Restaurant Chako

A dinner from my sis' paycheck and to celebrate my passing and residency, along with my cousin Sam we all set off to Restaurant Chako (Hong Leong Gardens Shopping Centre, West Coast) to have dinner. Setting off in 2 cars, I was first trailing dad before finally i realised the direction from the waitress over the phone to be most useful.

This is an entirely family-run affair in this restaurant, from the mother as the chief chef, with the dad's help and the daughter running the house. Extremely endearing unit they have there.

This dinner turns out to be super super long cos of the waiting time, but the family were so polite to a tee we really couldnt fault them. Besides they did warn us beforehand to order the dishes which we do not need to wait so long for, but we ignored their warning (to our dismay hahaa). There were 7 of us and my sis who was the last to be served waited for 3 hours! When we left they said we were unfortunate that everyone who came that evening to the restaurant did not order beforehand, so it made it harder for the kitchen to prepare since nothing was frozen here everything is fresh. So it'd be great for you to call them up - they'l even email u the menu so you'll reduce your waiting time - 67763919

By the time the food came we were so hungry! We love the home cooked food and the beautiful presentation. We could seriously feel the sincerity in the preparation of the food. Nutritious food prepared with loving hands is difficult to come by outside home.

And everyone who came was armed with PSP(a bunch of 3 army boys) and books and papers, except us who were just armed with our mouths =P Saw a senior there too.

We ordered at 750pm.

Luckily Gran's Udon Set came first- this looked so impressive and left us SO hungry. This is full of goodness! Chicken chunks and tofu galore she really enjoyed this huge set. Dad commented the food should be served in order of seniority lol, cos everyone else was watching grandma eat!

Mom's Grilled Salmon came next and she really enjoyed the tender salmon.

Bro's Beef Fillet Curry Rice came just as he left to roam around. I kept kopping his curry rice most delicious! and the beef slices were so tender he thought that it was chicken fillet lol.

Sam's Hamburg Steak Set. Looks really delicious eh..stole abit of his hamburg and its really peppery minced beef meat made into a patty.

Finally my salmon and egg porridge/risotto(as put in the menu) arrived. at 930pm....hungry

As a set. It was so delicious Mummy kept drinking the mains...think she really liked it too! A classic example of a home cooked broth so delicious you just wanna slurp up everything. Slivers of salmon with finely cooked porridge and seaweed this was heartwarming.

Dad's Chako steak finally arrived...1015pm. It was like our senses were so acutely aware - everytime we heard chopping we were thinking they were chopping veggies or pounding meat. He enjoyed his hot plate steak very much too.

My sis' Tempura Vegetables (kakiage). 1045pm (yeah, 3 hours wait). The batter was so good it tasted like she was eating kfc (quoting her) and after trying some I agree - its fresh crunchy veg with equally light batter. It was good.

Just before this came my dad fetched gran and sam back cos they needed to go to church tmr morning....the wait is just crazy!!

My sis wanna come back esp for their ice cream (she kinda wanted it for her appetiser not sure how long they'd take to make lol), and this must be the most memorable meal in some time for us!

Tawadang Microbrewery, PS Cafe

Met Kels and either we drown ourselves in icecream (my bad) or fries (hers), so we did both today courtesy of Mr Bean and Carls' Junior at PS. After settling the eye drops for mummy off to satisfy our cravings. Cos of crowded MOS/KFC/ Macs we landed here. The onion rings are huge, and are slightly spicy. Am a fan of the potato skinned fries. We flipped the birthday pic book at Toast Box, witnessing what we only see in clubs, between ah peks =/ Best friend, I've the greatest confidence in you....so chin up!
WALKED (dropped at earlier bstop SIGH) to Tawadang Microbrewery - luckily not a minute later cos it started raining dogs. Like suddenly, and before we knew it, it was dark.

Morning Glory was full of stems and was yummilicious drenched in fish sauce.

Fluffy egg omelette with crabmeat - its sprinkled atop not doused in, unfortunately.

Spicy Tom Yumg Goong, with coconut milk. Plenty of mushrooms and prawns. Fat juicy prawns.

Fried fish with sauce - this was a favourite of all the others. It tastes too much like Gran's - crisp, jucily oily, cant go way wrong.. the dip was a spicy tangy sauce.

Phad Thai was drenched in fish sauce but really eggy and fragrant.

Grilled squid was the last to arrive and by the time it came, the lights darkened for the band. I'm not a fan of squid, but it was soft enough - and I shrieked when the waiter wanted to clear, so I could polish off the last pieces =D

We were wondering about drinks/coffee/desserts - so 3inch sin/taste matters/klee/oriole (yeah love it tho it was just yest) came up but of cos being the lazy folks we were we just trudged to the nearby PS Cafe (Dempsey) for cakes. The Blackout Chocolate Cake needs no introduction and is as big a chocolate bomb as it looks. Real moist and fudgy, altho it'd be great if there were free flow chocolate sauce and ice cream. I was the last survivor left to eat the cake and there was much too little liquid. Fudge had solidified by the last inch of the cake.

