Slice of my life @40sandfabulousaf - Tumblr Blog

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大家好! J gave me a tip to save money when dining out: order poultry and meat dishes and cook fish or seafood at home. At first I ignored the advice and continued enjoying fish soup bee hoon; once the food stall that I frequented raised prices AND halved my fish portions, I realised what he said was true to an extent. For the amount of fish and seafood that I'm used to having for my meals, it's more cost effective to cook them myself.

There're exceptions of course; at some casual diners and restaurants, the quantity and quality of their fish and seafood dishes make them worth ordering. I had Sushi Express' salmon donburi again. Instead of extra salmon sashimi, I tried their miso soup. It was not bad! Not only were there chunks of salmon in the broth, it was also less salty. For now at least, their portion sizes suit my preference. I don't mind ordering their meals.

Blue Fern is a grill and sake bar, which serves lunch sets at reasonable prices. Parents love the grilled chicken here and I can see why. For $9.90, customers can choose between salt and pepper or teriyaki sauce for the poultry, which comes with salad in a refreshing dressing, pearl rice and miso soup. The quality is excellent for the price; the thick chunky slabs of chicken are deliciously meaty, tender and juicy. Also, who doesn't like pearl rice?

Besides London Fat Duck and Shanghai La Mian Xiao Long Bao, another of my go-to places for dumplings is Yuen Kee. For $10.80, I get 10 decent-sized, plump shrimp, tobiko and pork wontons in proper soup, not MSG water. Add $2 for springy QQ la mian; sometimes I order it, sometimes I don't, but it's yummy. The bonus? If you need extra bowls, chopsticks or spoons, they're FOC whereas several hawkers charge extra for them.

Consumer wallets have taken hit after hit these past few years by price hikes, skimpflation and shrinkflation; what I dislike most is the last so I'm grateful that we can turn to ethical eateries for decent food portions at reasonable prices and a pleasant and fuss-free dining experience. Born and bred Singaporeans love our food; it's a huge part of our identity. Even though I cook, enjoying a good meal outside hits differently. I don't intend to lower my expectations. 下次见!

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大家好! CY and I have a mini love affair with konjac noodles. They're lower calorie, have a snappy texture when fashioned into both thin and broad noodles and come in a wide variety of flavours. On weekends when I push myself more during workouts, they're a great snack to have immediately after a very intense exercise session - just add your choice of lean protein. Konjac noodles are a weight-watching noodle lover's dream come true!

Physicians for Human Rights–Israel says Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya showed severe injuries and signs of physical deterioration during a pris

For Mummy's actual birthday, we celebrated at Jin Ting Wan. The highly popular restaurant, famous for highly refined Cantonese fare, also serves delicious dim sum and a lobster congee of dreams. The decor of their private dining room is tasteful, with dark panels embossed with delicate florals and large windows offering diners a gorgeous view of the sea. Exquisite tableware includes jade-tipped chopsticks as well as dainty porcelain bowls and plates.

Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is reportedly cancelling his trip to New York next week for a Chiefs of Police

As for the food, in a nutshell, we feasted. After all, Mummy's birthday only rolls round once a year. Marinated jellyfish, green papaya pastries, seafood pao fan, tofu skin with spinach, double boiled soup with abalone, chicken and conpoy, roasted suckling pig with caviar, roasted crispy skin chicken, stuffed crab and finally, desserts of money bags filled with mango ice cream and mango sorbet as well as local pastries filled with lotus paste. YUM!

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Internal emails reveal changes resulted directly from complaints by pro-Israel activists, with the museum and its director subsequently misl

Now that Mummy's birthday is over, we're back to squeezing as much value as possible from every single dollar. Electricity now costs 17% more; whilst households staying in government subsidised flats receive rebates to help them cope with higher electricity bills, people staying in private property don't. Hence, I try to make every cent count, especially when it comes to meal deliveries and dining out. At other times, I prepare meals at home.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi says there will be no normalisation with 'Israel' until occupation of Palestinian territory ends. He

Households are cutting back on spending and venturing to Johor Bahru for food indulgences even more than ever. Can't say I blame them. Higher prices, coupled with shrinking portions and deteriorating quality are hard for customers to stomach. Even a tourist who was recently in Singapore felt let down by 1 of our most famous hawker centres. Check out the following video for their experience. Welcome to what locals already know. 下次见!

