.Bugis.Street.Chuen.Chuen.Chicken.Rice.(津津餐食).Part.2.

As mentioned in Part 1 of my review for Chuen Chuen, I actually visited this eatery thrice within a week.
So here’s Part 2!

After shopping for Christmas presents on a Saturday, me and Iing decided to leave the crowded Orchard area and head to Bugis for dinner. Hungry and tired out from all the shopping and walking around, we were lucky to get seats at Chuen Chuen when we reached (after which the patrons started streaming in within a short period of time).

Iing likes the Fresh Garoupa Fish Slice Soup with Beehoon (S$6.50+) alot from the 1st time she tried, hence she chose to order it again.

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Never did we think that this time round, the soup would be so bland, and fish slices not as fresh and QQ as previous time. I think they need to QC a ‘lil more to keep their standards consistent.

Hainanese Style Pork Cutlet Rice (S$6.50+) for me!

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Omggg the fried pork cutlet was done really nicely, and more tender than the previous round. I couldn’t get enough of it!! The sauce is a ‘lil sweeter and sour than that of Portuguese style’s, and it actually suits my tastebuds more. So good!

We ordered half of a Roasted Chicken (S$14+) to share too.

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It seemed like a rather big plate for 2 pax, but we ended up finishing every single bit of it and almost every drop of the sauce (I love the sauce so flavourful). They didn’t have enough roasted chicken for us to make up the half, so a small portion of it was in fact the normal white-skin chicken. Comparing these two, I still very much prefer the roasted version.

Group picture! Say cheese!

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Off to desserts after dinner! (That be the upcoming post then *heehee*)
Till next time! *flying kisses*

.Lady.M.Round.1.

After hearing all the hype about Lady M and its Mille Crêpes, I finally found a chance to give it a try with my La Sisters.

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Since Lady M is known for their cakes, we tried out a couple of them after our korean bbq lunch.

1. Gâteau Aux Marrons
Almond flour cake topped with cross-hatched piping of chestnut-infused cream.
I like this!

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2. Gâteau Au Chocolat
Chocolate sponge cake, and crushed walnuts folded into a chocolate mousse with gold dust and ganache to finish.
Love the rich chocolate, but I can’t really taste the crushed walnuts.

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3. Strawberry Mille Feuille
Delicate and flaky puff pastry filled with a lovely mix of strawberries and cream.
Can be more flaky, but I do fancy the cream.

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Last but not least, how can I miss out on the boutique exclusive?

4. Chocolate Mille Crêpes
Chocolate shavings atop twenty paper-thin chocolate infused crêpes, layered with chocolate cream.
This was a good choice! One of the better tasting crêpes cake I’ve tried.

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Can’t do without having a nice tea to accompany the cakes.
Glad I chose the Osmanthus Sencha tea. I like the light and sweet taste!

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With my pretty La Sisters! Thanks lots for the company! *hugs&kisses*

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.Jing.Hua.Restaurant.(京华小吃).

I guess many of you may have already come to know of this awesome chinese eatery that’s cheap and yummy. I know I’m a ‘lil slow in discovering this gem but still, allow yourself to indulge in my delish food pictures and drop by the eatery again!!

This post is for my 2nd visit to the eatery, but 1st time to the Bugis outlet. Small but quaint, the eatery was surprisingly filled with many Japanese patrons, most of whom were white-collars.

We had a bowl of Hot & Sour Soup (酸辣汤) to kickstart the meal while waiting for the other dishes to arrive. Though I wished for it to be more sour and spicier, it still makes for a decent bowl of soup to warm your stomach.
Price: S$3++/pax
(ps: the powder thingy was pepper, in case you were wondering. You’re welcomed.)

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My bowl of Zha Jiang Mian (炸酱面) came up not long after. It may look like a small bowl, but it was packed with lotsa ingredients and was surprisingly able to fill your tummy up quite a ‘lil (of ‘cos since you’ll be tempted to order other sides too so this size is decent enough).
I really like it! One of my must-order when I come here.
Price: S$5++/bowl

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Xiao Long Baos (小笼包s)! Skin was thin and the minced meat was marinated nicely. One minus point for me was I prefer my Xiao Long Baos with more soup stock in them, so I thought these didn’t have enough.
Price: S$7++/7pcs

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Lastly, one of my favourite Pan-fried Dumplings (锅贴) which I’ve tried so far. 1st time I see these dumplings that came with ‘open ends’. Marinated and pan-fried to perfection!
Price: S$8++/10pcs

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Special Appearance:
Tried this Red Bean Pancake (红豆饼) dessert during my 1st visit to Jing Hua. Super yums! Plus they only prepare upon ordering, hence you can be sure it’ll be piping hot when it’s delivered to you.
Price: S$10
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Doing up this post’s making me so hungry now. Please excuse me while I go hunt for food.

