Curtain Call

So that's that for school. I can't really think of anything to say, except that I know I'm going to miss it more than any other school I've been in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guys were talking just after we played football today, and the conversation somehow veered towards which clothing item each person embodied (What to do, CS mah). Some had one, some had none, others had a variety...Here's a selection:

• Samuel is special, he has three signature items: Red Cap, Samford Tee, Abbreviated army long 4 pants
• Clarence is lagi more special: All V-neck tees, Fulham jersey
• Me: Oversized Fila Sweater
• Sayheng: Suggestive Statements - e.g. "I scored last night"; "Fugitive"
  

And because this is actually quite fun to do, here's my own list of clothes I associate with people:

• Corduroy shoes: Helmi
• Skinny Jeans: Jae
• Saris worn by non-Indians: Vanessa
• Checkered long pants: Becky
• Austin Powers Costume: Mr. Duffy (Don't ask me why, the image just came)
• Same Tshirt as me: Melvin
• Impossibly eternally scruffy look: PK+Sam
• Black: Nathan/Cenite
• Never-the-same-thing-twice: Rachel S.
• Short sleeved shirts: Irwin
• FCUK shirts bought-all-at-one-time-in-Australia-on-sale: Derrick
• Oppressed Oi Oi Music: Kangrong
• Teamwork: Benjy

So there's my list of people-clothes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FYP is tiring me out. Today was one of those days that justifies that old saying that when it rains, it pours. As I write this, I am barely awake, and it's not even 12 yet. My legs feel like lead, my mind is swirling with how fragile our campaign is at the moment.

So I shall go and get some shut-eye.

Ten reasons why it is great to be a CS student during exam time

1. Exams begin when everyone else's do, and end in five days.

2. Pre-exam study groups which have ballooned to 15 this sem.

3. Football/touch rugby breaks every evening.

4. Going on Facebook is considered research for Science and Tech Writing or Online Journalism.

5. You get all the Kant you want.

6. Canteen B coffee.

7. The occasional free food from kind souls (today it was chocolate crossaints from Mr. Duffy)

8. Group meals.

9. It used to also be the long walks back to hall where conversations ranged from potential mates to favourite cartoons.

10. Most of the grades are already decided before you step into the exam hall.

So, what's it gonna be?

"Why don't you want to be a journalist?" he wrote.

It wasn't so much the chiding tone of my tutor's comment on my assignment which bothered me, it was the genuine disappointment and frustration I sensed as he penned the personal note.

Perhaps this is my ego speaking; maybe he says that to all his students who express an interest in jumping to the dark side that is PR. Maybe he just enjoys throwing graduating students a conundrum or two.

Here, have a dilemma.

Given the spirited debate we've been having about jobs and graduation, this comment could not have come at a better time. It's a time where we are forced to defend our stand that we are dreamers; that we are people who are literally living the dream. A time where we decide, then stick with our choices.

Yet why is this bugging me so much? That my choice could be wrong.

Can I trust a boyhood ambition to be a journalist? Have I sold myself short, or was it never really my dream - my real, impassioned dream - to be one in the first place? All of a sudden, I don't know. And if my confidence in my decision wavers so easily, does it suggest that I somehow subconsciously don't believe it to be true?

I guess the only relief is that a decision does not have to be made right now. We shall see.

He giveth and taketh away

He giveth:

The FYP volunteer call yielded so many respondents, I'm still struggling to meet all of them individually. Some have been really great; helpful and genuinely excited about our project. Can you imagine? I'm excited.

He taketh away:

I thought I'd done pretty decent on the Hedwig piece. I guess I was expecting more. I didn't even do any layout because I was confident my writing was enough on its own.

He giveth:

Things are moving into high gear with the project, and I'm loving actually having to do things instead of waiting, hemming and hawing.

He taketh away:

Today was the last lecture. It's like getting off a roller-coaster and having no more money to go back on. It sucks. There is a hollowness in the way we said our goodbyes today, though we may look back some time later and mark this as the point where school unofficially ended.