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大家好! Everything is more expensive following the war between Iran and the US/Israel. A good way to save money is to swap kopi peng (iced coffee) for kopi. To illustrate: a stall I frequent sells kopi peng for $2.50; kopi costs $1.70 - that is 80 cents for ice! Swap 10 cups of kopi peng for kopi and I can enjoy panfried chicken with sweet corn and potato wedges for $7.90 at Saizeriya, a casual diner. Better than paying $8 for ice!

At a Nanyang coffee chain I also visit, kopi peng costs $3.70 whereas kopi is $2.20, a whopping $1.50 for ice! By swapping 6 cups of kopi peng for kopi, I can enjoy prawn, pork and tobiko wonton meen soup for $8.80. Saving 80 cents or $1.50 doesn't sound like much but when one looks at it in terms of value, just a few days of these savings can buy a meal. After making the swap, I don't rush to finish my kopi before the ice melts and dilutes the taste. All is good!

Some food businesses may be shutting down or struggling to stay afloat; the ones which deliver good value to customers are thriving during this challenging period. Fu Lin is 1 of Singapore's best yong tau foo, well-known for large portions and a delicious meat and mushroom braised gravy. At its flagship outlet, my chosen 6 items were cut up and served drenched in fragrant gravy. There was a lot of food. By the time I was done, I was full till almost bursting!

A new report from the Palestinian Feminist Collective details the destruction of health facilities, the environment and the execution of mot

For large, meaty and juicy dumplings, Shanghai la mian xiao long bao is 1 of my go-to places. MI and I especially love the guo tie (pot stickers); lightly crispy on the outside, they're delicious with vinegar and shredded ginger. Although i've had better zha jiang mian (pork and bean paste noodles) elsewhere, their version is pretty decent. SC and I also like the wonton soup here thanks to the flavourful clear broth and meaty dumplings.

More restaurants and even hotels are hopping on the discount bandwagon. Besides offering attractive staycation packages, some hotels are throwing in further discounts at their poolside cafes. Work is getting more stressful, electricity tariffs rose by a whopping 17% and flights are more expensive. Why not rest and recharge by going for a staycation and have some delicious restaurant meals instead? Less hassle, lower cost, equally good food. 下次见!

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大家好! For Mummy's upcoming birthday, we're celebrating twice - the first was my treat with both parents. Wakuda is a swanky Japanese restaurant which serves quite possibly the best chawan mushi in Singapore, although they call it the 'flan'. Lightly cheesy with a large dollop of caviar, the egg custard is savoury and eggy all at once. Their sashimi is also extremely fresh and they accommodated my request for sushi rice instead of pearl rice! YUM!

Sushi Express serves a salmon donburi with tamago and wakame. At the time of writing, the rice bowl cost $10.90 and, for that price, the portion of fresh fish was enough to keep me satisfied; I'd ordered additional sashimi just in case. I'm a fan of sushi rice, so I was glad this formed the base of my meal. For the amount of salmon and tamago, sushi rice and wakame, for the ability to keep me full, this rice bowl is good value.

AOne Express is the casual diner which serves a good wat dan hor fun (wide rice noodles in silky egg gravy). Their waitress was about to head out but stopped to chat when she saw me walk over and recommended me their new dish: fish soup. The soup was flavourful thanks to the naturally briny conpoy and the yam as well as egg tofu were tasty extra touches. More veggies and fish under the thick vermicelli too! It was good, but the wat dan hor fun is better.

Finally, I made it back to the hawker stall that serves decent pasta and huge juicy pork steak. This time I tried grilled chicken, which is served with fries and coleslaw. For $9.90, customers get this gigantic plate. As someone who has a big appetite after intensive morning workouts, it satisfied me on so many levels. Their fries are delicious - crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and very potatoty. Their coleslaw is light, not too gloopy and the chicken is juicy.

Hotels are starting to hop on the bandwagon of delivering good value to customers by offering the public an opportunity to enjoy sumptuous buffet breakfasts without having to be a guest. Restaurants and casual diners are throwing in freebies or offering discounts and special deals to entice consumers. These are smart moves because leaner times are when we're seeking to stretch our dollars the most. Being stingy isn't the best way to survive as a business. 下次见！

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大家好! The weather is absolutely bonkers due to climate change! We're well into the hotter months - on some days, the sweltering heat can cause humans to wither. Thank goodness there're dining venues like supermarket cum food halls where I can escape from the heat and have a quick WFH lunch of sushi and sashimi. Parents buy hawker meals using the recently distributed government vouchers and eat at home.