Ginger Pudding with Earl Grey Sauce. I must say I'm not a fan of Ginger (after a bad experience with ginger steamed milk at ah chews -_-) but the ginger taste in this is minimal. The cake itself was really delicious esp if submerged in Earl Grey sauce - there was so much of sauce left I just used the rest for the chocolate cake.

Surprisingly I got most of the criteria for the misters wrong. Hmms, will be on a lookout for sure =D We were on every topic BUT the intention of meeting!! We were supposed to be in BKK now. Damn those riots.

Thanks Qian for the lift back - I was a goner at the backseat and was def worse off than drunk. Maybe calories do as much damage.

West Coast Plaza, Crystal Jade HK, The Hurt Locker

Wow this entry dates back to 25th feb when Hurt Locker was still showing and it hasnt even won the oscar yet. How much has happened since then =P After the med eopt MCQ test (tks for picking up the osces after leaving so early from the paper, K!), I made a wrong turn towards Tuas and we ended up at West Coast Plaza whilst still trying to decide on travel plans.

We browsed around before deciding to try ou the D24 durian buns from Oishii Bakery ( West Coast Plaza). Durian paste was wonderfully potent but it'd do nicer in a puff form!

We were debating between Bread And Butter Box and Coffee Bean and chose the former. This is the Yin Yang - peanut butter and nutella and we loved how crumbly the bread was...till it was like eating air in the words of K.

Her He Bi Hiam Toast

Mine Kaya Toast...its like a thick toast with the characteristics of a crisp thin toast

We went for Prof Soo's - only half filled heh - but it was worth going for all the oeso/stomach knowledge. We were ravenous so we went to hurry get movie tickets before going to Crystal Jade Hong Kong (Orchard Central) and started with this Salted Egg and Chicken Porridge which was served in a claypot. Not quite the typical Crystal jade consistency of the porridge (a little more watery) but still very delicious as late night food.

A walk down memory lane with the very colourful and cheery menu complete with fantizi in the menu (the difficult chinese characters), loud chinese mtvs, and waitresses with HK accents. lol, even the PORRIDGE was named after a district in HK... And Kels had a nice window seat!

This is what we came for - Spring Chicken with a huge load of fries and crispy bits!!! Very freshly fried, very crisp skin, very juicy chicken... Its worth your 10 bucks - Arnold's sells this at a much steeper price but imho I think this is really really good, don't mind paying more...lol

Hot Plate has all the meats - fish fillet (very tender and nice!), Chicken (too tenderised =P), Lamb chop (yums too) and the Cheese Sausage which Kels had. We were deciding between this or the Ocean basket (but everything fried leh.....together with the spring chicken), but this was a real carnivorous grease bomb.

This is finally our last movie before MBBS (yeah and this chapter was typed before mbbs lol). But anw havent had a chance to write a review about The Hurt Locker, which we caught during the study break (when everyone scrambled home to study;P). This movie is incredible, in the sense that it was directed by a woman (the war, violence, grit was absolutely cutting). Its like, you'll never expect anything less than Carrie Brickshaw to direct Sex and the City.

And it makes you thank you every day of your life that you have such a safe environment to function in, live in, play, and have a little quiet at the end of the day. Movies like The Blind Side make you grateful for the bed you have (no matter how rich you are, you only have a bed to return to at the end of it all, aint it), and the fairness despite the unfairness in the world. Don't compare, don't complain, I'm so happy to have a chance to study what I chose and to make the people I love proud.. Is the unfairness of your situation the driving force for your work? So you can get a release from that unfairness? Is that what drives materialism?

Bon Gout : Take 2

Dear Mei and James,
Thank you for being my model when James was here to help me with surg shorts! Sorry for pressing all those ticklish areas, and of cos thanks to James for brushing up my really really cui techniques...really, thanks!! so that i don't kneel in front of, and for not coughing into my examiners' face.
So to thank her (and to James soon!!!!!) after a long day at immigration to collect my and mommy's passport (thank god to mr bean at lavender for saving the day) and thanks to daddy for waiting 2 hours in the rain in the carpark (mr bean saved his day too lol) and we zoomed to chinatown point to make the visas. Spotted potential shoes next to focal for graduation =D
Picked up faris (happily forgetting her swiss roll hunger when she talked to the guard) and daddy dropped us at robertson quay. finally my dream to bring mei here!!!! (and thanks to daddy's tea eggs so she won't niao me the whole way lol)
My sister got confused between clarke quay/boat quay and robertson quay and she loved loved the quiet environment here. Seems like I'd have to visit her next time!!! invite me here please rich sister!!!!
She too commented on those dumb ass unlighted lamp posts that gave me that 7 stitches.