He giveth:

It is a privilege to counsel a friend in need.

He taketh away:

It is disheartening to see in friend in need.

He giveth:

More than I have asked for.

He taketh:

Less than I have need for.

Last. Caution.

The headline of Cenite's tutorial handout today read: Last tutorial.

Is this really the final core class we will take? We will never again be housed - all 180 of us - under one lecture theater roof!

Mass lectures are okay, but I guess the thing I'm going to miss is interacting with people who aren't in Journ or PPC, whom I seem to see everyday anyway. Then again, this is probably the beginning of the end.

This is the last exam that counts towards my honours classification. Well, technically I have three papers, but you get the point.

I've really enjoyed school, and today's tutorial put it all in perspective. The question asked was essentially "Are you hopeful about your future?" - asked by Cenite in response to the overwhelming sentiment of resignation he sensed amongst our cohort.

Most people, he noticed, seemed to treat work like an obligation; something which treads on your morals, your self-belief, your feelings and aspirations.

I looked around the room, half-expecting loud protestations that we weren't a bunch of rudderless koyak kayaks.

Yet the room was eerily silent; some had their heads bowed, others smiled sagely, agreeing with his observation.

I spoke. I said that work cannot simply be a chore; that we must expect more of ourselves, our colleagues, our education, our potential, our ability to change the world - by making small differences.

All around me I sensed the suffocating patronizing of my classmates who surely were thinking "Okayyy, he's lost it". Some looked down, others continued smiling sagely.

I think that most of us in CS are dreamers. Or at least we were. Because who chooses to study communications when they know it pays peanuts, and you don't know how good you are before you actually study it? We're risk-takers. We're idealists. We come in believing.

And that's a good thing. Surely six months of internship cannot have tempered that desire? Yes, a decision is made.

All in a name?

Hmmm. Ever notice how there are so many footballers with names beginning with the letter 'R'? I wonder if we could field a whole team:

GK: Robinson/Roberto Abbondanzieri
D: Rio F., M. Richards, Roberto C., S. Ramos
M: Ryan G., Robben, Ronaldo C., J.A. Reyes, Rosicky
F: Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rooney, Ruud, Raul

What the heck man, what the heck.

Long day, long post

A decision is made?

"Talk about your guiding principles at the workplace" was the topic for discussion in class yesterday.

It was good because I was made to vocalise my thoughts on the issue. It's always bugged me that PR is often seen as an industry where it is the norm to play fast and loose with ethical boundaries. As a Christian, is this the right industry for me?

I may not be world-wary enough to know better, but looking back at the six months at my internship company, I am hard-pressed to find any particular instance where I had to lie, cheat, deceive or engage in any other forms of unethical practices.

Personally, I have no issue with selling koyok. Let me explain. Telling someone that buying product A will make you the coolest cat at the pub is probably an untruth 99% of the time. Especially at an agency, where you really get all sorts of clients, you can never guarantee that the client you are working for truly is the consumer's best choice.

That is where we, the spin doctors, are supposed to come in. We weave the perception that product A is a great product, that it will improve your sex life, make you more friends, etc. Sometimes, this is true. Most times, it is not. Is this unethical?

Also common is the conscious decision to focus on the pluses and negate the negatives. An example is if your client is great at selling product A, which is part of its stable of products A-Z, and you convince your client to focus on selling that leadership position. Is this unethical?

In both cases, I do not feel the distinct prickling of my conscience. The line, however, is crossed when you engage in selling a product which harms someone.

At B*M, most of the clients are market leaders in their own right. Most make substantial claims which can be backed up. They are big players who probably represent the best decision a customer can make. Will I feel like I am selling koyok? I hope not.

For every ten Singapore Flyers, there is one Yellow Ribbon Project. And that is enough for me.

