VICTOR'S KITCHEN @ SUNSHINE PLAZA // SINGAPORE BIENNALE 2013

Location: Sunshine Plaza #01-21 Singapore 189652

How to get there: Douby Ghaut Mrt Station. Exit at Red Line's exit. Walk to the Grand Cathay, then walk to NAFA. You can see the Singapore Pools from where you are and Sunshine Plaza is straight ahead.

Opening Hours:

Tues - Sun: 1030am - 2000pm

Contact Number: 9838 2851

HOWDY LOVELIES! Happy Friday!! Recently the weather has been CRAZILY CRAZY! It's either scorching hot or raining cats and dogs. Hopefully none of your plans got cancelled or re-scheduled thanks to it.

It's kinda like exam week for many local university students now, MAY&FJ wish you peeps all the best in your papers. May the bell curve be in your favor!!!!Perhaps when your exams have ended, you peeps might wanna visit Victor's Kitchen for a reasonably cheap after-examinations celebration.

Getting on Victor's Kitchen. An old friend of mine introduced it to me and told me that it has this AWESOME Liu Sha Bao that I should give it a go. Went once with him and since then I have been telling my dear May that this is one place that we should definitely do a review on! And~~~we were there on a faithful Wednesday.

We've ordered 2 Liu Sha Bao/Salted Egg Bao baskets (J,$4.50/basket), Nemo Porridge (U,$4.50), Ha Gao/Giant Prawn Dumplings (A,$5/basket), You Tiao Chee Chong Fun (X,$4.50), Fresh Chicken with Wolfberry fruit and Rosey Wine Steam Rice (L,$4.50), Scallop sausage Carrot Cake with XO sauce (C,$4.50) HK Summer Ice Tea ($3) and 1 hot Chrysanthemum Tea ($1.50) and 1 cold Chrysanthemum Tea ($2) . We paid about $39 in total. Here's their menu!

Liu Sha Bao/Salted Egg Bao:

• This was my personal favorite! I have been to Victor's Kitchen before this official trip and I gotta say their Salted Egg Bao left the deepest impression in me. 
• It is super molten and it tastes so good! 
• However, May and our mutual friend felt that the skin was thick and that it was more buttery than the usual. They did prefer to taste more of the salted egg yolk!
• But still give it a go! It's not bad!

 Nemo Porridge:

• It was a little light. Consists of century egg and fish.
• There were not much ingredients in the porridge itself. 
• Not something we would recommend you all.

Ha Gao/Giant Prawn Dumpling:

• The skin is thin and it's exploding with prawns.
• This whole dumpling is very chewy and Q.
• The price is slightly on the high side for dim sum like this, but trust us, this is worth every cent! Try it!!!

 You Tiao Chee Chong Fun:

• Sounds unique? We felt the same as well when we first saw it on the menu!
• It also tastes very unique.
• The crispy You Tiao wrapped in Chee Chong Fun gives the whole dish a very unique texture!
• You all can consider giving it a go!

Seasoned Chicken and Dates Rice:

• The chicken is well seasoned. Quite nice.
• However, the rice itself was rather dry, it makes it very hard for us to swallow.
• So sadly, its not something we'd say you peeps should try.

Scallop sausage Carrot Cake with XO sauce:

• This is by far the best steamed carrot cake we've tried thus far.
• The sauce is very appetizing and the carrot cake is very soft.
• This is definitely something we'd recommend you all to try!

HK Summer Ice Tea:

• Awesome milk tea!
• Unique point: They put their ice outside the cup so as to ensure the thickness of their milk tea.
• As much as that is said, I do not think that this tiny cup warrants the amount paid for. (But I still get every time I visit, because its that good)
• Maybe you peeps can order and share the milk tea! It's worth trying for the first time! As for repeat purchase; I would say that it would be up to your wallet and your willingness to part with $3.

Overall, we would say that Victor's Kitchen is one dim sum place worth the eats and tries. However, we would like to warn you all, they have a tendency to take off days without any pre-hand warning so you might walk alllllllllll the way there for NOTHING. (That happened to us before, so just fyi~)

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

After lunch the three of us decided to head down to SAM and the National Museum of Singapore to view the Singapore Biennale 2013 Exhibitions. I have been a fan of the Biennale since two shows back. This time round the scale is smaller and spread out across museums with SAM and National Museum of Singapore housing major exhibitions. I'm gonna upload a couple of pictures enough to entice you all to visit^^

The Singapore Biennale 2013 starts from now all the way till 16 February 2014. Singapore Citizen Students/ Permanent Resident Students, full time NSF, teachers from local schools and Singapore Citizen/ Permanent Resident senior citizens above age 60 gets free admission. Otherwise, Adults ($10) and Foreign Students and Senior Citizens above age 60 ($5). They have their usual thick exhibition booklet for sale/donation at $2 per booklet. It contains all the information of the art pieces displayed and their locations.

Do head down when you are free during your school holidays or your annual break! Love you all! Till the next post!

