Lunch my Queen ?

Don't we all need something to look forward to in between a busy morning and before knocking off for the day. Since breakfast is a luxury enjoyed by earlybirds on the weekends, lunchtime is the only time during the work week when i can indulge in a little escapism and pamper my tastebuds and soul. Find solace in thy food. That is my motto when I need a little pick me up! Comfort food brings back fond memories of my childhood, , my favourite moments, etc...

Check out this Japanese Dorama called "Lunch Queen". Relish in the heartwarming dishes served up by cute looking brothers of 'Kitchen Macaroni' in this drama. The feisty lead actress is eye candy for the brothers but what is most ye catching here is their food. Makes me wanna go Ma Maison for their omurice. I havent found any nicer tasting omurice in S'pore. If you know of any other , please let me know. The satisfaction of knowing you made a difference to someone's life through your cooking is maybe why cooks do what they do and pastry chefs and bakers tirelessly toil through the day to bring you little bundles of joy in the creations they serve up.

My favourite jap lunch haunts are : (pls call for reservations)

1) Ma Maison (63384819) @ Bugis Junction - they serve a reasonable ladies lunch set from 11am-2pm. For $15 nett you get to choose from 5 sets. Try to salad set with bread .Comes with soup, a drink and ice cream. The outlet @ central serves a slightly different menu. For dinner, go for the a la carte omurice, thin crusted pizza, and the escargots. Order the freshly bakes bread as a side dish to mop up the fragrant garlic in olive oil leftover from the escargot dish. The rice they serve here is a close second to the one served at Tamon.

2) Tamon ( 63466667) @ Katong has very nice lunch sets served on weekdays only. Master chef & owner hails from Hokkaido i think. Pity my office is too far away but if you work around that area, its worth calling in advance to place your order, if not reserve a seat. This joint can only seat 20 pax at most including counter seats. For dinner , skip the bento sets and try their grilled garlic/shitake/okra, cold salads are worth a try. If you're a fan of grated yam, they seem to serve the authentic traditional taste here. Order the special california temaki that is not on the menu. The rice is a must have too! Goes perfectly well with curry!

3) Sushi Tei @ raffles city & paragon - the only place i go for conveyor belt sushi. Try their seasonal salads. Order the handrolls one by one so the seaweed doesnt turn soggy on you. The salmon carpaccio is a nice change from sashimi. The chawanmushi is also much more flaVOURFUL than the ones served in other conveyor belt joints.

4) Tatsuya (67371160) @ the former Crown Prince Hotel . Bento lunch sets are reasonably price between $25-30 nett for the quality of food they serve. My favourite is the ladies lunch set which serves a cold tofu and potato salad for starters, followed by cold noodles nd assortment of sushi, chawanmushi with hints of yuzu rind grated over it for fragrance, and a slice of watermelon and orange sliced considerately halfway into the rind so you can polish off the pulp minus the mess. Forget about trying the chef's recommendation lunch degustation menu unless you have about $200 to burn per person. The mini sized warm sesame pudding appetizer is absolutely lovely.

5) Paste de waraku (65348085) @ central - you can find all kinds of flavours imaginable. But i still like the aglio olio version best. Also like the set where you can choose type of pasta and pizza combo set. Lets you sample a bit of everything on the selected menu for one price. Call 2 days before to secure a table before 7pm. After 7pm only walk in allowed.

6) Kuriya @ Raffles City
The bento sets here are pricey but the a la carte items are the yummiest. Gems like the steamed vegetables have a poached egg that oozes yolk when poke lightly. The sprinkle of garnish on top of the egg goes nicely with the yolk. Go for the cold soba, it is yummy on itself with the dipping sauce.

cloud 9 over cumulonimbus

I liken clouds to thoughts that float away too fast
and tears like rain that gush or trickle during a storm of emotions
Watching clouds fill me with a sense of peace in times of retrospect.
Corine

As seen in the "MANIFESTO" of the cloud society :

We seek to remind people that clouds are expressions of the
atmosphere’s moods, and can be read like those of
a person’s countenance.

Clouds are so commonplace that their beauty is often overlooked.
They are for dreamers and their contemplation benefits the soul.

