[photo] twenty third august
Sunday, 23. August 2009, 10:16:15
Posts tagged with "d3"
[photo] big d's
Sunday, 23. August 2009, 10:14:07
anchovy pasta, big d's holland village, 2009
sambal buah keluak, big d's holland village, 2009
i have heard about big d's from the usual sources of gastroblogs. damn, this place even have a facebook fansite. this kitchen serves chichi-fare to the likes of krobuta pork loin, crab linguine, blackmore full blood wagyu ribeye. i am not sure if the description of "full blood" was to boast the quality of the meat or to describe the messy death of the cow. either way, it was a lousy marketing term.
i came here for one thing - anchovy pasta. at sgd18 a pop, this carbomeal is pricey. for the same fare, i could do a bowl of xo fish head bee hoon and a plate of har cheong kai (prawn paste chicken) from the famed stall located in the same coffeeshop.
the anchovy pasta was fantastic - the al-dente noodles were coated with a delightful blend of saltiness and spiciness. i tasted tiny chunks of salty anchovies, fiery peppers and olive-oil fried garlic pieces. my mouth is having a ball. i only wished the portion was not that frugal.
one interesting thing is that this western-based eatery featured soul food - babi assam, bang bang chicken and buah keluak. who could say no to peranakan food? so an order of the buah keluak was locked in. unfortunately, the black gold of the seeds from the buah keluak fruit did not hit the spot. while the paste was meaty and nutty, it had one flaw - the lack of fatty pork to balance the flavours.
will i head back to big d's? likely, but not purposefully.
[photo] thailand 3 - singapore 1
Sunday, 12. July 2009, 00:58:00
my trip to yaowarat is punctuated with occasions of checking out and sampling the local grub. many of chows featured there in bangkok's chinatown were familiar fare back home in singapore. inevitably, i drew a comparison of which state conjured a more gratifying experience for the same dish.
first up was singapore's national dish - chicken rice. the equivalent version is called khao mun gai (ข้าวมันไก่). both versions are characterised by chunks of poached chicken parts served on top of a generous serving of chicken stock infused rice, served alongside cucumber. the thai version pimped its version with several sprigs of fresh coriander and accompanied by a cake of wiggly chicken blood tofu.
national pride aside, singapore's version packed in a lot more flavour and taste per bite than the thai version. after all, this is our national dish. however, what made the thai version score was the sauce. a bowl of dark, fragrant concoction accompanied each plate of khao mun gai. the sauce was a cpompound of tauchu (fermented yellow bean paste), thick soy sauce, chilli, ginger, garlic and vinegar. it was so good, i downed a bowl with half my plate of rice.
thailand 1 - singapore 1
khao mun gai (ข้าวมันไก่)
next up is a quintessential south-east asia snack - satay. pieces of pork are skewered into thin spears and slowly grilled over an open fire. i chanced open this while scouting the back alleys of yaowarat for photo opportunities. i think stay is called moo sate in thailand.
i ordered 10 sticks and was served within 5 minutes, all prepared from scratch. served alongside the pork that were grilled in its own fat, was a salad of pickled chillis, cucumbers and onions, a bowl of spicy, chunky peanut sauce and a plate of toasted bread.
it was some of the best satays i had ever consumed for a long time.
thailand 2 - singapore 1
thai satay
the next dish had me going back three times within 2 days. the kway chap in thailand re-defined what i understood about the dish. singapore's take on kway chap is a teochew dish of flat, broad rice sheets in a soup made with dark soy sauce, served with pig offal, braised duck meat, various kinds of beancurd, preserved salted vegetables, and braised hard-boiled eggs. the thai kway chap featured a clear peppery broth drenching a curled up version of the same broad rice sheets, and a medley of poached pork, moo grob (crispy pork), tripe, liver and heart. the base broth is already packed with heat to start with, and i was encouraged to pimp it to a hell-broth status by drenching in tablespoons of a fiery sauce of ginger, chilli, vinegar and fish sauce.
this dish had instantly became my favourite food in thailand. the sad part is that i could not get this version here in singapore.
thailand 3 - singapore 1
for approximate locations, head over to my flickr and check out the geo-tagged maps
kway chap nam sai
first up was singapore's national dish - chicken rice. the equivalent version is called khao mun gai (ข้าวมันไก่). both versions are characterised by chunks of poached chicken parts served on top of a generous serving of chicken stock infused rice, served alongside cucumber. the thai version pimped its version with several sprigs of fresh coriander and accompanied by a cake of wiggly chicken blood tofu.
