Most of us grew up know of chendol as a dessert with bright green jelly strips, red bean, and coconut milk sweetened with gula melaka. But did you know that this wasn’t the original version?

Read this Tried & Tested special to find out where you can have a taste of old-school chendol!

If you *heart* mango sago as much as I do, check out this taste test to find out where (and where not) to go for your fix of mango sago!

Snow White Sago (foreground), S$5.50

There are a number of new F&B outlets at VivoCity. One of them is Honeymoon Dessert, which is a chain of Hong Kong dessert shops (it also has multiple outlets in China). Rick and I stopped by after dinner on a weeknight.

The menu is mostly fruit-based desserts. Mango is a popular ingredient in HK desserts, but I was surprised to see many other tropical influences, like coconut, palm seed, and durian. Didn’t expect durian to be popular in Hong Kong!

Both Rick and I happened to pick coconut milk-based items. The Snow White Sago is a Honeymoon Dessert signature item — mango, banana, palm seed, and selasih/basil seeds in coconut milk.

It’s an unusual combination, but surprisingly, the flavors work well together. Very fragrant and refreshing! Unfortunately, the mango cubes were rather mushy. Maybe they were over-ripe or left to sit for too long.

Sago with toddy palm, S$4.50

The sago with toddy palm (sea coconut) was much less interesting. Maybe we’d have enjoyed this more if the toddy palm was more tender. It was very hard to chew. A case of too mature toddy palm?

We’ll probably be back to try other items here, as we regularly come to VivoCity for meals or grocery shopping. Actually, VivoCity has a very comprehensive range of dining options. A new F&B outlet with pocket-friendly prices is definitely welcome.

Honeymoon Dessert
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-93 VivoCity
Singapore 098585
Tel: (65) 6376 8027
URL: http://www.honeymoon-dessert.com/en_us/

Tampopo's signature desserts - whole orange jelly and Scoop cake.

While at Tampopo to review their famous Black Pig Shabu Ramen for Tried & Tested: Ramen, we also tried out two of Tampopo’s much-raved about desserts.

Whole orange jelly, S$5.80++

For the orange jelly, they scooped out the flesh of a large navel orange, and filled it with soft, cloudy jelly that has small chunks of sweet orange flesh.

At first, I wasn’t quite used to the near-mushy texture of the jelly. But the jelly was totally bursting with pure, zesty, and intensely orangey flavors! It wasn’t too sweet, and tasted very natural, ie, no artificial flavor.

Mmm…it was so delightfully refreshing, we scraped the orange cup clean of every jelly molecule!

Scoop cake, S$6.00++

I really marvel at how the Japanese take something that’s not their invention, and take it to the next level. Normally, any cake with such a large proportion of cream puts me off. But like the orange jelly, the Scoop cake was just as irresistible.

Suffice to say, I was already floating around blissfully in cake heaven after just one bite. It’s hard to imagine how a simple assembly of fluffy sponge, lighter-than-air Chantilly cream, and fresh fruit could be so delectable, but it really is!

If it’s just the cake you want, go to the basement where Tampopo Deli is located. Besides the Scoop cake, they also have other Japanese-style cakes and pastries, the most sought-after of which is the cream puff. Apparently, the cream puffs are all snapped up once a fresh batch is produced every hour, so go stalk the deli if you’re game to try.

Tampopo (Liang Court)
177 River Valley Road
#01-23/24 Liang Court Shopping Centre
Singapore 179030
Tel: (65) 6338 3186
URL: http://www.cfc.com.sg/

You’re not going to find sushi, sashimi, or ramen here. That said, Ootoya’s menu is rather extensive. There’s an interesting variety of grilled, fried, and simmered dishes that you can enjoy ala carte or as part of a set.

Mini sweet sour chicken, S$6.00

Sweet and sour chicken? Isn’t that Chinese, you say. Well, trust the Japanese to “borrow” something and make it even better! Ootoya’s sweet sour chicken is miles superior than most of the awful sweet sour pork I’ve had in a recent run.

Try to imagine thick, succulent chunks of chicken thigh, coated lightly in flour but fried till very crispy, then tossed in a lively, vinegary sauce. The sharp sourness was a surprise, but its piquancy helps to cut through the grease. The fried lotus root and potato chunks are just as delicious!

Charcoal grilled Atka mackerel, S$17.00 for set meal

Another house specialty, the briny Atka mackerel is wonderfully smoky and juicy. But it’s an acquired taste, and not everyone might enjoy endlessly picking bones out of their fish.

See how easily the moist, tender mackerel flakes apart...

