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Showing posts with label Salted Egg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salted Egg. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Mooncakes Special 2014 - Singapore Airlines


When I first heard about the Singapore Airlines Mooncakes, I was for some reason, damn excited.
Maybe because I read the brochure on the types of mooncakes they were offering or maybe it's because the packaging looked really nice?

Well, you can imagine my excitement when I found out that the SIA Mooncakes were certified Halal!
That's right - certified HALAL!!!

The Singapore Airlines Mooncakes collections is made up of 8 different mooncakes.
2 are 'Heritage' aka traditional flavours, 2 are exclusive flavours and the other 4 are called 'SIA Selections' are have a bit of a twist on traditional mooncake recipes.

We'll start with 2 of the traditional ones first...

White Lotus with Double Yolk

One of the most traditional and popular mooncake flavours ever!
White Lotus Seed Paste encapsulates two exquisite salted duck egg yolks that eagerly await for you to devour them LOL

One of my faves and I'm sure the fave of so many as well.

White Lotus with Mashed Yolk
 

This one also has a super smooth White Lotus Paste within its baked shell of goodness but instead of the whole salted egg yolks, the salted egg yolks are mashed which means you get an even spread of the yolk and everyone goes home happy.

Besides these 2, the other 2 'Exclusive' flavours are Osmanthus Fragranced with Crisp Plum and Red Bean with Milk Paste.

Orange Lotus with Walnuts

Next up are the mooncakes classified as SIA Selections which are a bit more unique.

White Lotus Paste is infused with a "whisper" of Orange and some Persian Walnuts thrown in for good measure. I thought the walnuts were a nice touch but somehow the orange flavour turned out to be a bit overwhelming for me.

Passion Fruit with Rosella

Between this and the Orange Lotus, I preferred this one.
When you think of Passion Fruit, you think you're going to get an overload of sourness but this was definitely not the case here.

A very subtle flavour but the unique Rosella was a very nice touch. Although not overly sour, this was also not overly sweet and was a very refreshing take on the mooncake.

The other 2 SIA Selection Mooncakes are the Pandan with Five Grains and the White Lotus with Black Sesame.

Collectible SIA Emblem Magnet

I simply loved the packaging!
You get a collectible SIA emblem magnet as a souvenir (great for all you collectors!) and the boxes themselves reflect the signature SIA style.

And those little boxes holding the mooncakes are quite solid so you can keep them and use them to store stuff once you're devoured all the mooncakes!!


The SIA Mooncakes used to only be available to passengers but this is the first time they are made available to the public so this is really good news if you ask me.

You can either choose to drop by Takashimaya to buy (and try) the SIA Mooncakes or you can purchase via Mail Order where there will deliver to you.

It's $64 for a box of 4 mooncakes (Heritage Flavours) and $68 for a box of 4 Mooncakes (Exclusive/SIA Selections). You can also mix and match the mooncakes so you can choose your faves while trying something new if you'd like at $68 for a box of 4 mooncakes.

SIA KrisFlyer PPS Club members will enjoy a 15% discount while KrisFlyer and UOB cardholders will enjoy a 10% discount. On top of that, every box of 4 mooncakes entitles you to a lucky draw where you stand to win a pair of Business class tickets to Shanghai!

Singapore Airlines Mooncakes

Basement 2 Takashimaya Atrium, NgeeAnn City

Collection period:
7 August to 7 September 2014, from 1000-2130 hrs

Sunday, November 3, 2013

The Waffle Factory

So we passed by this place many many months ago but didn't pay it much mind but one day my Brother texts me and says that we simply have to check this place out.

How good did he think it was? Well, he back with me the very next day to eat more!

So I'm not sure how long The Waffle Factory has been around in the Singapore Post Centre but it seems really famous judging by all the newspaper clippings and TV show snippets adorning the walls of the outlet.
In fact, apparently they're quite famous for their All-You-Can-Eat Waffle Buffet which we had no idea about because we just had some ala-carte items.

Prawn Dumplings ($4.20 for 3 pieces)

So we started with some Dim Sum which is one of our favourite things.
Prawn Dumplings are always welcome at our table and we've had it at a few other makan places before.

You do get a pretty big piece of the prawn in the dumpling which is nice but it's also got this fish paste in there which was kinda had a dough-y taste to it (or maybe I was just being too fussy?) A nice crispy skin to go with it but a little on the extra-charred side. I'm guessing they might have re-fried it when ordered?