Why I won't vote to repeal 377A

There's been so much talk swirling around about the celebrity-driven appeal to the government to repeal an archaic law criminalising sex between homosexuals - and I think we must talk about it.

Obviously, these are my personal views, which I do not seek to impose on you; I'm just thinking out loud.

There is a difference between repealing an existing law, and pursuing new legislation to criminalise something. Repealing an existing law says that what was wrong before is no longer wrong, and should no longer be considered detrimental to society.

New legislation to criminalise an act says that we want to persecute offenders for their behaviour which is perceived to cause harm to society; mostly because they have crossed the line between peaceful existence and behaviour which impinges on others.

I feel that gays in Singapore have not crossed that line. Yet, and I go back to the distinction I made earlier: we are talking about repealing an existing law, rather than petitioning for new legislation.

Agreeing to participate in the former essentially makes you an advocate for gay rights. Agreeing to the latter makes you a participant in a witch-hunt, neither of which I am keen on being part of.

Fortunately, by simply not signing the petition to repeal 377A, I am able to take the middle ground: to remain true to what my heart tells me is right/wrong, while not actively persecuting this group of people, who have the right - just as I do - to fight for what they believe in.

And that is why I will not join in the movement to repeal 377A.

Dark and twisty

People say that the FYP is an emotional rollercoaster and I think I've caught my glimpse of the safety belt in my carriage - halfway up the loop-the-loop. It's scary sometimes because they think they've got you all figured out.

Were we dreamers, to expect things to always go our way? What do you say when you are put between harmony and fairness - and have to choose. I think we were close to crossing the line today. Maybe we should have? Would it have mattered? We will never know.

Which is why we need to constantly remind ourselves that this campaign we are kick-starting will make a difference to someone, somewhere. That we are exactly like the interns in Grey's, who have just witnessed the beauty of life and have allowed the magic of that moment soothe the pain; if only temporarily.

Let us not be like George in season 4, for whom the birth of new babies becomes trivial, but always remember that we can choose to grab on to the coattails of the magical moment. We've made a difference.

For reference to what we should never become:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y16yzNYVuxI

Japan, USA and UK

Ok, fine, I could have thought of a better headline. But it's true what, this post is about Japanese, American and English food, haha.

First up, Waraku at Central.

Digression: The Central carpark is horrendously wicked. You have to drive up about eleven spirals before you see the first lot. //

In a corner of this half-opened mall lies a cluster of Japanese restaurants. And these restaurants are not your usual Sushi Tei variety; Tam po po (the liang court one reviewed some time ago) and a couple of other brand new Jap restaurants make this the new place to go for Jap food.

Waraku is the latest family dining Japanese restaurant to sprout up, chasing the same crowd as your Sushi Teis and Sakae Sushis...except that it's not.

In fact, Waraku has been around for quite some time. It was previously known by its other name, Sento, and had all of two (maybe three?) outlets around the island - nothing like the franchising monster it is now.

Apparently, Sento was a Japanese franchise which opened it's doors here some time ago, under Waraku's current boss. After a couple of years of paying his dues, he decided to strike out on his own and ditch the franchise name. Hence, the birth of Waraku.

I heard that the fallout was acrimonious, but hey, so long as it doesn't affect the food, I'm fine. Pictures!

Gimmicky Alcoholic drink

Grilled Mackeral - was excellent

She had the fried pork katsu with noodles

I had this Japanese Kway Teow thing . Mistake.

My mistake came with lotsa other stuff though, haha.

So the food was alright. Pretty decent, value-for-money stuff.

Waraku
Central Mall

Taste: 3.5/5
Value: 4.5/5
Ambience: 2/5 (seats are waaaay too close to each other)

Next, we went to Goodwood Park for their afternoon english tea buffet. To be entirely honest, I was apprehensive as I approached the 5 metre long spread. I was thinking to myself, wah, I paid 30 dollars ++ for this?!