Cloud fanatics can take heart in the 'Cloud Appreciation Society" which i never knew existed until now. Clouds have always been the most beautiful mysteries of the meteorological world. Not only do they provide shade from harmful rays of the sun, they amuse, thus the name of my blog. i would rather watch clouds go by from 9 to 5 than sit in the office & count the seconds ticking by . The "clouds that look like things" category is fun . Many weird looking but interesting clouds spotted in the US and France. My favourite type of clouds are the oh so fluffy "cumulonimbus" clouds. Many a time, i have stopped in my tracks for minutes admiring majestic cloud displays on a nice day.

Check out the photo gallery and discover the many guises of clouds.
http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/gallery/

CK seedlings

Dear All

i am happy to have found a photo of my tiny self at the first concert that Corrinne May held at the Esplanade concert hall. I was the first in line for autographs and alas i didn't bring a camera for my colleagues to take a pic of me with my favourite songstress of the moment.

Her earthy vocals are very soothing at times when i am down. Unlike MISIA, my other favorite japanese songbird with powerful thundering vocals who is best known for her ballads, Corrinne May has a quiet way of putting across her faith in her music. Although I am not of the same faith, her songs seem to touch me somehow... more about MISIA in my next post.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corrinnemay/1344481390/in/set-72157601912304537/

Was glad i caught her "Beautiful Seed" concert before It was bittersweet coz the doc said my op might damage my vocal chords and though i am one month into my recovery now, my voice is nowhere near to what is was before. Even though the before is rusty from lack of use. Now I can't even hum a simple tune when i feel like it. But i shall keep on trying and hopefully Santa Claus can give me the most wonderful gift of melodious voice again so i may once again experience the joys of hearing my voice take flight and feelings soar above setbacks!

melancholy moping somewhat for now

-New blog updates at http://www.corrinnemay.blogspot.com
-New pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/corrinnemay/sets

provencal sugar fix

Since we are on the topic of breakfast haunts, I frequent this Japanese style bakery that serves up freshly baked breads made from scratch daily.

Provence Bakery is hugely popular amongst the Japanese community and heartlanders around Holland Village ( also for greedy folks like me who stay 15 mins bus ride away from them). Famous for its unique melt in your mouth chocolate wassant, customers must walk/call in to pre-order so as not to walk out empty handed as the first batch flies off its shelves literally when they emerge from the oven at 12 noon. They simply fly off the shelves. They also just opened a takeaway counter at central mall selling only 3 variations of this mini croissant. A packet of 10 mini bites cost $5. CALL IN ADVANCE FOR BOTH OUTLETS TO PRE-ORDER ! DON'T SAY I DID'NT WARN YOU! BEST ENJOYED WHEN ITS JUST HOT OFF THE OVEN !!! YUM !

My favourites at the main bakery include the baked cheese bun. Its chewy texture is like that of a mochi. A fried version is available too.

The fluffy chiffon textured muffin is also a must try, its coffee flavoured chocolate filling inside is heavenly with its molten lava consistency spreading in your mouth with every bite. Best bought when its hot off the oven.

If you prefer savouries, go for the curry donut. Its sweet curry filling with chunks of potato is simply addictive. If only they had bite sized versions i am sure i can pop half a dozen or more at one go.

Freshly made sandwiches with side salads for available for breakfast. Try the fruity milkshake instead of the usual earl grey and lattes.

17A Lorong Liput -Holland Village
(behind Cold Storage / opposite the Ipoh hor fun stall)
Tel: 6467 6966

http://www.provence.com.sg/index.html

ikea munchies

IKEA is not only my favourite stop shop for home & office furnishing needs, its Alexandra branch cafe is also one of my favourite hangouts for a belly bursting breakfast! Haha!

For less than $5, you can get a complete set with drink unlike those served at your fast food joints. Feel free to order a la carte from items like chunky french toast, hard boiled egg, pancakes, sausages & baked beans. They also serve local favourites like dim sum & bee hoon with different items on a daily basis. I only go for the pancakes with maple syrup, raisin rolls and smoked salmon platter. Too bad they don't do scrambled eggs, they would be perfect with the salmon. The tuna croissant is yummy but be prepared to order it in advance an wait around 15 mins minimum as the oven only churns out a dozen of these per batch.