There're salads and there're very delicious ones that don't make you feel like you're on a diet. On very hot days, Sushi Zanmai's sashimi salad hits all the right notes. Customers can choose from 3 types of dressings; my go-to is usually wafu because although it's very low in calories, it makes even the most boring ingredients taste good. Years ago, I shared a prawn and orange salad recipe with crushed ginger steeped in wafu dressing. It still tastes amazing today.

Just as I like dumplings to be large and meaty, I like ang ku kueh that comes with a thick layer of fillings. These snacks are priced at $1.40 - $2 on average and usually sold in packs. Mdm Ang KK is a cafe specialising in Nanyang desserts. Their ang ku kueh is bursting with fillings - customers can choose from black sesame, yam, dessicated coconut, hazelnut, pistachio, mung bean and peanut. I like that I can dine-in and enjoy my kueh with good coffee.

1 of my favourite places for wonton meen is London Fat Duck. They're famous for roasted duck, but their noodles deserve special mention. Large, meaty, well-seasoned and juicy, their wontons are accompanied by QQ noodles, big prawns and proper soup. If you're Cantonese, you'll understand what I mean by there's soup and there's MSG water and never should the 2 be mixed up. This soup is robust, seafoody, rich and sweet. Very nice!

Woooo some hawkers are fighting back by offering free additional toppings or noodles to win customers' hearts and lure them away from competitors! The stall is located at Tampines so I sent this announcement to colleagues and friends who live in that area. Tourists may wish to consider veering off the beaten path; you can explore the malls at Tampines and enjoy a meal that's good value. Why not? Ban mian is a very popular local dish that's worth trying. 下次见!

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大家好! I'm in a good mood because I went for another staycation. This time, I took my dear friend, YL, with me. Before checking in, we had lunch of prawn and crab laksa and shared a side of Sichuan spiced crispy calamari. I liked that the laksa broth wasn't too heavy on the coconut milk, which allowed the seafoody goodness to shine. The calamari was VERY addictive, much more flavourful than the usual salt and pepper versions served at other restaurants.

Unfortunately, my video of the stay wouldn't upload in spite of numerous tries. Nonetheless, I did take a photo of the breathtakingly lovely morning view the next day. Good coffee and high quality chocolates are just some of the perks that come with the suite. YL was amazed by their service levels and attention to detail. Any luxury a guest could want, they provide it, from high tech bathroom gadgets to topping up amenities without us having to ask.

Breakfast, as always, is impressive. I'm a huge fan of delicate flavours, especially if ingredients are extremely fresh. From the silkiest steamed egg custard with shrimp, pork skewers as well as 1 of the best laksa, ever ever ever, the hotel chef does it all. If you've noticed, the laksa broth here is light on coconut milk too, so that guests can fully savour the seafoody goodness. Whenever this is served, I always make sure I have a bowl. Too delicious!

Besides their sumptuous breakfast spread, the hotel also hosts a decadent evening cocktail buffet. Unfortunately, my video which includes the wonderful food can't be uploaded. Anyway, after indulging in such heavy meals, I craved something light and threw together a bowl of noodles tossed with green beans and blanched pacific clams. It was a delightful girly weekend filled with fun and laughter. I needed the break so badly!

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We're in the midst of 1 of our busiest periods. It looks like this will stretch to the end of August. I feel burnt out but even if I take leave now, I'll get phone calls anyway so my rest wouldn't be a quality one. What is there to do but soldier on? All the more I look forward to relaxing lunches. For that short period every weekday, my tired brain can recharge. I'll probably take a few days to rest properly after this. Perhaps I'll explore different dining venues. 下次见!

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大家好! This week I'm paying homage to casual diners. As I've shared in earlier posts, several hawkers have raised prices and cut portions, as well as adopted a self-entitled take it or leave it attitude. Some casual diners and restaurants had to raise prices too, but they did this by a reasonable amount without compromising too much on quality. Everyone's nerves are frazzled by the rising cost of living. I'm grateful there're dining venues that offer stress-free meals.