I saw rows of miniatures: mini-crossaints, mini-pastries, mini-tarts and sandwiches and salads... Heck, the only thing that wasn't mini-sized were the scones.

This is a sampling of what I had.

From left: Ham-wrapped olive open-face sandwich, Chicken crepe, Brie with figs and rock melon, Kueh pi tee with mango prawn, Salami with mayo and pear sandwich, mini-quiche of prawn, mini-mushroom risotto ball.

Wah lao, damn long lah the names! But can I just say that IT WAS HEAVENLY. Every single item we took was incredibly fresh and organically made. By this I don't mean ugly fruits; instead the mini-pastries were all made with real produce. The mangoes were fresh, cheese was quality brie, aiyah, very nice lah!

I would have never imagined that such small bundles of joy would fill me, but fill me it did; it's been a day and I'm still feeling stuffed.

Okay, here are the items I remember from the buffet:

1. Selection of mini-sandwiches
2. Mini scallop burger - imagine a burger with a real scallop patty!
3. Mini balls - ok, sounds wrong, but got different flavour one ok! Chicken pie, mushroom risotto...
4. Scones with fresh cream, butter, jam and raspberry conserve. These are almost as good as the Fosters ones, except that they aren't as warm when served.
5. Selection of mini-pastries - mini-magdalenes, jam-tarts, etc.
6. Cakes - Chocolate-banana gateau, Coconut cheese cake, mango cake, and more.
7. Fondue - Usual fruits
8. Ice cream - quality Belgian chocolate or French vanilla only, meaning the haagen Daaz standard
9. Dessert tarts - Lemon meringue, banana cake with pear, Basic fruit tart, Chocolate eclair, raspberry and honey souffle
10. Fruits

In addition to this, you also get free flow of their drinks (non-alcoholic lah). Their entire selection of premium coffees and teas are at your disposal. Power lah.

L'Espresso High Tea
Goodwood Park Hotel

Taste: 5/5
Value: 4/5 - you get what you pay for, I guess
Ambience: 5/5

We will definitely be back for more here.

Okay, I'm supposed to have included a review of Mad Jack's here. But I didn't like it, and she got quite sick from all the oil in the food. Low prices, low quality food at Mad Jack's. Won't be back.

Is apathy in our genes?

I've always wondered what motivates people to become activists. There is little tangible benefit, other than the feeling of belonging to a group of like-minded individuals, and perhaps feeling morally superior for the duration of your protest.

And then you see pictures like these. And your world shifts.

Yes, we're all busy people. We've got work, school, friends, family and a host of other commitments we should not feel guilty filling our lives with. But this deserves a place on that list.

I've never been one to go rah-rah over some cause. In fact, I think that I'm pretty cynical with most social causes. Mostly because it's too far removed from where I am, perhaps. Or maybe I'm just finding excuses to not get involved.

And why shouldn't we get involved? What is the point of debating the ethics of shooting a staged news photograph when we do not care about the subject of the photograph and its fate? Why bother building your castles in the air about morality when we cannot keep ourselves grounded in the world we live in?

I guess part of this post is a result of the ongoing discussion of ethics in our media law class. We're learning about various ethical frameworks, systems and pros/cons, etc. In a word: academia.

Being in Singapore, we've never had to deal with the hard stuff: education is provided for, very few people live hand to mouth, and housing is largely available for those who work. I'm thankful for all that I've been given; I know that I am fortunate to have the life I'm leading and the people that I've been blessed to have surround me.

Yet whenever I hear about protests, I admit that I almost always tune out. I dismiss them as attention-seekers, or people who cannot live without having to agonize over someone else's problems.

I've read the rhetoric about people wanting to make a difference, and dismissed that, funnily enough, as rhetoric.

But something that happened today changed my view on activism completely.

It began innocuously enough; I was giving tuition to my tuition kid, who was a Sec 3 Indonesian girl. We were going through English, and we were going over a comprehension passage, which dealt with wars and explosives.