We reached Bon Gout (Robertson Quay) and Epicurious is closed on Mondays lol no yummy apple crumble for mei. But somehow we were so full after the very simple home cooked meal at Bon Gout. I love to think we're full from the conversation =D I think at home we're always watching too much movie or papa's always telling his tales so we just listen and gobble =D

We started off with Natto, fermented beans. Mei hasnt tried before so I suggested she try - the last time I tried at Ootoya it was rather bitter, coffee beanish like. I was quite ambivalent but she should try if she is curious. She took like perhaps 10 beans and the rest were left to my devices =P

Curry Vegetable Rice - this was mildly spicy and not their special curry (which I tried with Pam the last time I came here I tried the hotter Curry Chicken). Mei loved the variety of brocoli, eggplant, capsicum and potatoes, and esp loved the red pickle too.
I was really gian to eat curry but figured will try something different so had their fried beancurd udon - it was quite ex at $11 (set with the rice balls and pickle, below), but the chewy noodles were so so yummy in the piping hot clear miso soup, and the soup was so delicious they obliged my request to top up more.. and I didnt drink water like mad that night so i guess it was not incredibly salty but still flavourful nonetheless. But for more affordable udon, go to my sis and my favourite udon stall at the basement food court outside MeidiYa at Liang Court. SUPER GOOD!
The pretty set.

We shifted to the sofa seats, and whilst I browsed Female and men's health she attempted to read some Bleach. She found a doctor's book thing for me over dinner but obviously i didnt know any jap lol. I was quite disappointed in her elementary jap too thought she'll be as excited as pam!! Miss Potus you're missed too!!!

Mei and I took a stroll to Liang Court where this NASTY tourist gave me a huge HAEMATOMA and ECCHYMOSES with his luggage ugh ugh ugh i really could feel its formation and my sister thought it was freaky cos she knew that I knew my body inside out now and its pathology =P

We passed by this Italian place at the corner of Robertson Quay (nearer the Liang Court side) with a huge chalkboard that gave a new meaning to Wed's Ladies night - free pastas for ladies!! Its right next to the underpass to Liang Court. Chongs do you hear me??????

After the trauma of the ECCHYMOSES we popped into Liang Court for COLOURFUL POLO SWEETS (which was a hard sweet, btw not like the minty compressed powder kind) and Crepes (which she ate twice that day). She was so full she vowed off food and crepes for the month (i think we always complain but of cos we won't do it)

We walked thru Clarke Quay and trained to Cathy. Failed massively in the bid to catch the Dragon Movie (cos I saw wrongly in the newspapers that it was 3d) so we shopped instead. Was pondering over miss denim, so we browsed at gramophone (her obsession with alice) and the sale outside kinda gave me a headache so we bussed back when i was tired I dozed off. haha!!

Blue Basil, Oriole

It's been such a long time since I had really stimulating and hilarious conversation in leisure and this must be one of the best meals I've had, both food and company wise. I cant believe we date all the way to rjc days, and the common so3L class that links us all..and of cos, I do wonder, if our friendship started since JC days how deep it could have gone =D
I was deciding between Applebee's or the Swiss Halal place, but decided to go try Blue Basil (56 Cairnhill Road) since James was driving. That place is incredibly difficult to access (no parking = no go, in julie's books) but since James was an acs (junior) boy which was right round the corner, he was more or less ready to take us there, esp armed with receeing on his laptop (and my refusal to unwrap his new map).
Anw, we departed at 7 pm (tho I kept niaoing him say its too early we were only suppose to pick up carol at 7pm!!!!!!) he said wanted to go and recee the place....and of cos, I couldnt say anything as I was triumphed over by the driver.

On the drive there, I was really cracked up by how eldora's toilet trained like a pet (cant get over how she goes to her favourite spot to indicate her toilet needs sooooocute) and then he cracked me up over my affinity with fat boys. Sigh looks like cant marry husband cos 1. will get ami and stroke and dm and gotta make sure he take his million and one pills on time and gotta take hypocount tds 2. got OSA = snoring = horrible sleepy = JULIE CANT SLEEP!!! Sleep is my top priority in life, higher than food so ....3. Cant jog with me (not like i jog now, anyway, with horrible pollution) cos will get OA (i think i will get OA first, with my recurrent patella dislocation). OK OK I GET IT james. haha carol also got so interested in my reasons about fat boys cos like me, she doesnt mind them at all. But now to fend off her friend lol.

We were indeed early and right after we found the free carpark (to James' glee) Carol called us 5 min later!!!!!!!Ugh we could have picked her up if he wasnt SOOOO punctual. ok lar, cant complain. Punctual boys are hard to come by.

