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Customs and Traditions : The Mooncake Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival)
3 comments Posted by Justin D. Pereira at 10:59 PM
The Mooncake festival traditionally takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in the Chinese Calendar. To celebrate the harvest from the summer traditionally , farmers had the festival on this day when the moon was the fullest and the brightest, thus marking the end of the season.
It is one of the two most important events in the Chinese Calendar, with the other being the Lunar New Year. Family members will come together for a day of reunion and eat moon cakes and pomelos together.
In Singapore, one might also be able to catch children in the parks and gardens walking around with their brightly lit lanterns (whether battery powered or the traditional candle, they are still lanterns..how I miss mine)
This year the Mid Autumn festival will fall on the 14th of September and there will be beautiful lightings and scenery at the Chinese Gardens.
The mooncakes you see displayed in this post are made by my Aunty Florence. Her pastry is firm and crispy while the filling is not too sweet. These mini versions of the standard sized mooncakes are to me more enjoyable as it does not leave you with a memory of over-indulgence (Though I can finish a few at a time=)
Hainan 2nd Streeet Coffeehouse Speciality - Hainanese Pork Chops!
Nothing beats having a perfectly deep-fried, crumb coated, crispy yet tender Pork Chops tantalizing your palate! The Hainanese Pork Chops is very different from what you see at Western stalls, with their version being deep fried compared to the Westerns who grill theirs.
Hainan 2nd Street Coffeehouse is one of the many more prominent Hainanese Coffeehouses and restaurants situated along Purvis street. While arguably not as famous as Chin Chin or Yet Con, it is still a fighter in the Hainanese food scene.
The Hainanese Pork Chops of 2nd Street is possibly better than Chin Chin's. There is a crispy exterior with a firm bite through the meat inside. Furthermore, each piece is tasty and succulent.
If you visit 2nd Street, you have to try their Pork Chops. I went there specially for it and it left me satisfied.
Price : $9 (Medium Serving)
Rating for Hainanese Pork Chops : 4/5
As standard fare, I ordered the Hainanese Chicken. It was rather average and nothing to boast about. The meat was tender and soft, with the skin not being too sticky or chewy. There was a fare amount of soy sauce and sesame oil drizzled on the poultry, but comparatively, I prefered Yet Con's Chicken, whose skin is so yellow it will possibly remind you of the good old days.
Rating for Hainanese Chicken : 3/5
The chilli sauce at 2nd Street is a must try for Hainanese Chilli fans. There's a saying that goes
"If the sauce is good enough, you can even eat it alone with rice"
I have to agree. Wallop huge servings of 2nd Street's chilli with their Chicken rice, add a meat or two, and you have a mouthful of ....burp..
Hainanese Mutton Soup - Herby and Excellent
I particularly enjoyed the Hainanese Mutton Soup served at 2nd Street. The broth was strong, clear and tasty, while the portions of liao (ingredients) were generous. Comparatively better than the one I tasted at Mooi Chin (at Golden Landmark Hotel), but in the mutton selection department, 2nd Street's choice is sub-par to the one at Mooi Chin whose meat is oh so tender and soft.
Price : $8 (Medium Serving)
Rating for Hainanese Mutton Soup : 4/5
Conclusion
Hainan 2nd Street Coffeehouse is just one of the many Hainanese food establishments located along Purvis Street. With so many, it is inevitable that comparisons will be made across board. However, 2nd Street does not disappoint and is an excellent coffeehouse to visit for your above average Hainanese fare.
Venue :
Hainan 2nd Street Coffeehouse
16 Purvis Street
Near the National Library at City Hall
Contact : 6333 3550
Open Daily from 7am to 10pm
Hidden Hainanese Cuisine - Do you know that it is even there?
