Okinawa Food KK Kitchen Japanese Cuisine @ 92 Toa Payoh

After enjoying Okinawa cuisine at Shinn Sato at Orchard Plaza recently, I was excited to hear that there is a coffee shop stall in Toa Payoh serving Okinawa dishes.

Stall name: K. K. Kitchen

Address: BLK 92 Lor 4 Toa Payoh, #01-264, Singapore 310092 (food stall inside Ocean 92 coffee shop)

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Braddell station

Tel: 9679 2503

Hours:10:30 am - 3 pm | 4:30pm - 8 pm (Tues off)

Bak Kut Teh a Poor Coolies' Breakfast? Maybe Not

A report on "Comparison of Coolie Workers' Wages in the Past and the Present" in "Nanyang Siang Pau" on January 8, 1934.

This 1934 report is the earliest known document mentioning the "bak kut teh" dish.

Paloh Mee Sua @ Lai Wang Coffee Shop ● Feel the Kick with Every Mouthful 来旺茶餐室

During our trip to Kluang, Evonne brought us to her primary school teacher Mrs Khoo's regular hangout in Paloh for her favourite red rice wine mee sua. 

Restaurant name: Lai Wang Kopitiam 来旺茶餐室

Address: 37 Jalan Abu Bakar, Kampung Muhibbah, Paloh, Johor, Malaysia

Tel: +6019 743 1668

Hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm (Thurs off)

Chola Indian Roots of Southeast Asian Cuisine

The Chola dynasty ruled south India for over 1,500 years from 300BC to 1279. The Cholas is one of the longest ruling dynasties in human history. During its heyday, the Chola empire was an economic, political and cultural powerhouse in South India and Southeast Asia.

Mekong River & Singapore River ● Different but Same

Singapore River and Mekong River cannot be any more different. One is nearly 5,000 km long (4,909km to be exact), the other is..... 3km or 3.2km to be exact. One runs through six countries - China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The other runs its entire course in the tiny island state of Singapore, itself only 729 sq km in total in land area.

Little Myanmar @ Peninsula Plaza near City Hall MRT ● Home Away from Home

Always knew there is a Little Myanmar in Peninsula Plaza but never stopped to take a real close look until now. Over the past one year, I am delighted to discover that Little Myanmar is a wonderful enclave with so much to see, eat and learn. It's a little gem of authentic Myanmar in Singapore.

Little Myanmar / Burma

Address: 111 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179098 (Peninsula Plaza)

Nearest MRT: At City Hall station (use exit D)

History of Lahpet ● Myanmar Pickled Fermented Tea Leaf ● Unique Myanmese Tea Culture

Recently, I tried Myanmese pickled fermented tea leaf. The olive greenish colour fermented tea leaves were soaked in oil and blended with bits of raw garlic and chili pepper. The fermented tea leaves were soft, very gently chewy and moist, wrapped in oil. It tasted somewhat unfamiliar at first. It has a certain subtle smell (like pickled bamboo shoot), slightly tannic in the mouth and tasted bitter with a bit of spicy heat from garlic and chili. (There are non spicy versions too.)

Now I am hooked. 

History of Vietnam Rice Paper Spring Roll Goi Cuon

Besides pho and banh mi, another iconic Vietnamese dish is gỏi cuốn or Vietnam spring roll. Okay, there is also Vietnamese coffee 😄

Gỏi cuốn is literally "salad roll" but is conventionally called "spring roll".

Food as Living Edible Monument ● Stories of People & Kingdoms through their Cuisine

Monuments are usually made of stone or metal. Unlike artefacts made of wood or leather which can be burned to ashes by enemies, drowned by floods, swallowed by forests, or simply reduced to dust by time, stone and metal can withstand the passage of many seasons.

Mohinga @ Ye Yint Cafe in Peninsula Plaza Little Myanmar

Roaming around Little Myanmar in Peninsula Plaza, we got a little famished and decided to stop for a quick, light snack. Stumbled upon little Ye Yint Cafe which looked well patronised by Myanmese (though it was well past the lunch peak).

Restaurant name: Ye Yint Cafe

Address: #03-36, 111 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179098 (shop inside Peninsula Plaza)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from City Hall MRT station

Tel: 63392420

Hours: 10:30am - 9:00pm

Origin of Cambodian Fish Amok Trei ● Thai Hor Mok ● Lao Mok Pa ● Malay Otak Otak

Cambodians consider amok trei their national dish, Thais believe that hor mok was created in their Royal kitchen, Laos have their mok pa while the Malay archipelago has a similar dish called otak otak or "brain". So where did this dish come from and what is the relationship between Cambodian amok trei, Thai hor mok, Lao mok pa and Malay / Indonesian otak otak?