On the way to walking to meet Carol at the junction, I took a picture of James in front of his alma mater, as it looks like it was gonna get torn down for good. We all decided during dinner we'll send our kids to acs or scgs (hopefully our spouses come from the appropriate schools! or else gotta spend money buy house nearby lol) =D our alma maters blessed us with a wonderful education and schooling environment. Carol took super long to come, and much to my astonishment (or at my astonishingly bad eyesight), James recognised Carol's gait, and mentioned the colours she was wearing (it sounded like Carols colours haha) so didnt doubt him. Was so scared she overshot and we'd all have to dine at Goodwood =D i can then reminisce about my first birthday lunch in primary one (the earliest birthday lunch i can rem!) in Good wood. haha.

Anyway, we arrived at Blue Basil finally, this quaint restored shophouse (thank goodness for James' sense of direction) and they commented it was rather empty, save for a huge group right near the corner. I like quiet places anyway, and you'll see why in a bit.

We were wondering between the dinner sets (cos there were discounts refer to hungrygowhere) and ala carte (but got no stan chart card!) but in the end decided to go for ala carte cos the dinner set range was rather limited.

We shared 2 starters and each a main grill item.

Absolutely loved the Grilled Vegetables Brushetta. Could smell the fragrance of this when it was placed in front of us, finely chopped up fruits and vegetables (capsicum ++). It felt totally mediterrenean.

This has got to take the prize for the chunkiest mushroom soup ever (and lol, tops it all if the shrooms were indeed grown in their garden, or so J and C says =P). Its like the consistency of green bean soup, and is so earthy and chunkily packed with mushrooms, you don't sense the cream in it at all. Lovely!
Gotta be the best White Cod ($25.90) I've had in awhile too. You'd love it if you like your fish smooth and oily, with a crisp skin. Wanted to have 2 carbs (like James heh we're the carb camp), but on hearing the veggy of the day I had the Ratatouille.

Basically with the Lava Grill items, you can choose your sauce with the mains - my fish was with the blue basil pesto (which was most buttery yumms), and one selection from the veggies and one selection from the carbs.

The carbs was obviously the most interesting part, the Pilaf Rice sounds totally yummy, but I felt like I miss the fish and co rice in the seafood platter after it. James say they cheat cos they have seafood flavours in it, mimicking paella. I also koped some of James' cold pasta which was also super interesting cos it was so herby.

I cant forget the look of James' as he first took a bite of his grilled lamb shoulder ($29.90). It was a very very crisp exterior with tender meat within, the type of consistency you expect in a stew for the inside. Its pretty amazing. Must take papa here..

before I met you all, mummy told me in the car to make sure this dinner is a treat for james cos you helped me so much esp so close to mbbs!! really saved me for surgery shorts, would have flunked totally. thank you so so so much, dun think could have thanked enough even with this lamb shoulder!! (thank goodness you chose this instead of the stuffed cheesy chicken breast we were both eyeing, aye?) Yes and thanks for being gracious to accept this treat otherwise mummy will make me go to marks and spencer to buy you a box of chocolates!!!!!

Carol had the King Prawns. ($25.90)I kinda read it was recommended, but was afraid it'll only be 2 or 3 prawns (and james said newton has prawns that price -_-), and Carol chose it cos she was semi hungry lol. She complained that the prawns needed shelling. Sharing unfriendly!! Cos nobardy peels prawns with hands in a western place man.... James was reminded of the chunky prawns in First Thai (peeled, with heads intact!!) and wondered if there's an option to request for unshelled prawns. Pampered kids lar...
I wanted to bring C and J to no 5 Emerald Hill but it was SOOOOO packed on the eve of Good Friday so after the tour round the NOISY and SMOKY place we left. Sigh you guys must so totally try the interesting 1-for-1 martinis here when its quieter! lovely oriental place, tho massively littered with peanut shells.

C and J were creeped out by Emerald Hill (eh my favourite place in town mannnnnn) esp when i suggested J can bring his date here (and he sprints off first lol). Date guru fail. We thought of a wonderful plan for J who eats no raw veg (so everytime we go out i have to gobble his share of raw veg -_-) so all he has to do to feed his skinny petit gf (who wont SINK the see saw LOL) is to just order a mains, eat all the meat he wants and give tiny all the raw veg so she save calories and you save cash =D

So we ended up near Orchard Central. James was such a gentlemen, volunteering to run back all the way to the car park so we don't need to suffer walking all the way back to the car park again. (cos i complain so far............) Going one way is fine but all the way back....but haha in the end still walked back without complaint. Good company lar, thats what makes the journey so much easier. In more ways than one.

We walked thru 313, where I popped by for the loo, but thank good ness cos we found a short cut to Oriole (Pan Pacific Suites). I didnt realised it was connected, cos it was so massively renovated during my 2 visits to Oriole. We almost went by the long long way cos I didnt know. Yes yes your good sense of direction haha.

