[photo] happy father's day
Sunday, 21. June 2009, 01:31:42
happy father's day, dad. we all miss you.
STICKY POST
sticky
Sunday, 8. July 2007, 15:16:15
this blog is not ie6 friendly. do yourself and your computer a favour, upgrade.
happy father's day, dad. we all miss you.
[video] thai commercial
Wednesday, 17. June 2009, 09:22:46
yut, derek: this is the ghost commercial i was telling you both about. still brings a chuckle even when i have watched it a hundred times. btw, please help me find the chang beer advertisement.
[photo] as**ole
Monday, 15. June 2009, 02:00:12
samphanthawong bangkok, 2009:06:11 20:49:00,geotag
one can practically get anyway within bangkok metropolitan with its bus system. the bus rides are cheap, crowded and absolutely ignorant of its timetabled schedules. i am always intrigued by the green small buses, or called the unloved buses by the locals. the buses puffed thick heavy smoke, the interior is marginally maintained, the service routes alter in accordance to the drivers' mood, the bus drivers crusie these bad machines at a speed twice what the metal tin vehicle is supposed to go and service is non-existent. however, it is cheap. 2.5 baht flat fee.
speaking about service, this bus scurried off because the man on clutches was too slow in boarding the bus. as**ole.
[photo] khun yon
Monday, 15. June 2009, 01:56:24
khun yon (aka wrinkles). 27 pounds, eats everything except broccoli. apparently gets crazy over bak kwa.
[photo] guitar heroes
Sunday, 7. June 2009, 08:55:28
kyra "giggles" mattar, eudon "i play only expert level and above" yap, jason "lazy bass" oon
[photo] nepal
Friday, 5. June 2009, 15:59:22
this shot caught my eye when i was archiving all my photos to a new hard disk. i kinda of like it, though it is hard to explain why.
[photo] sri veeramakaliamman temple
Monday, 25. May 2009, 12:34:20
round & round we go, singapore, 2009
grease lightning, singapore, 2009
horn blower, singapore, 2009
[photo] claypot rice
Sunday, 24. May 2009, 07:57:19
the mother of all comfort food. claypot rice is the way to cook rice before modern technology came and conquered the kitchen. the result, especially cooked over wood fire, is a pot filled with soft and moist grains encrusted by a layer of slightly burnt rice grains. the latter has a texture similar to japanese rice crackers, and happened to the best part, according to claypot rice connoisseurs. i suspect it has to do with the nostalgia and the lack. i remember my elders telling me stories that hot water is added to the claypot, so that the charred scrappings at the side were not wasted. either life was that harsh back in the 1950s, or they were going to the extreme in teaching me the chinese principle of frugality.
early versions of claypot rice in singapore did not feature chicken. just rice, a dash of kitchen oil or sesame oil and plenty of black soya sauce. the richer families may add chinese sausages and salted fish. and that's about it. a family probably had it once a month, or longer.
fast forward 50 years, i could have it almost everyday. i should count my blessings.
[photo] they were in me
Saturday, 23. May 2009, 15:00:53
some of my favourite bowls while in japan last month
matsuya gyūmeshi (牛めし), osaka, 2009
tako wasa (raw octopus with wasabi), kyoto, 2009
nattō breakfast kyoto, 2009
the best of the lot had to be the nattō breakfast set. i love these fermented soybeans blended with wasabi, soya sauce, daikon and a cracked quail egg. damn, i am missing these sticky babies so much i will have to hunt them down in singapore tomorrow.
favoutite sticks
breaded dog, osaka, 2009
grilled squid, osaka, 2009
grilled corn, osaka, 2009
matsuya gyūmeshi (牛めし), osaka, 2009
tako wasa (raw octopus with wasabi), kyoto, 2009
nattō breakfast kyoto, 2009
the best of the lot had to be the nattō breakfast set. i love these fermented soybeans blended with wasabi, soya sauce, daikon and a cracked quail egg. damn, i am missing these sticky babies so much i will have to hunt them down in singapore tomorrow.
favoutite sticks
breaded dog, osaka, 2009
grilled squid, osaka, 2009
grilled corn, osaka, 2009
[music] Eminem - Beautiful - Relapse
Wednesday, 20. May 2009, 14:22:30
best beat from his latest album
[photo] engrish - rude chicken
Sunday, 10. May 2009, 10:58:51
maybe that's the reason why it ended up in the kitchen
[photo] off to work
Sunday, 10. May 2009, 10:44:31
5.03 a.m. - a lady taking the first train to work in kyoto station.