On its own, it’s slightly salty, but pairs gorgeously with rice! For an additional fee, you can choose to have toppings (eg. hijiki seaweed, grated yam) instead of the usual plain rice. And did I mention that rice is free-flow? Awesomeness!

Freshly grated radish and pickled cucumber

To cut through the salt and grease of the mackerel, smear with refreshing grated radish. Again, an acquired taste, but very addictive once you get the hang of it!

Vegetable dish

Set meals are accompanied by miso soup (deliciously flavorful but not over-salted), and pickles and vegetables.

Banana parfait with coffee milk ice cream, S$6.00

Do save room for dessert, especially their famed parfaits. I’ve tried two, and fallen hopelessly in love! The banana parfait is constructed with soft-set banana pudding, whipped cream, coffee granita, adzuki (red beans), and raspberry coulis. I like how the castella cake soaks up the melted, creamy goodness at the bottom of the glass!

The following pics are taken with my old Canon point-and-shoot cos I didn’t have my Sony Alpha DSLR with me.

Torotoro set, S$17.00

Blown away by my virgin Ootoya experience, I made an excuse not to cook dinner so that I could return the following day for another meal! Shhh! Don’t tell the hubby!

Simmered tofu & chicken

How could something so simple taste so stunning? It’s in the use of fresh and quality ingredients, the right balance of seasoning, cooking time, and even the way they cut the ingredients that make all the difference. The broth, slightly thickened but not too starchy, tastes incredibly clear and sweet. The smooth chicken chunks, soft tofu, and barely set egg are unpretentious ingredients, but under the hands of a master, they are simply sublime.

Steamed rice with Mutsu bay scallops

Plump, moist, and separate, even the rice here is divine! Presented in a bamboo steamer that’s kept warm by paraffin flame, the hijiki seaweed rice is topped with 3 small but perfectly cooked Mutsu scallops. The piece de resistance is *surprise* the delectable sweet miso topping.

Soymilk blancmange & Matcha green tea parfait, S$6.00

Another parfait, another winner! Below the green tea ice cream and adzuki are soy pudding, castella cake cubes, whipped cream and thick brown sugar syrup. Mmmmph….!

It sounds too good to be true, and indeed, I was looking out for faults, but there wasn’t anything I could find fault with. It’s been a long time since a new opening has got me this excited. Ootoya’s food is not haute cuisine. In fact, it feels more like homely fare. But the food is freshly prepared, wholesome and delicious, not to mention affordable and generously-portioned (both times I left feeling stuffed!). Plus they provide free hot or iced green tea, which is regularly topped up! It’s the kind of place that you walk out of with a happy smile on your face.

Prices listed are before 10% service charge and 7% GST.

Ootoya Japanese Restaurant
181 Orchard Road
#08-12, Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: (65) 6884 8901 (no reservations taken)
Open: 11am – 9:30pm (last order)

Durian puffs, S$4.20.

This was a random pit stop in the midst of aimless wandering at AMK Hub. I wasn’t hungry, and planned only to have mango sago pomelo, but the cute waiter convinced me to order a dimsum item to go with it.

Molten durian filling.

The fried durian puffs turned out to be surprisingly good. Although the filling wasn’t pure durian pulp—it’s probably a mixture of durian and custard—it had sufficient durian flavor and scent. Served piping hot, the molten filling was lusciously smooth.

Thin, light, and very crisp, the grease-free pastry shell was impressive too. I ended up enjoying this more than my original order of mango sago pomelo.

Mango sago pomelo, S$3.80.

It’s not the best mango sago pomelo I’ve had, but neither was it the worst. The mango wasn’t sweet enough, but to be fair, mangoes aren’t at their best now because they’re not in season. Also, I was expecting to see more mango, and cut in chunkier cubes.

My gold standard for mango sago pomelo is still Mei Heong Yuen. So far, none I’ve tried has surpassed their version.

Surprisingly, Sweet Spring is opened by the management of Fish & Co. Hmm, Chinese sweet soups 糖水 is quite a departure from fish and chips, yeah?

I couldn’t linger for long, but Sweet Spring’s a casual, pleasant joint for catching up over desserts. I saw other tables having the homemade beancurd that comes in a quaint wooden tub, presumably one of their signature desserts. On the menu, there’s also the usual Chinese sweet soups, snow ice desserts, and a limited dimsum selection for nibbles.

Spring is sweet, indeed.

Sweet Spring
#02-19 to 21, AMK Hub (next to Ang Mo Kio MRT)
53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3
Singapore 569933
Tel: (65) 6753 9856

Weekdays: 11am – 10pm
Weekends: 10am – 10pm

We were supposed to leave our hotel at 3pm to catch our flight back to Singapore. Because we had a late, big breakfast, we still weren’t hungry by 2pm. However, I was determined to squeeze in one more meal before leaving Penang!

Plate of fried fritters (3 pieces for RM2.20) & red bean soup, RM1.00

The day before, based on CK Lam’s recommendation, we went to an alley along Magazine Road. It’s at the traffic light junction opposite Trader’s Hotel. However, it was already evening, and the stalls had already closed. This time, we were lucky. All the stalls were open!

Lor bak, prawn fritter, and spring roll

The first stall sells fried fritters and dessert soups. We ordered a plate of lor bak 卤肉 (meat roll), spring roll, and prawn fritter. All were delicious, much nicer than the one we had at Lorong Selamat! The red bean soup was also lovely.

Chee cheong fun 猪肠粉 (steamed rice roll)

The second stall sells chee cheong fun, curry chee cheong fun, and curry mee. We didn’t try the curry chee cheong fun.

If you look closely, there’s three sauces above: hae ko, dark sweet sauce, and chilli sauce. Penang is the home of the best hae ko 虾膏 (fermented prawn paste), and it’s used liberally in many dishes here, from rojak to assam laksa to chee cheong fun.

Penang curry mee (noodles)

Finally, my first taste of Penang curry mee! Underneath the toppings is yellow Hokkien noodles. I was surprised that the curry gravy is “white”. How spicy you want it to be depends on the amount of sambal chilli (in the spoon) you stir and mix into the gravy.

This was delicious! It’s actually similar to Singapore laksa, but there’s no dried shrimp in the curry gravy, and the herbs and spices come through as being more subtle. However, the curry gravy is very smooth and fragrant. The flavors are beautifully balanced, and the toppings are fresh and tasty.

Underneath the toppings is yellow Hokkien noodles. The toppings include coagulated pig blood (the maroon cube on the left of the bowl). FYI, coagulated pig blood is tasteless, with a texture similar to tofu. It used to be available in Singapore, but not anymore. I didn’t eat it, but Rick did. He’s a more adventurous eater than I am!

Delicious food in the most unlikely place.

Although some people might question the hygiene of street food, this was never an issue with us throughout our entire time in Penang. Rick ate street food every day for a week in Penang, and I for four days, and we were fine.

With a heavy heart, I unwillingly bade goodbye to the beautiful island of Penang. Besides delicious food and charming historical sights, what made this trip so unforgettable was the warm and helpful locals who made us feel so welcome. We definitely want to return to Penang some day.

Also read:
Penang Day 1 – Supper from street stalls along Lorong Baru (New Lane)
Penang Day 2 – Hotel breakfast, Toh Soon Cafe, and tang yuen for supper
Penang Day 3 – Char koay kak
Penang Day 3 – Lunch at Lorong Selamat
Penang Day 3 – The Great Penang Cendol Face-off!
Last day in Penang: Dimsum at De Tai Tong Cafe

The Peranakan dishes on bain marie section.

82-year-old Baba Jolly Wee, a renowned Peranakan cooking expert, was specially invited to helm Spices Cafe for this authentic and traditional Peranakan spread.

From left: Beef rendang, sambal sotong, ayam buah keluak, sambal ikan tenggiri, babi assam.

I’m not an authority on Peranakan food, having tried it at most 5 times in my entire lifetime. With the exception of the tenggiri (mackerel) which was a tad overcooked, I enjoyed all the items above. The sotong wasn’t rubbery, and all the meats were fragrant and tender. The flavors and spices were nicely balanced too.

Nyonya rojak and otah

The appetizing rojak and spicy otah was great for perking up the tastebuds in between courses! There’s a live rojak station, and otah is also freshly grilled. Nyonya rojak is slightly different as there’s no you tiao or tau pok. It’s distinctly more refreshing with more use of fruit like jambu (rose apple).

Duck noodle soup

Although the focus is on Peranakan dishes, there are also other local Singapore dishes available, like this Teochew duck noodle soup. Prepared at a live station, yellow Hokkien noodles, kway teow, and bee hoon are available.

Hungry Cow was also there, and we both LOVED this! Slurped up every bit of that hearty broth! It was deliciously flavorful and didn’t have an overpowering herbal taste. They were very generous with the tender braised duck too!

Loh kai yik and lontong

Baba Jolly Wee told us that he wants to introduce the younger generation to foods that he ate in his younger days which are no longer available now. One of them is loh kai yik — a brownish-pink stew of chicken wings braised in nam yu (fermented tofu). He told us that many years ago, he and his parents would eagerly await a hawker who would peddle loh kai yik door-to-door. The hawker would carry a big pot on a charcoal stove in bamboo baskets, and then set them down and start cooking when residents came out to order.