I HEART the Honey Crumble Affogato. Best BEST. James said it was too calorie loaded but its one caffeine heaven in that shot. Omg damn yummy. And you couldnt remember the outing when we had affogato!!! Promised to come here with you this is absolutely worth the trouble.
Another reason to come here is for the AMAZING coffees. I had their newest coffee (not in the menu) - its orange chocolate coffee, and its gotta be the most interesting coffee of my life, a unanimous agreement between Carol James and me. Its got a million and one ingredients in that drink including star anise and spiked with mint (right at the end)

The real coffee was actually the second cup, cos the barista got the coffee a tad mixed up (so i had 2 cups lol). My first cup tasted SO MUCH like my favourite Chilli Chocolate Mocha (the barista admitted so), but I didnt bring it up (cos i thought supposed to squeeze the orange to get the effect).

However, when the real orange chocolate coffee came, we realised what a real difference it was. The orange coffee is so interesting, the orange flavour only emerges unexpectedly as you savour the coffee. Every sip is unpredictable, for the orange flavour takes some time to manifest, and we were wondering behind the physiology behind taste, why does certain flavours only unfold, how do flavours get layered? Thats the amazing thing about food, food that gets you thinking and only gets better, as it stimulates conversation.

And when you DO squeeze the orange over, the unpredictability disappears cos the orange zing hits you the moment you drink it. So drink it bare first!

While J and C really liked the orange coffee, I still LOVED the first coffee, the replicate of the chilli chocolate mocha. I love how potently bitter it was, the spicy sensation tinkling. Its my first cup of coffee since Amelia checked and polished my teeth at CGH, never touched a single coffee or tea since reading break (explains my incredibly short days spent more on sleeping than studying!!!!)but this is totally worth the stains (James say that should drink more to make the dentist's visit more worth it cos got more stains to clean -_-). Anyway had to get my teeth cleaned so I don't look like I have a smoker's set of teeth (damn those coffees and teas) to flash at the examiners =D Damn cant believe its also been a year since I cut my hair ugh massive grooming needed!!

Where we sat, at our L shaped corner at the bar, we were very near the expresso machine and we spied the barista at work (J was totally checking out the latte art......haha while I was adding/destroying it). We really admired his passion of his job (cos of lar, national barista championship leh!!), and how he checked on us from time to time. He says the chilli chocolate coffee is made from blended chillis (no wonder really spicy :s), how my favourite chilli chocolate icecream is in HK (right kels?by our pier =)), and how its so difficult to find good chilli chocolate (yes, like real chocolate here). I tried the brown chilli chocolate packets one (with the red chilli in shiny red foil, and its real ex at $6 per bar) in Cold Storage but nowhere as good as the coffees here can mimick. In fact, learnt from the barista in the olden times, spices used to be added to the chocolates and that was how it was meant to be.

Conversation in our L shaped corner was really exhaustingly funny!! Carol describes how jobs like ours are truly altruistic but J and I vehemently think our commensuration is insufficient. Carol agreed eventually (hahahaha) when she realises she doesnt want to sing Majulah on Saturdays and Sundays and Public Holidays. Teaching and med is so similar, even on the very most sats that teachers come back, and some kid needs some help (just like some pts will delay you running off) you will obviously oblige, but no majulah on sat and sun we reiterate!!! Thats like the funniest analogy ever ever.

And the ridiculous prices of branded bags that J can think of a trip to Italy to make a bag and back with a Birk. Eh......I disagree you still need to pay for all the accomod plus airfare plus food plus bag for her too la you need at least 2 Birks! Anw we're all on the same camp when it comes to branded and partners. Glad to be =D

And of cos, the eccentric doc that links us all, j chiam =D

Walked Carol to train (if she misses last train def sending her), and otw back learnt from J about houses, money and what it does to your relationship esp if issues like these are not sorted b4 the big M. Realists, and the cruel reality of what temptation does, to destroy what could have been.

We popped by at SPC (really had to resist temptation to buy this month's Time out), but now can only rem Smoke Shack. Haha. He complains we havent been hawkering....but we ate at Bt Timah Hawker Ctr didnt we?Ok soon again we'll go makan at hawker ctr =D

Anw, read the Review article in Thurs's Straits times. Meaningful company and the relatioship to finances, absolutely relevant after today's. Really appreciate the power of fate. And will treasure it. where got we won't meet in 3 years lar, residency so competitive leh.

Since exams ended, watched New York I love you, The blind side (half watched twice, at Marc's), and An Education (which reminded me incredibly of Carol and Pam!), starring the absolutely charismatic Carrie Mulligan. Thought it was such a classic film, esp relevant from girls from an all girls school. Loved the whole 1960s French English culture, the music, the arts scene, the cars, the houses, the prim and proper British Education, the books and the instrumentals. What I'll give, to live in that era! (Carol, must go read Shantaram! I'm starting a new book called Let the Great World Spin oh reading novels is SUCH a luxury) On reflection from that film, Would you rather have a smooth sailing planned academic path, marry safely and lead a steady life, or would you rather a man who brings a new angle, a new perspective, and make you so much more interesting? J disagrees with the latter, but eventually agreed with us girls. Who'll be the one, that is gonna bring out that hidden aspect of you, that you never realised you had, till the right person came along?