[photo] corner shell griller
Saturday, 9. May 2009, 13:02:55
at the west end of nishiki market in kyoto sits a shell griller. this 8 person bar is located next to a seafood vendor, with an elderly man shackling shells and handing them over to a lad who grills the array of bivalve mollusks over a small 6 by 3 feet griller.
i used to avoid shells till the last year or so when i started reading bourdain's novels. i started with clams and slowly progressed to oysters. how could i resist when i saw fresh shells being roasted in its own natural brine?
i locked in an order of kaki (oyster) and hotate (scallop). they were great though i was a little terrified attempting the innards of the clam, especially the orange roe and the god-knows-what dark part.
hotate :: kaki
[photographer] steve mccurry
Saturday, 9. May 2009, 09:54:52
[video] outsourcing
Monday, 4. May 2009, 12:17:33
More American Workers Outsourcing Own Jobs Overseas funny but kinda of true
[photo] yoshimaru ramen bar
Sunday, 3. May 2009, 13:51:21
sesame seeds :: traditional hakata ramen :: hakata mini mentaiko mayo burger
i was pretty pschyed up when i read that a japanese ramen joint had set up a stall here in singapore. this establishment specialises in tonkotsu and tantan ramen. i am a sucker for good stock, so you could imagine me fantasizing about chowing down a bowl during church today.
it did not help that i watched tampopo (タンポポ) yesterday. i still could remember the words the old man in the novel said.
Master...soup first or noodles first?
First, observe the whole bowl. Appreciate its gestalt. Savor the aromas.
Jewels of fat glittering on the surface. Shinachiku roots shining.
Seaweed slowly sinking. Spring onions floating.
Concentrate on the three pork slices... They play the key role,but stay modestly hidden.
First caress the surface...with the chopstick tips. To express affection.
Then poke the pork. Caress it with the chopstick tips.
Gently pick it up...and dip it into the soup on the right of the bowl.
What's important here is to...apologize to the pork by saying... "See you soon."
i was wishing poetry in my bowl today but no such luck at yoshimaru. i was disappointed with the traditional hakata ramen. the stock was delivered well, technically. but it lacked the deep rich taste, and the noodles were a little too soft. the sesame seeds, in my opinion, was an unnecessary distraction. the pork, on the other hand, worked for me.
to give these folks credit, it is a better than average bowl by singapore's standards. but with roots in kyushu, i expected more. the mentaiko burger was refreshing, but i had problem locating the marinated pollock roe. i also realised that the japanese cousins do not feature this item on their menu. it is interesting the yoshimaru singapore is managed by the chilli crab people, jumbo seafood.
i might pop back here next time i am in the vicinity but i don't think i will drive to holland village just to satisfy my crave for rame, especially when miharu is just 10 minutes away.
[video] d9
Sunday, 3. May 2009, 13:27:20
looks interesting. except i am not sure why they censored the alien's face as though it is a naughty movie.
[photo] offspring gyudon
Saturday, 2. May 2009, 11:08:37
first decent bowl of food i cooked in my life.
[photo] one month
Saturday, 2. May 2009, 03:42:15
it is a month now since dad was called home to be with Jesus. while i know that he is with our Lord, the periodic realisation of him not being physically with me brings an ache within me. i miss you terribly, dad. you were the only one whose antics always bring laughther for me.
i was at mandai last week to ensure the plague for the ash storage was done properly. i was delighted to see that my niece has decorated it with toy kitchen appliances that featured a juicer, toaster, rice cooker and what looked like a modern hotpot. on the other corner lays a pink knitted overall. nice thought, but dad's well taken care of with Jesus.
running through some of the photos during the wake, this photo of shannon speaking to my dad brought back memories. the doll that shannon was holding was her "good luck" doll for her grandfather when dad was in the icu. here, she was speaking to him that she wanted him to bring the doll to heaven.