national pride aside, singapore's version packed in a lot more flavour and taste per bite than the thai version. after all, this is our national dish. however, what made the thai version score was the sauce. a bowl of dark, fragrant concoction accompanied each plate of khao mun gai. the sauce was a cpompound of tauchu (fermented yellow bean paste), thick soy sauce, chilli, ginger, garlic and vinegar. it was so good, i downed a bowl with half my plate of rice.
thailand 1 - singapore 1
khao mun gai (ข้าวมันไก่)
next up is a quintessential south-east asia snack - satay. pieces of pork are skewered into thin spears and slowly grilled over an open fire. i chanced open this while scouting the back alleys of yaowarat for photo opportunities. i think stay is called moo sate in thailand.
i ordered 10 sticks and was served within 5 minutes, all prepared from scratch. served alongside the pork that were grilled in its own fat, was a salad of pickled chillis, cucumbers and onions, a bowl of spicy, chunky peanut sauce and a plate of toasted bread.
it was some of the best satays i had ever consumed for a long time.
thailand 2 - singapore 1
thai satay
the next dish had me going back three times within 2 days. the kway chap in thailand re-defined what i understood about the dish. singapore's take on kway chap is a teochew dish of flat, broad rice sheets in a soup made with dark soy sauce, served with pig offal, braised duck meat, various kinds of beancurd, preserved salted vegetables, and braised hard-boiled eggs. the thai kway chap featured a clear peppery broth drenching a curled up version of the same broad rice sheets, and a medley of poached pork, moo grob (crispy pork), tripe, liver and heart. the base broth is already packed with heat to start with, and i was encouraged to pimp it to a hell-broth status by drenching in tablespoons of a fiery sauce of ginger, chilli, vinegar and fish sauce.
this dish had instantly became my favourite food in thailand. the sad part is that i could not get this version here in singapore.
thailand 3 - singapore 1
for approximate locations, head over to my flickr and check out the geo-tagged maps
kway chap nam sai
[photo] happy father's day
Sunday, 21. June 2009, 01:31:42
happy father's day, dad. we all miss you.
[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] 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
[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
[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.
[photo] offspring gyudon
Saturday, 2. May 2009, 11:08:37
first decent bowl of food i cooked in my life.
[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
[photo] train scenes
Thursday, 23. April 2009, 13:39:01
there is a reason why i love the trains in japan - it is fertile ground for people watching
[photo] かになべ! crab meal
Wednesday, 22. April 2009, 15:14:12
poached crab legs :: crab claypot rice :: crabs
dōtonbori - the convergence point for all tourists visiting osaka for the first time. and for gluttons like me, i assumed that this place is the mecca for japanese food. afterall, this is the place where its citizens live by the motto dress (in kimonos) till you drop in kyoto, eat till you drop in osaka (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ).
wrong assumption.
google on dōtonbori and chances are the i am lucky button will lead you to a photo of a giant mechanical crab plastered on the side of a building. this place is none other than the iconic kani doraku（かに道楽本店). naturally, one would assume that crabs are out-of-this-world good here.
another wrong assumption.
despite having a gastronomical hunch that i would not enjoy doraku, i knew i would not be satisifed not sinking my teeth on some crustaceans. so, in the same day that i slurped up a bowl of passable kinryu ramen, the words "i will have set b" echoed through the vacuum of my skull as i announced my order.
one good sign in the restaurant is that it was not empty. sad thing is - the customers demographic composition seemed to be representing commonwealth countries. there were no japanese, only travellers from former british colonies are patronising this eatery.
darn.
i ordered a mid-priced set that featured around 6 crab-based dishes. the following trypdich featured 3 of the highlights for me during that meal. one would imagine how much i "loved" this meal, given that two of the three items are not related to crab.
asahi on tap :: crab claypot rice with stock :: green tea ice cream
well, i actually liked the ice cream. it is very similar to affogato al caffè, except instead of the expresso, thick and bitter green tea was used instead. at the start of the crab feast, a claypot was set to steam with some crab parts for a good 40 minutes. once cooked, the rice is loaded into a bowl, along with steamed crab, and stock is poured over it, and garnished with some pickles, parsley and wasabi. i liked it for its nostalgic merit, not taste.