The set lunches are so-so only. Since I am not into beef, the signature Swedish meatballs with cranberry sauce are out for me. The poached salmon is also a tad dry. If all else fails get the chicken wings- a definite crowd pleaser.

Get the ginger thins from the food market on your way out. They are very addictive as you get this conforting waft of cinnamon with every bite of this crispy treat. Perfect accompaniment for tea time or coffee break.

For those on the go, there is a bistro next door. Do get the $1 plain hot dog and the $1.20 vanilla ice cream cone (much better than the 50cent Mcdonalds version).

As an IKEA friends VISA cardholder, you get 2 complimentary beverages daily. But you must swipe your card for a printed slip it at a machine outside the cafe first before you can claim your free drinks at the cashier upon payment. The coffee is refillable and I like mine latte style so that takes a bit of work at the self help coffee dispensers. Their standard option serves up your cuppa with one part milk and 2 parts coffee, which is much too acidic for my taste. If you have time for a leisurely chomp, my routine includes pulling away my cup in time for only half the amount of coffee, then add another more portion of milk at the end for that nice swirl of milk foam. In order not to waste the other half portion of the coffee, do make 2 cups at a time. Great excuse to hang out there a little longer while cramming for exams or an extended chat session with your best friend (if you don't mind the glares from the hungry lunch crowd that is )

(Breakfast is served daily from 8am-10.30am )
My advice, go early to avoid the crowds !
http://ikea.com.sg/store_services/restaurant.asp

flying pigs ?

Welcome to the world of Peter Callahan! These cute hors d'oeurve of salmon cut out in piggy shapes have a black sesame seed for eyes and wasabi for clothes. He has found his way into the good books of Kate Spade and many major luxury labels to date. How's that for inspiration at your next party ?
http://www.callahancatering.com/

kaffe anyone ?

Adorned with the striking artwork of Gustav Klimt's famous works amongst its dark wood interiors, this cosy cafe makes for a good retreat for a quiet cuppa on a balmy afternoon. Anton - the boss never fails to greet you with a word or two
which makes you feel like a close friend every visit.

For breakfast,I always zoom in for the scrambled eggs for starters. At $4 a portion served with tossed greens laced with balsamic vinegar on the side & 2 pieces of toasted rustic bread with dainty butter swirls on the side. This is typical comfort food when swished down with a lovely mug of hot chocolate $4 served with a huge marshmallow on a vintage silver platter. The kartoffel salad $6.90 also makes for a refreshing snack with the mix of apply,potato,onions and raisins drizzled with a tart vinegar.

You must try the desserts here ! They are simply too good to be missed. Just doggy bag it back home if you are too full after the main course. It's most popular chocolate confection - the sacher torte, might be too rich for some. Alternatively, try the linzertorte ( a lattice-like crust atop a thin layer of raspberry jam on almond flavoured base) or its good ol' apple pie in thin pastry filled with yummy chunks of apples,raisins and cinnamon. Before you know it, you will be planning your next visit here for a juicy gossip session with your closest pals.

Open from 9am to 10pm daily. You can request for breakfast menu dishes even after lunch, just remember to ask nicely :) and take care not to offend the pudgy senior waiter with the black rimmed specs, he tends to get a bit temperamental. Do also sit right in front of the counter if possible as the junior wait staff there are not as attentive during off peak hours. You have to self serve if you choose to sit on the upper deck which is quieter. The lunch special sets are good value for money so if you can steal away for a 2 hour lunch-capade. By the way, there is no service charge imposed, tip at our own discretion if you feel they have done a good job. If dining alone, i would suggest a salad/side dish+drink+dessert as the portions of main courses are huge and more apt for sharing with a party of 3 or more.


http://www.wienerkaffeehaus.com.sg

laura stoddart's watercolor whimsies

Laura Stoddart

This is one illustrator I came across years back in a book cover and ever since I have been hooked. Simply love the rustic & earthy palette so wonderfully executed in her
watercolor figures.

Laura Stoddart trained at the Royal College of Art and was the youngest artist ever to be commissioned to design the Christmas stamps for the Royal Mail. Since then her work has appeared in many magazines, portmeiron tableware, on greetings cards and giftwrap, packaging of Gardener's range for Crabtree & Eveyln and the New York label, Kate Spade.