Till next time! Ciao!

Jing Hua Restaurant

Outlet 1
21 Neil Road, Singapore 088814
Tel: +65 6221-3060
Hours: Thursdays to Tuesdays 1130am-3pm; 530pm-930pm / Closed on Wednesdays

Outlet 2
159 Rochor Road, Singapore 188434
Tel: +65 6337-7601
Hours: Daily 1130-3pm; 530pm-10pm

Outlet 3
390 Orchard Road, Palais Renaissance, B1-04/05, Singapore 238871
Tel: +65 6733-8231
Hours: Daily 1130am-3pm; 530pm-10pm

.Food.Tasting.at.Paradise.Teochew.Restaurant.

Last week, I was invited by Paradise Group to a sponsored food tasting session at their new kid on the block, Paradise Teochew Restaurant (潮樂軒), located at the Chinese Swimming Club. With this, Paradise Group aims to extend deeper into its roots of being the experts in Chinese cuisine.

Teochew cuisine is famed for its deft handling of seafood and poultry, particularly in bringing out the natural taste of the fresh ingredients used. It is also known for being a celebrated source of healthy and light dishes, being light-handed on the seasonings and with minimal use of oil.

I was delighted when checking out their extensive menu of over a hundred dishes of Teochew style signatures, from appetisers and braised specialties to a full line-up of seafood, meat and poultries, and even coupled with an array of dim sum offerings. Diners will be sooo spoilt for choice!

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After deciding on my choice of dishes, I sat back and allow myself to soak in the happy atmosphere of the spacious and brightly lit restaurant. At the same time, nibbling on the peanuts side dish as well as having a Glutinous Rice Tea to help revv up my system before the awesome meal.

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Our appetiser was the Braised Trio Combination in Teochew Style (潮式卤味三拼盘).
Price: $22 for small / $33 for medium / $44 for large.

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Consisting of Braised Duck Meat, Braised Octopus and Braised Pork Belly, couple with Braised Beancurd at the bottom too. The meat was braised so nicely and I actually finished them together with the skin and fats (which usually I’ll pick them out and just eat the meat parts). It’s my first time eating octopus braised in this way too!

Next up for our Main No. 1, we had the Sautéed Pomfret Fillet with Tomato and Salted Vegetables (咸菜番茄煮鲳鱼件).
Price: $28 for small / $42 for medium / $56 for large

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The tomato soup base was rather refreshing when coupled with salted vegetables and onions. The pomfret used was really fresh too!

For our Main No. 2, we went for Stewed Pork Ribs with Bitter Gourd and Cucumber in Casserole (黄瓜凉瓜排骨煲).
Price: $18 for small / $27 for medium / $36 for large

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Warning: This dish is for bitter gourd lovers only.

The soup tasted really nourishing, with the bitter gourd aftertaste lingering in your throat for awhile after you swallowed it. But it made me wanna keep sinking my spoon into the casserole for more. The pork ribs soaked in all the goodness from the soup, though I was wishing the meat can be a ‘lil more tender.

Next up was our vegetable choice of Braised Mustard Green with Shredded Conpoy and Dried Shrimps (瑶柱虾籽大芥菜).
Price: $18 for small / $27 for medium / $36 for large

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Frankly speaking, this was my first time trying mustard green, without any prior knowledge of how this vegetable was going to taste like. I have to say, this dish made me feel really healthy and for consuming my daily intake of 2 portions of greens. This crunchy vegetable has an aftertaste similar to that of bitter gourd, but with an even rawer taste. If you are not a fan of mustard green, do still have a taste of the clear and sweet stock base.

I can never do without rice for a day, and being a fried rice lover, I’ll definitely not miss out on Fried Rice wih Yam in Teochew Style (潮式芋头炒饭).
Price: $14 for small / $21 for medium / $28 for large

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Generous portion of various ingredients like prawns and yam in this fried rice! The small size can actually serve 2-3 pax, but it’s so yummy I think I can have the whole plate to myself.