crab gratin :: grilled king crab leg :: crab-based roll and hako-zushi
the above three are also not too shabby, in particular, the grilled king crab leg. grilling over oven did bring the sweetness of the crab to another level. too bad it is only one miserable leg i got. the gratin was more crusty burnt cheese than crab, and that worked for me, since dairy is higher on my food pyramid than crab. i could not recall how the sushi fared but this, and subsequent, hako-zushi did make me stop exploring deeper into this kansai-styled sushi.
crab chawanmushi :: crab sashimi :: tempura
it is good they serve chawanmushi - steamed eggs, or any eggs, always score big for me. the sashimi was surprisingly good - i never knew raw crustaceans tasted this good. the closest i had was a teochew pickled version of raw crabs my mum used to conjure when i was a kid. however, eating the raw crab legs took a little effort and i had to use the specialised crab fork to tease out the translucent meat. this is one of those negative calorie meals where effort is more than the calories consumed. the tempura.. err.. did i have tempura? it was that forgettable.
you can bet by my nuts this place is a no return for me. the meal is overpriced (6k yen per pax) for an average crab experience. i will do a singapore chilli/pepper crab anyday. come to think of it, why the heck did my feet bring me to dōtonbori in the first place?
[photo] the best place on earth to pig out and get high
Tuesday, 21. April 2009, 14:34:00
tengu (天狗) is a chain of izakaya peppered all over japan. i first chanced upon this place while working in tokyo, with an outlet just 20 steps from where i stay. fortunately for my belly, liver and wallet, i only discovered this merryhole several weeks before i left tokyo.
this place boasts a good menu ranging from fresh seasonal seafood (read oysters, crabs or yellowtail sashimi depending on the time of the year), to the exotics (horse sashimi, whale meat - sorry animal activists, monkfish liver) and of course the thirst-inducing chows (anything fried and seasoned heavily with msg and salt).
i was hopping with joy, figuratively, when i chanced upon a 天狗 along the streets of tourist trap dōtonbori. after two disappointing meals there, i needed an establishment that delivers.
of course, tengu also serves one of my closet vice - alcohol. i am not talking about generic beers here. i am talking about a range of delicious sake (hot or cold), japanese beers, a limited selection of wines, sours (god bless the japanese) and a lot more liver-bursting options.
there is a catch here though, all drinks are served with a mandatory serving of starter, which will be charged at 500 yen. the good part is, on most occasions, the starter tasted good. this occasion, i had pickled eggplant.
i started the evening with an order of sapporro on tap, a fried white bait fresh garden salad loaded with a heavenly citrus sauce and a hotplate of juicy beef topped with ponzu sauce. the beef was tasty but was overly seasoned with an intention for one to gulp down the drinks to ease the saltiness. the garden salad kicks rear - the taste was sharp and crisp from the citrus-laced leaves, and man, those fried white baits.
beer on tap :: white fish bait salad :: beef hotplate
the next set of order is regular from tokyo days - gyoza, a yakitori sampler set and the representative dish of tengu, the deep fried chicken wings. the gyoza was good but again, i am never a fan of chinese-originated japanese food, except for ramen.
the yakitori sampler consist of a chicken & leek stick, chicken meatball, chicken tails (backside or asses to be exact), gizzard, white meat with cheese and spicy cod roe, asparagus wrapped with bacon, pork and enigrii mushrooms. the favourite stick of the plate - chicken ass.
and yes, those chicken wings. i could do a dozen of these at one breath. they were that good.
gyoza :: chicken wings :: yakitori sampler set
the closing orders included another izakaya drink favourite - hirami lemon sour. well, actually my favourite is black vinegar sour but the engrish menu they gave me said this okinawa citrus food is supposed to lower my cholestrol, which i think is needed with the amount of chow i consumed in one seating here in tengu.
i ordered two new experiences - octopus with wasabi and burdock chips. lets start with the latter, i never though fried root went that well with alcohol, goodbye french fries. the octopus with wasabi, it looked ugly and smelled a little funky. but the taste... wow, happy birthday to me. the chewy octopus, along with the wasabi infused goo, brings a good tingling sensation with each bite. this thing can be so addictive it deserves an health warning.
hirami lemon sour :: octopus with wasabi :: burdock chips
[photo] the day i became a terror traveller
Monday, 20. April 2009, 14:28:37
tourists - we love them and loathe them. depending on how often we travel, we are them. tourist-host interaction can range from pleasant to almost a nuisance. unfortunately for me, in my selfish quest, i was a participant as a terror traveller one cool evening in the streets of kyoto. i was camping out to photograph geishas.