<3 May&FJ

CHANGI VILLAGE

Location: Changi Village
How to get there: I think there are buses like 109 that stops at Changi Bus Interchange. Google Map it. (Google Map has been a really good friend of mine recently)

Hi all! I have been wandering around Changi for about 2 days recently and I have spotted a couple of eats place that may interest you peeps:)
If you google Changi Village most likely you'd have: Best Chicken Wings, Good Hokkien Mee, Awesome Satay and so forth. Hence I'm not touching on these stuff that you can essentially find off hand online.

Today I'm gonna tell you about: Great Ipoh Hor Fun, Yummilious Fried Fritters, and awesome cheeeeeap cupcakes!

Okay, to start the ball rolling: Wee Kee Ipoh Hor Fun

I think this stall had been here for ages, but I have only heard about it from my dad recently. So being near that area, I have decided to try their Chicken Culet Ipoh Hor Fun.

• The Sauce was rather salty on its own, so dont try it without mixing it together with the noodles.
• The noodles were soft and chewy
• I loved how the crispy chicken turns soggy when you mix it. It absorbed the taste of the sauce and it was heavenly
• They served a lot of chicken, but very little soup.
• They are really popular over there, the queue expands vastly at nights! Business was also rather good in the afternoon as the customers kept coming in small packs. 
• I have tried their wanton mee before, but it wasn't fantastic, therefore if you're looking for good eats at this stall, go straight for this hor fun!

Next would be the Fried Fritters at Changi Village:

Honestly, I was kinda in a rush that I have forgotten to take note of the stall's name. But they are essentially located at the entrance of the Hwaker Center and I think they are the only stall selling fried fritters.

I bought a large Banana Fried Fritter ($1.20) to try and it was awesomely awesome. You know how fritters are, they are fried, oily and fatty but soooooooooooo sooooooooooooooo goooooooood and heavenly. So if you so happen to pop by, TRY IT!!!

Lastly, it would be the cupcakes I was talking about from Beccarino Cakes & Pastries.

It is located at 4 Changi Village Road #01-2072

Tel: 9763 2118

Website: www.beccarino.com

Email: ken@beccarino.com

They sell you awesome cupcakes at the price of $1.30. I bought 4: Orange Peel & Cream Cupcake, Banana Cupcake, Banana Chocolate Chips Cupcake and a Banana Walnut Cupcake. So far, 3 have entered my tummy!

• Their cakes are rather soft and spongy. It is also full and compact unlike some that serves you loose cake.
• They give reasonable amounts of ingredients in their cupcakes. They have toppings on top and toppings within the cupcake itself. (Just this makes the $1.30 a cupcake sooooooo worth it!!)
• The Orange Peel & Cream was easily my favourite. The orange taste was just fine and the orange cream tastes tangy and appetizing.
• The Cupcakes with bananas were great too! They give a good amount of bananas
• I have to say this is one cupcake place i'd visit again.

(Orange Peel & Cream Cupcake)

(Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcake)

So thats all on my food ventures in Changi Village! You peeps should really check em' out yeaps!!!! There will be more posts to come. 

I know I have given a shoutout on insta that I'd be doing a piece on Skull & HaHa's Showcase. Buuuuuttttttt, the vids are taking sooooooooooooooooo long to upload. So I hope you guys will pardon me for the fact that I can't churn the article out by tonight, but it will definitely be up!!!!! When the vids are done, this piece will be up too :) 

You peeps can follow me @magicprince on Instagram too ^^

Love you all!! Night!!!

<3 FJ

FOOD HUNT I

Location: Hougang Green Hwaker Center (the one directly next to Shop&Save)
How to get there: buses 325, 101, 161, 256, 159 (gotta walk a little from where ever you stop)

Hi peeps! This is my first little food hunt! Since it's near my house, and I'm slightly free during lunch period, I thought I take some time and do a little exploring and find some cheap food hidden over here! 

Heng Heng Mixed Vegetable stall sells good and cheap mixed vege!!

(3 vege)

Their charges:

• 3 vege = $2
• 2 vege + 1 meat = $2
• 1 vege + 2 meat =$2.50

This is my favourite stall! They always give LARGE servings of dishes!! YUMZ! The stir fried meat in sauce is the best! You guys should give it a go! I have a penchant for curry vegetables; they cook them just fine and they give you huge portions of it too!!
I advise you to head down at about 1145 if you want lunch as they queue is short! The queue starts at about 1200-1210!

Next would be Meng Kee Wanton Mee! They sell Wanton Mee at $2.50. 

(Wanton Mee with Ketchup Sauce)

While Wanton Mee doesn't differ much from stall to stall, I would say that this is cheap wanton mee around my neighbourhood! It's usually one of my alternatives when I'm too lazy to think of what to eat. Wanton Mee never fails.

Lastly, it would be the Chicken Rice from Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice stall. 