Every meal has to end with a dessert, hence we chose a very Teochew style dessert of Crispy Pumpkin, Yam and Sweet Potato Strips (金银三宝烙) which we haven’t tried before.
Price: $12 (one size)

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Eat it while it’s hot! This dessert was sooo addictive, couple with the peanut bits sprinkled on top. Even though I was already very full from the previous dishes, I simply cannot not have more than one serving of this. Highly recommended!!

With a sweet ending to this food tasting session, the overall experience was really pleasant and comforting (to our satisfied tummies). The PR Manager of this restaurant, Leon Teh, had been really helpful and attentive to all our needs, patiently introducing and explaining to us about each dish that we ordered.
Although this place is a ‘lil far off for me since I stay in the North (Chinese Swimming Club is located near Parkway Parade), I’d loved to bring my family here one day for them to try the lovely and healthy dishes, and for me to give their a dim sum a go too.

Thanks again to the Paradise Group for this experience!
I hope you guys can go try it out too!! ^_^

Paradise Teochew Restaurant
Address: 21 Amber Road, Chinese Swimming Club, #03-01 (via Arrival Pavilion), Singapore 439870
Tel: (65) 6348 7298

Business Hours:
Mon-Fri
1130am to 330pm (last order at 3pm)
6pm to 1030pm (last order at 10pm)

Sat, Sun & Public Holidays
1030am to 330pm (last order at 3pm)
6pm to 1030pm (last order at 10pm)

.Food.Tasting.at.Taste.Paradise.

Ola!
So, having been missing from this scene for quite awhile, I’m back now to bring you saliva-inducing snippets from my recent food tasting session at one of the establishments under the belt of Paradise Group.

Taste Paradise (味之楼) opened its doors in 2006 as a cozy and intimate restaurant in Chinatown. With good reviews and at the encouragement of many satisfied customers, the restaurant was relocated to ION Orchard in 2009 to serve diners in a grand and majestic ambience, at a more convenient location.

Marking 9 years of establishment with tens of thousands of satisfied diners, Taste Paradise embarks on a new journey of providing an exceptional dining experience that engages all senses with a new menu, refurbished restaurant interior and the usual excellence in service.
2015-08-09-14-45-26_deco[1]As Paradise Group’s Brand Ambassador, I was really elated to be invited to this food tasting session for its new menu launched recently, showcasing more Cantonese delicacies and refreshing takes on modern Chinese dishes.
2015-08-09-14-50-25_deco[1]Our sumptuous 7-course meal kicked off with Crisp-fried Soft Shell Crab (肉松软壳蟹) tossed with Pork Floss for our appetiser. (S$15.80 per serving)
2015-08-09-14-48-35_deco[1]As the name states, the soft shell crab was crisply fried well, and coupling with pork floss was a match-make in heaven.

Our starter was a Combination of Pan-seared Foie Gras, Wasabi Mayonnaise Prawn and Sliced Peking Duck. (味之楼经典三品 — 煎鹅肝,芥末奶滋虾,北京片皮鸭) (S$22 per serving)
2015-08-09-14-57-04_deco[1]We were advised by our friendly server Vincent Lee, who also happens to be the supervisor of this Taste Paradise outlet, on the sequence in tasting this dish for the utmost experience. So we had to start off with the foie gras, which literally melted in our mouths. I was never a foie gras person, but I finished this in record timing.
2015-08-09-14-52-55_deco[1]Next would be the peking duck skin, which was crispy and yet with some juicy fats to add to the taste.
2015-08-09-14-55-48_deco[1]Followed by the succulent prawn, in which matching with wasabi mayonnaise never goes wrong. Lastly, eating the chunky watermelon piece which helped to prep our palette for the dish to come.
2015-08-09-14-54-36_deco[1]For the soup, we decided to go for the Double-boiled Whole Yellow Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood and Diced Mushrooms (海鲜炖金盅), as I’m not a fan of shark’s fin. (S$18 per serving)
2015-08-09-14-58-55_deco[1]2015-08-09-14-59-44_deco[1]Having boiled the melon as a whole for hours with generous amount of ingredients (lots of dried and fresh scallops, fish maw, crab meat, diced mushrooms and duck meat), the soup tasted heavenly. And when we scooped the soup up the long melon ‘passageway’, some bits of soft melon flesh were scraped off onto our spoons too, adding even more melon taste to the whole experience.