[photo] noodle house ken
Friday, 1. May 2009, 10:30:38
i might as well turn japanese - i had been craving for all things japanese lately. i even attempted to cook gyudon - a feat that even surprised myself. today, i dound myself craving for ramen after watching ramen girl, a movie didn't do anything else but to make me hungry. a quick google on ramen joints in singapore came up with the usual suspects, except for noodle house ken - which got pretty decent reviews.
old skool beer posters, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
i was pretty pschyed up coming to a new joint but when i saw the old skool beer posters, my memories worked again - i had been to this place before - for asahi on the tap. i remembered the food was only alright back then. undeterred, i locked in the chows.
miso ramen, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
the miso ramen was decent, though nothing that made me pause, savout the moment and let off a sigh of joy. the noodles were rather chewy, so thats one point for me. the accompanying pork was a let down - a little on the dry side.
shar siew don, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
the shar siew (not sure why shar instead of char) bowl also did not make me stand up and dance. again, i blame it on the lackluster pork. a $5 a bowl, i was expecting near magic for the ubiquitous ramen side dish. then again, i may be setting too high a standard for these folks. since sinking my teeth into the delectable rice bowls at miharu, i was in search for another place that can de-throne the best don in singapore.
cold ramen, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
this bowl has officially de-throned miharu from the top spot of cold ramen. ken's version of the summer ramen drenched in heavy sesame seed sauce had me smiling. the noodles were extremely chewy and almost ice cold, not frosty (very important). the sauce was fragrant and complex, with a nice nutty finish. i suspect some amount of thousand island dressing was used. this bowl was almost perfect, except once again - the pork.
ken, if you are reading this - we need the pork to be more moist and piquant.
old skool beer posters, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
i was pretty pschyed up coming to a new joint but when i saw the old skool beer posters, my memories worked again - i had been to this place before - for asahi on the tap. i remembered the food was only alright back then. undeterred, i locked in the chows.
miso ramen, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
the miso ramen was decent, though nothing that made me pause, savout the moment and let off a sigh of joy. the noodles were rather chewy, so thats one point for me. the accompanying pork was a let down - a little on the dry side.
shar siew don, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
the shar siew (not sure why shar instead of char) bowl also did not make me stand up and dance. again, i blame it on the lackluster pork. a $5 a bowl, i was expecting near magic for the ubiquitous ramen side dish. then again, i may be setting too high a standard for these folks. since sinking my teeth into the delectable rice bowls at miharu, i was in search for another place that can de-throne the best don in singapore.
cold ramen, noodle house ken, singapore, 2009
this bowl has officially de-throned miharu from the top spot of cold ramen. ken's version of the summer ramen drenched in heavy sesame seed sauce had me smiling. the noodles were extremely chewy and almost ice cold, not frosty (very important). the sauce was fragrant and complex, with a nice nutty finish. i suspect some amount of thousand island dressing was used. this bowl was almost perfect, except once again - the pork.
ken, if you are reading this - we need the pork to be more moist and piquant.
[photo] gion nights
Friday, 1. May 2009, 02:15:54
there is a cloud of lingering beauty and mystery about this place.
[photo] naboo
Friday, 1. May 2009, 02:09:56
that's right, planet naboo is actually on earth, right smack at the entrance of ikeda satukiyama park (五月山公園). enter the following into your garmins and start trekking there - geo:lat=34.829625 geo:lon=135.426772
[photo] ippudo ramen
Thursday, 30. April 2009, 11:00:26
another ramen set from ippudo. this one featured cool chewy noodles and a hot dip. it was good, it made the egg and fatty pork almost irrelevant.
