Gd O' Time

"Needing a break that weekend after just the recent going back to a brand new school term and was suddenly piled with extraordinary load of school assignments." So that was my boy's request for last weekend.
Not because of the recent Peranakan Drama "Little Nyonya", somehow we landed at Changi Village in this Peranaka Restaurant called "Gd O' Times" ordering some of their well-known dishes. Nothing to shout about. We were not totally satisfied with the food we ordered.
Other than rather sour, the Assam Fish Head gravy was quite diluted. The Ayam(chicken) Buah Keluah was not adequately pungent & pasty. Another disappointment was their Babi Ponteh . The pork belly used to braise with preserved bean paste (tau cheo), dried mushrooms, cinnamon and bamboo shoots was not at all authentic. The Chap Chye was just ordinary. We enjoyed the Squids in Ink very much . The texture of the squids was right and spongy to chew. The lemon and assam used were well marinated into the squids to give it that distinctive taste. All of us agreed that if we were ever to go back to that place, we must order that dish again.



Dinner was a "So-so" but our family evening walk along the stretch of Changi beach was breathtaking. Especially knowing that we were standing at the eastern-most tip of Singapore; watching the occasional boats moving in and out of the canal into the open sea, looking and listening to the rushing waves. In a moment, all that has indeed taken away that "must-break-free" pang from my boy.

Some Updates on my Unknown New Plants

The little blade-like leaf I posted earlier has now grown so much longer. I am quite sure this is a red Hippeastrums from the family of Amaryllidaceae (am-uh-ril-id-AY-see-ee) . My husband said the flowers he saw in Medan were red too. Just like those in the picture below he captured in the highlands of Medan. My gardening friend identifies mine as a Hippeastrums (hip-ee-ASS-trum) . Only the colour type of the flowers cannot be confirmed until we see the first bloom. There is also another species which bears white flowers. Hippeastrums actually originated from The Netherlands. Let's wait for the first bloom to confirm.
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Remember the last time I told you that I didn't want to post a pot without anything in it? Well, this is the one I can proudly show it to you now. I can confirm this unknown new plant will turn out to be like the one I am showing to you now in the picture below. It's Dahlia. I can tell from the leaves of my plant with those I saw in a recent visit to World Farm, a nursery in Sembawang area.

So, you know what I mean? You need plenty of patience to reap the reward of your "hardwork" & also the test of time to satisfy your curiosity in true gardening.
Interestingly, I love the feeling of surprises! That joy of nursing a plant whether from seeds, stem cuttings or just the roots. That feeling of many days not seeing anything, waiting & waiting; then suddenly one morning or one evening, a little seedling pops out to the surface of the soil. It's just like that seedling telling me: "Hey, I am here at last! Thanks for not giving up on me". I hope I can express it better here but I can't think of a better way to do it - just sheer indescribable HAPPINESS!

Dinner at Plaza Market Cafe

Zane is just so natural in front of my camera ...


Such a sweet smile

Say "cheese"

Another wonderful experience dining out with Kah, my financial adviser friend & Jen, my ex-colleague at Plaza Market Cafe last week.
The buffet spread was superb. Its wide array of cuisine ranging from Japanese to European and Asian, ensured a fair share of cuisine was available to suit every taste bud. One of my favourites would be the sashimi selection which consists of air-flown items such as tuna and salmon, as well as scallops, prawns and lobsters, all served fresh and chilled at the buffet table. Oh yes, not forgetting to mention their fresh oysters. Though their Durian Pudding (also called Durian Pengat, a peranakan dessert), which is a lusciously thick durian puree made from fresh durians is a hot favourite with many of their patrons, I did not like it a bit at all. My opinion is that the brown sugar has overpowered the durian puree. I still prefer to go for the one at Goodwood Park.
It was indeed a hearty meal served in a cosy embience & with great company. Of course, I have Kah to thank for buying us dinner at such a fine place.


Zane's getting ready for another post. But I like it candid.

Eating spree

For the last three weeks since my sis-in-law is home on her vacation, we have been thinking of what sort of food she may have most missed & would like to help her satisfy that craving. Personally, as a good food lover, I can really sense how she feels, after not having eaten the things which she most hope to eat but are not available or are available but not authentic.

We really have too many local dishes here & is quite a task to finish every one of them in a short period of three weeks; and not to mention if we have to actually go for the authentic ones. I know there are at least two items in her wish list. Wanton noodle with chilli mixed not comprising any sambal. If anyone has tried the wanton noodle prepared by the old uncle from the coffee shop store along Lorong 39 in Geylang (in the 70s)will understand what I mean. Another item is the Vegetarian beehoon sold at a store in the Pek Kio Food Market. The beehoon was done in the right flavour & not dark in colour. The store owner did not add any corn & green peas in her beehoon. Her chilli is the best. It blended very well with the flavour of her beehoon when eaten with the vegetarian side items all mixed together.

Tomorrow night, she will be flying off. I know, surely we have not fully satify that craving in her but I am quite sure, it has somehow toned down the urge.