Up next! Pan-seared Kurobuta Pork with “Dang Gui” Sauce (当归黑豚肉) for our meat option. (S$22 per serving)
2015-08-09-15-01-00_deco[1]2015-08-09-15-01-38_deco[1]This dish was SO. GOOD. The pork fillet was really tender with bits of fats in between, and the “dang gui” sauce was an interesting and refreshing twist. Something which I hadn’t tasted before elsewhere. *thumbs up*

Our 5th course was Crisp-fried Edamame Tofu with White Truffle and Mushroom Sauce (白松露翡翠碧玉), because I love truffle be it white or black. *cues Michael Jackson’s song “Black or White”* (S$8 per serving)
2015-08-09-15-02-54_deco[1]2015-08-09-15-03-24_deco[1]It didn’t disappoint me! The white truffle taste was strong enough yet not overpowering, and went really well with the crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside edamame tofu. I can have 2 to 3 servings of this at one go.

Because I really love truffle, I chose for my main dish to be Stir-fried Angel Hair Pasta with Black Truffle Sauce with Assorted Seafood (黑松露海鲜天使面) (S$12 per serving)
2015-08-09-15-04-33_deco[1]Lovely truffle smell whiffed past my nose, and its taste filled up my whole mouth when I tasted the pasta. Plus I’m more of a seafood than meat person, hence I was happy to see chunks of fresh scallops and prawns in this dish as well (as with all the previous dishes with seafood too).

Sadly, we’ve come to the last course of this sumptuous meal for the day. To end on an sweeter note, we chose 2 different types of desserts to try out.
Warm Double-boiled Hashima with American Ginseng and Red Dates (温泡参红枣炖雪蛤). (S$12.80 per serving)
2015-08-09-15-05-57_deco[1]Coupled with a generous portion of hashima, I can already feel the collagen taking their spot under my face skin after consuming it.

Combination of Chilled Mango Puree, Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream and Pumpkin Pastry (甜品三品 — 杨枝甘露,黑糯米伴雪糕,南瓜饼). (S$10.80 per serving)
2015-08-09-15-08-29_deco[1]2015-08-09-15-10-54_deco[1]2015-08-09-15-09-35_deco[1]One scoop of the refreshing mango puree, one bite of the chewy pumpkin pastry, then one small spoonful of the black glutinous rice with coconut ice cream. More than perfect ending! So satisfying! *smack lips*

Next time when you are having a headache on where to bring your family and friends for celebrations and gatherings, why not go to Taste Paradise and check out their exciting new menu! I guarantee you will not be disappointed! *wide grin*

.Food.Tasting.at.Paradise.Inn.


Couple of days back, Ving had the honor to be invited to a food tasting session at Paradise Inn at Marina Square.
Started 7 years ago, Paradise Inn is the third culinary concept initiated by Paradise Group and is currently the brand with the most number of outlets island-wide. As her brand tagline suggests, Paradise Inn aims to be an all-in-one dining concept — a restaurant, tea-house, as well as dessert place. Therefore, the focus of the menu is circled around these three main areas.

Paradise Inn‘s main menu offers nostalgic and familiar home-cooked dishes that are popular among local Chinese. One can easily call these ‘comfort food’ or ‘grandma’s dishes’. Think of them as simple, heart-warming and nothing pretentious. Like how a granny would have cooked it, the quality of the ingredients used and affordability are the main concerns when these dishes are concocted. 2014-06-19-11-37-04_deco[1]Paradise Inn’s current revamped menu’s version is already the fourth, combining the best and most popular dishes from all the past versions. Paradise InnSo let’s check out what awesome dishes Ving and buddy be served today!!!
Starting out with some lovely drinks… 2014-06-19-11-41-55_deco[1]Left: Floral & Herb-infused Hot Tea (S$3.80++ per person)
Our combination was Lily Flower + Forget Me Not + Dried Longan + Chrysanthemum.
Benefits: Nourishes lungs. Relieves cough. Detoxifies the body and has beauty enhancing properties.
It smells and tastes light and floral, with notes from chrysanthemum at the end.
Nice to have it after a heavy meal!
Bonus for the presentation aspect, whereby it comes in a nice little teapot and kept warm with a burning candle at the bottom.

Right: Fruit-infused Ice Tea (S$4.20++ per glass)
We chose the Elderflower and Melon combination, which was very refreshing and suitable for Singapore’s hot weather!
It was gone in no time!

Before the mains were served, a strong supporting actor came into the scene…
Stewed Pork Belly served with Lotus Bun, S$2.60++ per piece 2014-06-19-11-43-11_deco[1]I’m usually not a fan of pork belly, but gosh Paradise Inn sure knows how to do this dish well.
Having been simmered for hours, the meat is so tender with the right amount of fats melting in your mouth, coupled with the homemade sauce and sweet soft lotus bun.
My gosh. Every bite feels like heaven.
Can I have one more piece, please?!