[photo] stumbleupon
Wednesday, 29. April 2009, 14:10:05
it seems that i always stumble upon the best ramen seminaries in japan. i chanced upon ichiran ramen while zombie-walking around tokyo dome, its salted egg and porn-video shop layout left me with a deep impression.
next, while shopping at uniqlo in harajuku, my growling stomach led me to kyushu jangara, another ramen darling to tokyolites. here, i was introduced, and fell in love with mentaiko (明太子).
and i thought my good run has ended. the instant cup noodle musuem drew me to ikeda, and while skipping happily to the museum, i noticed the following sign.
ippudo's motto - your happiness of eating this ramen makes us happy
the engrish-like motto left me chuckling. this place fulfilled my food rules - there is a queue forming, and the place is interesting (or at least funny) enough for me to try. i did not march into the ramen shop as the novelty of making my own instant noodle cup far exceeded my gastronomical curiosity.
unfortunately for me, i slurped up my customised noodle cup in the museum and was not hungry (read greedy) enough to consume a proper bowl of ramen. so, i spent several hours at the nearby satukiyama (五月山) appreciating the sea of white and pink sakura, and marvel at the beauty that God created.
oddly, the few hours did not induce any hunger. nonetheless, i knew i will regret if i did not try ippudo. so i tracked back to ramen shop at around 3.30pm, not hopeful that they will be in operation. count my blessings, they were and the place was empty except for one japanese office worker.
array of condiments :: shiro ramen :: stylish contemporary interior
ippudo ramen is actually an established empire in the ramen kingdom. ippudo has over 30 outlets peppered all over japan and one made its way to new york, where it created a sensation. on average, patrons had to wait 30 minutes before their rears kiss the chairs in ippudo. according to these folks, ippudo founder shigemi kawahara is hailed as the "king of ramen".
i could not remember what i ordered, but it was along the lines of shiro-based ramen with a floating drizzle of soya sauce and a dollap of mentaiko. of course, this bowl of goodness featured the melt-in-the-mouth fatty pork (berkshire pork) and soft-in-the-middle egg. the noodles were done my style - al dente.
along the walls laid an array of condiments - toasted sesame seeds, pickled greens, spicy sprouts, peppers, fresh garlic waiting to be crushed. i did not want to ruin the taste of the broth, so i went easy on the condiments. the soup is rich, complicated, chokeful of flavour and a little nutty. i am doing absolutely no justice to the soup here. these folks actually extract 3 bases of the soup at different intervals during the 15 hour brewing, and mixed them in in a final recipe before serving.
i could eat this everyday. and i actually can. ippudo will open their 2nd overseas venture in singapore, at mandarin hotel. happy birthday to me.
next, while shopping at uniqlo in harajuku, my growling stomach led me to kyushu jangara, another ramen darling to tokyolites. here, i was introduced, and fell in love with mentaiko (明太子).
and i thought my good run has ended. the instant cup noodle musuem drew me to ikeda, and while skipping happily to the museum, i noticed the following sign.
ippudo's motto - your happiness of eating this ramen makes us happy
the engrish-like motto left me chuckling. this place fulfilled my food rules - there is a queue forming, and the place is interesting (or at least funny) enough for me to try. i did not march into the ramen shop as the novelty of making my own instant noodle cup far exceeded my gastronomical curiosity.
unfortunately for me, i slurped up my customised noodle cup in the museum and was not hungry (read greedy) enough to consume a proper bowl of ramen. so, i spent several hours at the nearby satukiyama (五月山) appreciating the sea of white and pink sakura, and marvel at the beauty that God created.
oddly, the few hours did not induce any hunger. nonetheless, i knew i will regret if i did not try ippudo. so i tracked back to ramen shop at around 3.30pm, not hopeful that they will be in operation. count my blessings, they were and the place was empty except for one japanese office worker.
array of condiments :: shiro ramen :: stylish contemporary interior
ippudo ramen is actually an established empire in the ramen kingdom. ippudo has over 30 outlets peppered all over japan and one made its way to new york, where it created a sensation. on average, patrons had to wait 30 minutes before their rears kiss the chairs in ippudo. according to these folks, ippudo founder shigemi kawahara is hailed as the "king of ramen".
