Swee Choon Dim Sum

To be able to eat anything* is a blessing. I'll never take it for granted.

*anything that is socially and culturally appropriate and acceptable

Dim Sum Buffets Singapore: Your Ultimate Guide

Dim Sum Buffets Singapore: Your Ultimate Guide

Embark on a delightful journey through the vibrant world of dim sum buffets Singapore has to offer. From the heart of the city to hidden gems waiting to be explored, we’ve carefully curated a list of the finest dim sum buffets in Singapore, where you can savour a delectable array of bite-sized delights. Whether you’re a fan of traditional dumplings, steamed buns, or modern interpretations of…

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I have so many random photos on my phone, on Chinese New Year Eve and during New Year. As continuation from previous post, for non Chinese who are not familiar with Chinese New Year event.

1. Eight Treasure Tea: Raisins, Red Dates, Roses, Winter Gourd, Longans, Peanuts, Wolfberries, Tea. Imported from China. 2. Dried plum sweets.  3. