Old School Delights

Good things are meant to be shared, right?

The Teo family members, who are deeply passionate about food, have been hosting Chinese New Year parties every year for nearly 200 people. Lots of homecooked food such as ngoh hiang, curry, mee siam and laksa etc are prepared, and among these dishes, mee siam (a 20 year old secret recipe passed down from a grandaunt) is the most sought after.

One day, someone suggested the idea of setting up a business. And so, Aaron, from the 3rd generation, decided to take up the challenge. Together with his sister, Olivia, they started Old School Delights (OSD) after almost 1 year of preparation.

故事得从姨婆的食谱秘方说起。

每逢农历新年，热爱美食的张家都会安排聚会派对，并准备许多家常菜肴，如五香、咖哩、米暹、叻沙等等，盛情招待近200位亲友。其中来自姨婆的食谱秘方 – 米暹正是最令人回味无穷的佳肴。

在聚会上吃得尽兴的亲友们就开始提议做点吃的生意。第三代的 Aaron 便接下挑战，和姐姐 Olivia 一起用了将近一年的时间创立了 Old School Delights。

The cafe concept was designed by Aaron the brother. JAF likes the pleasing and unpretentious setting with wooden tables and chairs, and a gigantic chalkboard menu behind the counter.

餐厅以怀旧复古风为主打，设计概念来自 Aaron。找食趣喜欢那干净利落的布置，还有简朴的棕色木桌椅。最引人注目的就是柜台后面的大黑板，上面写了色彩缤纷的菜谱。

JAF is in love with this bright green mosaic feature wall.　
找食趣最喜欢绿色，所以特别钟意这面亮眼的纸皮石（陶瓷马赛克）特色墙壁。

A large blackboard stretching the entire length of one wall allows diners to scribble freely on it.
餐厅的另一大特色就是这一块长方形的大黑板，可以任由顾客用粉笔在上面自由发挥。

You will find yourself irresistibly drawn to the interesting collection of old school games and toys placed near the entrance of the café.
门口摆放了许多七、八十年代童年时的玩意儿，为小小空间的一隅增添了些许趣味和佻皮。

JAF felt so nostalgic when taking the photo of these “old fashioned” biscuits! Brought back memories of JAF munching away on those little biscuits during childhood times.

可爱的彩色小饼干！小时候总是将它们放在掌心中，然后开开心心地把一个个放进嘴里。好怀念这样的情景啊！

Order your meals using a white board and marker.
请在白板上写下你想点的菜。

Here is Olivia at work. If the brother Aaron is the “brains” behind the cafe concept, then Olivia must be the “face” of the cafe. An ex-teacher and social worker, she is warm and friendly, and always ready to strike a conversation with the customers.

这位就是漂亮的Olivia了。之前当过教师和社工的Olivia 时不时会到个别的餐桌和客人轻松聊天，她的亲切友善让人觉得舒服，有宾至如归的感觉。姐弟俩，Aaron 主内，她主外是再适合不过了。

Fish Goli ($5.80) with tartar sauce. Goli = marbles (in hokkien). Get it? Creative!
炸鱼肉”弹球” – Goli (福建话) 不正是以前常玩的弹球游戏吗？连取菜名都搞复古了喔，有创意！

The homemade tartar sauce tastes lovely. JAF thinks it’s the chopped onion bits that contribute much to the refreshing flavour. It certainly goes well with the fish goli.

自制塔塔酱是这里其中一位厨师的独创秘方，特别配“弹球”一起吃的。酱内参有切碎的葱头，非但没有很重的葱头味，反而吃了有种很清爽的感觉。

Hainanese style Chicken cutlet 海南式鸡扒饭 ($7.80).
Craving for meat? You won’t regret the chicken cutlet.
The meat is nicely fried and oh so tender! It is easy to chew without requiring much effort.
JAF loves the fried rice that comes with it as well, because it is not greasy, dry or too salty.

爱吃鸡肉的朋友不要错过这里的鸡扒饭。鸡肉超嫩的，咀嚼时口感顺滑。
炒饭不油、不干、不咸，吃起来非常可口。

This sweet sour cutlet sauce is worth mentioning. It is home-made from tomatoes, HP sauce, fresh onions, garlic…The overall taste is not too strong yet delectable enough and can be eaten on its own. JAF enjoys the sauce a lot.

这个专门配鸡扒肉的酸甜酱也是自制的，找食趣超喜欢它的味道。配方主要加入了蕃茄、HP 酱（俗称棕酱）、葱头、蒜头等等，酸味和甜味很均衡，吃了肯定让你食欲大开。

And finally, we come to the signature OSD mee siam ($4.50) that is definitely different from the rest out there. At first glance…well, there’s bee hoon (rice vermicelli), tau pok (fried tofu puffs), beancurd strips, half a hard-boiled egg, and a tablespoon serving of belachan (spicy shrimp paste)… So what’s the big deal? The magic lies in the secret recipe rempah that forms the mee siam gravy base!