to ease my personal guilt, i chanced upon this crowded street (i will not publish the street - a little googling might give you some clues) where up to almost 50 well-read (or they had a very good tour guide) camping out with cameras, video recorders and noisy chatter. i did not come here planning for a photography assault on the stream of geishas that followed.
before the first geisha made her first appearance, the street was a medley of minor chaos of tourists showing their worst behaviour - shoving for a better spot, obstructing traffic and creating a ding that echoed trhough the usually quiet streets of gion. i am sure i noticed my countrymen's sland admist the mix of korean, thai, italian, german, aussie, british, spanish and taiwanese ding.
alas, i was part of the taunting syndicate.
as the geishas quickly shuffled their feet towards, the camera flashes fired away. i am sure the mega-watt light could almost blind these frightened (and irritated) ladies. i must imagine that these ladies had to endure the same routine each evening.
the wealthier geishas hired cabs, even the destination is a couple of streets away - i believe the ongoing harrasment justified them paying the almost usd30 cab fare (booking fare included) for a 2 minute ride.
a pair of ill-mannered french teenagers even attempted to enter the restricted private road to get a better view of the geishas. damn, i felt embarrased to be there. i wish there is a better way to be able to photograph these ladies in an undistressed setting, but with my limited time in gion, this was my only option.
united nation of terror tourist, myself included
a geisha receiving the continuous bursts of camera flashes as she approaches the mob
in hindsight, i was delighted to be able to chance upon the right timing and location for a steady stream of geisha sighting - something i wanted to do in kyoto - but at the same i am mildly appalled that the private space of these traditional performers were invaded, and perhaps threatened, by our touristic curiosity.
[photo] the best drink on earth
Sunday, 19. April 2009, 12:21:35
there are certain drinks that i cannot resist - in fact i am obsessed with some of these. fortunately for my health, only one of them is readily available in singapore. my favourite gulps are diet coke, diet dr pepper and of course, when in japan - calpis (カルピス Karupisu), in whatever form.
calpis is very similar to yakult, with the same benefits i believe, except it is less kiddish. to me, this is cultured goodness for the adults.
i think i had consumed at least 10 pet bottles of the cultured drink during my six days there. i have downed calpis premium (concentrated), calpis water, calpis soda and calpis peach flavour. i am looking forward to swallow the follow variations - trawberry, grape, matcha, guava, mango, lychee, pineapple (available in Okinawa only), orange, mikan (Japanese tangerine), melon, peach, aloe, calpis zero and calpis sour.
i miss japan already.
[photo] shinsaibashi station
Sunday, 19. April 2009, 08:40:40
people watching (and snapping) while waiting for the subway to arrive. i wish singapore's subway had more character.
[photo] kinryu ramen (金龍 ラーメン)
Sunday, 19. April 2009, 08:37:24
kimchi bar :: kinryu ramen with extra charsiew :: interior
sakura - that was the motivation why i wanted to go to japan. food was the real drive. while researching briefly on japan, i knew i had to come to osaka. this place had a food mantra - kuidaore (食い倒れ), which means to ruin oneself through the indulgence in food. damn, these people even make gluttony sound sexy.
the heartbeat of osaka is in namba and within namba, the food street is none other than dōtonbori (道頓堀). i knew this place is going to be as tacky and touristy as it can be, but without any deep research prior to the visit, dōtonbori is the only option to break the fast.
first stop was kinryu ramen (金龍 ラーメン). kinryu has three 24-hour outlets in dōtonbori, so it gotta be of certain standard. honestly i was drawn more to its raised tatami platforms for customers to chow down the one-dish menu, more than anything else. on hind side, i think the noodle shop beside could have fared better.
the routine here is simple, buy a ticket off the vending machine, hand over the purchase slip and sit. the noodles are served within 5 minutes and one can load as much kimchi, pickled chives and garlic paste from the bar counter. i went easy on the kimchi, after i remembered i was in japan, not seoul. the charsiew was really passable, and i regretted not saving that space for a couple of takoyaki instead.
since this was the first meal off the plane, i mopped it all up. it was alright - nothing gastronomically marvellous for me to return - which i did not.
for those intending to chow your way into osaka, keep kinryu ramen as a backup plan or unless you are needing to chow down a bowl at 3am in the morning.
[photo] polaroids xiii
Saturday, 18. April 2009, 12:27:49
only three things make me flash the yens in japan - photo supply stores (yodabashi, bic), food stalls (everywhere) and of course, uniqlo, japan's affordable version of gap.
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