Skinny Pizza, One Twenty-Six

Kels and I popped here for dinner after spending the day at Marc's. Picked her at novena at 315 (thank you for all the wonderful doritos and salt and vinegar and the breads esp the lobster curry !!) amidst the dread ful rain (thank goodness no sentosa today) n with some real confusing directions (its mount sophie !!!goldhill was buried in leaves lar haha) we reached Marc's, to find the boys busy playing tennis most electronically. (wm looked like he was getting thrashed).

Traded mbbs horror tales (the boys finally put down their gear after we came) and his mom came to join us having lived thru 2 boys worth of mbbs. Everyone enjoyed the blind side (after jeremy left) and we watched till the part that i stopped haha. love love sj the small boy to bits!! for once i appreciate younger bros (actually i appreciate aaron so much esp thru mbbs). Anyhow, thank you to marc and his mom for being great hosts!! Will never forget those days in your house pre mbbs too...

Marc's mom recommended a hot pot but we zipped to District 10 instead. We parked alongside the road and went in but weren't too enticed by the menu. I think we miss hawker food too much (the only decent one throughout mbbs was at adam road with jacob having kambing soup when i was sick lol).

Butter nut Pumpkin soup
Squid ink

We headed to Skinny Pizza (cos i wanted to avoided paying erp at 7.56pm yeah im a miser its 50 cents for 4 minutes!!!) at Borders Level 3. Were reminded of our truffle days....but we just ordered the Butter nut Pumpkin soup and the Squid ink Pizza. We were thinking between the pizzas - Truffle Mushroom or Veal or Roasted Pumpkin (think I ate the roasted pumpkin salad here before at House), and the soup White Bean Cappucino with Shredded Duck (tell me how interesting is that!!) but yeah....didn't cos the latter soup was not available and we couldnt possibly order both pumpkin soup and pizza...altho i think vegeterian pizzas are boring.

So we had Squid ink Pizza !! on retrospect, I had the Squid ink Paella at House before and Chong and I really loved it (and its huge portion). However the pizza base is NOT a crack - dunno why it was not as crisp as we've loved. Its like lao hong papadum. Tho the seafood toppings were really lovely - I'm sick of my gran's prawns but still loved the fresh seafood on top - calamari, prawn. and PLENTY of arugula leaves (not on my side but Kelly's haha). Not salty tho Bestie had to add salt AND tabesco onto the already soggy base.

As for the butter nut pumpkin soup- you're better off with the soups at the Soup Spoon or even the Hand Burger. First few sips tasted like curry and eventually too dilute..guys!!

I must say the service was really great tho the waiter took great care of us and asked us about the food (very few commercial joints bother) and explained why the base was soggy (a case of too much mayo)..great service!! =) by a foreigner too, no less.

Kels and I walked to Cathy so I could pick up the bag I saw with Mei yesterday (thanks for the walk!! bestie was totally chilled out poor thing please recover faster for your trip!!). Denim bag was totally worth the walk. of cos had the Mixed Ice cream (we love love the peanut grits) at the Ice cream Uncle at the Taka-Paragon pedestrian crossing (taka side). He's our favourite ice cream vendor and the best ice cream find pre mbbs. Haha!

Met Nat at One Twenty Six (Playground at Big Splash) - supposed to meet her at Tampines but I'll so totally get lost. For once I had alcohol and she had virgin cocktail lol. I had the Rose Wine and hers some totally girlish sweet drink (i also cant recall what and it was just 4 hours ago). She says its like Villa Bali but quieter. The music was way off but think when they have live singers it's much better. But loved loved the seats, the fountain, the lovely clouds and even the croacking frogs (i'm suddenly reminded of princess and the frog, jason !!! and your hilarious mbbs tale with abu r from jacob). We relived days leading up to this period, and updated on all the affliated lives concerned!! Have Fun in NY!!! And HK!! You'll be missed.

Fatty Bom Bom

This is the end of the darkest period of my life...never got to see sunlight for 4 weeks!!

I can only say there's much affinity between fat boys (obese till breasts bigger than mine!! =/) and me for paeds...totally bungled the vsd with hugo tho the lady pointed out to me (ugh she pointed at aortic area still and they really proptosed when i said tof) but the last cute eldora saved the day with dr lees (thank you didnt know the only endocrin in sg was soooo nice!!!) i gave her jacob's rattler =) she kept casting my colour pencil and didnt mutter a word and kept running to her parents but so so cute she's all over the place!! she just stacked my blocks a bit and could follow my instructions and responded to her name. She plays with her cousins too but not dry by day or night but goes to a place when she needs to poop. omg so lovely. ok maybe daughters make better kids =) i change my mind, kelly heh. my son's sure to be so fat at the rate we feed.