OSD 的镇店之宝招牌菜米暹终于亮相了！
$4.50 的米暹卖相与其他的没什么分别，就是有米粉、豆卜、豆干、半边的蛋，还有一汤匙的辣椒炒虾酱。可是真正的精华就在用来制作米暹汤汁的 rempah!

The rempah, a secret recipe from Olivia’s grandaunt, has to be freshly made and there are MANY ingredients involved. JAF learnt from Olivia that as a result, making the rempah is rather time consuming work, with both father and grandmother helping out at times. The end result is a richly flavoured local delight that intrigues the taste buds. Just sipping the gravy alone is a satisfying experience.

Olivia 的姨婆所配制的 rempah 独特秘方是完全新鲜制作的。由于所需的材料不少，加上功夫繁多，耗时也耗力，因此 Olivia 的父亲和外婆时常都会帮忙整个调制的过程。　　
如此用心用诚意做出来的米暹，汤汁香浓，既香且辣得适中，让找食趣忍不住把汤汁喝到荡然无存！

*Rempah 是一种混合调料，吸收了马来食物中咖喱和酱油的精髓，将湿料（包括葱、柠檬草、大蒜、辣椒和生姜）和干料（如桐实、桂皮、芫荽籽、小茴香、丁香和胡椒子）混在一起，变成糊状配料。

Other dishes in the menu include: lontong, home-style curry chicken, laksa, nasi lemak besar, home-style breaded fish and chips.
这里其他的主菜包括马来美食、咖哩鸡、叻沙、鱼柳薯条。

A coffee or tea with a light-textured Old Grandma’s butter cake would be the perfect way to end this gratifying meal.
最后，叫杯咖啡或茶外加一片牛油蛋糕，快乐似神仙。

The dinner cost $21.70 in total. No MSG, no service charge. Good price, friendly ambience, nice food. What’s not to like?
找食趣这顿晚餐花了$21.70.
没有味精，没有服务附加费。
合理的价钱，亲切的环境，美味的食物，还有什么好挑的呢？

P/S: Olivia is the great great grand-daughter of Singapore Sling creator Ngiam Tong Boon! Wow…

不说不知，原来 Olivia 的高祖父就是发明享誉世界的鸡尾酒 ~ “新加坡司令” ~ 的海南籍华人调酒师严崇文！

Address:
215M Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574408
Tel: +(65) 6458 4518 / +(65) 8117 9407
Opening Hours:
12 noon to 11pm
(Closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
http://www.oldschooldelights.com/

It has been 6 months…

On May 22, 2010, we wrote our first post.

On June 04, 2010, we wrote our first overseas post.

On June 06, 2010, we wrote our first local post.

On October 23, 2010, we wrote this breakfast post to welcome the day of JAF JustAboutFood‘s “official opening”.

It has been 6 months, and within this one month of “official opening”, JAF has received over 1000 hits. This may not sound a lot, but it has been encouraging.
Thank you all for your support! 🙂

2010年5月22日，找食趣启动了。

2010年6月04日，找食趣的第一篇海外介绍。

2010年6月06日，找食趣的第一篇本地介绍。

2010年10月23日，找食趣以一篇早餐介绍迎接正式公开的这一天。

不知不觉，半年了！在这正式公开的一个月内，找食趣的点击率达到一千以上。数目也许不是很多，但让找食趣受到了很大的鼓舞。
谢谢大家的支持！

“Hollywood” Braised Duck and Char Kway Teow

At first look, the hawker centre looks nothing like it’s name, “Hollywood Canteen”.
the simple furnishing that have seen better times was just decked with plastic grey chairs placed around white round tables. Canteen style – yes. Hollywood standard, not even a hint. This very old hawker centre is between Haig Road and Tanjong Katong Road. The only way to get there is to enter from Tanjong Katong Road.

提到好莱坞，我们就会联想到梦幻、豪华、气派等这些字眼。
可是兴“好莱坞”餐室这个地方无论怎么横看竖看，只是一间不起眼的餐室，也只有这些随意摆放的桌椅，根本都没有以上任何一点的痕迹。
是昔日曾经风光过，如今只能随着岁月的流逝黯淡下来吗？
言归正传，营业多年的兴好莱坞餐室位于海格路和丹戎加东路之间，要到那里得从丹戎加东路进入。

*Tips: If you know where is Sheng Shiong Supermarket (Tanjong Katong branch), you will be able to find the place because they are at the same vicinity*

昇菘超市（丹戎加东分行）就在附近，只要知道超市在哪里就不难找到兴好莱坞餐室了。

The awesome Liang Kee, which JAF believe personally, totally helms this whole entire hawker centre food to a different level.

联记鸭饭鸭粥可说是餐室的“金字老招牌”，找食趣绝对是它的忠实顾客。到底它有什么魅力呢？

The duck speaks for itself. Very tender…soft and even though it’s drenched in gravy, it still stands for itself. Other side dishes are all equally good! Check out next picture…

主角卤鸭肉胜在肉质鲜嫩，就算沾满香浓的卤汁，也依然弹性十足。

JAF always order extra dish of “Tau Pok” (Deep fried Tofu), “Loh Neng” (Hard boiled Egg), “Ark Gua” (Duck Liver). The texture of the “Tau Pok” is slightly crisp and since it’s soaked in the gravy, when you bite it, the gravy ozzes out. WoOoo…The gravy is simply awesome.