Then came one of our main leads for the day…
Traditional Double-Boiled Black Chicken Ginseng Soup, S$23.90++ per pot 2014-06-19-11-53-52_deco[1]Ingredients used:
Black Chicken + Ginseng + American Ginseng + Spare Ribs + Lean Meat + Chicken + Chicken Feet

Benefits:
Nourishes lungs. Improves blood circulation. Rejuvenates the body.
Every spoonful of it oozing with goodness! 2014-06-19-11-57-38_deco[1]It was light and very flavorful, no doubt that it had been double-boiled for hours.
Plus it doesn’t cause your mouth to have this greasy feel at all.
I can totally have at least 3 bowls of this!

Hot-Plate Tofu with Preserved ‘Cai Xin’ and Minced Pork, S$11.90++ 2014-06-19-11-47-37_deco[1]I’ve always been a fan of hot-plate tofu (a must-have for me during zi-char sessions).
Generous portion of bursting flavors, coupled with a big tofu that’s crispy on the outside but soft and silky on the inside.
I can literally consume the whole thing by myself! >.<

Sauteed French Beans with Dried Shrimps and Preserved Turnip, S$12.90++ 2014-06-19-11-52-32_deco[1]Only one word to describe this dish: CRUNCHY
It was actually rather addictive to keep munching on this dish ‘cos of its crunchiness.
But of ‘cos the yumminess played a big part too!

Crisp-Fried Crystal Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk, S$18.90++ 2014-06-19-11-51-08_deco[1]One of my all-time favourite (though very sinful) dishes in Paradise restaurants.
I first tried this in Canton Paradise, and have never gotten enough of its taste.
Was so happy to find it in Paradise Inn too!!
The richness of the salted egg yolk you can never forget, couple with big prawns crisp-fried to the right degree

. Supreme Seafood Fried Rice, S$12.90++ 2014-06-19-11-55-27_deco[1]I’m super love fried rice, and this is what I would call the “Golden Fried Rice“.
Paradise Inn isn’t stingy with the ingredients at all, with chunky bits of fresh prawns and scallops.
Plus point which differentiates this from other fried rice:
They added in fish roe, which contributes to this slight crunchiness when u are chewing your rice.
Gosh…. I can eat this everyday.

The spread!!
2014-06-19-12-04-26_deco[1]Happy and satisfied (and super full) us after the treat!!
2014-06-19-12-26-27_deco[1]Thank you very much for the sumptuous meal, Paradise Inn!!! ^_^ *throws confetti*

.Tribute.of.Love.at.Paradise.Dynasty.


Recently, Ving had the honor to be invited to a food-tasting session at Paradise Dynasty at Vivo City.
Being the latest 5th outlet in Singapore, it spans across more than 10,000 square feet.
At any one time, it can house over 350 guests, accompanied with 7 private rooms to dine in style and privacy, as well as a spectacular view overseeing Sentosa.
2014-05-03-16-36-12_deco[1]It was for the 2 new Xiao Long Bao flavors which Paradise Dynasty has specially crafted, in conjunction with the celebration of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
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Today’s meal!
2014-05-03-17-05-48_deco[1]No I wasn’t acting emo.
Waiting for my delish food to arrive!
2014-05-03-17-34-36_deco[1]Before the main leads enter the scene, let’s start off with some appetiser!

Shredded Potatoes with Capsicum 家乡凉拌土豆丝, S$4.20++
2014-05-03-17-16-30_deco[1]Gosh the shredded potatoes were so crunchy and refreshing when coupled with the cooling dressing!
I actually didn’t expect that, ‘cos I thought they’ll be softer and more on the flavorful side.

Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Dried Scallop 瑶柱芙蓉赛螃蟹, S$12.80++
2014-05-03-17-20-42_deco[1]Closer shot!
2014-05-03-17-19-41_deco[1]We were kindly informed by the service staff that this dish will taste even better if we add some vinegar and pepper, and stir it all together with the egg yolk.
She was so right!! It totally brought its taste up to another level.
Moreover, I have to say that the chef really knows how to whip up this dish.
You can taste the individual textures of the egg white, fish, and dried scallop, yet they all blend really well when you eat a spoonful of them together.

And now………. *drumroll*
Let’s welcome our main leads!!!

