Miso potatoes are so good

I'm a big follower of Marc Matsumoto simply because his recipes are so simple yet always good. He's not just a genius chef, he analyses and improvises cooking methods so that lazy bones like us can simply follow without having to crack our heads.

When I saw his spicy miso-glazed potatoes recipe, I didn't get very excited. Afterall, how good can boiled potatoes get right?

Yet when I saw these pretty new potatoes in pink and purple hues at the grocers during the weekend, I couldn't resist bringing some home. I was planning to roast them in the oven when I suddenly recalled Marc's recipe. Thankfully I had all the ingredients at home (told you his recipes are very simple) and managed to present the dish on the dining table in 30 minutes.

The potatoes were soft and silky smooth, with a lovely buttery smell and taste. I only use SCS butter because it imparts such a nice flavour. The miso paste lends a special touch to the spud. I think I have found the perfect food for picnics and potluck.

Oh, YK gave a rating of 9.5/10. The highest I had ever scored so far. It is that good.

New Ubin Seafood

It all began when Petunia asked me about my dining experience at Crab in da Bag. She must be craving for crabs. Then she sent me some photos of drool worthy food at New Ubin Seafood which got me very excited. Like two very crab-deprived women, we agreed to meet at the restaurant for lunch the very next day. 

When best friend called to ask me out for lunch, I dragged her along too. She thought it was unusual to be having chilli crab for lunch. Well, to be honest, it was my first time too. The crab was so good,  the restaurant wasn't crowded and the service was excellent, it turned out to be a great idea afterall.

Interested to see what we ate?

To satisfy our craving, we ordered a crab cooked in spicy chilli sauce. I've always been a fan of Jumbo Seafood's crab but today I declare the crab here to be even better. The flesh is firm and sweet, it's probably the freshest I had ever tasted so far.

Another dish that is highly recommended is the black angus ribeye steak. I'm usually not a fan of beef but the USDA ribeye here is in a league of its own. It's pan fried, sliced up and served with really delicious fries, caramelised onion, mustard and ketchup.

The high fat content keeps the beef tender and juicy. Some of the beef fat  is used to fry up a plate of sinfully rich and fragrant fried rice. 

While the hae chor (shrimp and meat roll) was good, our attention was focused on the unsual way the stir-fried vegetable dish was presented. Sprinkled on top of the vegetables is a mixture of finely shredded fried kale and tiny silver fish which adds another dimension to the otherwise ordinary dish.

What we've been eating

When we heard rave reviews about Crab in Da Bag, we knew we had to get there fast. We expected the restaurant to be packed during mealtimes, so we went at 3pm on a Saturday to find only two tables occupied.
 
We were told it would get messy and were advised to put on the bib. None of us were too enthsiastic about wearing a plastic bib but when the food arrived, we could see why. The prawns cooked in the spicy and garlicky Caboodle sauce was the yummiest but also the messiest to eat. We also ordered clams and king crab legs in garlic butter sauce.
 










The concept at Crab in Da Bag is fantastic. Just pick the type of seafood, seasoning and sides and wait for the food to arrive in a transparent bag. The wait staff cuts open the bag and invites you to dig in using your hands. The entire experience is fun, casual and delicious. We loved it so much, we wish we could afford to eat there every week.

One Sunday afternoon, we found ourselves at Vivocity just after lunch hour. There was no line outside the newly opened Jamie Oliver restaurant and I thought it was our lucky day. Unfortunately the waiting time was more than 30 minutes.

We wanted a quick meal and Poulet Restaurant next door fit the bill. The specialty here, as the name implies, is the French roast chicken.

Even though the restaurant was quite packed, the food was served quickly. Again, the concept here is good. The menu is not extensive like in many restaurants. The mains are mostly precooked, and can be quickly assembled in the kitchen when the order is placed.

YK ordered the roast chicken which was delicious. Apparently they brine the chcken for a full day in a traditional recipe then place in the rotisserie for a slow roast untilt he skin is golden. It is served with a yummy Mushroom Chardonnay Sauce.

I had the duck confit which was braised until very tender. I would have preferred it with a bit more bite. If I were to return again, I would go for the chicken.

Duck confit.

We love Thai food and are lucky to have a really good Thai Restaurant near our home. On days when we want to have really authentic Thai food and the right ambience, we head to Golden Mile Complex, also known as Little Thailand.

There are many restaurant to choose from but our favourite is Diandin Leluk where the food is good and prices reasonable.

Omelette.

Spicy pork.

Tongue hanging out cos food too spicy.

Thai style baked fish

Growing up in a Teochew household, I've had my fair share of steamed fish. Even now, we eat steamed fish for dinner several times a week. I guess old habits die hard.It's probably the easiest way to cook fresh whole fish but even if the boys are not getting jaded, I am.

While I was roasting chicken that day, I decided to make the oven multi-task by tossing a parcel of fish inside as well. The sea-bass, which I marinated in a Thai-style seasoning, tasted fantastic, even better than the steamed version.

The best thing is, there was no pot or plate to wash after dinner. Just scrunch up the foil and throw away!

Take a whole fresh sea bass and season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, mix the juice of one lemon with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 minced garlic, 1 chopped-up chilli, sliced shallots and 1 teaspoon sugar (I used gula melaka). 
Take a large piece of foil, line it with banana leaf (only if you have), and lay the fish on it.
You can scatter tomato, coriander and slices of onion around the fish if you like. I even put what's left of the lemon in there.
Pour the seasoning all over the fish. Pull the foil up and form a large tent with the fish inside.
Bake in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes at 200 degree C.

