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.

Haikou Thien Hou Mazu Temple 海口天后宮

There are two Thien Hou temples in Haikou which are side by side each other at 89 Zhong Shan Lu, Longhua District, Haikou. One is a bigger temple complex while the other is a shrine (in a small former storehouse right next to it).

Where did Singapore Chicken Rice Come From? For the Answer, I Spent 10 Days in Wenchang Hainan 白切文昌雞飯

Hainanese chicken rice is considered Singapore's unofficial national dish. Singaporeans and Malaysians sometimes argue about which of them created Hainanese chicken rice 🤔 (However, versions of Hainanese chicken rice can also be found in Thailand, Vietnam, and Chinese communities around the world.)

Mohinga @ No Name Myanmese Stall in Jiu Fu Food Court Peninsula Plaza Little Myanmar

Burmese (Myanmar) food is a paradox. It is not well known like Thai, Vietnamese or Indian food. Many people assume it is like Thai, Vietnamese, or Indochinese food. It is not - due to its geography and history, Myanmese food taste profile is unique.

Stall name: No name, no signboard

Address: North Bridge Rd, 111D/E, Peninsula PLaza, B1-07, S179098 (stall inside Jiu Fu Food Court)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from City Hall station

Hours: Morning till noon

Chang Ji @ Setia Indah ● Wild Caught Fish Soup, Noodle, Porridge 昌记鱼肉粿條

As I am an avid fish soup lover, I came down to Setia Indah after seeing buddy Aus Pe shared about a fish soup she enjoyed there.

Restaurant name: Restoran Chang Ji 昌记鱼肉粿條

Address: 43, Jalan Setia 3/4, Taman Setia Indah, 81100 Johor Bahru

Tel: +6016 750 4740

Hours: 6:00am - 3:00pm (Weds off)

Song Kee Fishball Kway Teow Noodle Soup📍Toa Payoh Lor 5 Hawker Centre

Passed by Lor 5 Toa Payoh Food Centre, and recalled that there is a Song Kee fishball noodle stall here which I haven't tried for a long time.

Stall name: Song Kee Kway Teow Noodle Soup

Address: 75 Lor 5 Toa Payoh, stall #01-20, Singapore 310075

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Toa Payoh and Braddell station

Hours: 10:30am - 10:30pm (Weds off)

History of Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh ● Enter the Dragon 榕城肉骨茶

It is a great honour for me to meet up with Lim Hai Chay 林海星, a legend in Singapore bak kut teh history. We last met nearly a decade ago when he was still running his 22, Sin Ming Road stall - retired now, this morning we reminisced about bak kut teh over uncle Lim's favourite tea. Uncle Lim's wife, Mdm Chua was with us.

Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh @ Ang Mo Kio ● Everyone is Talking about their Braised Pork Trotter Shoulder 永记肉骨茶

Chit chatting with the owners of Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, and don't know how they mentioned that they love the braised pork leg at Eng Kee in Ang Mo Kio. Like that how lah....., that got me excited and craving it since hearing about it.

Stall name: Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh 永记肉骨茶

Address: Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, stall #01-04 Blk 341, Singapore 560341 (stall inside Teck Ghee Court Market & Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Ang Mo Kio station

Hours: 10:00am - 3:00pm (Mon off)

History of Myanmar / Burma for Foodies ● National Dish Mohinga & Lahpet Thoke

Compared to cuisine of its neighbours like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, India and China, Myanmnese food is relatively obscure to foreigners. 

Most people overseas would not have heard of, let alone tasted mohinga or lahpet thoke, both considered Myanmar's national dishes eaten throughout the 676 thousand sq km (larger than France) country of 54 million people, and more than 130 ethnicities.

Myanmese cuisine is unique due to its geography and history going back as far as 10,000 BC when humans first settled here during the stone age.

iO Italian Osteria @ HillV 2 Hillview ● Menu & Review ● Probably the Best Italian in the West

I can always rely on buddy Sean for the best places for Italian in Singapore. It was Sean who introduced me to Pastaria Abate, and on this Labour Day he brought me to iO Italian Osteria. I didn't expect to get such quality of Italian fare so far away from the city, but iO Italian Osteria got me  excited even though we only had a small sampling of dishes. Two of us only mah... . Actually, I think we ate a lot for two people 😄

Restaurant name: iO Italian Osteria

Address: 4 Hillview Rise, #02 - 01, Singapore 667979 (HillV 2 mall)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Hillview station

Tel: 67107150

Hours: 11:30am - 10:00pm (opens 10am on Sat & Sun)