i could not remember what i ordered, but it was along the lines of shiro-based ramen with a floating drizzle of soya sauce and a dollap of mentaiko. of course, this bowl of goodness featured the melt-in-the-mouth fatty pork (berkshire pork) and soft-in-the-middle egg. the noodles were done my style - al dente.
along the walls laid an array of condiments - toasted sesame seeds, pickled greens, spicy sprouts, peppers, fresh garlic waiting to be crushed. i did not want to ruin the taste of the broth, so i went easy on the condiments. the soup is rich, complicated, chokeful of flavour and a little nutty. i am doing absolutely no justice to the soup here. these folks actually extract 3 bases of the soup at different intervals during the 15 hour brewing, and mixed them in in a final recipe before serving.
i could eat this everyday. and i actually can. ippudo will open their 2nd overseas venture in singapore, at mandarin hotel. happy birthday to me.
[photo] the lady in kimono
Wednesday, 29. April 2009, 11:53:57
a lady dressed in kimono taking photos of sakura in arashiyama. i think this one of my favourite photo during this kansai trip.
[photo] sushi chef
Monday, 27. April 2009, 15:01:09
the equivalent of high-heels in the sushi chef world. here, the model is wearing a 9 inch hand-crafted jimmy choo from the spring collection.
[photo] endo sushi (ゑんどう寿司)
Monday, 27. April 2009, 14:49:10
well, this is one of my three must-visits while i was in osaka. i first read about endo sushi from chubbyhubby some time back. if this place made him and his wife wanna go back for breakfast everyday, it had to be good.
there is of course another plus point, this place is said to be a miniature tsukiji. for those who know me personally or had followed this space for a while, will know how passionate i am about the fish market in tokyo. i am practically in love with tsukiji.
so visiting the central wholesale market in osaka brings anticipative excitement the night before, like a kid waiting for tomorrow's zoo visit - well, sort of.
with a stroke of luck, i managed to locate endo. in fact, the only thing that i had was the ying-yang-like shop logo i had in my notebook.
the interior is unassuming. the seating space is also generous - i am drawing comparisons to the knee-to-knee space i grew accustomed to while having sushi breakfast at tsukiji. here, my rear could roll over.
one would immediately notice is that at each of the soya-sauce stained wodden tables lays two bowls - one filled with picked ginger, and another bowl filled with soya-sauce and a brush. on top of the soya-sauce well floats a thin layer of oil, accumulated from the grease from the oily fish as patrons gently brush their chows with the soya.
the sushi team spoke zero english, and me zero japanese. but i guess we spoke through a gastronomic connection and they knew i needed the omakase set. the matre'd, or the guy who thought he spoke the most english, suggested a bowl of miso to conjure the appetite - who am i to reject such an offer.
the miso soup is remarkable - it was chokeful of tiny mussels, with sizeable chunks of meat, mind you. it was a meal on its own, a very good meal. this is really a good start.
anago :: uni :: kanpachi :: chutoro :: hamachi
each plate of the omakase set will feature 5 pieces of what the chef decides. each plate will make your wallet 1000 yen lighter - well worth the money if you should ask me. and here is the best part - each plate will feature a piece of chūtoro. oh, happy birthday to me.
the chef will keep the plates coming till you surrender or burst your guts out, whichever first. and mind you, each plate will feature new items. unfortunately, i gave up after 3 plates.
anago :: uni :: kanpachi :: chutoro :: hamachi
torigai (cockle):: chutoro :: hotategai :: akagai :: ika
awabi (abalone) :: tamago :: hirame :: chutoro :: ??
anyone could help on the names of some of the missing chows? my top three favourite pieces are anago, hirame and chūtoro. this is indeed a damn good breakfast but i think the ones i had in tsukiji fared better in taste, presentation and freshness.