To Bangkok without me

Now that YK is in the army, it's getting difficult to travel together as a family. When the opportunity arose for him to travel to Bangkok with SK, I was more than happy to sponsor the air tickets.

I was excited that the brothers were going on vacation without me. Compared to their peers in the West, they are already late bloomers. Still I think it's better late than never. They had to manage their time and money, find their way around and look out for each other in a foreign city.

They stayed in a tiny room in a hostel (Baan Dinso) near the Royal Palace and kept me posted on their whereabouts so I knew they were safe.

YK brought SK to his favourite stall ( Thip Samai) which sells the best pad-thai in Bangkok. And for two days, they combed Chatuchak Market for the best finds. They went shopping in the city and bought me presents. It's a good start.

Tees and a bag for me.

Reunion in Penang

My last trip to Penang two yeas ago was a really short one. Yet in the few hours I was there, my client took me sightseeing and treated me to all the delicious local food. We zipped around in her car and she avoided all the busy roads which made all the difference. We covered quite a lot in less than a day.

When I was visiting an old friend in Penang during the weekend, we traveled everywhere by bus and were stuck in traffic a lot. The streets are narrow, and with the increasing car population, the traffic situation can only get worse. And thanks to the wet weather, we didn't do much in 3 days.

This long-awaited reunion was a bitter-sweet one. The years have not been too kind on her. She used to be very wealthy but had lost all her money to bad investments. Seeing her lead such a humble life takes some getting used to especially when we're meeting for the first time in 10 years. In the midst of all the turmoil, she met a nice guy and have gotten married. 

She no longer owns a fleet of cars like before and is now learning to ride a scooter. That is if she can overcome the fear of riding after a recent fall. For now, she takes the public bus.

It was good to see that she remains generous and cheerful despite these setbacks. We had a great time catching up and I know that life can only get better for her. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

View of Ferringhi Beach from her apartment.

Fried oyster omelette -a dish only the Asians can appreciate. My friend from USA voted this the worst thing he had ever tasted.

Fried kuay teow.

Grilled stingray.

Chicken satay.

Pancake with banana and ice cream.

Taroko Gorge

The most memorable part of the trip was our day trip to Taroko Gorge. I'll let SK's photos show you how majestic Taroko is.

Going the Extra mile

I have always been told how friendly the Taiwanese people are. It became apparent when we got there. We did not meet a single nasty person throughout the trip. All the cab drivers were chatty and friendly.

The middle-aged one who drove us from Alishan to Taichung airport  was in good spirits despite having scalded his thigh badly two days ago. Even though he was in great pain, he remained cheery throughout the journey.

Another betel-nut-chewing driver kept us entertained with his stories during the long drive. He even offered CH some betel nut when we got off the cab, just because CH asked what it tasted like.

Betel nut.

I guess you can tell from the look on his face that it wasn't  tasty.

  Our favourite cab driver has got to be the super-motherly lady who brought us around in Hualien. On the way to Taroko Gorge, she stopped at the famous lemonade store to get us some ice cold lemonade.

 At Taroko Gorge, she insisted on hiking with us so she could show us the hidden attractions along the trail. After the long hike up the rocky terrain, she fished out the bottle of lemonade from her bag to share with us.

 

On the way back to the city, when she knew we missed out on the famous Hualien pancake, she called up the store immediately. When that store had sold out theirs for the day, she rang another one to save 3 pieces for us. Thanks to her, we managed to taste it!

 As if she hasn't done enough, she took us to the famous watermelon shop too. Indeed, the watermelon was so sweet and juicy!

 When I said we wish to visit streams to observe the flora and fauna, she offered to pick us up at 6am so we could spend few hours in the countryside before leaving on our 12pm flight to Taipei. Well, she arrived at 5.45am equipped with pink rubber boots for me!

 We spent the entire morning wading in the stream, picking fragments of jade and photographing crabs, fishes and shrimps. SK said this was the best part of our trip.

Jade pieces picked from the stream.

Apart from the wonderful cab drivers, the minshu (homestays) and hotel that we stayed in exceeded our expectations. The rooms were clean and beautifully decorated.  At Seasonstar @ Alishan, every dish was nicely plated and garnished with flowers from the garden.

Even when they were busy, the owners or hotel staff would stop and listen patiently to our requests and cheerfully greet us or find solutions to our problems. Even at CityInn Ximending in Taipei city, we were surprised to find the hotel basement furnished with washing machines, dryers, comfy sofa, espresso machines, free snacks and cold drinks to make our stay a comfortable one. 

At the prices we were paying, I was expecting Hotel 81's standard but to our surprise, the rooms were spacious, nicely furnished and decorated (see picture below). Besides the standard toiletories like toothbrush and razor blade, I was surprised they even provide panty liners. These are thoughtful gestures that make the guests feel cherished.

Eating out in Taiwan is also a pleasant experience. Even in the crowded night markets, the busy vendors do not growl or snap at you. More often than not, they try to cajole you into buying their products with their mellifluous sales pitch.

When we were visiting aquariums in Taipei, YK (who was back home) wanted us to take photos of marine fishes in the shops. When I asked the shops for permission, they all agreed without hesitation.

And it was easy to strike up a conversation with the locals who are genuinely friendly and warm. Seeing I was a little pale from motion sickness, one old man offered to give up his seat on the Alishan train.

  

The ladies at the Alishan temple were more than happy to let us play with their cute puppy. 

 

When the sole of CH's hiking boots opened up, the friendly cobbler in Hualien rushed to sew it in double quick time. And he cajoled his shy dog to play with us.

From the old couple who gave me a piece of jade fragment they picked at the stream to the friendly street vendors, I want to say thank you for making our trip to Taiwan a most memorable one. We'll be back!