Attractive deals can be found at casual diners too. The one I visited serves chicken curry with meaty chunks of poultry (no wings, drumlets nor bony parts here), as well as better quality potatoes that are tender, yet don't disintegrate when you cut them with your fork. The dish comes with rice and decent hot local coffee for $7.90 - good value for money given the current global economic situation today. I had a small table to myself and enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

Customers frustrated by ever-shrinking hawker meals may be relieved to know that generous protein portions can be found at casual diners. Adding extra meat to basic hawker meals can end up costing more. Service is polite; at least I haven't encountered rudeness. During a short break from work, I had a chat with DL and he said 'only the hawkers do this', i.e. hiking prices, concurrently shrinking portion sizes and being disrespectful to customers. Can't agree more!

Work is currently very hectic, thus, relaxing lunch breaks are all the more important. I don't wish to stare in dismay at shrinking portions on my plate or in my bowl. Neither do I want any unpleasant rudeness to ruin my meal. Casual diners are dining venues I can count on for a decent, if not generous, amount of nutritious food. It's good value; at least I'm not paying inflated prices for mostly carbohydrates and very little else.

Instead of paying higher prices for increasingly lower quality meals and having to incur extra costs to add more meat, chicken, seafood or fish, I'd much rather pay a reasonable flat price for enough protein to keep me satisfied. Casual diners generally meet and sometimes exceed my expectations in this regard. Supporting hawkers during covid was a lovely experience. Now, not so much. I'll still visit ethical food stalls sometimes though. 下次见!

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大家好! Where Father's Day is concerned, only top quality will do. So I took parents to Li Bai, 1 of Singapore's most classic restaurants, for an early celebration. Dishes included conpoy and crab meat soup, lobster dumplings with truffle, baked cod for them and grilled lamb for me, asparagus with bamboo pith and seasonal veggies, fish paste noodles with prawns in superior stock and red bean pancake. Every dish was SO delicious, we loved all of them!

MT and I caught up. He wanted brunch, so we met at a cafe near our homes. He ordered pasta and I had quesadilla. It would've been better with more fillings but that's fine; it's not a place I'll regularly visit. I took the plunge and ordered an Americano for the first time. Let's just say that if I'd tried this before Turkish coffee, I may have liked it better. Middle Eastern black coffee hits different. It's perhaps the most fragrant I've tasted.

The government distributed vouchers to every Singaporean household last week to help with the rising cost of living. These vouchers are split equally into 2 categories: for groceries and for dining out at hawker centres or use at participating merchants. Since parents are elderly retirees, I gave them mine. It brings me peace of mind to know that they can buy daily necessities and order more food without worrying about rising prices.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel has reportedly become the most heavily boycotted country globally, facing what it describes as a surge

The day after the government vouchers were distributed, posts started appearing on social media showing that hawkers had increased prices for local coffee. Again. I'm sharing 2 of the posts so readers know I'm not making this up. What happens when the vouchers are used up? Customers have to deal with higher prices, of course. No wonder some colleagues prefer to make coffee in the office pantry. Why pay more and tolerate shrinkflation and rudeness?

For the benefit of foreign readers, 'long gao zui' literally means 'drain water' and refers to coffee that has been so diluted, it not only bears the colour of drain water, it's also not fit for human consumption. Some hawkers have a vile take it or leave it attitude and assume that customers don't have other options. This isn't fair to the average Singaporean. We work extremely hard for our money too and we have every right to expect value for what we spend on. 下次见!

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大家好! Parents and I returned to the Japanese restaurant which serves up quality lunch deals. I tried their sushi taco special - $12 for 3 - and an order of sashimi. Customers can choose from a variety of taco fillings; I got salmon belly, salmon and maguro. Portions were decent for the price and the fish was fresh. Parents had chicken (teriyaki as well as salt and pepper), which was served with rice and soup. They love the chicken here - juicy, tender and meaty.

MI and I returned to the mala tang restaurant near the office. As it was a hot day, I had their non-spicy pork rib soup. The broth here is rich from being boiled with pork ribs, different types of beans and garlic. Selection items were fresh and large, including bittergourd stuffed with a thick chunk of pork and chopped veggies. The dish came with meaty pork ribs thrown in for free, I didn't select them. Talk about knowing how to treat your customers! Will be back.