What an interesting anecdote! This was really exciting for me cos I’ve never tasted loh kai yik before. The gravy stew itself is sweetish and slightly savoury. Chicken wings, pork belly, and chicken liver give depth to the gravy. There’s also kangkong and taupok for extra texture. Mmm…yummy! Why don’t people make or sell this anymore?

Chilli crab and chicken satay

Other “hot” items are the chilli crab and chicken satay. We had to go back a few times before we finally got our hands on this plate! The crab is alright; but the satay is really addictive. Tender, juicy chicken leg is used, and the marinade had thoroughly penetrated the meat. The peanut gravy was just right – sufficiently flavorful and chunky. There’s supposed to be grated pineapple for the peanut gravy – a signature touch for Nyonya satay – but there was no more. *sad*

Nyonya kueh and pastries

Maybe I have more of a savoury rather than a sweet tooth, but I was more impressed with the mains rather than desserts. Or maybe I was just too full to appreciate them. On this plate, starting clockwise from 12 o’clock: sago with gula melaka and coconut cream; durian puff; kueh lapis; kueh dadar (the skin is strawberry flavored); apong (pancakes with banana sauce); and center, pandan-flavored pancake (sorry I didn’t get the proper name).

There were other dishes I didn’t try or photograph, like cabbage rolls, baby octopus (starter), stir-fried beef slices, pork chop (nice and crispy), macaroni soup, sambal stingray, fried sesame balls, bubur terigu, and fresh fruit. See my Flickr set for more photos.

The buffet is a modest spread, but I think for a weekday lunch, it’s more than sufficient. Prices are pocket-friendly too. Most of all, I think it’s a great introduction for those of us unfamiliar with Peranakan cuisine.

There’s actually many more items on the Peranakan menu, but only a few are highlighted each day. Dishes are rotated weekly every Tuesday. Should I return next week to try the pineapple prawns, tauyu bak (braised soy sauce pork), sayur nangka masak lemak (young jackfruit in spicy coconut milk), and itek tim (duck in salted vegetable soup)? What a tempting thought!

Many thanks to Evelyn of Concorde Hotel for the invitation and hospitality, and Baba Jolly and Rosemary for sharing their interesting stories on Peranakan history and food.

Singapore Flavors Lunch Buffet: Focus on Peranakan dishes (July & August 2009)
Spices Cafe (Lobby Level 3)
Mondays to Fridays, 12 noon to 2:30pm
$25++ per adult, $12.50++ per child (3-12 years old), $19.65++ per senior citizen (above 55 years old)
Tel: (65) 6733 8855 ext. 8133

Concorde Hotel Singapore
100 Orchard Road
Singapore 238840
Tel: (65) 6733 8855
URL: www.concordehotel.com.sg

Note: Since October 2008, Le Meridien Hotel in Orchard Road has been rebranded Concorde Hotel. Cafe Georges has also been renovated and renamed Spices Cafe.

Penang Road's famous Teochew cendol!

Folks, this is THE most famous cendol stall in Penang! Many proclaim it to be the best on the island. Just remember, it’s located in Penang Road in Penang!

Technically, it’s in Keng Kwee Street off Penang Road. But no worries, just ask and the friendly locals will point you to the right direction!

Interestingly, directly opposite the No.1 stall is another cendol stall. They claim to be just as good as the original!

So how will the clueless out-of-towner know which is which? Easy!

The original stall…

The original...

…is perpetually crowded…

...and the imposter.

…while its rival has a trickling stream of customers, like these two motorcyclists who find it more convenient to just grab and go at the less crowded stall.

Some Penangites say that the original stall’s standard has dropped due to ridiculously good business. Like any self-respecting foodie, I did a taste-test of the two!

*drumroll* Without further ado, let the Great Penang Cendol Face-Off begin!

Cendol from the famous stall, RM1.70

The first slurp had me gushing, “Mmm…what kind of gula melaka did they use? It’s out of this world!” Now I know why people swoon over Penang cendol. It’s the top-grade gula melaka they use that make it so special. So rich, smooth, and complex!

Cendol from the rival stall, RM1.70

The rival’s cendol is also excellent, but if you compare closely, they’re slightly different. Let’s do a detailed analysis.

The cendol from both stalls are similarly made out of four main elements: gula melaka, fresh coconut milk, green bean noodles, and red bean.

Gula melaka:
Both stalls use top-grade gula melaka.