As for med shorts, the first with dale f was really great tho he was so distended =) B: horrible, he had both AIN PLUS carpal tunnel, was made to retract 3 1/2 fingers to say 3 fingers. C: straightforward MR and i timed for a full minute for the AF! the third doctor crept up when so quiet suddenly no movement for so long =P

Med longs was a torture. Got a cauc dude who had copd/lung ca/pneumonect/colectomy and i swear he was parkinsoning away with the tremor! yeah it was a heart block issue which i happily ignored and wah lau how to manage...i also heart block =/ (thank goodness, for ying he had a parky moment and forgot all about the mitotic lung lesion)... paeds long was fat boy (sighhhhh...)with fatty liver and gerd and fatigue esp in school (i also very sleepy in sch i understand!!, and my fave period in sch was also recess time like you =)), and poor thing tried starvation!!!!

Surg was this lovely lady who didnt know diagnosis of her bp but really tried her best to help me by telling me the exact leg difference, and last min about her insoles and shoes. Even defended me in discussion about what teachers do and my steriod taking history =) thank you ma'am!

Surg shorts was a breeze - gangl - my heart dropped when i thought it was foot =foot drop, thank you for pointing out to me!!, lipoma on shoulder blade, lighting the balls of the bang's (with my bare hands, no less), (all 3 lumps lighted up!) and last undiagnosable abdo mass.

Thank you for the days of discussions(and movies!!!!!!!) kels, to jacob for those days in law and in school and practising on my brother!, and to james for that help that day with my sister, to daryl and marcus who helped my hopeless surg shorts, to mei mei and didi for allowing me to molest you guys =P to my mommy for all the fetching and pampering me with goodies, my gran for all the porridge during my sick days, to daddy too. My lovely cg for all the intolerable days b4 mbbs, and my anat group whom i began and ended med sch with, and the seminar room boys who do crack me up =D

Thanks Eldora, you really made my day. Sigh fatty booms!

Cafe Hacienda, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, The Flying Bread, Le Granier a Pain

After the lect 28 revision tips (with DG's hilarious anecdote of the DA that she also can do=P and low's nystagmus inducing posture, and EL's always threatening to leave), k and i headed to Cafe Hacienda (Dempsey). I quickly decided on Eggs Benedict with Salmon, and K decided to have the Pancakes.
Fluffy Pancakes were a tad too thick for our liking. Loved the combination of jam and butter and cream, whilst k was of cos enjoying the maple syrup and her salt. All my fruits to her.

In between a cake and a kueh, this Coconut Toast was anything but. It is really thick and dense, and not at all crisp (perhaps except along its edges). You'd love this if you like dense cakes.

We were at first surrounded by couples when we sat near the bookshelves (it was really full and noisy, and we were lucky to snag the last table), but when we shifted to next to the windows to discuss pv blds, there were groups of men streaming in in couples/ groups, which was rather disturbing as we were discussing og stuff. But a goddess managed to neutralise all that =)

We sat till 615 when we kinda go excused out..

The movie seating nowadays is insane, and even though we were there an hour earlier (there were many many timings btw), the 725pm seating for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief was almost full save for the almost front row seats (which we took cos we were too desperate). Not that bad a neck stiffness we got.

We enjoyed the movie thoroughly, and it was an adventurous ride we loved, as compared to the Imaginarium. The search for the pearls took us through many different sets, and though the storyline was rather predictable, the choreography was beautiful, and I must say the young actors were convincing as well.

The Sun Chips (spicy) was the best, with us not touching the sweet potato ones at all =P This was pre dinner, as the movie was during dinner...

Walked further down to try The Flying Bread(313@ Somerset) - was really craving meats the whole time and had the set meal with the milkshakes - Avocado and Ferrero Rocher. I suggest you spend your calories on the breads instead. We just pretended we had vanilla milk shakes.
Beef for me and Chicken for Kels, and I liked the way the beef was marinated. The sauces was also quite delicious - there was mayonaise and a mint sauce. I kinda misst the days in Australia, when there were many kebab stalls near the clubs and it was great supper grub.
We went to Le Granier a Pain (313 @ Somerset) and had the after 10pm discounted breads (yeah that was how late our dinner was, but perhaps in time for Kels). The meatball bread was really good still. Loved the chewy dough. (3 for the price of 2 after 10pm)

Cheese breads with thick mozarella chunk within. Don't expect the melty oozy type, but good nonetheless.

Overheard some interesting convos from the couple beside, about the replication of similar bakeries and rental woes (bagging stalls much before opening). How interesting owning a business must be, it's such a dynamic job.