Tribute Basket of Love – Yuan Yang Xiao Long Bao, S$13.90++
2014-05-03-17-08-00_deco[1]Complimentary colors!
2014-05-03-17-08-43_deco[1]New Flavor 1: Dang Gui 当归 (Chinese Angelica Root) for Mothers
2014-05-03-17-12-32_deco[1]Known as women’s herb, Dang Gui has been commonly used to treat various female gynaecological disorders.
Though it is especially popular among women, men can consume it too.
Its benefits include treatment for cardiovascular issues, constipation, insomnia, and inflammation, apart from women’s reproductive issues.

New Flavor 2: Shi Quan 十全 (10 Tonics) for Fathers
2014-05-03-17-14-08_deco[1]Shi Quan is a Chinese herbal formula consisting of 10 different herbs, and the combination is believed to improve the general condition of the body, and alleviate symptoms of fatigue, anaemia, loss of appetite etc.

In order to fully enjoy the flavors, the trick is to eat the Dang Gui Xiao long bao before the Shi Quan.
Dang Gui has a lighter taste as compared to Shi Quan, hence eating it 1st will prevent the latter’s stronger taste from overpowering it.
Overall, the herbal taste for both flavors were just nice and they compliment each other really well.
MUST-TRY!!!

La Mian with Poached Marbled Beef in Szechuan Style 水煮肥牛肉拉面, S$13.80++
2014-05-03-17-22-27_deco[1]2014-05-03-17-24-38_deco[1]Geez why haven’t I tried this dish before for the umpteen times which I’d been to Paradise Dynasty??
It was so flavorful and appetising, yet the Szechuan taste wasn’t too overbearing, and it’s actually less spicy than what it seemed from the pictures.
The beef slices were really tender and seasoned well, plus given a generous portion.
They go very well with the QQ noodles!

La Mian in Signature Pork Bone Soup served with Deep-Fried Pork Ribs 蒜香排骨拉面, S$12.80++
2014-05-03-17-26-28_deco[1]The pork ribs (served separately) were so nicely deep-fried with the right amount of seasoning added, 2 big pieces of them weren’t enough for me alone!
And to think that I wasn’t a pork ribs fan to begin with!
Remember to eat them while they are still hot!
The crispiness will bring out the sun behind you! *heehee*
2014-05-03-17-28-49_deco[1]Happy me enjoying the pork ribs!
2014-05-03-17-31-12_deco[1]It’s not named the “Signature Pork Bone Soup” for nothing.
You can totally taste the full flavors from the pork bones that had seeped into the soup after long hours of slow-boiling it.
Bonus for that few slices of crunchy pig skin!
2014-05-03-17-27-30_deco[1]I’m sure by now you have an idea of where to bring your parents to for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrations!
Where else??
Paradise Dynasty of ‘cos!!! *heehee*

Gosh…
My stomach’s orchestra’s making fanfare-esque music now, after having to post pictures of such yummy-licious dishes.
That’s it.
Time for me to go cook my dinner.

p.s.:
I’ve to say, the service at this Paradise Dynasty outlet is very good!
I would like to take this opportunity to specially mention one of their service staff, named Cui Wah.
I really like her sincerity and professionalism when serving patrons.
Managed to capture a not-very-clear shot of me with her, while she’s patiently explaining some details to me.
I hope Paradise Group will notice her good service and keep her working there for long!
(Ok maybe I should write a compliment letter for her too.)
2014-05-03-17-29-39_deco[1]Till next time!! Ciao!! *juggles xiao long baos*

.recycling.for.1st.trimester.of.2014.

Following my previous post on a tabulation of what Cycliclapse recycled in the last couple of months of 2013, we are even more motivated and decided to do up another tabulation for the 1st trimester of 2014.

WARNING: Rather long post ahead, but with many images to enjoy too.