2 comments Posted by Justin D. Pereira at 10:10 AM Mooi Chin's Hainanese Chicken - Gratifying and Sumptuous Not too far from the busy urban streets of Bugis lies an almost deserted shopping centre whose heyday was in the 80's. Golden Landmark Shopping Complex, with at most slightly more than half its shops open at any time, surprisingly boasts an authentic Hainanese Cuisine Restaurant located in the Golden Landmark Hotel adjacent to it. The chicken can be summed up in one word - good. It was not too dry like the ones usually found in hawker centres and coffeeshops nor was it too rough. I enjoyed the wholesome texture of each piece of meat with the light soy sauce mixed with sesame oil being a perfect compliment to the overall taste. Together, the meat seemingly just slides down your throat. Hainanese Chicken Rice - Fragrant, though it came to me as a tad dry. While there is good chicken, there ought to be good rice. I found the Chicken Rice fragrant but apart from which it was a little too dry and grainy. It would have been better for a softer variety of rice to be cooked. Somehow, if there was better rice, there would have been a better rating. Price : $12.00 Overall Rating for Hainanese Chicken and Hainanese Chicken Rice : 4/5 The two sauces served (Chicken Rice Condiments on the left, whatever not Sambal Chilli on the right) is perhaps a must for the meal. Arguably, the chicken went well with the spicy looking red chilli sauce which turned out to be quite sweet and not blazingly hot. It might be an idea to mix the Chilli, Ginger and Sweet Black Sauce all up for that savoury taste, Also, the Sambal Chilli is perhaps one of the freshest which I have seen in a restaurant setting. The chilli is not too hot and with the squeezed lime, the tangy taste really added flavour to the dishes. I must comment that the spices used in Mooi Chin's have been toned down (obviously...) for the foreigners and tourists visiting the establishment. So you might want to ask for that Sambal Kang Kong of yours to be spiced up! Sambal Kang Kong The Sambal Kang Kong was perhaps a disappointment for my tastebuds. Though it was nice and crunchy with the occasional spice in it, I felt that the chefs have been slightly too skimpy in the sambal. It was a dish that really needed more hotness for that kick in it. Once again, ask for more sambal when you order (I learnt that to my disappointment) Price : $10.00 Rating for Sambal Kang Kong : 2.5/5 
Hainanese Mutton Soup - The mutton simply melts in the mouth!
Its not everyday you are able to come across Hainanese Mutton Soup. This particular one at Mooi Chin's is in a class on its own. Served generously with a wide variety of mutton meat and tendons, bamboo shoots, black wood ear mushroom and beancurd skin, in addition to that herb infused broth, this soup aims to please. The meat was tender and the fat (yes fat...stop running from it) simply melted in the mouth. Pair this with the Sambal Chilli provided and it will taste exceptionally great! One point to note is that this soup won't leave you sweltering with perspiration as I suspect that they (once again) reduced the quantity of herbs used to suit the tastebuds of the foreigners.
Price : $12.00
Rating for Hainanese Mutton Soup : 4.5/5
Sambal Deep Fried Fish Fillet - An Definite Award Winner!
Now this is what I call fantastic! Crispy on the outside, fresh, tender and cotton smooth on the inside, with an absolutely delicious fried sambal chilli topping to boot - the Sambal Deep Fried Fish Fillet is perhaps what you can call a gift from the heavens. Each bite leaves you with a tantalizing desire for that next piece of fishy goodness and by gosh, this may turn you into a Sambal Fishatarian. (if there was ever such a word)
Price : $10.00 per piece of Fish Fillet
Rating for Sambal Deep Fried Fish Fillet : 4.5/5
Yam Paste ("Orh Nee") with Pumpkin
Hidden below the whitish goodness (I suspect Coconut milk) lies the purplish Yam Paste with smooth Pumpkin mix in it. This is by far one of the better Yam Pastes I have tasted and after such a heavy meal, what more to end it with a heavy dessert. I particularly enjoyed the white 'cream' on top which presented the otherwise rather plain looking Yam Paste in a different light. The pumpkin added is also something new to me and was a great compliment to the yam. Not too sweet with a gratifying feel at the end. One Word again - Delicious!
Price : $4.00
Rating for Yam Paste with Pumpkin : 4/5
Overall Conclusion
Mooi Chin is by far one of the most authentic Hainanese Restaurants I have been to. Originally from Purvis Street (a haven for Hainanese Cuisine), this establishment has a significant history to its name. The dishes served while not always at the top of its class, still provide that warm, home cooked goodness of Hainanese food in comfort. You might also want to try some of its other Authentic Dishes such as the Hainanese Pork Chops.
Thinking of throwing a dinner party for that grandma of yours? Mooi Chin might just be the place to go for the enjoyment of everyone! Just take note that the dishes have been toned down for tastebuds more than ours.