History of Vietnamese Coffee ● Tastes Better with Arabica

Coffee culture is a relatively recent phenomenon in Vietnam being brought here by the French only in the 1850s. But, today Vietnam is the world's second largest coffee bean exporter and have their own distinctive style of coffee.

Tong Sheng Cheese Bee Hoon Malacca vs Old World Singapore 东升园 vs 老世界

The first time I tried cheese bee hoon was at the Old World stalls in Singapore - first at their Hougang outlet, then again at their Yishun outlet. It was mind blowing as Old World overload the dish with umami and wok hei as a badge of honour.

Restaurant name: Restoran Tong Sheng

Address: 377 & 378, Jalan Melaka Raya 6, Taman Melaka Raya, Malacca, Malaysia

Tel: +6016 776 7811

Hours: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm | 5:30pm - 10 pm (Mon off)

History of Nanyue Kingdom (Nam Viet) 204 BC to 111 BC 南粵國

Siu mei 燒味 or roast meats along with dim sum, wanton noodle, congee, hor fun, etc., are icons of Cantonese cuisine known around the world. Siu mei go back over 2,000 years, to the time when there was a "renegade" kingdom known as Nanyue 南粵.

History of Sticky Rice ● A National Dish of Laos

The most famous sticky rice story is the story of loyal minister Qu Yuan whose suicide during China's Spring & Autumn period (770 - 476 BC) over 2000 years ago is still commemorated today by Chinese communities around the world by eating sticky rice dumplings on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

The Origin of Som Tum Papaya Salad May Surprise You

Go anywhere in Thailand or any Thai restaurant around the world and you will encounter som tum, the ubiquitous green papaya salad. Many of us assume som tum (or som tam) is a Thai dish - in the world's eyes som tum is as quintessentially Thai as tom yam and pad Thai.

Disputed History of Fish Sauce & A Surprising Twist 魚露

Umami, savoury, salty, amber tea colour fish sauce is used in the whole of Indochina and south coast of China as an ingredient, flavouring, seasoning, marinate and a dip. The versatile sauce is most popular, even essential in the dishes of Indochina and south China.

Makko Nyonya Restaurant in Malacca ● Peranakan Matriarch Still Charms

We walked around our hotel to check out what's for dinner. We tried Restoran Nyonya Makko and found that it serves tasty homely Peranakan dishes at competitive prices.

Restaurant name: Restoran Nyonya Makko

Address: 123, Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka, Malaysia

Tel: +606 284 0737

Hours: 11:30 am - 2:25 pm | 6:00pm - 8:45 pm (Tues off)

Mun Kee Steam Fish Head in Pudu Kuala Lumpur 文记鱼头王蒸鱼头 半山芭

One of my favourite things to eat in Kuala Lumpur is steamed Song fish head. The dish is popular with oldies 🤭 and quite common in Kuala Lumpur. We came to Pudu, an old gritty section of KL, to look for it 😁 (Actually we went to Jalan Peel first but the place has completely transformed and all our old favourite street side steamed fish places are gone 🥹 )

Restaurant name: Restoran Mun Kee Steam Fish Head 文记鱼头王蒸鱼头

Address: 4926A, Jalan Seladang, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Pudu station

Tel: +603 9223 3091

Hours: 12:00 noon - 10:30pm (Tues off)

Hing Loong Taiwan Beef & Pork Chop Noodle in Malacca 兴隆台湾面馆

Driving into Malacca from Johor Bahru around mid day, the first order of business was to find something nice to eat 😬

Restaurant name: Hing Loong Taiwanese Noodle

Address: 11-J, Jalan Bachang, Kampung Enam, 75300 Melaka, Malaysia

Tel: +60 6284 2529

Hours: 7:30am - 5:00pm (Thurs off)

Ujong Pasir Nasi Lemak ● Coconut Rice Malacca Style

One of the top of my mind things to do on this trip to Malacca was to visit Ujong Pasir Nasi Lemak.