I then casually mentioned Myanmar as a reference to an example I was trying to draw, when her quizzical look stopped me. It turned out that she had no idea that there was anything even going on in Myanmar which was out of the ordinary.

It may seem like I'm expecting too much of her, a Secondary 3 student, to be aware of current affairs. But that wasn't really what struck me. I suddenly felt like I was in her place, being ignorant of the world around me; living my life in my little bubble.

Is this what realising your apathy feels like? Because I feel guilty and ashamed that I have been so blase to the problems of others.

But what then, can I do? I am just me. I can vote only once. I can only eat one and a half happy meals. I can only take up one seat in a cinema. I am just me.

A good friend once told me that making a difference in this world is not about changing the world. It is about changing one person's life. And perhaps that is what happened this evening at tuition, when I took 15 minutes to educate my kid about Myanmar's troubles.

I never believed in large scale protests, or demonstrations, or petitions. Perhaps I am simply averse to confrontation?

So this is what I will do, and this is what I encourage you to do, if you want to make a difference, but on your own terms - not someone else's. Tell someone who doesn't know, about Myanmar's troubles. Give the gift of information. Open their worldviews. Give them perspective. One person at a time.

To make this more fun, wear red if you promise to tell someone. It's a promise you make to yourself; nobody's going to judge you - but you.

Long food post

It's been some time since I last food-blogged, so here it is... triple-review!

Ok, let's start from the most recent food-scursion: Hog's Breath Cafe at holland v.

*Phweeeeeet*

I really like this place, not only for its easy, laid-back ambience, but its food. Okay, it can be a little pricey (we spent about 70+ for two), but it's worth it. She had the char-grilled chicken, while I had the original prime rib - what they're famous for.

A little clarification: I always thought ribs were like the ones Cafe Cartel served, you know, bak kut teh that kind lah. Apparently there's enough meat in some ribs (cow?) to make entire steaks.

Anyway, pictures!

The photo doesn't do this dish justice.

Ok, the lighting wasn't good enough for my lousy camera-phone. Nonetheless, the chicken was juicy, tender and the skin was flavoursome. To top it off, the long-lost A&W curly fries were reincarnated into Hogtail fries. -.- I think they taste even better than the A&W ones leh.

My prime rib

Oh. My. Goodness. The meat was unbelievably tender, slightly fatty and seared to perfection. When taken together with the gravy it came with, orgasmic.

Close up of my steak

Mississippi mudpie

Wah lao, I can't believe I took like 4 tries to spell Mississippi right. Anyway, this mudpie is the champion of them all. On first glance, it doesn't look like much. Well, that's in comparison to, say, the Coffee Club mudpie, which towers over your plate and challenges your fork to a duel.

No, this one is unassuming, and even rather cheesy in its appearance. The single scoop of vanilla ice cream was unimpressive, roughly the size of a slightly expanded golfball. The whipped cream, coming straight out of those off-the-shelf spray cans, was equally wussy. Even the single half of a strawberry - a pretty lame attempt at offering colour to the plate - had the look of stale styrofoam.

Yet, there had to be something to the rumours I've heard about it. And the first bite proved it to be true.

Yes, there are marks for presentation, but they are far outweighed by those awarded to taste.

Dense and warm, the cake sends warning signs to your brain that you are walking a very thin line between sin and decadence. When drenched in chocolate sauce, you realise that you have crossed that line by a mile. And then some.

The chocolate sauce is thicker - much thicker - than that of the Coffee Club's. Despite other restaurant's claims of serving "death by chocolate" or "chocolate decadence", I think if I wanted to die by chocolate overdose, I'd choose this.

Oh, did I mention that it's about the size of my entire palm? (though only about one inch thick) Sigh, I think I won't be eating chocolate for some time (maybe one week) after this.