(Roasted Chicken Rice)

(Boiled Vegetables)

They sell:

• Chicken Rice (Roasted/White), Char Siew Rice, Roasted Pork at $2.50
• They have a chicken rice set with vegetables at $3.80 
• They also have side dishes like fried tofu, vegetables etc at no more than $4

I read else where that they'd give your a soup of your choice if you eat in but I had a take away, so I was unable to attest to it. I would say that the rice itself is slightly dry, I'm sure if you eat in the soup would help. The salted vegetables given is a good combination with the rice! Their chili sauce is good. I would say that the chicken set meal is more worth it as if my memory serves me well, to order vegetables separately would cost you and extra $2/$3; the vegetables in the set meal is more than enough. Also their chicken meat is tender (i hate those tough ones).

So here you go my dear friends! This is a short review of my food hunt! Those living near Hougang Green should drop-by and check em' out! If you have any places with cheap hwaker food to recommend us, do comment!! Till more to come...see ya!

<3FJ

HAINANESE DELICACY

Location: Far East Plaza #05-116
How to get there: Orchard Mrt (you gotta walk) or buses that go there directly: NR2, NR1, NR3, 5, 54, 105, 124, 128, 132, 143, 162M, 162, 167, 171, 190, 518, 518A, 587, 590, 598, 700, 700A
Contact number: 6732 4892

Hi darlings! This is gonna be a short one! Phyllis and I decided to go shopping in town with a friend yesterday. We've decided drop-by here for lunch before the start of our long shopping spree! (which he only bought a pair of pants-.-and we walked for hours!) Okay, back to the topic; Hainanese Delicacy only serves CHICKEN RICE! Whoa~I gotta say the queue was LONG! We waited in the queue for about 10-15 minutes?

We ordered half a roasted chicken, a plate of xiao bai cai and one can of green tea! Our bill came to a total of $24.70. Truthfully, half a roasted chicken can feed about 4 people, so bring more people there to eat yeah! (lowers down the per person cost!)

Advantages:

• There's a lot of chicken!
• They remove the bones for ya!
• The chicken is very tender!
• It does not leave you a very oily after taste unlike some others.
• The cucumbers that come with it is crisp and they taste good with the sauce!
• Chili sauce there is good! Try it!
• They steamed the vegetables instead of stir-frying them like some other stalls (MORE healthy!)

Disadvantage:

• The chicken is slightly cold (I'd prefer it a little warmer though)
• The soup tastes rather bland (but it depends on your preference)
• The turn over rate is rather high during lunch hour, there's really a pressure to eat a little faster
• It's rather cramp inside (but you won't stay more than 30 minutes inside so it's actually alright)

I would say that overall it's slightly pricey compared to a normal chicken rice stall at any hawker center. But then again, if you ordered a plate of chicken rice which is at an average of $3 and a small plate of vegetables which they ALSO charge at roughly $3 (bringing it to a total of $6) I would say that this would be a cheaper choice as the vegetable served is definitely more than what 3 small plates of vegetables from a normal hawker center put together would serve and you get half a chicken too with loads of cucumbers! If you happen to go there, let me know your opinions too^^

<3FJ

XI MEN DING

Location: Raffles City B1
How to get there: City Hall Mrt

Hi people, I thought I'd just update you guys on a value for money meal when I was out today! I had a set lunch today at XI MEN DING today. XI MEN DING is a Chinese restaurant that serves Taiwanese food. From the friend whom I ate with said; its Braised Minced Pork Rice taste the closest to the one he had in Taiwan itself. (I have not been to Taiwan, so I'm taking his word!)
The set meal includes:

• 3 out of 6 choices of side dishes
• 1 out of 7 main dishes
• 1 out of 4 desserts

I have attached the menu at the bottom so you guys can know more about it! (The best part is that this offer is even available during weekends!)

My friend and I had: all the 6 side dishes, braised minced pork rice, beef noodles, almond tofu dessert and yam paste dessert; both of us paid $16.25 each.

Advantages:

• Food is in huge portions (I kid you not, I couldn't finish my noodles)
• I had the beef noodles and it tastes great! The beef just MELTS in your mouth (calling out to beef lovers!)
• Like I said above, the braised minced meat rice is close to the authentic one is Taiwan (GOOD)
• The ikan bilis side dish is nice! (I highly recommend that you should try it!)
• Spacious
• They are quick in serving.
• They have an awesome collection of Chinese music
• VALUE FOR MONEY (I think I can repeat it on and on)

Disadvantages:

• I have no idea why, but we were served dessert first (shouldn't it always come last?)
• The chicken side is really salty (daylight murder; don't torture your kidneys)
• I had yam paste for dessert and it was SOUR (i don't remember yam paste to be sour~EW)
• They don't serve you plain water, you have to order drinks (cos I asked for warm water and was kindly rejected)

Hence overall, if you take steps to counter the disadvantages, i.e. bring your own bottled water, request for dessert to be served later and don't order the chicken side dish and yam paste dessert, it would be rather alright. 

Afterall, the price is so reasonable for a restaurant (so we applied the 'close one eye and open one eye' tactic). Therefore, if you're in town and you wanna try some reasonably good Chinese food without paying through your nose for those fancy restaurants, you may wanna consider XI MEN DING.

<3FJ