其他小菜味道也不赖，有豆卜、乳蛋、鸭肝，都是找食趣爱吃的。豆卜挺脆的，吸收了满满的卤肉汁。放进嘴里要当心肉汁乱喷哦。

The congee served here would have made any granny proud. It’s thick, starchy, and there’s that hint of home cooked taste to it, just like how ah ma would have preferred. And to perfect that plain bowl of comfort food, thick “duck” gravy was poured on top of it. It’s the perfect pairing of congee and gravy…to top it off, a dash of white pepper.

*Fyi…Parsley, Chives and thinly sliced Ginger are added on top but we took them away because of the photo shot…

吃粥可以调节胃口，增进食欲，补充身体需要的水分。难怪富有古早味的鸭粥很合老一辈食客的口味。浓稠的粥，温润可口，淋上香浓的卤鸭肉汁，味道令人意犹未尽。

*鸭粥上其实撒了芫荽、韮菜、姜片丝还有胡椒粉，拍照所需把它们拿开了。

Another stall which JAF always patronise at the same hawker centre is this Char Kway Teow stall. The only complaint JAF has is that this uncle can get quite inconsistent in his cooking. The char kway teow is generally good but there are times it can get a bit too dry. But still…that doesn’t stop JAF from ordering…

另外一个找食趣常光顾的摊位就是这档炒粿條了。找食趣只是稍嫌老板的水准有点不太稳定，炒得不太好时，粿條干干的。好在大部分时候，老板的炒粿條还是令人满意的。

More *hums* (Cockles) plsssss!!

老板，可以给多点蚶吗？谢谢！

Overall, it’s simple fare of fish cake, cockles, kway teow and sweet dark sauce thats fulfills one’s desire and they add one more item that makes it sinful. “Bak You Pok”(Pork Lard). The crispiness of the lard sums up the whole entire plate and yes, you gotta try it! High cholestrol or not, it’s worth skipping your gym session for it.

一盘香喷喷的炒粿條除了有基本的黑醬油、鱼饼、鲜蚶之外，当然还有不能不提的猪油渣。香脆脆的猪油渣叫“不怕死”的食客们欲罢不能。胆固醇高？不管了，好吃就行，吃完再打算。

Address:
1. Lian Kee Braised Duck
2. Char Kway Teow
Hin Hollywood Canteen
兴好莱坞餐室
Haig Road
10am to 8.30pm daily

Asia Grand Dim Sum

“Addiction” is the word to use for this starter. It consists of diced fish cake, capsicums and cucumber. It’s so appetizing that you just can’t stop eating it!
*Do take note that they will charge for additional servings.

吃前菜吃到上瘾，你们试过吗？这份开胃小菜包括了鱼饼丁、灯笼椒和黄瓜，做得美味可口，吊人胃口！
*吃完再添加的话，就要多付费了。

Vinegar Pork Trotter, a typical confinement dish for new mommies, is a favourite among customers.
The meat is simmered till it’s so tender and juicy. You can savor the sweetness of the gravy which has a slight taste of ginger as well. And of course the best part of all is the layer of fat in the trotters! WooOoo…

是谁说只有产妇才能吃猪脚醋的？的确，我们都知道这是产妇吃的坐月餐。但是这种好东西，找食趣怎么可能会错过呢，这样太对不起自己了吧！
猪脚炖熬得很嫩很滑很软，带点姜味的乳汁更是没话说。不过那一层肥肥的猪皮才是整道菜的精华啊！

食物与营养：
– 女性坐月子食用猪脚醋，可袪风、袪寒兼补乳，比麻油鸡不油腻，平日食用可开胃又补气。
– 此道的醋汤汁可以饮用，因为醋有溶解脂肪的功效，可以瘦小腹，如果怕吃到油，可以把上面一层薄薄的油质捞除，能补血、促进新陈代谢、增强免疫功能。

*Tips: There are “Special Dishes of the Day” available at Asia Grand everyday. Vinegar Pork Trotter is usually one of the dishes. Check it out before you order.

*亚洲金阁每天都提供“每日特色菜”的菜单，猪脚醋就是其中一道。点菜时可以询问一下。

One word to describe this dish… MARVELLOUS! Crispy skin plus tender and moist flesh…oooh, this “Siu Yuk” (Roast Pork) is just soo..sooo..GOOD.
There was once when JAF went and the “Siu Yuk” were all sold out! One lesson learnt, and since then, JAF always make a “reservation” for this dish before going to the restaurant.

