Chung Cheng Chilli Mee 崇正辣椒面 @ Golden Mile Food Centre

Have you ever heard of "Chili Mee" (辣椒面) before?

This stall located on the second storey of Golden Mile Food Centre sells exactly that, together with Prawn Mee (肉骨虾面) and Laksa (叻沙).

This is the first time I have heard of "Chili Mee" and I do not have the slightest clue what it really is. Consisting of ingredients borrowed from the Prawn Mee and Laksa, the impression this bowl of Chili Mee give me is chapalang because it is "a mix of everything".

I suppose it got its name due to the noodles being slathered with a generous portion of the savory chili sauce.

Mushroom Bak Chor Chai Tow Kway 香菇肉脞菜头粿 @ North Bridge Road Market

Ke Shuang Xing Fried Carrot Cake (柯双兴菜头粿) has been dishing out fried carrot cake (Chai Tow Kway) for five decades but just this month, they have roll out a new offering which is a marriage between Chai Tow Kway and Wah Kueh.

Wah Kueh (碗糕), as its name implies, is a bowl-sized rice pudding (imagine a giant Chwee Kueh) with toppings and sauce drizzled over it.

Unfortunately, this is a fast disappearing dish in Singapore. I myself have eaten it only once at Bukit Merah Food Centre while on my way to CMPB from Redhill more than 10 years ago. I have even forgotten how it taste like now.

Ivan, the owner of Ke Shuang Xing Fried Carrot Cake decided to bring this old favorite back and merge it with their Chai Tow Kway.

Qianhu Fish Farm: 9th Fish-Hub Competition 2016 - Flowerhorn Unity

I found out from Qianhu's Facebook about this 9th Fish-Hub Competition 2016 Flowerhorn Unity event so I made my way to the fish farm since I also need to get some supplies.

The event is held right in front of the shuttle bus drop-off point. There are a total of four classes and each class had fifteen entries totaling 60 tanks of flowerhorns.

I only took photos of the Class 1 Category A winners. I did not stay for the prize-giving.

Hua Kee Chicken Rice 华记鸡饭 @ Redhill Market & Food Centre

My last visit to Redhill Food Centre was more than 10 years ago when I walk pass it from Redhill MRT Station while on my way to have my pre-NS checkup at CMPB.

At that time, I knew nothing about the many good food to be found in this old, humble estate. For my return after more than a decade, I did some research online and compiled a list of the must-eats here at the food centre.

Among the popular stalls that made it to my list is 焱 (#01-09), whose fried chicken wings is supposedly so good that our Prime Minister Lee was spotted in the queue. Then, there is also Seng Heng Duck Mee (#01-28), Bak Kee Satay Bee Hoon (#01-42) and Hua Kee Chicken Rice (#01-72).

Harmony In Diversity Gallery

Do you know how many different faiths are being practiced here in Singapore? Well, apart from the usual Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Buddhism, that is.

Like the majority of you, I was clueless about it too but after visiting the Harmony In Diversity Gallery, I learned that there is also the Bahá'í Faith, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Sikhism, Judaism and Jainism.

To be honest, I have not even heard about some of them before but these ten faiths made up the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) in Singapore which was founded way back in 1949 to promote peace and religious harmony. I am surprised such an organization exists and that it even have a history of 67 years!

The IRO regularly conducts inter-faith prayers and blessings at launching ceremonies of public and private institutions such as the Downtown Line 2 and F1 tracks among others.

Video: The Walking Dead + Dumb Ways to Die Parody = The Walking Dumb

Dumb Ways To Die - The Walking Dead style.

Ru Yi Vegetarian Food 如意香素食 @ Tiong Bahru Market

Vegetarian Bee Hoon (齋米粉) is something that I eat for breakfast on a regular basis.

I particularly favored white bee hoon drizzled with 'lor' (gravy) but this combination is not available in my neighborhood. As a result, I always have to travel elsewhere just to have my craving fixed.

Ru Yi Vegetarian Food at Tiong Bahru Market sell exactly what I like. My order comes with the usual mock char siew (素叉烧), mock goose (齋鹅), mock intestine (素肠), fried french beans (四季豆) and pickled green chili.

Singapore Botanic Gardens - UNESCO World Heritage Site!

By now, it is no longer news that the Singapore Botanic Gardens was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status. It is the first and only tropical botanic garden on the UNESCO's World Heritage List and also the first in Asia and the third botanic gardens inscribed in the world.

I had wanted to visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens when it was first inscribed a year ago but the usual let-the-crowd-die-down-first procrastination got the better of me.

Since the folks were out of town and I did not have anything to do at home, I decided to just grab my camera and head for the Gardens.

You can take either the new downtown line or circle line to Botanic Gardens Station (DT9/CC19).

Visiting is now made even more convenient with the train station's exit right at the Gardens' doorstep.

Since I arrived by the Bukit Timah Gate, the plan was to cover as much ground as possible while heading towards Tanglin Gate.

Min Nan Pork Ribs Prawn Noodles 閩南排骨虾面 @ Tiong Bahru Market

I am at a lost as to which name to call this stall selling pork ribs prawn noodles at Tiong Bahru Market. 

The word 閩南 (Min Nan) is splashed across the signboard quite prominently yet beside it are the words 抢摊排骨虾面. So, should I call them 閩南排骨虾面 or 抢摊排骨虾面?

The latter is due to their participation on the channel 8 reality show "Buzzing Cashier" (抢摊大行动) years ago when the program engaged a chef to teach the stall owner how to cook prawn noodles the right way to save his ailing business. 