Mooi Chin Place Pte Ltd (Hainanese Cuisine Specialist)
Situated at Golden Landmark Hotel
390 Victoria Street, #03-12A, Singapore 188061. Adjacent to Golden Landmark Shopping Complex.
Tel : 6392 1600 Fax : 6392 2633
The 'Durian' who was not the Durian - The Chempedak
1 comments Posted by Justin D. Pereira at 6:45 AM The Chempedak Fruit - looks similar to the Jackfruit, smells like the Durian, but it is the Chempedak! Who can ever forget the 'ugly' looking fruit that resembles a hybrid of mixed species. Even if you might not have seen it, you could almost certainly recognise its distinctive waft of 'Durian and Jackfruit' mixed together at the market. Some might even consider almost gas-like, so take cover! 
Chempedek Fruits are distinctive in their silky smooth skin and extremely fragrant aroma akin to that of the durian and jackfruit combined.
It was a real surprise for me when I first cut the fruit up. I seldom ate Chempedak (wonders why...hmmm...) let alone cutting it up. To be honest, I was almost shocked. Instead of finding it arranged like the durian (I expected that), the fruit was instead hidden in fiborous spaces. Almost like 'Lets find the Chempedak' game.
Move over Jackfruit, Chempedek rules the day!
Still, the fruit was creamy and silky to the touch and while not as crunchy as the jackfruit or even extremely creamy like the durian, the Chempedak is unique in its own right. I particularly enjoyed the fragrance which exuded from it and the cool feeling as it goes down after that lovely chew.
Tip : You might want to boil the seeds thereafter for a hearty snack!
Fantastic Economical Mixed Rice! Who said they were cheap stuff?
2 comments Posted by Justin D. Pereira at 6:21 AM
Mixed Selection of Stewed Belly Pork, Crispy Chicken Chop, Prawn Paste Chicken, Vegetables and Rice - Cost ? Only $4.20
With today's rising cost of inflation, its getting increasingly more difficult to find excellent food with generous portions at reasonable prices. My journey to Admiralty today gave me the opportunity to chance upon this excellent Economical Mixed Rice Stall in the Admiralty Food Court.
These Mixed Rice is perhaps best at what they are known for - Economical. However, don't misjudge this sumptuous home-cooked goodies that are arguably some of the more tasty servings around. This particular stall at Admiralty whips up a slew of excellent dishes (I last counted over 16) and I am sure there would be something you ought to be craving for.
Popular Poultry - The Chicken Chop
I couldn't resist and went for 3 types of meat (The Chicken Chop, Prawn Paste Chicken, Stewed Pork Belly) and 1 Vegetable. At a cost of only $4.20 and with generous portions, an excellent deal!
The chicken chop emanated a crispy golden brown shine that only called for it be eaten and the prawn paste chicken was almost heavenly sitting with the rest of its buddies in the tray. I particularly enjoyed the chicken chop that was crispy and yet not too dry. A definite choice for kiddies (Not to say that I am a kid..ahum...)
Their Prawn Paste Chicken was above average but not to excellent as the bones of the chicken were rather shattered so every now and then I had to be a little more careful in my every bite.
One big thumbs up for the Stewed Pork Belly which while slightly salty for some, had generous cuttings where you could actually chew the meat. An excellent pair with the plain rice.
Very Well Done - Vegetables are not overcooked. You can literally see it shine!
Of course, how could any meal not come complete with vegetables. One commendation to the stall which should be given by the National Vegetables Board of Fine Cooking (if there ever was one) is the simple yet not overcook vegetable dishes. I sense wide smiles for vegetable lovers!
Unfortunately I did not manage to catch their popular Asam Fish dish today, which to what I heard from others, has just the right amount of sourness with the fish proving tender to the bite.
Rating for Mixed Economical Rice at Admiralty Food Court : 4/5
How to get there : Take the train to Admiralty MRT Station. Proceed to the food court in the shopping complex next to the station on the 2nd floor.
Deliciously made Home Cooked Tofu - Technology from Japan
Its not everyday you would want to make your own tofu. There is alot of processes involved such as making the soya milk first and then boiling it to separate the curd and then...just a lot of processes. Well, my Uncle who resides in Japan brought back this little cool steampot of his that simply made tofu in just a few steps.
It was rather amazing. You simply measured out approximately 250ml of soya milk (bought from the supermarket of course) and then add in hot water. Mix in their packet of liquid coagulant, and then leave to cook over in this little pot (pictured above) over a flame.
A rather fast and easy process for all you tofu lovers. Still, I think I didn't cook it long enough as it turned out a bit tauhuay (soya beancurd) like. I enjoyed it especially with the salt provided. What an adventure! Your own tofu!