🇮🇱 ❌ Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis announced a missile attack on ‘Israel’ on Monday and declared a ban on ‘Israeli’ shipping in the Red Sea, r

I used to order fish soup for second breakfast at a food court near the office. Unfortunately, not only did the hawker stall hike prices, it halved the portion of fish! Fed up, I cook more congee and eat second breakfast at home before going to work. It isn't much effort and the savings can be spent at dining venues which offer better value. I still visit the food court and enjoy coffee there but I won't revisit the fish soup stall often, if I even revisit at all.

During office lunch break, MI suggested that we return to a Japanese casual diner. They're serving a chicken donburi for $5.90. Although she and SC ordered the ebi fry bento ($8.90 for a generous portion of food) and I got sashimi, sushi and chawan mushi instead, knowing that there's an affordable option when we want it is comforting. We also saw takeaway rice bowls at another Japanese restaurant with decent portions of protein at reasonable prices.

Nowadays, households have multicookers, air fryers and other advanced kitchen appliances. I refuse to pay inflated prices for meals which are mainly carbohydrates when I can prepare them at home with more high quality protein and vegetables. I don't care about the chilli sauce or sambal; reduce portions too much and it's a flat no. I really dislike it when food businesses do this. Knowing how to cook is a skill that frees us from shrinkflation. 下次见!

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大家好! Chicken rice is our national pride and joy. Colleagues praised a stall near the office for serving decent portions of chicken. THAT got my attention. For $7, they served enough breast meat to keep me satisfied. In addition, there was ginger sauce on top of tangy garlic chilli and dark soya sauces, a hallmark of high quality chicken rice. This stall does our national dish justice; the heap of chicken was tender and the rice fluffy. I'll be back!

Inflation is set to outpace wage rises again due to the war between Iran and the US/Israel. Thank goodness some hawkers are generous with protein portions. The food stall which sells good fish and chips serves tender, thick, and juicy pork steaks with spaghetti at $10.90, half the price that cafes charge. For the quality, it's great value. Customers who prioritise nutrition flock to food businesses that offer us what we want and these dining venues are doing well.

I like my wontons large, plump, juicy and meaty. Pathetically tiny 'dumplings' that are more skin than fillings don't deliver the same satisfaction even if we order more of them. If you do the math, extra portions of puny wontons ends up costing more than if you spend on better quality ones. I only visit or order from dining venues that serve big wontons for this reason. They're more value for money, higher quality and much more delicious.

Now that the school holidays are here, families are travelling; restaurants, casual diners and food delivery platforms are rolling out discounts to entice customers to order from them. More protein and vegetables at a lower price? C'mon, who doesn't love a good deal? I'm fully taking advantage of the special promotions whilst they last! Not only that, sensing shifting customer demand, some restaurant groups are opening budget-friendly mall outlets.

All this is music to my ears. Times are leaner, so anywhere that delivers the best value gets my business. Relaxing mealtimes are 1 of life's little luxuries. Feeling short-changed or stressed out by shrinking portions or rude service are things I wish to avoid, especially when work is moving at a more frenetic pace. I'm also relieved some food businesses are listening to feedback and working to give us what we want. It's so helpful when things get rough. 下次见!

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大家好! CK and I met at a restaurant located at the beach which serves Japanese fusion fare. Besides tasteful interiors, we especially liked their salmon and hamachi tacos; they were so delicious! The unagi and prawn spaghetti was a tad too oily, although it was great taste-wise. After the filling meal, we strolled leisurely to a breakwater and chatted, then strolled back for an icy drink to quench our thirst and cool down. I'll revisit just for the sashimi tacos.

On LL's last day in Singapore, we met for a last time, also at a Japanese fusion restaurant. Over panfried foie gras, lobster bisque squid pasta and miso halibut with omu egg, as well as chocolate souffle with gelato and coffee, we reminisced about our friendship, which spans over a decade. LL has lived and worked in Southeast Asia for 25 years and is practically 1 of us. Genuine friendship is more difficult to find as we age, so I cherish what we have.

A restaurant serving Hangzhou cuisine opened in Singapore. Parents and I were excited to try the dishes there. I ordered their prawn, pork and crab roe xiao long bao, chicken guo tie (pot stickers), prawn dumplings, stirfried spinach in garlic, as well as thick vermicelli with minced pork. It's difficult to pick a favourite; the dishes were so delicious. Mummy loved the guo tie, I adored the xiao long bao, Pa liked them all. We agreed this restaurant is worth several revisits!