招牌烧肉是脆得不得了咧！肉香扑鼻而来，咬下去，哇，简直超爱它的脆皮，超爱它的肥而不腻，而且还很多汁呢。
记得有一次，找食趣去到餐馆却发现烧肉都卖完了！那次以后，找食趣到访前都一定会先打电话预订了。

A chinese version of “Molten chocolate cake” ~ “Po Luo Liu Sha Bao”. JAF can get really excited whenever it comes to this dish! It is a MUST MUST order!
While the exterior is a “Po Luo Bao” (Pineapple Bun), the interior is actually a creamy mixture of egg custard and salted egg yolk. Love the warm creamy runny custard, and taste exceptionally good when it combines with the salted egg yolk and the sweet exterior crust.
When you place your order, insist that you want the Liu Sha Bao to be served HOT. From our past experience, we realised the flavour becomes affected once the buns cool down.
*Tips: When you call to make a reservation, remember to reserve the Po Luo Liu Sha Bao too!*

千万千万不要忘了点“菠萝流沙包”。
外形是充满甜味的菠萝包，馅料则是奶黄和咸蛋黄的完美融合。
流沙包与奶黃包其实蛮相似的，只不过奶黃包的馅料是实的，而流沙包的馅料是一咬下就会流出來了。吃的时候，要小心别流到满桌都是喔！
有一点要告诉大家的是，菠萝流沙包一定要热腾腾的才好吃，稍微凉一点，味道就不一样了。
*菠萝流沙包最好也是先打电话预订，不然卖完就没了。

*Do you know?*
The name “pineapple bun” originated from the fact that its sugary top crust is cooked to a golden-brown color, and because its checkered top resembles the epicarp of a pineapple.

菠萝包，是源自香港的一种甜味面包，据说是因为菠萝包经烘焙过后表面金黄色、凹凸的脆皮状似菠萝（即黄梨/凤梨）因而得名。

Can you see the creamy paste inside? Salted egg yolk custard combined with sweet crust…Yums!
金黃色的馅料配松脆的菠萝包皮，甜中带咸，真是人间美味呀！

Chee-Cheong Fun (Rice noodle roll) filled with char siew. The skin is so thin, almost translucent that you are able to see the fillings wrapped within! Sweet soy sauce is poured over the dish upon serving.

叉烧肠粉。
薄薄的河粉皮晶莹剔透半透明，内馅隐约可见。上菜后再淋上甜酱，吃起来美味诱人。

Dim sum lovers must try this Panfried Carrot Cake. Crispy on the outside and Soft in the inside. There are also bits of “lap cheong” (dried pork sausages) in it and JAF can’t stop but keep picking on the bits to eat! Hehe!

点心当中常见的也有腊味萝卜糕。十足真材实料，外脆内香，萝卜味超强。找食趣尤其爱挑里头的腊肉粒吃。:)

XO carrot cake is very different from the previous dish, panfried carrot cake. It is stir-fried with XO sauce (spicy seafood sauce), prawns, eggs and beansprouts.

用XO酱、虾、鸡蛋和豆芽炒出来的XO酱炒萝卜糕。

*What exactly is XO sauce?*
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/sauces/a/XO-Sauce.htm

Char Siew Bao (BBQ Bun) ~ The char siew is so tender and sweet, oh so delicious!

蚝油叉烧包叉烧馅肉嫩嫩的，味道甜甜的，却不失豬肉的鮮香，一流！

Authentic Lotus leaf with Glutinous Rice. No picture of the filling inside the glutinous rice because JAF was too busy eating! Hehe!

荷叶糯米饭。找食趣迫不及待，马上张口就吃，所以忘了拍下里头馅料的照片。:p

What is Dim Sum without “Siew Mai” (Steamed Pork Dumpling)?
吃点心怎能少得了烧卖？

“Pidan” congee (Century Egg porridge) is pretty normal. JAF won’t say it’s a must to order but if you have craving for something light, you can try it.

这里的皮蛋粥就没什么特别。如果只想尝点轻口味的，不妨试试看。

Many customers love the Sharkfin in dumpling soup. This is a clear soup base with a big dumpling wrapped with sharkfin, minced pork and other ingredients. Just add a few droplets of vinegar, and the soup tastes super good!

有许多顾客也会特别叫一碗鱼翅饺汤来吃。清汤底，加上一个包裹了鱼翅、猪肉碎以及其他材料的大饺子，再加上几滴醋，整体味道就非常鲜美了。

Unlike some other restaurants, the steamed yam cake here is quite special because it comes in a small bowl. Just right to share if you have already ordered a few dishes. You can pour the sauce (given separately) over it, however the sauce can be a little too sweet so if you don’t have a sweet tooth, you can just eat it on its own.

蒸芋头糕盛在小碗里，小巧可爱。如果已经吃了好几道菜，这样的分量刚刚好足够大家分享。照片里的黑酱是来配芋头糕的，只不过味道还蛮甜的。其实芋头糕没配上酱，原汁原味也不错。

One of the popular dishes at Asia Grand would be their Peking Duck. It comes with crackers which most kids love. Definitely a MUST order dish for JAF!
Just for your info, the Peking Duck seems to be having a promotion at only $30. So remember to ask the server if the promotion is still on.

北京烤鸭绝对是这里最受欢迎的菜肴之一。配料包括了炸虾片，肯定是小孩们的最爱。
还有，找食趣要和你们分享好东西，北京烤鸭好像在搞促销，$30一只烤鸭。记得和侍应生确认喔。

Traditional Peking Duck sliced and neatly wrapped in crepes.
北京烤鸭配薄饼。

Whip up a bowl of “Mee-Pok” using the “left-over” Peking duck meat, together with some lightly fried mushrooms and vegetables.