Romance of the Three Salts.
Ahhh Chilli Crab - A dish that Singapore can truly be proud of. That sweet, sour and spicy sauce drizzled lavishly over the crustacean is arguably finger licking good. The really good ones will leave you satisfied with just the sauce, while the best boast tender sweet flesh of the crab plus the magnificent orange red crab roe. \
Today Chilli Crab review is once again from the trusty coffeeshop downstairs. Sometimes the best chilli crabs come from the neighbourhood shops and not the likes of big seafood restaurants. Nonetheless I still fawn over Jumbo Seafood's Chilli Crab. Their crabs are just so big...
Well, the Chilli Crab from Block 313 Sembawang Vista Coffeeshop is considerably one of the better chilli crabs in the north in my perspective. Not too sweet or spicy, it is a dish that can be enjoyed be kids. The crabs used today were from Vietnam and cost a reasonably price of $28/kg.
What I liked about today's Chilli Crab is the hard to disappoint crab roe. Crunchy and refreshing, I reckoned that is the most favoured part of Singaporeans. The meat however was not entirely sweet, but once paired with the sauce, it is almost to die for!
Rating for Chilli Crab : 3.5/5
You might want to consider having the chilli crab with their seafood fried rice. Offering a generous portion of filling and fragrant rice fried to golden brown goodness, simply ladle the chilli crab sauce on it and you are good to go!
I so hope to go back to Jumbo's and check out the crab there again!
Till then!
Check out The New Paper on Tuesday for a review on Ju Shin Jung Samegaetang
0 comments Posted by Justin D. Pereira at 8:01 AMHi All! Do check out the New Paper next Tuesday (19th July) for the review on a newly established Korean Restaurant : Ju Shin Jung Samegaetang. I can't say much here, but the place is definitely an eye-opener to cuisine from the Far East.
Haha, the article is Table For 4, and do catch yours truly as one of the guests! Till then =)
Pielicious - Jackfruit and Dragonfruit Pie Kia
Pie Kia - the new kid on the block in the world of pie & pastry shops. While the name sounds akin to that of the Hokkien term "Pai Kia" (Gangster), don't be fooled by the play on the name, as this is seriously one outlet not to be messed with =)
The stall features a wide array of common pies like mushroom chicken and beef to the more creative specialities such as the Jackfruit and Dragonfruit pie. It is a treat to see something fresh on the block apart from the traditional homely outlets of Polar Express Cafe.
Get up close and personal with this fruity pie
The Jackfruit and Dragonfruit pie is just as the name suggest, simply jackfruit and dragonfruit. I won't say that its entirely fantastic as its just sweetened fruit toppings on a square piece of puff pastry.
Still, it may be that I am just not a fan of fruit pies, though I would still prefer more toppings and perhaps some filling to go along with it. Other than that, a simple sweet pastry that is nothing to extraordinary to rave about.
Rating for Jackfruit and Dragonfruit Pie Kia : 2.5/5
Lookie lookie - The Black Pepper Chicken
When it comes to me, I really have to favour meat pies over any other variants. I just can't resist that delectable savoury meat filling that stands in compliment to the crispy crusty puff pastry.
Black Pepper Chicken Pie - Not too hot, but good!
The Black Pepper Chicken Pie proves its worth to be one item not to miss on the menu. Its filling is well mixed, tasty and savoury, though it only came with a tinge of black pepper heat. A meat pie that you might call for seconds!
However, it would be best if there really was a little bit more meat in the filling. I practically tasted potatoes and mushrooms.
Rating for Black Pepper Chicken Pie : 3.5/5
The Beef Pie
I reckon that this must be the most popular on the menu, if I were to base the number of pies left for each variety. This was the last beef pie. Shaped a little taller than the Black Pepper Chicken Pie, I expected much from it.
Beef Pie - A stew in one.
If you are a fan of beef stews, you might want to try out this selection. There is a generous amount of filling for a pie this size, but the taste leaves much to be desired. The filling tasted rather bland, and it was not creamy or 'firm' enough.
Though, tf I were the chef, perhaps I would provide little cubes of beef, together with diced tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms and carrots together with an ample amount of thick gravy as filling for the pie. Perhaps you might to consider that Pie Kia?
However, it is not a pie that leaves one to feel disappointed. Though you will still be eating 60% puff pastry, 40% meat filling.