The casual diner near home added new items to their menu. The one I was most keen to try was fish maw and shredded chicken geng, or 'thick soup'. The dish was served steaming hot, still bubbling away in an earthenware bowl. Portions were decent: collagen-rich protein, carrots, sliced Chinese mushrooms and conpoy in an eggy broth. Paired with white rice, it was a moderately healthy and balanced meal. Prices here are also reasonable, good value for money.

The latest news is, after the US attacked Iran and Israel attacked Lebanon whilst negotiating a peace deal, talks are suspended and the Strait of Hormuz is shut. Unsurprising, really. Nobody should expect parties to reach an agreement any time soon; if previously agreed terms keep changing, how can there be trust? Better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Food, fuel and everything else will be more expensive. That's the price of war. 下次见!

Politicians are set to discuss Israeli influence on British politics and democracy after a government petition garnered more than 100,000 si

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大家好! Travel vloggers visit Gardens By The Bay; it's gorgeous but have you wondered what it's like to see it from your hotel room? During the staycation, LL and I got to experience this thanks to the view from our suite. Once we realised what the music was about, we rushed to the balcony, phone cameras in hand to video the nightly show visitors and residents alike rave about. LL had brought moscato, which we sipped from crystal glasses as we filmed.

MI, SC and I returned to the casual diner which serves good double-boiled soups. I tried their fish maw and pork stomach soup with a side of stirfried bittergourd with eggs. Peppery and flavourful, the broth was boiled with garlic, red dates, conpoy and lotus seeds. The bittergourd and eggs were pure comfort food, so yummy. Although this didn't look like much, the meal was very filling; I didn't feel hungry till it was time for dinner.

We also revisited the food court hawker stall that serves very good fries. I tried their salmon with truffle carbonara spaghetti. Again, portion sizes were quite large; decent amounts of enoki mushrooms were scattered throughout the pasta. The consistency is Japanese style and more to my taste; not as rich but I wouldn't call this carbonara - Alfredo lite is more appropriate. The salmon could've been more moist, but it was decent overall.

“I also believe that the tyrant known as Netanyahu will learn the necessary lesson at the hands of the world’s Muslims,” Turkish President s

It's the long weekend and start of the school holidays. Families cross into Johor Bahru or travel overseas. This is the time I like being in Singapore most. Less crowded, restaurants offering discounts to lure remaining customers to their premises and less noise. Touristy areas remain very busy; apart from those places, life flows at a more leisurely pace away from town - a good time to explore some dining venues to see which ones deliver better value for money.

I'm also using this period to pray for peace in the Middle East and a permanent end to the wars happening there. Mrs T is praying with me. Countries around the world are facing fuel and fertiliser shortages, true, but the hardship can't be compared to the suffering Palestinians, Lebanese and Iranians are enduring. Many innocent lives have been brutally and tragically cut short; the bereaved are stricken with grief. May peace return to these people. 下次见!

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大家好! There's a Chinese proverb: no banquet without separation exists under Heaven. This is loosely translated as all good things come to an end. So it is with LL and me; she has returned to China. We fully intend to keep in touch and I'll travel there to visit. Before she left, I treated her to a staycation at Marina Bay Sands. Due to constraints in Tumblr, our night view of Gardens by the Bay will be shared in the next post. We had a really good girly time!

LL was the friend I explored Chinese delicacies with, from shao kao (skewers) to dao xiao mian (knife cut noodles) and Xinjiang cuisine. She was also the one who accompanied me to try Lebanese food. I'll miss her adventurous streak. So when I came across a stall selling zha jiang mian (noodles in pork and bean paste sauce), I sat down and enjoyed a bowl. For $5, the meat portion was decent and the sauce coated the noodles perfectly. Good value, will revisit!

Food influencer Strictly Dumpling has a way of making me drool over local favourites. After watching him devour curry chicken noodles, I HAD to have some. A Nanyang cafe near the office serves this, so I hastily made my way there. $8.60 got me a bowl chock full of meaty chunks of chicken and large pieces of potato. I still wasn't hungry at 8pm, so I skipped dinner. The noodles weren't top-notch but they were tasty and there was a lot of food.

Despite rising prices, ethical food businesses in Singapore share the burden and don't pass on all the costs to customers. These are the places I prefer to dine at or order from. There's a tacit understanding that, this way, everyone takes a hit but the financial pain is halved. In absolute dollars and cents, it seems more expensive to patronise these dining establishments instead of hawker stalls. However it's better value if one bothers to do the math.