薄饼包完后所剩下的鸭肉，再加点香菇和青菜等配料，就是一碗美味的“面薄”了。

Dessert to end your meal ~ Mango Sago Cream with Pomelo. It looks really creamy and you might think you’re gonna overdose on the “creaminess” but no, it tastes just fine. In fact, the lingering aftertaste leaves you craving for more！

来一碗杨枝甘露吧。口味非常浓郁饱满，但因为有爽脆清香的柚子果肉，所以甜而不腻。芒果的清香味，让你吃完还会口齿留香呢。

Address:
Asia Grand
亚洲金阁
331 North Bridge Road
#01-02, #01-05/08
Odeon Towers
Tel: 6887 0010

15 minutes

This is Lasalle College Of The Arts. Yes, aren’t you impressed by the building structure? JAF and friends certainly are and think that it must be a shiok feeling to be studying in such a fascinating school environment.

拉萨艺术学院的新建筑有别于普通校园的风格，好有气派，能在如此的环境上课应该有很不同的感觉。

15 Minutes is situated in Lasalle College Of The Arts. The cafe is divided into 2 areas of different levels. The style of the upper level is similar to that of an old school canteen, while the lower level presents a modern look. Guess it’s the furniture that helps to create a more relaxed and casual feel to the lower level. You also have a wide variety of food to choose from: salad, sandwiches, pizzas, pasta and the list goes on and on…

Most importantly, the prices are very affordable! But do take note there are different prices for lunch and dinner, lunchtime prices are cheaper and no service charges.

校园内开了家餐馆，装置偏向朴素的传统校园食堂风格。
餐馆主要分成上层和下层两大部分。上层很明显是学校食堂的设计，下层则摆放了舒适自在的桌椅，相比之下较有现代感。
菜单方面有多种选择：沙律、三文治、比萨、意大利面等等。
也许是因为开在校园里吧，价格非常合理，绝对是学生付得起的价钱。不过要注意，午餐时分的售价会比晚餐时分来得便宜，也没附加服务费。

Long tables and benches at the upper level…Remember those old school days?
长桌子和长凳子，是否勾起了大家对以前学生时代的美好回忆呢？

This is the lower level ~ Let’s chill out…
比较富现代设计的下层很适合轻松的聚会。

There is also a stage where live performances are held on certain evenings (Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays)! Cool right? And if you are lucky enough, you might be able to catch special guest DJs too!
First set starts 7:30pm on Wed.
First set starts 8:30pm on Fri and Sat.

这里还增设了一个小舞台，每逢星期三、五、六能观赏到现场表演。如果幸运的话，可能会碰到由餐馆特别邀请过来的嘉宾DJ骑士喔。
星期三：第一组表演 7.30pm 开始。
星期五、六：第一组表演 8.30pm 开始。

By the way, this place functions like a school canteen during lunchtime, so it’s self service and you have to place your orders at the counter.

午餐时分的运作犹如学校食堂，所以采取的是自助服务的形式，想点菜得到柜台去。

After you have placed an order, you will be given this “UFO” disc. When this “UFO” device lights up and vibrates, it means your food is ready for collection!

你们看，这东西的外形像不像UFO外星人飞碟？顾客点完菜后，都会拿到这个“飞碟”。“飞碟”开始亮灯震动，就表示食物准备好了。

Southern Fried Chicken Wings ~ JAF love the chicken wings! A definitely MUST order! Very crispy and not so oily.

香脆不油腻的炸鸡翅膀是找食趣的首选。

Wasabi Prawn Pizza ~ For those who don’t like wasabi, do not worry because the Wasabi Prawn Pizza does not have a strong wasabi taste. The pizza is made of thin crust, so you will want to order for more food because that’s just not enough!
They have many other choices of pizzas to choose from, each at $7.90 (lunchtime). Pepperoni Pizza, Thai Basil Chicken Pizza, Mixed Mushroom Pizza (V), Asian Duck Pizza and Margherita Pizza (V) etc.
*(V) = Vegetarian*

芥末虾披萨 ~ 没有很强烈的芥末味道，所以不喜欢芥末的朋友别担心。
由于是薄皮披萨，分量不多，一群人还可以多点其他不同的披萨，例如意大利辣香肠、泰式鸡肉以及素食口味如蘑菇、玛格丽特等等。

One of the popular items in the menu is Mushroom Ham in Pink Sauce Linguini.
(JAF changed the pasta to penne instead. If you have any preference for your choice of pasta, feel free to change at the counter.)
The sauce is cooked just right. Not very thick yet very easy to eat. The pasta is cooked just right as well, and easy to chew.

听说这里的蘑菇火腿意大利扁面很受顾客喜爱。
（找食趣将扁面换成了空心面。只要在柜台点菜时，直接注明你想换的意大利面条种类就可以了。）
尝了一口，果然酱汁恰当好处，不会太浓，容易消化。
面条本身爽口弹牙，有嚼劲。

Another MUST order side dish ~ Sotong Balls *$3.00*. Super Q…Super addictive! Trust JAF, you definitely would not stop at one!