This year, Team @ Cycliclapse is still diligently collecting and sending recyclable stuff to “Cash For Trash” on alternate, if not every, Sundays.
For the recent couple of weeks, we were caught up with work stuff and other commitments, so we weren’t able to drop the items off but yet still collecting them.
Hence they have since accumulated to a REALLY HUGE pile as compared to all our previous ones, consisting of countless aluminium cans / plastic bottles / newspapers, plus some other random pieces of old clothes and metal. 2014-04-26-17-07-53_deco[1]Looking at the huge pile, an idea suddenly struck us.
“Let’s make a statement piece that can go viral, before sending them all for recycling.”
And so we started on our planning + execution process…….
(We hope one day this cover of TIME can become real!) IMG-20140414-WA0007[1]After sketching some designs for the dress which we planned on making, it’s down to doing up the real thing in a week’s time. 2014-04-26-17-21-54_deco[1]An old bra was found in the pile of old clothes, so we decided to modify it to be the top part of the dress. 2014-04-26-17-25-25_deco[1]Every single can tab was being hand-sewn onto the bra. 2014-04-26-17-30-20_deco[1]This pile of newspapers (and more) made up the bulk of the lower part of the dress. 2014-04-26-17-33-41_deco[1]Big bag of aluminium cans to make up the train of the dress! 2014-04-26-17-39-27_deco[1]Weaving using magazine papers (to cover a HP laptop box) for… 2014-04-26-17-41-28_deco[1]…my Bottega-cum-Chanel inspired oversized clutch! Hot-Sell-Bottega-Veneta-Impero-Satin-Clutch-113085-black_21324_0Chanel Lego Clutch 2014-04-26-17-48-38_deco[1]We made a headpiece for each of us, including the model! 2014-04-26-17-57-46_deco[1]After putting everything together………
TADAH!!! 2014-04-26-18-21-18_deco[1]2014-04-26-18-26-34_deco[1]All the hard work has been paid off!
We are more than happy with the final result of the whole outfit!!
Thanks lots to our dear model too for wearing our creation!!!

And now to the 2nd half of the post, a tabulation of how much we’ve recycled for this 1st trimester of the year, as well as how much of our own carbon footprints we’ve reduced.

Week 1 (5th Jan):
Aluminium — 1kg
Papers — 48kg
Plastics — 4kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$5.50
PhotoGrid_1389120539213[1]Week 3 (19th Jan):
Aluminium — 1kg
Metal — 2kg
Old Clothes — 5kg
Papers — 55kg
Plastics — 10kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$7.60
PhotoGrid_1390204996343[1]Week 6 (9th Feb):
Aluminium — 3kg
Papers — 17kg
Plastics — 2kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$3.30
2014-02-11-23-56-49_deco[1]Week 8 (23rd Feb):
Aluminium — 2.5kg
Papers — 30kg
Plastics — 2kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$4.50
PhotoGrid_1393134259482[1]Week 10 (9th Mar):
Aluminium — 1.5kg
Plastics — 0.5kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$0.70
PhotoGrid_1398510169887[1]Week 12 (23rd Mar):
Aluminium — 2kg
Metal — 2kg
Old Clothes — 6kg
Papers — 55kg
Plastics — 4kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$8.00
PhotoGrid_1395666681166[1]Week 17 (27th Apr):
Aluminium — 5kg
Metal — 1kg
Papers — 83kg
Plastics — 4kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$11.05
PhotoGrid_1398570621318[1]*GRAND TOTAL*

Aluminium: 16kg (about 300 cans)
We saved 128kg of bauxite, 64kg of chemical products, 0.08 cubic metres of landfill space (when cans are crushed), and 234.21kWh of electrical energy.
(Sources: http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/The-Benefits-Of-Aluminum-Recycling-Why-Recycle-Aluminum.htm / http://www.sustainableworld.org.uk/recyc_al.htm)

Metal (all others apart from Aluminium): 5kg
We saved 7.5kg of iron ore, 25kg of coal, 0.27kg of limestone, 0.2% of water used in production, 0.38% of energy needed to make such metals from raw material, 6.4kg of solid waste, reduction in air emission by 0.43%, and reduction of water pollution by 0.38%.
(Source: http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/recyclingmetals/)

Old Clothes: 11kg
We reduced 39.6kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, 66,000 litres of water consumption, 3.3kg of the use of fertilisers, and 2.2kg of the use of pesticides.
(Source: http://www.onkaparingacity.com/onka/living_here/waste_recycling/recycling_revolution/dont_waste_your_clothes_give_them_a_second_life.jsp)

Papers: 288kg
We saved 4.91 trees, 2,016 gallons of water, 109.44 gallons of oil, 0.95 cubic yards of landfill space, and 1,152kWh of electrical energy.
(Source: http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/The-Benefits-Of-Paper-Recycling-Why-Recycle-Paper.htm)

Plastics: 26.5kg
We saved 18.15 gallons of oil, 53kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, 0.2 cubic yards of landfill space, and 153.02kWh of electrical energy.
(Sources: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/benefits-savings-recycling-plastic-79284.html / http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefits-of-plastics-recycling.htm)

Money ‘earned’: S$40.65

Everybody!! Let’s all start/continue doing our part today!!! *juggles bottles and cans*

.recycling.for.2013.