owner of endo sushi posing for a photo
[photo] momfuku ando instant ramen museum (インスタントラーメン発明記念館)
Saturday, 25. April 2009, 12:19:49
there were only three places i needed to visit while i was in osaka. one of them was a museum dedicated to instant noodles and cup noodles, as well as the father of instant noodles - momofuku ando. if there is a food category in nobel prize, this man should get one. i mean, ando-san created a food genre. i don't think i know anyone personally who had not sunk their teeth into instant noodles or cup noodles.
a little about this man - momofuku ando (安藤 百福) is actually a wealthy taiwanese chinese that moved to osaka. while i thought he invented instant noodles to combat food shortage in japan after world war 2, i belived his chikin ramen was the result of an opportunisitc intent.
i came to the musuem because this is the only place in world where i can customise and make my own cup noodle.
hand-wash station :: cup decoration area :: my newly purchased cup :: final decoration
the sequence at the make-you-own-cup-noodle section is fairly simple. slot in 300yen into the ubiquitous vending machine, and choose a cup (they are all the same cup). next, i was made to sterilise my hands in a really high tech hand-wash station, before they allowed me to decorate my cup at the cup decoration area. i am not too sure what made these people to think my hands poses a more serious health hazard than the chemicals oozing from colour markers.
observing the faces of those in the decoration area, they are taking their cup noodle design seriously. i guess their dedication did not rub off to me. i completed my aesthetically-challenged replica of hiyoko-chan, the chicken character, in no more than 90 seconds.
remarkably decorated cups :: ingredients counter :: hiyoko-chan naruto
then came the best part of the my original cup noodle experience - the ingredients selection. i can select a soup base and four toppings. some of the choices availabe that day were shrimp, egg, pork, naruto, kamaboko, green onion, corn, kimchi, asparagus and chicken. i wanted to try the eggplant but was unavailable. the best topping had to be thenaruto (fish cake) that had a picture of hiyoko-chan on each slice. the soup base available were shio, curry, seafood. i chose shio, there is no better taste than saltiness for cup noodles.
the ingredients of my original cup noodle
after the machine sealed my cup noodle, i proceeded to pack my cup noodle in an air ballon. packing the cup noodle into air ballons will prevent breakage during commute. of course, this was absolutely unncessary for me, since i consumed the same cup some 5 minutes later at the canteen next door.
my original cup noodle in an air ballon
a little about this man - momofuku ando (安藤 百福) is actually a wealthy taiwanese chinese that moved to osaka. while i thought he invented instant noodles to combat food shortage in japan after world war 2, i belived his chikin ramen was the result of an opportunisitc intent.
i came to the musuem because this is the only place in world where i can customise and make my own cup noodle.
hand-wash station :: cup decoration area :: my newly purchased cup :: final decoration
the sequence at the make-you-own-cup-noodle section is fairly simple. slot in 300yen into the ubiquitous vending machine, and choose a cup (they are all the same cup). next, i was made to sterilise my hands in a really high tech hand-wash station, before they allowed me to decorate my cup at the cup decoration area. i am not too sure what made these people to think my hands poses a more serious health hazard than the chemicals oozing from colour markers.
observing the faces of those in the decoration area, they are taking their cup noodle design seriously. i guess their dedication did not rub off to me. i completed my aesthetically-challenged replica of hiyoko-chan, the chicken character, in no more than 90 seconds.
remarkably decorated cups :: ingredients counter :: hiyoko-chan naruto
then came the best part of the my original cup noodle experience - the ingredients selection. i can select a soup base and four toppings. some of the choices availabe that day were shrimp, egg, pork, naruto, kamaboko, green onion, corn, kimchi, asparagus and chicken. i wanted to try the eggplant but was unavailable. the best topping had to be thenaruto (fish cake) that had a picture of hiyoko-chan on each slice. the soup base available were shio, curry, seafood. i chose shio, there is no better taste than saltiness for cup noodles.
the ingredients of my original cup noodle
after the machine sealed my cup noodle, i proceeded to pack my cup noodle in an air ballon. packing the cup noodle into air ballons will prevent breakage during commute. of course, this was absolutely unncessary for me, since i consumed the same cup some 5 minutes later at the canteen next door.
my original cup noodle in an air ballon
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