Coconut milk:
Both stalls use fresh coconut milk. Very fragrant and smooth. However, Rival Stall’s coconut milk is more lemak (creamy); Original Stall’s is more diluted.

If you like your cendol more lemak, go for Rival Stall. But because Original Stall’s coconut milk is less overwhelming, you can taste the more of that fabulous gula melaka.

Green bean noodles:
Original Stall’s noodles are softer and melt-in-the-mouth. Rival Stall’s noodles are fatter and firmer, plus they give a bigger portion.

Red beans:
Although cooked till fragrant and powdery, Original Stall gives too little of the beans. Rival Stall boasts better beans. Generous amount of big, fat red beans and kidney beans. They retain their shape, but give way to sweet, powdery goodness!

Conclusion:
If you like your cendol rich with coconut milk with lots of green pea noodles and big, fat beans, head to Rival Stall.

Personally, I prefer the Original Stall. For Rival Stall, at first the richness of the coconut milk was nice, but after a while, it got rather jelak (cloying). I prefer Original Stall’s coconut milk-gula melaka ratio, because you get the fragrance of coconut milk without overpowering the lovely notes of the gula melaka. It’s lighter and more refreshing. Plus the green pea noodles are softer and more slippery. If only they were more generous with the green pea noodles and red bean!

Also read:
Penang Day 1
Penang Day 2: Hotel breakfast, Toh Soon Cafe, and tang yuen for supper
Penang Day 3: Char koay kak
Penang Day 3: Lunch at Lorong Selamat

The good: nasi lemak with chicken curry; beehoon goreng. Not so good: sausage, baked beans, hashbrown.

So I sauntered cheerily into the executive breakfast lounge, only to be stunned that Michael Jackson had suddenly died of a heart attack. I’m not a big Michael Jackson fan, but still, I admire him for his incredible talent and the musical legacy that he leaves behind. RIP, Michael Jackson. You’ll forever be the King of Pop.

Nice banana cake and Danish pastry.

Watching the BBC News on TV, I didn’t pay much attention to my breakfast. Well, not that it deserves much attention, anyway. Breakfast was included in the room rate.

That tall building is UMNO's headquarters in Penang.

Actually, we got a pretty good deal on Wotif. Our room at Sunway Hotel is showing its age; the fixtures and furnishings are rather worn. But the room is clean and spacious, and for the E-rooms, they come with unlimited free broadband and breakfast in the executive lounge where you get a nice view from the 14th floor. It’s conveniently located near the heritage sites of Georgetown, and just outside the hotel (New Lane/Lorong Baru) is plenty of cheap street food at night.

Another view from the 14th floor Executive Lounge of Sunway Hotel, Georgetown.

Hainanese coffee & steamed kaya bread

Ricky still had a full day of work on Friday, so I went exploring Georgetown without him. Went to the famous Toh Soon Café at Campbell Street, but their famous roti bakar (coal grilled-bread) was unavailable. Boo hoo! But the Hainanese coffee is fabulous. Yay!

Then, visited the nearby Chowrasta Market and bought some local snacks.

Returned to Sunway to check out, then checked into Traders Hotel, just down the road. It’s even more conveniently located, next to KOMTAR and Prangin Mall. The room is smaller, but newer and more posh than Sunway. Weekend rates at Trader’s Hotel are cheaper than weekday rates, and you can get a good deal by booking directly on Trader’s website at least two weeks before your arrival date.

After 4 days of street food, Rick was quite sick of it, so we had dinner at Sushi King, Prangin Mall. The quality is worse than some of the Jap food served in S’pore food courts. Yup, we should just have stuck to street food.

On the way back, we caught a whiff of something warm, gingery and sweet. What do you know, there’s a pushcart selling hot tang yuan 汤圆 along Magazine Road, just opposite our hotel!

Piping hot tang yuan, made only when you order!

I notice that most of the street stalls in Penang don’t display their business name. It’s only later that I found this link which identifies this stall as Hoe Hock Tien Tang Yen.

Peanut, sesame, and plain rice dumplings in cane sugar-sweetened soup, RM3.00 ≈ S$1.25

For RM3.00, you get several small plain rice dumplings, and two big dumplings, one stuffed with crushed peanut, and the other, with crushed sesame.

Peanut dumpling and brown sugar soup

You can choose between cane sugar-sweetened or brown sugar-sweetened soup. Both are cooked with fragrant pandan leaves and ginger. I prefer the brown sugar version, but both are just as satisfying. The ginger taste isn’t overwhelming, and the sweetness level is just right. Very warm and comforting!

It’s lucky we spotted this stall, ‘cos it didn’t open for business the following night, which was our final night in Penang.

Also read: Penang Day 1