purchase 2 more drinks to qualify for the draw. Sweet! I carrot wait to be one of the five lucky winners! 😀

Once Is Enough: Mala Xiang Guo @ Food Junction, United Square

I’m not a fan of ‘Mala’ anything, whether it be chips or non-junk food. But my adventurous other half likes to try what others are raving about. So we found ourselves at Food Junction, United Square, yesterday with a Fave voucher for a ‘Mala Xiang Guo Premium Set Meal for 2 people’ ($12). First up, the lady manning the stall could not read any English so she was hesitant about letting us redeem said voucher. Her colleague, presumably a Malaysian Chinese dude, had gone upstairs to buy a cake so we had to wait for him to get back. Thankfully, when he did, he could read everything on the voucher and so we managed to redeem this meal for 2.

We asked for the spiciness level to be the least yet it still packed a punch, especially when you get to the bottom of the dish. I don’t like the peanuts (or was it groundnuts?) and how they shredded up the eggplant. I like brinjal in huge chunks like at yong tau foo stalls. 😀 Also, the beancurd skin reminded me of bandages / plasters – the texture even seems similar.

PLEASE! NO MORE MALA!

What I did like, though, was the cup of bubble tea I bought from Ten Ren Tea. The cup and the bag reminded me so much of Taiwan. It’s not the see-through kind of bubble tea cups we usually get here in Singapore…

I ordered the 913 King’s Oolong Tea (L size) with Pearls. It cost $4.20 which is much cheaper than my usual cup of bubble tea.

The taste is pretty good too. Refreshing! And the pearls taste just right – chewy, substantial and with the right level of sweetness.

If I’m at United Square again, I’ll certainly get myself another cup of Ten Ren Tea. It’s at B1-60 if you’re curious. 😉