How good can cheap be?

I was browsing around the web and I came across this unbelievable good promotion for 'Dim Sum'. Though it also comes with a 'Terms & Conditions', but it still makes it a pretty good promotion. But as usual, how good can cheap be? And that's something that I have found out the other day.

Since I'm having early lunch alone, therefore this table ended up to be pretty comfortable and spacious. :D And since I'm in a Chinese restaurant, I must...

'龙凤吉祥' Being a tea lover, I just couldn't resist this. Unlike some other Chinese restaurant, they have a separate menu for beverages over here. For me, it's the tea menu that interest me the most. For this blend, it seems to be a mixture of 'Chinese Green Tea' and 'Chinese Oolong Tea'. At least, that's the impression that I was given when I was drinking and appreciating the tea. There's this nice mixture of 'grassy' and 'sweet' taste. Not bad for a start. :D

Though it doesn't comes with a Chinese cup (which is rather smart, else for heavy tea drinkers like me, we might be sitting there for ages), but it does come with a big pot of hot water. Initially, I thought that I have to help myself to the pot, but the service that the restaurant over here is so good that I had my unlimited flow of good Chinese Tea, without touching the pot at all. O.O Woo Hoo...

'Dim Sum'(点心) These would be the 'Dim Sum' that I have ordered the other day.

'Steamed prawn dumpling with bamboo pith'(竹笙水晶虾饺皇) Freshly steamed and served in a tray. These dumpling are deliciously good. For a start, the skin isn't too soft and it doesn't stick onto the base of the tray. As I pop one of them into my mouth, the generous serving of crunchy prawns started jumping and bouncing around. The sweet and yummy sensation is heavenly and 1 just couldn't stop at 3. I feel like placing a second order for this. -.-""

'Deep-fried prawn dumpling served with Wasabi sauce'(芥辣明虾角) Even though it's covered with a layer of 'Wasabi', but it doesn't comes with irritating breath taking choking touch. In fact, the not so oily and yet crispy skin is a big (+). Combined with the crunchy and delicious prawns just made it better and better and irresistible.

So what's the catch for the cheap 'Dim Sum' selling @ $0.88?

• It's limited to the first 2 orders of Dim Sum for the first 30 tables during Lunch hours only.
• The promotion is valid till 31 Oct 2014.
• Either ways, this still makes it a pretty good promotion. O.OV

So where can you give the delicious 'Dim Sum' a good try?

The name of this chinese restaurant would be 'Grand Mandarin'(御华庭). It's located along 'New Bridge Road', which is also located opposite 'Pearl Centre' and located near 'Outram Park MRT Station'.

Opening Hours:

• Lunch: 11:30 - 14:30
  Dinner: 18:30 - 22:00 Daily

* Click here to find out more about 'Grand Mandarin'(御华庭).
^ Click here for the location of 'Grand Mandarin'(御华庭) on 'Google Maps'.

Beyond a simple Kaya Bread

To most of the Singaporeans, 'Kaya Bread' would simply be 2 slices of toasted bread with 'Kaya' and 'Butter'. Though the the butter can varies but eventually it's pretty much the same. However...

Left: Tea Top Right: Orange Ciabatta Kaya Bread Bottom Right: Kaya Bread The 'Tea' and the 'Kaya Bread' that you can get from this place are relatively good, but those aren't the main focus of this post. The main focus over here would be the 'Orange Ciabatta Kaya Bread'. So what makes this 'Kaya Bread' so special? First of all, though they are using a completely different type of bread but the texture of the bread is much more softer and it blends in with the 'Kaya' spread pretty well. :D Secondly, the taste of the 'Kaya' bread were pretty much similar with the normal 'Kaya' bread, but it comes with a strong fragrance of sun-dried tangerine peel, which smells pretty good, but would this be the furtherest that they can go? I will definitely be looking forward with their next innovative idea. :P By the way, last but not least, though the size is slightly a bit small, but it's definitely a good idea to have this for breakfast or high tea and at the same time doesn't ruin your appetite for a satisfying lunch or dinner. (:P)

So where can you give the 'Orange Ciabatta Kaya Bread' a try?

The name of this coffee shop would be 'Good Morning Nanyang Cafe'(早安南洋).
Though I think that they have a few outlets island-wide, but I have only
given the outlet located at 'Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green CC' a try.

Notes:

• Operating Hours:
  7:30am - 7:30pm (Weekdays)
  8:30am - 5:30pm (Saturday)
  (They are currently closed on Sundays until further notice.)

* Click here for the Facebook Page of 'Good Morning Nanyang Cafe' located at
  'Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green CC'.
^ Click here for the location of 'Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green CC' on Google Maps.

A meal for the hungry me.

Since I'm staying near Chinatown area, I tend to give some of the restaurants over there once in a while. As for the other day, I decided to give this restaurant a try.