The business was eventually revived when they received a high score of 30/30.

Post National Day Farm Outing With The Health Minister

The weekend after our nation's 51st birthday, the folks and I went on a half-day farm tour organized by the community club. We gathered at the pickup point where two chartered buses were already waiting to pick us up. 

It wasn't until that morning itself that we realize our MP, Health Minister Gan would also be joining us on this half-day tour. However, I did not see him until very much later when we are back at the community club after the tour (I will come to that at the end of this post). 

After doing a head count, we finally set off for the farms.

Hui Ji Fishball Noodles & Yong Tau Fu 輝記魚圓面﹒釀豆腐 @ Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre

I got to know about Hui Ji Fishball Noodles & Yong Tau Fu while researching the must-eats at Tiong Bahru. Apart from the Shui Kueh and Lor Mee, this is yet another recommended stall that turned up in the search results.

I have not heard of this stall before but I decided to give it a try nonetheless. I was there during the late morning and expecting a long queue as mentioned by the many reviews online however, it must be my lucky day for there were only three customers in front of me.

The one before me ordered two bowls but had so many special requests that he confused the auntie and had to repeat his order several times.

When it was my turn, I ordered a $3 bowl of Fishball Mee Pok with extra chili.

Jian Bo Shui Kueh 楗柏水粿 @ Tiong Bahru Market & Food Centre

Jian Bo Shui Kueh 5 pieces for $2

Mention Tiong Bahru and Jian Bo Shui Kueh surely come to mind. I remember I began eating Jian Bo Shui Kueh when it was still at the old market before the big renovation.

Shui Kueh (or Chwee Kueh) is simply steamed rice cake and topped with preserved radish (chye poh). It is a humble dish usually eaten as breakfast. Up till this day, I still think Jian Bo Shui Kueh makes the best shui kueh around although they used to be better.

Sing Singapore: 那些年，我们唱的歌!

Still remember Sing Singapore?

I unearthed from the storeroom this Sing Singapore songbook which I received from my primary school about 28 years ago. It comprises of patriotic songs which we sing during national day and school events. I still remember singing these songs in the school hall with my classmates!

We do still hear some of these songs being sung during national day but there are others which we have not heard in ages! Since NDP2016 and SG51 is round the corner, let us reminisce the songs that we sang those years ago!

At The Singapore River Safari With GoPro Hero 4 Silver

The Singapore River Safari has been opened for quite some time now but my folks have yet to visit so I took the opportunity to bring them there when the park have a promotion for seniors above 60 years young. The tickets were only $8 (usual $14) per senior for the month of July.

Unfortunately, I only got to know about this during the last week of July. Otherwise, I would have brought them to a different park (Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park) each weekend.

I, on the other hand, got 30% off due to being a SAF personnel.

This trip could not have come at a more appropriate time for me to test out my new GoPro Hero 4 Silver which I have bought just a day before this trip.

Yip Yew Chong's Mural Hunting At Tiong Bahru

After visiting the goats at Tiong Bahru Market, I went in search of some other wall murals around the vicinity by another talented artist Yip Yew Chong.

The murals done by him were scenes from the old Tiong Bahru which really brings back fond memories for me as my grandparents used to stay at the already demolished Blk 30 Jalan Membina - the biggest HDB in Singapore at that time (the current site of that four storeys building opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza now).

As a small boy, the old Tiong Bahru Market and the bird singing corner were places where I frequent when we visit my grandparents every weekend.

Goat Xi Fa Cai @ Tiong Bahru

Tiong Bahru Market

2016 is the year of the monkey and more than half a year has passed so why am I still in the year of the goat? That is because, the following murals of goats were intended for the year 2015. My last visit to Tiong Bahru was two years ago, seemingly  after some chicken murals installed by the same artist Ernest Goh.  

A total of three goats can be found in and around the marketplace.

The Invasion Of Local Flavors At McDonald's Singapore!

McDonald's Singapore has just "zhng-ed" their menu with local flavors, giving a new twist to old favorites such as the Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Burger, Twist & Shaker Fries with Salt & Pepper Crab flavored Shaker, and Gula Melaka McFlurry with Layer Cake Bites.

Review: Nano Space 2 From Ocean Free

I have been using the Nano Space 2 from OF (Ocean Free) for about two weeks now and it is time for me to share my thoughts on this nano tank.

I must say that I really like the simplicity and overall look of the nano tank. With the built-in filter, there is no need for a filter to take up extra space within the tank. The pump is really quiet and the strength of the flow is adjustable. A plus point is that this tank consumes very little power and water change is a breeze with a siphon.

Unboxing: Nano Space 2 From Ocean Free

While visiting Qianhu Fish Farm a week ago, I bought this Nano Space 2 fish tank from OF (Ocean Free) which is one of Qianhu's many own in-house brand. I have been eyeing this range of nano tanks displayed at their retail store for quite a while now but have been indecisive due to the pricing. 

Initially, I was looking at the 16 litres tank priced at $98 but after much consideration, I decided to get the slightly bigger 24 litres tank for $10 more.

Boon Kee Wanton Mee @ Clementi Central

My last plate of Boon Kee Wanton Mee at Clementi Food Centre was four years ago. I actually stopped patronizing them because my last plate was a letdown.

Earlier this week, I accompanied Dad to the dentist nearby and while waiting for him, I ventured over to the food centre and decided to order myself a plate of Wanton Mee. I suppose it is about time to lift the ban to give them a chance to redeem themselves.

I requested for no char siew but they got my order wrong anyway.