Fried Beancurd Roll ($4.20 for 3 pieces)

Another Dim Sum favourite of ours is the Fried Beancurd Roll which kinda has a Thai accent to it.
Nice and tightly packed with fish paste and some sweet chilli sauce to accompany it. I believe I enjoyed this more than the Prawn Dumpling actually.

But the $4.20 price tag is quite high for 3 pieces of Dim Sum I reckon.

And in case you were wondering, my Brother's all-time fave Dim Sum - Siew Mai - is strangely absent here because apparently he had some the day before and it really wasn't very good at all so we gave it a miss.

Salted Egg Custard Buns ($4.20 for 3)
This is one item my Brother and Sister-In-Law were absolutely raving about.
Something new and a little unique to us - Salted Egg Custard Buns.

It's no secret that we are HUGE fans of anything to do wit Salted Eggs and this definitely seemed like something we were going to enjoy. But please allow me to point out that this was Salted Egg Custard which means you can expect a sweet taste instead of all-Salted Egg.

But it is a thing of beauty when you crack it open though.


All that nice gooey and runny custard flowing all over the place.
Isn't that enough to get your excited? No? Well maybe the video my Brother sent me might do a better job.


Much better right??
Well anyways, like I said, it's more sweet than savoury so you know what to expect. I guess it's more of a dessert bun than anything else.

And here's a tip, be sure to eat it fresh and while it's still hot.
Because when it cools down... It's not going to be very runny anymore...


Anyways, on to the mains!

Something which I'd say is really good about the menu at The Waffle Factory is the wide variety of dishes and even different types of cuisine they offer. Everything from Nasi Lemak to HK-style Noodles to even Western Food and Pasta!

But then again, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Hong Kong Style Chicken Luncheon and Egg Noodles ($4.50)
I love the whole HK-style Noodles scene (remember this post?) and I'm glad to say that the number of Halal makan places offering it nowadays is on the up and up!

Well here's a really simple dish of noodles with some chicken luncheon meat veggies in a nice hot soup.
(This was the Spicy option by the way. You can choose the Non-Spicy as well).
Just a really satisfying bowl of comfort food for me and something I really enjoy.

By the way, you can also have the same thing in a Prawn-based soup instead.
That's what my Sister-in-Law had but would it really make much of a difference?

Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup ($5.90)
ZOMG YES IT DOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

The prawn stock is really rich and flavourful and it did not have any of they overly-prawny taste which I expected. A really really good bowl of noodles! Not too sure about the sausage though... This would have been perfect if they had used a better quality sausage or maybe the chicken luncheon meat?

And now that I think about it - is it really worth an extra $1.40 for the prawn soup?

Crab Claws and Mixed Seafood Pasta ($7.90)
So my Brother decided to break away from the Asian flavours of the day and had something on the Western side of the menu.

He says that it was a pretty respectable plate of pasta but I personally felt that the cream sauce was actually quite tasteless... But the one thing we agreed on is that we did not understand why they called it Crab Claws and Mixed Seafood Pasta when there was only ONE crab claw (and yes that's the small thing on the left)

Maybe he lost the other claw in a fight? Well, then bring me the winner!
(So we'll get 3 claws geddit geddit? Okay I'll just stick to eating then)


Okay time for some dessert and when you're at a place called The Waffle Factory, you're probably gonna have some waffles am I right?

Well they have 2 types of waffles on offer. One is the fresh type which they'll serve you on a plate with all the lovely toppings like berries and cream etc. And the other type is like a miniature version where theysandwich your topping of choice in between 2 waffles.

"OUR WAFFLES ARE THICKER.
MORE THAN HALF A MILLION SOLD WITH OUR SECRET WAFFLES RECIPE"

This is the sign outside and they were not kidding about the 'thicker' part.

D24 Durian Waffle ($2.50)
One of the most popular waffles on offer is the D24 Durian waffle which is delicious durian flesh in between two waffles. (See what I meant about the 'thick' part)

The durian is definitely a must-have for durian lovers.

Orange Chocolate Waffle ($1.30)
So this is actually Chocolate sauce and some Orange Marmalade.
Not at all what we expected.

Actually, by the looks of it, they are quite creative with their waffle flavours so it might be best to double check what exactly you're ordering before you actually make your decision. And they have a massive selection of waffles to choose from so you're gonna have a hard time choosing.

But as you can see from the pictures, these are not the same waffles you get from your neighbourhood bakery. These are really thick and actually very very filling. If you're having full meals then it might be a good idea to share.