这里的苏东丸一定要点。超Q的，吃一个马上上瘾，肯定想要吃多几个呢！

The batter of the Fish and Chips is simply well done and the fish remains crisp for very long, no wonder it’s another popular item.

极受欢迎的炸鱼柳薯条。酥脆的表皮真是无敌好吃，可见用来炸鱼柳的面糊的准备功夫都做足了。

15 Minutes style “Cup” Desserts. 杯中甜品。

15 minutes at night…夜晚时分…

Address:
Blk D #01-01
LASALLE College of the Arts, 1 McCallum Street
Tel: 6333 5915
Opening hours:
1115am-11pm(Monday-Thursday)
11am-12am (Friday)
11am-11pm (Saturday)
http://www.15minutes.com.sg/

Bark Café

Everybody likes Bark’s Red Plum soda. Red plum made into thick sauce and mixed with sparkling soda. Very refreshing and thirst quenching!

浓浓的红梅汁和苏打水搅匀混合，就是这杯清爽解渴的饮料了。
听说一直都是到访食客最喜爱点的饮料。

This is one of the popular appetizers here – Bark’s chicken wings. They are deep fried till golden brown in colour. The wings are not very oily but yet very crispy. Must eat them while they are still hot…

Bark Café 特制鸡翅膀是这里最受欢迎的开胃菜之一。
看到炸得金黄色的鸡翅膀，你的心里是不是产生了点“罪恶感”，不希望受到任何的“诱惑”呢？
但只要你一口咬下去，你最终还是会无法抵挡这份“诱惑”的，原本心中还有点丝丝的“罪恶感”马上消失得无影无踪了。嘿嘿。
鸡翅膀皮很脆，而且又不油腻，一定要趁热吃，才好吃。

Fish and Chips is one recommended main course at Bark Café. The portion is actually quite generous, so JAF would suggest that 2 people share 1 portion (if you want to try other dishes as well).
The fish and chips batter is perfect! Squeeze the lemon over the fish and chips, dip it in the tartar sauce and a little ketchup and bite it…WoOoo..*Yummilious!*

想要吃主食的话，找食趣会建议炸鱼柳薯条。虽说是一人分，其实分量还蛮大的。如果还想尝尝别的菜肴，那最好还是找几个人一起共享。
炸鱼柳的做法不难，最重要还是鱼的肉质要新鲜有弹性，不然就算外皮炸得多脆，也是食之无味。
再由淡淡的柠檬清香带出鱼香的鲜味，让人感觉一新。

*Note: for those who prefer local flavours, Bark Cafe also served Crayfish Hor Fun, Sambal Nasi Goreng, Yang Chow Fried Rice…and other dishes too*
*不要以为 Bark Café 只卖西餐，其实这里还能找到不少的本地风味，例如小龙虾炒河粉、马来炒饭、扬州炒饭等等。

A very cosy ambience where you can chill out with your friends for a game of pool after a stressful day at work, or catch live soccer matches on the television during the weekends.
总的来说，这里提供了一个舒适的环境，让你能在下班后和朋友到此抒解压力。不管是打一盘台球也好，还是观看现场直播的足球比赛也好，不怕找不到娱乐。

They have a big car park but most importantly, it’s FREE PARKING at Bark Cafe!
停车场很大，最重要的是停车完全免费！

Address:
1000 Upper Changi Road North, Singapore 507707
(It’s beside Changi Chapel and Museum)
Tel: 6545 4118
Opening hours:
Mon – Fri:11:00am – 12:00am
Sat:11:00am – 1:30am
Sun:11:00am – 12:00am

YY Kafei Dian

It’s a quiet and lazy weekday afternoon…
一个悠闲、慵懒的周日下午…

An old fashioned coffeeshop…
旧式的咖啡店…

Some customers sitting outside sipping coffee or tea, chatting or looking on as cars passed by once in a while…
三三两两的顾客喝着咖啡或茶，聊着天，细细品味，细细琢磨着一份怀旧情感…

Nostalgic mood lingering in the air…
浓郁的怀旧气息…

This is YY Kafei Dian, along Beach Road, located at the furthest end of Purvis street, diagonally opposite to Shaw Tower.

这里就是位于美芝路的喜园咖啡店。位置正好在海南二街的巴米士街的最末端，邵氏豪华大厦的斜对面。

There are actually quite a number of cze char and hainanese dishes at this kopitiam, but JAF is not going into details. Rather, as the title of this entry has indicated, JAF wants to focus on the toasted buns here, because this is what YY Kafei Dian is probably most famous for.

咖啡店里其实有卖不少的煮炒和海南菜肴，不过这次找食趣要重点介绍的是喜园里相当著名的烤面包。

The first thing to do is to just forget about not being ladylike, open your mouth super wide and bite into the big-sized bun. Probably a twisted face action, but guess this is all about having fun and enjoyment with nice food yeah?