Okay that would be my dinner for that day.
Though I wanted to try the set meals that they are offering, but I
ended up placing an order for one of the set meal, a bowl of Noodles,
a basket of 'Dumplings' and a mug? of Chinese Tea.

Mug of Chinese Tea
I guess that they are pretty used with customers going there for beer,
therefore that was the main reason for the mug... Either ways, the tea
isn't something special, but It's the mug that adds a pinch of laughter. XD

'Soup Dumplings'(小籠包)
Though the skin is pretty soft, but it's slightly a bit too thick.
Therefore this has reduce the amount of ingredients that can be stuffed
into the 'Soup Dumplings', which also cause the taste to be pretty 'normal'.

'Lemon Chicken Set Meal'(Left)
First of all, I think that the set meal that they are offering over
here are considerably good. It comes with a plate of fried vegetables,
a small portion of pickles and a main dish. The stir fried vegetables
are simply too plain to me. It will taste even better if they can
add a bit more oyster sauce. :P As for the main dish, 'Lemon Chicken',
it's basically a plate of fried chicken and a plate of lemon sauce.
Not sure why they have chosen the step of separating the sauce and
the meat, but the fried chicken is pretty crispy and the lemon sauce
is pretty thick. Though the overall taste of the lemon chicken is
good but I think that it could taste even much more better if they
have mixed the chicken and the lemon sauce up front.

'Zha Jiang Mian'(炸酱面)(right)
In fact, I personally felt that I have ordered too much food that
night. Just the set meal alone was fulling enough, but since I have
ordered this, I should try my best in finishing everything. After
having my first bite, the taste of the 'Zha Jiang Mian' was amazingly
good. The amount of meaty sauce that was poured into the bowl were
pretty okay. Though it's slightly a bit salty, but the portion of
sauce that were given isn't too much nor too little, just the correct
amount of sauce. :D As I continued to savour the noodles, the cooling
sensation of the cucumber would be something that couldn't be missed.
In fact it's the delicious taste that was combined from the noodles
and the rest of the ingredients that keeps me going on and on till the
very last drop of the sauce. :P

So where can you give all the food listed in the above a try?

The name of this Chinese restaurant would be 'Zhong Hua Qing Zhong Guo
Cai Guan'(中華情中國菜館). It's located along 'New Bridge Road'.

* Click here for the location of 'Zhong Hua Qing Zhong Guo Cai Guan'(中華情中國菜館).
^ Click here for the list of delicacy located along 'New Bridge Road'.

The Great Wall of Chinatown...???

There is a place or a restaurant that was also known as the Great Wall of Chinatown. That was the same place that have been around as far as I can remember. It has been a good place for late night gatherings, refreshing dinners and also a good spot for taking a break from all the crazy walks.

So what type of food does this place specialised in?

They serve budget friendly and delicious 'Frog Legs Porridge'. A small pot of 'Frog Legs Porridge' is equilvalent to 3 bowls of 'Frog Legs Porridge', so if you are not confident enough, please do not try to be funny and place an order for a small pot of 'Frog Legs Porridge'.

Slices of Raw Fish
This was one of our favourite side dish.
The owners were pretty generous when it comes to the potion.
And the taste was slightly a bit different from the Japanese
Sashimi that we usually eat. When you eat it with both ginger
and sliced chilli, the taste of the Raw Fish becomes heavenly. :P
(Drooling again...)

A cube of Braised Beancurd
I wanted to place an order for the Fried Pig Intestines,
but it was sold out. Same goes for the Braised Pig Intestines.
Hence, I ended up trying a cube of Braised Beancurd.
Although the Beancurd might not taste as fantastic as the
Pig Intestines but this fit my motive of making a trip to
the place today. I wanted to have a slightly less sinful dinner,
especially when I have been having numerous meatful meals for
the past few days.

The above would be the menu of the Great Wall of Chinatown. :D

Below the menu would be a board indicating the next off day
of the place. As for the Chinese writings on board, it simply
means that they will be closed on a Monday for every 2 weeks.

This would be the exterior of the place. It's located along New Bridge Road and its within 5-10 minutes walking distance from Chinatown MRT station.

So what is the link between this place and the Great Wall?
The name of this place is known as 'Tiong Shian Porridge Centre(長城粥品)'.
And the Great Wall of China is known as '萬里長城' in Chinese. Hence,
as both the Great Wall and this place have the word '長城' in it,
that is the reason why I called it the Great Wall of Chinatown.
In fact you can find a picture of the Great Wall of China next to the
words '長城' in the place itself.

NoteS about the place:

• If you can't find seats on the first floor, you can try looking for seats on the second floor of the place.
• This place was opened from early morning all the way to the middle of the night. If I'm not mistaken, I think they are opened for business 24/7 except for the off day that occurs on a Monday every fortnightly.

* Click here for the location of the 'Tiong Shian Porridge Centre(長城粥品)'.