The fillings are not bad but the waffles themselves are quite overwhelming.

Adam's Verdict:
Prawn Dumplings 1.5/5 -- Fried Beancurd Roll 2.5/5 -- Salted Egg Custard Buns 2.5/5
HK Style Chicken Luncheon and Egg Noodles 3/5 -- Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup 4/5
D24 Durian Waffle 4/5 -- Orange Chocolate Waffle 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Prawn Dumplings 1/5 -- Fried Beancurd Roll 4/5 -- Salted Egg Custard Buns 4/5
Crab Claws and Mixed Seafood Pasta 3/5 -- Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup 5/5
D24 Durian Waffle 2/5 -- Orange Chocolate Waffle 2/5

Yana's Verdict:
Prawn Dumplings 1/5 -- Fried Beancurd Roll 2.5/5 -- Salted Egg Custard Buns 4.5/5
Sausage Springy Noodles in Prawn Soup 5/5
D24 Durian Waffle 3.5/5 -- Orange Chocolate Waffle 1/5

They also have loads of other stuff on the menu that might be worth a try like the Chicken Rendang (which apparently is so tender you can eat the bones) and Crayfish Laksa!

We'll definitely be paying another visit soon!

The Waffle Factory

10 Jalan Eunos (Paya Lebar MRT)
Singapore Post Centre Shopping Mall
B1-03

Operating Hours: 9.00am til 10.00pm Daily

Friday, September 6, 2013

Streats Hong Kong Cafe Part 2

We love Streats Hong Kong Cafe because
  • It has delicious HK-style makan
  • Dim Sum! Dim Sum! Dim Sum!
  • It's really near to our place (definitely a big factor)

And yes they serve Dim Sum but I'm still compiling all the different types they have so in the mean time, how about more or something else they're good at - oodles of noodles!

Nissin Spicy Noodles (Dry) with Chicken Chop ($7.20)
If you remember, I actually order the version with the Luncheon Meat normally.
Well, my darling wife felt like having noodles with a spicy kick so she settled on this.

The noodles are still the standard HK-style Nissin instant noodles we all love.
This time, they give you a spicy chilli sauce at the side to kick it up a little bit. But don't worry it's not that spicy so you don't have to worry about smoke coming out of your ears.

However, please note that the Chicken Chop is actually really big.
You might actually feel like putting it aside on a separate dish for awhile so that you can have a go at your noodles first.

HK Shrimp Dumpling Noodle (Dry) ($7.20)
ALERT!!
Shrimp Dumplings are not to be confused with Shrimp Wantons.
These are apparently 2 very different types of dumplings so please don't get the wrong idea.

As to what exactly is the difference between the Dumpling and the Wanton - I have no idea.
I must make it a point to ask them the next time we visit.

And quite honestly, the Shrimp Dumplings were not really impressive.
You do get a whole shrimp in each dumpling but taste-wise it's not really racking up any points.
Even the chicken char siew (which i love) could not redeem this dish.

Young Baby Cabbage with Salted Egg ($7.90)
When a side dish costs as much as a main dish, this means it has to be really really nice right?

Well, as lovers of salted eggs, my darling wife and I really expect to have the kick of salted eggs when we order anything with "Salted Egg' in the name of the dish. For this dish, it definitely uses the salted egg yolks in the gooey sauce which bathes the baby cabbage.

Not too bad actually but you'd better eat fast because after awhile, it starts getting to being a watery mess.
This is because they blanch the cabbage and just pour the sauce over it. This means that since the saus is only on top, any water trapped in between the cabbage is going to start seeping out and mixing with your salted egg which is a big no-no.

Lime Cooler & Iced Honey Lemon Tea ($3.80 each)
And of course, some refreshing beverages to wash down your meal.
Just a tip, you might wanna try something else if you expect a full and strong tasting drink.
These two are a little... mild.




Adam's Verdict:
HK Shrimp Dumpling Noodle (Dry) 2/5 -- Young Baby Cabbage with Salted Egg 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Nissin Spicy Noodles (Dry) with Chicken Chop 3/5 -- Young Baby Cabbage with Salted Egg 3/5

Obviously, our adventures with Streats Hong Kong Cafe are far from over.
Hopefully soon, we will be able to release the Dim Sum post!

Streats Hong Kong Cafe

Downtown East
1 Pasir Ris Close
Tel: 6584 4001

Operating Hours: 11.00am til 10.00pm Daily (Closed on CNY)