吃那么大一个面包，其实就是要张开口大口大口地吃。是有点没有形象的吃相啦，可是这才是“找食趣”嘛，要吃得开心，从中享受吃的乐趣。

The buns are freshly baked and toasted before serving. The spread of kaya and butter melts in your mouth. And what’s most amazing is each bun is crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside, making it a wonderful combination of taste and texture.
Just one word to sum it up ~ heavenly!

烤面包可是现烘现烤现卖，新鲜出炉的，里头夹着牛油加咖椰酱，是我们再熟悉不过的口味。令找食趣觉得最妙的是面包的外脆内松软，别有一番滋味。单单这一大特点，就算是不喜欢吃面包的人都会口水满地流咯。真的，我就是最好的例子。我本身就不喜欢吃面包，但这烤面包却让我欲罢不能喔。

For those who have yet to taste the toasted kaya and butter buns here, you will surely be in for a nice little surprise!
还没吃过喜园的咖椰牛油烤面包吗？马上就去吧，肯定会让你有所惊喜。

Address:
YY Kafei Dian
喜园咖啡店
37 Beach Road #01-01
Tel: +65 6336 8813
Opening Hours
Daily: 7.30am – 10.30pm

老北京炸酱面 Peking Noodles

听说老北京炸酱面有二十几三十家，这不过是其中的一家。

Noodles With Soybean Paste, also called Zha Jiang Mian, is a popular food that can be easily found in Beijing. Check out this List of Outlets

The moment we stepped in, we got a bit of a culture shock.

进店就被服务生的吆喝声给震慑住了。
很热闹，有点乱哄哄的感觉。

Seems like it’s the culture here for the waiters and waitresses to shout the food orders at the top of their voices. It took us a while to get used to the shoutings.

Noodles With Soybean Paste is a traditional Beijing cuisine. It is an inexpensive dish, consisting of three main materials: hand-tossed noodles, vegetable pieces as well as pork. The noodles can be served either hot in the cold weather or cold during the hot summer.

Cucumber and other vege 黄瓜丝和其他配料。

Springy hand-tossed noodles 手擀面条口感不错，有弹性。

炸酱面是老北京的招牌，代表着老北京的饮食文化、中国饮食的精神符号。
准备过程很简单，是普通老百姓桌上的家常便饭。
主要是手擀面，加上几种不同青菜碎和猪肉碎。
炸酱面配合不同气候可以有不同的煮法。老北京人最爱在夏天吃冷面，到了气候转凉时当然就是热腾腾的汤面了。

This is fried fish. Yes, it looks ugly and doesn’t look appealing, but the taste was still quite ok.

这是炸鱼片，看起来卖相不怎么样，但味道还可以。

These biscuits and the fish come together as a set.

鱼肉好像是要配这些饼的，虽然不是很清楚怎么吃，还是照吃了。

This is definitely not the typical kind of hotpot. Yang xiezi is the chinese name of this dish, which is often directly translated as “lamb scorpions”. It actually consists of meaty bones from the lamb’s spine.
The soup is flavorful enough so no dipping sauce is required.
There are also vegetables mixed together in the pot.
This dish has the following benefits:
low fat, low cholesterol, low glucose, high protein, rich in calcium. The nutrients are easily absorbed and good for skin. Finally, it is also known to *erherm* help enhance “manhood”.

羊蝎子 (Lamb Spine Hot Pot) 就是羊大梁，因其形状酷似蝎子，故而俗称羊蝎子。羊蝎子常可用来做清汤火锅，味道鲜美。羊蝎子低脂肪；低胆固醇；低血糖；高蛋白；富含钙质。易于吸收，有滋阴补肾，养颜壮阳功效。

If you consider yourself a real carnivore, and you like lamb, this is really the dish for you.
爱吃羊肉的人，应该不会错过这道菜吧。

Colbar

Nobody is going to miss this HUGE signboard!
这么巨型的招牌，想错过都不行喔！

Colbar, short term for colonial bar, was originally opened in the early 1950’s. It was initially located at Jalan Hang Jebat. The entire structure was disassembled and rebuilt at its current location. It’s owned by a old Hainanese couple, but they are seldom around these days because apparently the daughter has taken over the business.

50年代就开始营业的 Colbar (“殖民酒吧”的简称) 是家富有殖民地色彩的旧式咖啡店。原本的地点在惹兰韩日默，后来重建于现今的英式建筑保留区内，距离旧址不远。店主是一对海南夫妇，不过他们已经退休了，很少到店里来，听说目前由女儿接手掌管生意。

This cafe is surrounded by lots of greenery. And the very spacious outdoor sitting area is suitable for chilling out with friends. Take note that this place can get a little crowded during weekends because it seems to be quite popular with families, so you will get to see children running about… Oh! here is a small reminder ~ Pls wear “less” if you are popping by on a hot hot day because there is no air-con here!