Rating : 3/5
Golden Brown? Call me the mushroom chicken!
The last pie review today...awww. I believe for me the mushroom chicken pie was one of the best pies out of the 4 reviewed.
The filling was savoury, creamy and tasty. It leaves a lingering taste of goodness in your mouth and makes you crave for even more. I don't know how they did it, but this is really good. The taste is slightly sweet and with the pastry crust, this pie proves to be the best out of the 4.
Rating for Mushroom Chicken Pie : 4/5
Overall Comments :
Pie Kia is an excellent pastry shop to visit if you are those who have the craving for pies. While it is not comparable to the traditional western pie shops in Europe where they are famed for mouthwatering juicy meat and savoury pies, Pie Kia provides an excellent tea time snack.
Average Cost of a pie : $1.50 - $4.00 (Depending on type chosen)
Outlet : Ang Mo Kio Hub, Next to Ang Mo Kio MRT Station
A myriad of goodness - The Indian Rojak
One local delight that anyone venturous tourist in Singapore must try is the local variant of the Indian Rojak. This is different from the Chinese Rojak which is mostly crispy goodies like taupok (fried tofu puffs), youtiao (fried dough sticks), vegetables and fruits and the slick black prawn paste (Click Here For A Recommended Chinese Rojak Stall)
However, the Indian Rojak is in a different category on its own. With a wide variety of ingredients for anyone to choose from, you get to pick your favourite and once its all chopped up, it comes served with an extremely savoury red peanut sauce. The sauce is much like the one that comes with Satay (skewed meat on sticks).
The dish above had fried potatoes, onions, green chillies, red squid, cucumber, fried tofu. When I was slightly younger I remember eating those with century egg, ginger, fishballs, etc. etc. Basically, as the name Rojak suggests, it is a dish made from almost anything that goes well with the peanut sauce.
Any recommendations of where to go for the best rojak? Do leave comments!
Botak Jones Visit 2! - Mildly Impressed. But hope is in sight.
3 comments Posted by Justin D. Pereira at 7:27 AM
Cajun Chicken - Cheesy, spicy and tender!
I finally grabbed the chance to go out and eat again, after all that visiting and studying at home. Today's highlight is definitely Botak Jones once again. In my previous post, I mentioned about the Botak Burger (Click here to see post), and gave my two thumbs up. The dish of Cajun Chicken as you see in the picture above is another favourite which you must try!
The slab of poultry is finely marinated with red peppery spices (Warning: spicy chicken ahead.) and cooked to tender juiciness. It is served topped with a generous serving of melted cheese (Oh My Gosh) and the sweet sour spicy Cajun sauce. Each bite of the chicken meat was not too chewy and neither was it too dry. However, their portion of chicken meat is rather large, so you might want to share it with a friend and try another dish as well!
The entire Cajun Chicken Meal - $6.50
Priced at an affordable $6.50, the meal also comes with 2 side dishes. I chose the coleslaw and the mashed potatoes.
The mashed potatoes are simply to die for. Well, at least that is my perspective. What you get is not those smooth blended insta-mix mashed potatoes, but real chunky bits in it topped with cheese and baked to a crispy golden brown.
I would have ordered more, but I had cheese fries and that deserved some space in my stomach!
Rating for Cajun Chicken : 3.5/5
Opinions : It would be an astounding dish if there was slightly more taste in the meat, and the spices slightly toned down. Other then that, a fantastic meal.
Cheese Fries (600grams) - $9.00
Cheese Fries - the name alone is enough to make any hungry person's mouth water. One could imagine the smooth, warm goodness of melted cheese together with savoury fries tingling your tastebuds and satisfying your innermost desires.
However, my opinion of the cheese fries served at the Ang Mo Kio Outlet did not meet my expectations. I don't know about what others think, but I felt that the fries were fried for too long (thus it became too crispy and dried), there was no generous serving of melted cheese, the fries were not salty enough and I paid $9.00!
Other than that, if the outlet were to improve on the above mentioned, I believe many more would order the cheese fries. Botak Jones, maybe you would like to take a feather out of KFC's cheese fries notebook and see why it is so successful with students and the general population.
Rating : 2.5/5
Overall : If you are craving for Western food, authentic ones that is, you might want to consider Botak Jones. However, do go for the better ones recommended such as the Botak Burger and perhaps the Cajun chicken. Other than that, the outlets still do serve better food than most neighbourhood Western Food.