Hog's Breath Cafe
Holland Village

Taste: 4/5
Value: 4/5 (abit ex but you get what you pay for)
Ambience: 5/5

Next up, a new joint at Plaza Sing basement. I can't remember the full name of the restaurant, only that it served sandwiches and hotdogs.

Chicken rosemary sandwich - $5 something

Ok lah, not a bad alternative to subway, really. And the pricing is ok some more.

Next, next, the Prawn Noodles from Beach road! Ok, must qualify, they aren't really Beach rd prawn mee because that's just the stall name. It's really located near Marine Parade/Katong there.

Funny naming aside, this stall serves up pretty decent prawn mee. The only downside for me was the tiny portion I was served.

Yah, looks a lot but actually very little ($5!)

Hers came looking like got a lot of prawns, but actually only got two. They halved them. -.-

Beach Road Prawn Mee
Marine Parade (along still road, very near ECP exit)

Taste: 4/5
Value: 1.5/5
Ambience: 3.5/5

And finally, a pretty nice cafe/seafood place at a ulu driving range near the Eng Neo exit of the PIE. The range is called green fairways, and is frequented by many ang mohs/rich bmdrivers and their kids. It's right next to a stable of horses, so it really is rather rustic and slow-moving.

The food is actually pretty decent, nothing fantastic but better than average. Oh, but don't go if you're on a budget because even though it's not a/c, the food can be quite overpriced. One plate of vege cost $12-15, for instance.

Sorry no picture of food, paiseh lah went with her parents

Rainforest cafe/60's live seafood
Green Fairways Driving Range

Taste: 3/5
Value: -1/5
Ambience: 4/5

Oh yah, forgot to say, there got ESPN on big screen.

Sibeh Suay

I'm never going out to eat on Wednesday nights again. Well, perhaps it was cos I hadn't had lunch today (imagine that!) and was positively famished. I don't know.

So when she asked if I wanted to eat Kallang Prawn Noodles, I kinda groaned inwardly (NTU to Kallang!!). But, nehmind.

30 minutes later, we're looking at the shutters of the prawn mee stall. I later find out from the bemused roti-prata guy next door, who must have been wondering why I was standing there like an idiot, that the stall opens in the morning until 3pm.

Ok, fine. So we decide to next head over to Still road for some crabs. I mean, we figured, hey, we're all the way in the east already, might as well enjoy ourselves while we're here.

Yep, you guessed it. Closed for the day. The ONE day of the week they're closed.

Nehmind. Kinda deflated by now, I decide to rely on dunman road food centre's Ah Eng Wanton Mee. It's a whole food centre, after all, they couldn't ALL be closed right?

And.... whaddya know, all the stalls are open except the wanton mee stall.

)(*&_)#*@$_@)(#$&*!!!

We ended up just eating sub-standard prawn mee (oh yes, the irony was both bitter and pungent) and above-standard rojak.

But you know the one thing that saved the night? A small slice of heaven from four leaves - Coco Exotica. Yeah, sounds like a strippername, but it's really a fantastic piece of chocolate cake. It's part mousse, part sponge, part biscuit, part fudge, all good.

In the words of xiaofen, who was commenting on the potency of this awesome creation:

"I've converted people with this, hor".

The parallel parking rule

If you want to eat good food in Singapore, you have to learn to parallel park. Geylang tau huay, Bukit Timah Roti Prata, Fei Fei Wan Ton Mee...

Dammit, I've gotta learn how to parrallel park!!

ok, to qualify this statement, I CAN parallel park, just not under pressure.

Was good meeting the BMers again last week. I think the office is somehow, peversely comforting. It never changes. While there are some obvious drawbacks to spending upwards of nine hours in a confined space, I think it works for me.

Strange story time. The other day I was at a petrol kiosk when I saw two Arabic-looking men ahead of me in the queue. Thinking nothing of it, I proceeded to pay for my purchases and walked back to the van.

I looked across and I saw them slowly driving off in a beat-up old van, which until then had been blocking... an oil tanker. I'm ashamed to say that my next thoughts were immediately that this was some elaborate plot to blow up gas stations (which are interconnected, I heard).