So there's no peace deal. The US bombed Iran when the latter bothered to send negotiators to continue discussions. All it took was a phone call from Netanyahu to shatter everyone's hope that the war is ending. Why are countries all over the world being held hostage by Israel, for the Gaza, and now, Iran conflicts? Economies are battered by fuel and fertiliser shortages; we may see prices soaring for basic essentials soon. When is enough enough? 下次见!

Malaysia is preparing to take legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the reported abuse of Gaza-bound aid fl

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大家好! FL and I have been friends for 17 years. During our latest catch up, I introduced him to Long Jing, a popular restaurant that's crowded even on weekdays. They specialise in Zhejiang cuisine, which gives Cantonese fare a run for their money where refined and elegant dishes are concerned. I've returned several times with family and friends; everybody loved the food and tasteful ambience. For the high quality of their meals, prices are reasonable.

I tried Hainanese pork chop rice at a casual cafe recently and it was pretty authentic, from the crispy fried pork which was cut into strips to the vegetables and slightly sweet sauce. I would've preferred it if the sunny side up had a runny yolk; apart from that, no complaints, Mummy, who's Hainanese, would approve. This is the dialect group that's known for our signature chicken rice. Mutton soup and crispy pork chop are other specialties.

Several colleagues gave good reviews about the meals served at a western food court stall near our office, so I tried it. The fish and chips costs $8.90 and for the price I was served a large slab of crispy fish, salad and really good fries, better than McDonald's any time. The fish was fresh too; I finished everything except the tartare sauce, which I don't fancy. Since I don't believe in paying premium for western meals, the price is acceptable. I'll be back.

Besides raising prices and shrinking portions, some hawkers are charging 30 cents for extra empty bowls if customers wish to share their meals with family and friends. Times are leaner now; I don't wish to deal with calculating and stingy behaviour. Meal times for relaxing and enjoying good food. Much as I want to support local and had been proud to do so, hawkers aren't making it easy or pleasant for us. I'm very selective about food stalls that I visit nowadays.

The good news is, restaurants and casual diners are offering discounts and special promotions to maintain or increase market share. They're certainly successful at drawing me away from hawker stalls! Nanyang cafes include similar hawker delights in their menus. Whilst prices are higher, customers enjoy decent amounts of protein and veggies, air-conditioned premises and spacious seating. No extra charges if we want extra empty bowls too! 下次见!

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大家好! I tried crab roe vermicelli recently. This dish (also available in noodles) has grown in popularity recently and I wanted to see what the hype was about. OMG it was delicious! The vermicelli came with plenty of scallops and crab meat submerged in a seafoody crab roe and egg white gravy. The noodles, slightly charred and carrying a whiff of wok hey, complemented the gravy and seafood beautifully. Definitely worth the hype, I'll probably order this again!

BREAKING🚨 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei: 🔸“If we had attacked a hospital or a school, the UN Security Council would have

I also tried white bee hoon at a Nanyang cafe. This dish was all the rage a few years back; the hype has died down since then but it's still very yummy. When I tossed the vermicelli to let it soak up the delicious gravy, to my delight, there were more thick, tender pork slices underneath. Talk about good value for money! The gravy itself tastes similar to the broth used in good Hokkien mee - full of seafoody goodness. It was a very tasty meal. Definitely revisiting!

I avoid hawker fare nowadays because many of them raised prices and reduced portion sizes simultaneously. Recently, I craved meepok so I revisited an old bak chor mee favourite. To my surprise, they raised prices by 30 cents, a steal compared to price hikes of 50 cents to a dollar elsewhere. As for portion sizes, the noodles were as chock full of perfectly blanched pork liver, pork slices, pork and fish balls, minced pork and an egg. Oh, I'm coming back!

No news about any peace agreement between Iran and the US so far. Whilst I'm following the developments of this conflict closely, I'm not holding my breath as far as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is concerned. It would be great if it happens; if not, the world needs to accept reality and find ways to cope with the shortage of critical commodities like fertiliser and fuel. Unless the war ends, this increasingly appears to be our new normal.

Harvest yields will be affected by worldwide fertiliser shortages. Fewer crops make it more expensive to feed livestock. These, combined with higher fuel costs, will likely result in higher prices for food - seafood, fish, meat, eggs, dairy as well as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, bread, rice, noodles and coffee. Food insecurity could rise worldwide and be especially severe in less wealthy countries. We should all pray for a swift end to the war. 下次见!