Wendy's. 360 Restaurant and Bar

The last weekend before the closure of wards, so Kels and I headed to tt and saw ataxic hemi, menierre's (thank u qy!), and a SN who kindly let us examine her bells'. Bumped into jj and shawn who phoned us about listed mvp with ie, and egged us to hear a pericardial rub =P

Midway, mr bean to the rescue, with an EXCUSE ME AHEM incident. lol bestie can be terrifying.

Anyway, we were on our way to the East and decided that on the way there, we shall go to Wendy's (Lau Pa Sat) since we've been thinking of going there for some time.

Anyway, on retrospect, my mom says that she used to bring us to Wendy's at Holland V, alot! And there was even a branch at Orchard Towers.

And I need to rant about the parking at Lau Pa Sat! Absolutely pathetic! There was a lane full of lightning (in the wrong direction, somemore) and I was first tempted, but then made another round and found a lot in the unloading area.....luckily it was chu san not that terrifying (but still, tourist buses galore despite the paucity of stalls)

1/2 pounder cheese burger for the protein to counter all the oncoming (but really much better) carbs. A rather dry, but substantial beefy patty, which is cutely squarish. You'd like this if you like a neat, ungreasy patty.

Fries was a cross between Macs and Mos, according to bestie. Eat it fast, or else the texture turns magically hardish.
The amazing beef chilli you can dunk your fries or burger in. They should so have a chilli cheese burger. Supposedly low fat and high in fiber.
The super yummy Chilli Cheese Baked Potato - didn't think they made a great match but of cos never judge its potato by its name.....right potus ? Possibly the best part of the meal.

No space for milkshakes (frostys!!) and looking around, the people dining here look like really hungry folks. Except that we were the only ones with large meals around.....yeah.

Wanted to study in, but then got sick of the atmosphere (and the poppish radio) so headed to ECP, missed the Macs, so zoomed down all the way to near the cable skiing place, where again I risked the parking.



It was around 4-ish and I was amazed that people were still stuffin seafood in the middle of the day (tea time, anyone?)
Strawberry Milkshake and Vanilla icecream in H-TWO-O (ridiculous, but nice, btw!) at 360 Restaurant and Bar. Many cute toddlers venturing around ( and one particularly liking this light pole next to me, and another in the restaurant wrestling the huge pooh bear), the 3 musketeers walking by most proudly feeling all in important in their cable suits.

It was really relaxing, watching cable-skiiers whiz by, looking at birds of the same feather (lians and bengs), the other end where foreign w were watching, and just gallons of beer guzzlers. Sunset was beautiful (cos we were sitting away hahahaha), and we left to J's for steamboat dinner (7 corn overload =P).
View from his rooftop....nightlife happening!

Even more happening was the UK minimart right behind to get my (durian) icecream fix....

Swiss Backerei

Second last day of Ortho already, went to crash the simple succint approach to bp at nuh, and picking up my pen torch-pens++-flags-halls lime and berry-before meeting kels at sgh (occular mg,flaccid p,super enthu uncle with ar) then we got a call from d about the tut with lee hc so we went to the east. At first we were deciding in the car whether to eat claypot at ECP but in the end, an early exit out of the expressway meant zooming down East Coast Road, passing by Frankel Ave, and eventually, venturing into this lovely quiet neighbourhood.

We checked out Bakery Depot round the corner, but decided to head to Swiss Backerei (Frankel Ave) and had a lovely brunch there. They have all day breakfast sets - from croques to rostis to crepes to quiches (the quiches come with a soup of the day)..

We had Croque with veal - amongst the other many options of mushrooms/tuna. This is a real wholesome thick toast - the top layer (which we started with) was most delicious, with the crisp cheese layer sinking into the soft wholemeal bread. We loved it to bits. We ate it by layers, with the thin pieces of veal meat right in between.

And the lady proudly said this was gonna be featured in a tv programme next week! Excited for her too!

Scrambled eggs with crepes and Chicken Sausage - we were wondering which was the best way to eat this, but I so totally recommend the Croque. We'll wanna try the rostis next!

This place is really homely, and we felt like we were in the host's dinner room having a meal. The lady owner (2 ladies own this place) was a great host, and reassured us a quick and good meal ! We were rushing to reach cgh by 3pm (but we finished our meal at 2.53pm =p) Kels got the Cheese twist and she loved it! She almost wanted to get the cheese loaf...

We saw a axil lump in the forbidden land,super flexi knee(bad need for pethidine!!) and a boutain. this place just makes us sweat and sweat so had to have our desserts . . . if you ever go to the east, must pop by here for the cheng tng, ingredients ++++. Tried to chalk up vascular, so was discussing ulcers (another super enthu pt), the hernia opped ald!!, and an incidental salivary gld with a tophi++ pt. Super enthu on call mo also to educate us on p neuro. Mr Bean saves our day =)