And you know what it was I saw that reassured me? One of them sipping a Pepsi. I mean, that's not the drink of choice for someone who wants to kill himself, is it?

Victim of the media/closet racist?

I pray I am the former.

Selamat Pagi FYP

It's 2 freaking thirty in the morning and the ideas are flowing. I swear you get them in the weirdest places. Washing dishes, running (but only after the first hour), stoning during tuition, etc.

Just keep 'em coming
and please let's not stumble. We'll
grumble and mumble
Let's just be humble.

Politik Chic-ed

It's been one helluva week. Thanks to all who came for Loof, this party was really about us; you didn't come because there were points to be earned, or for the free food (though I suppose it was a reasonably strong factor).

No, you came because you wanted to come. I had a great time, though I really must resist micro-managing on event day. Note to self. Will we complete the trilogy next year?

Who knows?

Who cares?

We're already famous.

Sun with moon, Dulukala Peranakan Restaurant, Ragazzi's

Wow. ireallylovedanny's a hundred posts-old! Woot!

Haven't really been blogging much these last couple of weeks, even though its the hols and I shoulda coulda blogged more. Well, I've been too busy fiddling with the new ride and running to really sit down and blog for any length of time (take this entry for instance, it started a couple of days ago when I uploaded the pictures and I'm only now typing this paragraph, heh.)

That's not to say I haven't had some awesome food. I'll start with my new favourite mid-priced Jap restaurant: Sun with moon Japanese Restaurant. Located at Wheelock Place, this chi-chi Jap chain (the mothership is in Clarke Quay) arranges its menu according to various "set meals", letting the customer switch the main course around while the accompanying sides remain the same.

They've got teriyaki sets, teppanyaki, sushi, etc. It sounds cheapo but, really, it isn't. Pictures!


Of note here is the exceptionally fresh sashimi. Thickly cut and impossibly fresh, each chunk of salmon and tuna we had were firm to the bite and with no fishy aftertaste. The portions are pretty big by Japanese standards, so think twice about ordering that something extra before you see your meal. Good stuff.

Sun with Moon
Wheelock Place

Taste: 4/5
Value: 3/5
Ambience: 4/5

Next up, peranakan food!

Tucked away on the top floor of Beauty World is this old-world gem: Dulu Kala Peranakan Restaurant. I think the name's supposed to mean "Old Times" in Indonesian, I dunno. Well, of all the cuisines I've had, I guess peranakan food is the one which is most resistant to change. For bibiks and babas, old truly is gold. Everything must be done the way they saw it being done back when they were kids.

I'm not complaining, because this stuff is really good. Ngoh Hiang, Nonya Chap Chye and Beef Rendang were what we tried. Crisp and with just the right amount of fat, the ngoh hiang scores and makes you want to keep chomping down because each sliver is only about the length of a hotdog, but flat.

The chap chye was soft, tasty and adequate, while the rendang was above average. Service is friendly, with the old owners (the lady looks at least 70) pottering around, interacting with customers.

It's heartening to see these old timers maintaining their drive and truly enjoying what they do. The easy banter they have with customers easily justifies the "home" in "home-style restaurants", and shows us young punks what good service is really about - from the heart. That's why if waitering is just a part time job for you, you'll never last in the long run.


Based on Jole's recommendation, we head over to Ragazzi's in Ghim Moh, for the "Italian Botak Jones". Hmmmmmmm. Ok, not bad, I liked the bruscetta. I had the aglio olio fungi, not enough garlic lah. I did appreciate that they used real herbs and olive oil for their bases, rather than instant sauces, but the portions were really small. Maybe I was expecting too much... anyway, the standard of food is there, perhaps the problem is trying to package the product as kopitiam fare.

Lai Liao

Finally, after a week of delay, it's here. I'm mobile.

Pictures first, words later