UK foreign secretary says urgent pressure needed to get strait of Hormuz reopened and fertiliser and fuel moving

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大家好! Singapore is well known for our chicken rice, laksa, bak chor mee and char kway teow but I'll bet you didn't know we have a variety of really good soups! I'm not talking about MSG or sauce-based broths; we have the real deal here. For someone with a Cantonese upbringing, soups are sacred. Anything that doesn't taste strongly of meat or seafood is not soup to me; it's MSG water. In Singapore, there're places that serve decent soups for every price point.

Pao fan stalls are where one can find soups that boast a strong seafood flavour. For under $10, you get noodles and fish, fan scallops or prawn paste balls in a rich broth. I also like a popular dumpling restaurant where customers can select their Hong Kong style superior stock. I can't go back to wanton noodle hawker stalls after tasting this. Not only are their dumplings large, fat and juicy, the soup speaks to my soul. Great value for the price.

If double-boiled soups are your thing, we have them too! Hawker stalls serve up pretty decent versions for less than $10. 1 of my favourites is a pork rib and radish soup that comes with tiny abalone. Wisps of dried conpoy along with red dates and goji berries add depth and natural flavour. I skipped the brown rice and ordered tomato egg instead because that's comfort food upon comfort food. For $10.90, I tuck into food that feels like a warm hug.

Just so you know that we have western soups as well, although I'm not a fan of creamy foods, I ordered clam chowder at a popular soup chain. This came with lots of potato and some clams and, whilst it isn't my favourite, if you're craving something hearty, this might be your thing. To be fair, it isn't awful and I might have it once in a blue moon. My palate is forever changed after the pandemic; heavy cream overwhelms the delicate sweetness of a really good soup.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Friday that any resolution to the ongoing conflict requires addressing the root cause: what

If you're a tourist visiting Singapore and wish to veer off the beaten track especially on a chilly rainy day, how about trying our soups? Locals can point you to food stalls which specialise in nourishing double-boiled brews, the popular chain which serves Hong Kong style broth or a pao fan place. Better yet, some of these stalls might be located in 1 of our newly renovated food courts and they're gorgeous! Be the first to introduce them to your community. 下次见!

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大家好! Another sweltering day, another bara chirashi and an extremely loaded one at that! Nestled in a mall slightly further away from city crowds is a cosy Japanese restaurant which specialises in donburi. There're cooked and raw versions, although I'm partial to the latter on hot afternoons. A mini mountain of extremely fresh seafood sits on top of well-seasoned pearl rice. For the quality, freshness and taste, it's worth every dollar.

New cuisines from different Chinese provinces have replaced mala as crowd favourites. Even so, some mala eateries enjoy good business. On a hot afternoon, I selected vegetables and fish, and opted for pork rib soup instead of spicy mala tang. A sip was all it took for me to fall in love. MI tried it and nodded in approval. Boasting a robust meaty flavour and strong herbal notes, the broth is similar to bak kut teh. It was very delicious.

Daily expenses are mounting due to 2 conflicts happening simultaneously in different parts of the world, and yet, if we cut out unnecessary 'premium items', it's possible to live relatively comfortably in Singapore. Nanyang coffee is so fragrant and costs a fraction of an artisanal brew. Chocolate butter sand cookies are less than half the price of artisanal ones. They're buttery, crumbly, and lower in calories. Good food doesn't always have to be very expensive.

An erudite account of the foundation of the state and its subsequent moral and political decline

Also, unless someone else is paying, I don't eat overpriced brunch/cafe food when I can buy 1.5 - 2 local/Asian meals for the same price. I'll fork out $20 - $30 for elevated laksa chock full of fresh seafood - mussels, scallops, prawns and fish, but not pasta with just 2 prawns. It's all about value, at least for the next few years until salaries catch up with hyperinflation. Pretty pics for social media are not my priority; eating well is.

In this region, Malaysia has informed citizens to expect higher food prices due to disruptions in fuel and fertiliser supplies. This will likely affect Singapore. In fact, countries around the world will possibly experience similar circumstances in the coming months if Iran and the US/Israel cannot reach an agreement to permanently end the war soon. We can expect very lean times ahead and further cuts in consumer spending. 下次见!

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