Stall name: Ujong Pasir Nasi Lemak 2

Address: 54, Jalan Ujong Pasir, 75050 Melaka, Malaysia

Tel: +6013 256 4784

Hours: 7:15 am - 3:30 pm | 6:15pm -10:00 pm

Rainbow Rice House @ 43 North Canal Road ● Wok Hei Zi Char Near Hong Lim Park

Buddy Jasmine organised the dinner makan session at Rainbow Rice House. Thank you 🙏

Restaurant name: Rainbow Rice House

Address: 43 North Canal Road, Singapore 059299

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Clarke Quay station

Tel: 6534 3229

Hours: 7:00am - 9:30pm (Sun off) Zi char available only after 11am

Jiaji Duck of Qionghai Hainan 邮电新村嘉积鸭美味园

Many people have heard about Wenchang chicken of Hainan. Hainan is also known for its Jiaji duck from Qionghai county.

Restaurant name: 邮电新村嘉积鸭美味园

Address: China, Hainan, Qionghai, 33, 正南方向60米 邮政编码: 571499

Hours: Lunch & Dinner

White Cut Goose in Wenchang Hainan 海南鸿盛鵝馆●白切鹅

My topmost aim in coming to Wenchang county in Hainan island was to learn as much as possible about Wenchang chicken, the mother of Singapore Hainanese chicken rice.

I'm happy with my progress on that front 😊 🕺

But, one of my most memorable taste experiences from this ten day Hainan island trip was white cut goose 白切鹅 at 鸿盛鵝馆.

Restaurant name: 鸿盛鵝馆

Address: China, Hainan, Wenchang, 255, 东南方向120米 邮政编码: 571341

Tel: +8613307611817

Hours: 11:00am - 2:00pm | 5:00pm - 10:00pm

History of Phở ● National Dish of Vietnam ● From Red River Delta to Mekong Delta to the World

"The history of Vietnam lies in this bowl". Camila Gibb, The Beauty of Humanity Movement.

Sin Heng Kee Porridge @ Chong Pang Yishun ● Taste Nice, Good Portion, Price Right, Nice Environment

Sin Heng Kee Porridge in Yishun first caught my eye because it sported a longer queue than the Toto shop next door 😱 So, I earmarked it for a visit next time. Finally, made it after nearly two years 🤭

Anyway, Sin Heng Kee here is still as popular and the porridge is really good 👍

Restaurant name: Sin Heng Kee Porridge

Address: 101 Yishun Ave 5, #01-19/21, Singapore 760101 (Chong Pang Village)

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Yishun station

Hours: 7:00am - 9:00pm (Tues & Thurs off)

Shinn Sato Okinawa Cuisine @ Orchard Plaza

Shinn Sato @ Orchard Plaza is one of those kind of eating places their regulars don't want you to know about and the owners don't actively market themselves on social media. 

Yet they are doing fine for years, thank you ☺️

Luckily, I got friends who know 🤭

Restaurant name: Shinn Sato Okinawa Cuisine

Address: 150 Orchard Road, #03-52/53/54 Orchard Plaza, Singapore 238841

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Somerset station

Tel: 6735 1883

Hours: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm | 5:30pm - 10:00 pm (Sun off)

Chao Yue Xuan Hand Crafted Dim Sum @ Capitol City Hall MRT 潮粤轩

Recently, we were chatting about what new places to go for good dim sum. Haha.... maybe the Universe heard us and Jun jio-ed (invited) me to try out a new dim sum joint Chao Yue Xuan 潮粤轩.

(Well, not exactly new - they were at Junction 9 in Yishun but they just moved here in Capitol and this was my first time trying their dim sum.)

Restaurant name: Chao Yue Xuan Dim Sum 潮粤轩

Address: 13 Stamford Rd, B2-51 & 52 Capitol Singapore, S178905

Nearest MRT: Steps from City Hall station & linked by underpass at basement 2

Tel: 8921 1929

Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Qing Pu Liang in Hainan ● Famous Cold Dessert with Coconut Goes Back 2000 Years 海南 清補涼

The ten days I was in Hainan was unbearably hot and humid nearly every day 🥵

Bao Luo Fen Noodle 抱罗粉 ● Famous Hainan Beef Noodle from Wenchang

When I went to Hainan in China, I had in mind to get to the roots of Hainanese cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia. There's Wenchang chicken, the mother of Singapore Hainanese chicken rice. Then, there's Hainanese beef noodle, which is near extinction in Singapore.

Mighty Mekong ● River of Fish, Rice & Life

The nearly 5000 km long Mekong starts high up in the snowy Tibetan Plateau and flows south through Yunnan, China (where it is known as Lancang 澜沧), and every country in Indochina (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam), before draining into the South China Sea.

The Mekong is the twelfth longest river in the world, third longest in Asia. The longest rivers in Asia, the Yellow River and Yang Tze also start in the Tibetan Plateau but run east across China towards the sea.