If you haven’t already known, Cycliclapse has been diligently collecting stuff and sending them for recycling on every alternate Sundays, in order to reduce our carbon footprint as well.

We first got to know about this collection drive called “Cash For Trash” only in late September 2013, which is held on every Sunday at Jurong West Street 51 (currently still ongoing), and has been going for it ever since early October.
Basically, you’ll be paid by per kg for the items you sent in for recycling.
The rates for each category of items can be seen below.
Here’s to tabulate a total of how much we’d recycled so far, and also to motivate everyone to do so too! ^_^

Week 1:
Papers — 7kg
Old Clothes — 13kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$3.30
Week 2:
Papers — 6kg
Plastics — 3kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$0.75Week 3:
Papers — 7kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$0.70Week 4:
Papers — 20kg
Plastics — 1kg
Aluminium — 4kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$4.50Week 5:
Papers — 14kg
Plastics — 2kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$1.50Week 6:
Papers — 10kg
Plastics — 0.5kg
Aluminium — 1kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$1.50Week 7:
Plastics — 1kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$0.05Week 8:
Papers — 1kg
Plastics — 1kg
Aluminium — 0.3kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$0.30Week 12:
Papers — 23kg
Plastics — 2kg
Aluminium — 1kg
Old Clothes — 5kg
Money ‘earned’ — S$3.90*GRAND TOTAL*

Papers: 88kg
We saved 1.5 trees, 616 gallons of water, 33.44 gallons of oil, 0.29 cubic yards of landfill space, and 352 kWh of electrical energy.
(Source: http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/The-Benefits-Of-Paper-Recycling-Why-Recycle-Paper.htm)

Plastics: 10.5kg
We saved 7.19 gallons of oil, 21kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, 0.08 cubic yards of landfill space, and 60.63 kWh of electrical energy.
(Sources: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/benefits-savings-recycling-plastic-79284.html / http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefits-of-plastics-recycling.htm)

Aluminium: 6.3kg (about 378 cans)
We saved 50.4kg of bauxite, 25.2kg of chemical products, 0.03 cubic metres of landfill space (when cans are crushed), and 92.22 kWh of electrical energy.
(Sources: http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/The-Benefits-Of-Aluminum-Recycling-Why-Recycle-Aluminum.htm / http://www.sustainableworld.org.uk/recyc_al.htm)

Old Clothes: 18kg
We reduced 64.8kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, 108,000 litres of water consumption, 5.4kg of the use of fertilisers, and 3.6kg of the use of pesticides.
(Source: http://www.onkaparingacity.com/onka/living_here/waste_recycling/recycling_revolution/dont_waste_your_clothes_give_them_a_second_life.jsp)

Money ‘earned’: S$16.50

Everybody!! Let’s all start doing our part today!!! *juggles bottles and cans*

.Chingay.2014.

Warning: Beware of upcoming flood of images!

Went for the recent Chingay Parade last Friday, courtesy of my dad for the free tickets! My 1st time watching it live! Just nice we were able to film it too!

Man, were the performers awesome!

On the way to the audience seats. 

Waiting for the show to start! 

Opening act! 

Arrival of PM Lee and Mrs Lee! 

Super long banner!! 

Lotsa white horses….. 

…… paved way for the big guy! Trojan much??? *kidding* 

Pegasus came too! 

Then we had a float with some of Singapore’s iconic spots! Merlion / Gardens By The Bay / Marina Bay Sands / Esplanade / Sentosa / Changi Airport 

With a bunch of Gods of Wealth following behind! 

Performers on stilts! 

Lion dance troupes! 

Huge banners which even the performers had difficulty keeping them up. 

Confucius came too!

Dragons and fire crackers! 

More Gods of Wealth! 

Me like Black Horse. 

Malays’ float. 

Indians’… 

Ballerinas! 

There were many… 

Many… 

MANY of them! 

Cha cha! 

PAYM’s float! Broadway style! 

NUS’s float! 

Japanese’s float! 

Performers from Indonesia! 

Love their costumes!!! 

Koreans in traditional outfits. 

Cute! Circus style! 

The dragon playground! 

Getai’s float! 

Sea of gold performers with the getai float. 

CDCs’ float! 

Finally! The one which my dad participated in! 

Nearing the end! 

Waiting for the moment…… 

Revealing the end products! 

Hand-knitted by 12,000 people! 

SPECTACULAR! ! ! ! !

Till next year! ! ! *throws confetti*