大自然的气息，宽敞的户外休憩区，没有经过太刻意修复的环境。这里在黄昏的阳光下特别漂亮，更是和朋友聚首的好地方。
周末时特别热闹，因为很多家庭都很喜欢带着小孩们到这里欢度时光。看着那么多小孩蹦蹦跳跳的也蛮有乐趣的。
找食趣要提醒你们，如果是在大热天前去的话，记得穿得凉快点，因为这里是完全没有冷气的！

Kampung style huh?
浓厚的甘榜风味。

20 cents anyone? Hmmm..when was the last time you saw this kind of weighing machine? Super cool right? *fyi, it’s still working!!*

还记得是什么时候最后一次看到这种旧式的体重磅吗？哇，这简直是古董哦。最妙的是，它还能正常操作哦。

All in 1 ~ Counter cum Bar cum Cashier cum….and the list goes on…

让你订餐、喝饮料、付钱的多重用途柜台。

Check out the Retro TV and the chinese calendar! Don’t you all just love this place???

复古的电视机…过一天撕一天的传统手撕日历…好一个充满怀旧情怀的地方！

Every time JAF sees the menu at Colbar, it brings a BIG smile to the face! There are Sooooo… many choices but so little space for the tummy! Colbar’s Curry Chicken is one of the popular dishes among patrons. As mentioned earlier, this cafe is owned by a Hainanese couple, so another MUST order would be their Hainanese Pork Chop! You can ask the young lady (daughter) who sits at the counter and she would be more than happy to recommend.

看到这么长长的菜单，真不知要如何选择对吧？
咖哩鸡肉是这里常客的最爱之一。
除此之外，既然店主是海南人，当然也少不了海南风味的菜色。大家一定要试一试这里的海南式猪扒。坐在柜台的年轻女生肯定会乐意为你介绍，因为她正是店主的女儿。

This is a MUST MUST order snack! “Bacon sandwich” is stated on the menu BUT…JAF is going to share a tip here: tell the server that you prefer “Bacon on toast”. And what you are going to get is something that can only be described by one word ~ ADDICTIVE!!! This is one of the BEST Bacon on toast in Singapore! The bacon is so crispy..and so YUMMILICIOUS that you would forget all the calories while chewing away! It makes you feel like you are eating potatoes chips!

大家一定要点这道培根三文治。菜单上虽然写明的是“培根三文治”，不过大家点菜时注明要“培根吐司面包”。
跟着找食趣的小贴士准没错。吃了一个后你还会想再吃，找食趣简直是上瘾了。
培根煎得好脆，好吃得不得了，就暂时别理卡路里啦！

Chips with sausages and eggs. A simple breakfast but the chips here are always JAF MUST order because the chips here are manually peeled, sliced and fried right here at Colbar, the most original Colbar’s chips!

简单的搭配：荷包蛋、香肠还有薯条。薯条是重点，为什么这么说呢？因为薯条可是Colbar这里特别准备的，从削皮、切片到煎炸，整个过程都是Colbar一手包办。

A popular dish among kids ~ Colbar’s Fish and Chips! Kids love it especially with Ketchup!
小孩们的最爱：Colbar鱼柳薯条。
还有一定要配上番茄酱。

Address:
9A Whitchurch Road
Wessex Estate, Singapore 138839
Telephone: 6779 4859
Opening hours: Tue-Sun (11am-8:30pm)

Tian Shui Chicken rice at Tanglin Halt

It was lunch time and a friend recommended this particular hainanese chicken rice stall that he likes to frequent very much. So where is this place? Tanglin Halt Hawker Centre. It is not a very big hawker centre, and the crowd just keeps on coming.

午餐时间，朋友介绍找食趣吃他特别爱吃的海南鸡饭。既然是大力推荐，好，就跟着一起到东陵福熟食中心去吧。地方不是很大，食客倒是接连不断。

(P/S: Apologies for the not so clear photos below, because they were taken with a not so good handphone. At work lah…
非常抱歉，因为其实正好在工作，身边只有一台手机，就只能发挥有限的功能。)

The chicken rice on the whole is non-oily, the breast meat is not dry and is rather smooth, and the taste is enhanced by the gravy, which is not oily as well.

鸡饭看起来、吃起来都不油腻。鸡胸肉不会太干，而且相当滑嫩。加上一样不油腻的酱料，味道还不错。想想好像不常吃到不油腻的海南鸡饭。

Crystal chicken feet 玻璃鸡脚
Not even halfway through the meal, the enthusiastic friend decided that we should not miss out another of the stall’s specialty – crystal chicken feet.

After the first piece, JAF concluded that the chewy chicken feet is better in comparison with the chicken meat. But of course, this is not to say that the meat is not nice, just that JAF likes the chicken feet more.

还吃不到一半，朋友提议也尝一尝他们的玻璃鸡脚。吃了一块后…好吃，QQ的，和鸡肉相比之下，找食趣会比较喜欢玻璃鸡脚。

If you happen to be around Tanglin Halt area, can consider giving Tian Shui Ji Fan a try, especially if you are a chicken rice fanatic. Decide for yourself if it is up to your standard, 🙂

喜欢吃鸡饭的朋友，若有机会去到东陵福熟食中心，不妨试一试这摊的鸡饭和玻璃鸡脚，看看是否有达到你们心目中的水准吧。

Address:
Tian Shui Ji Fan
Tanglin Halt Food Centre
Stall No. 21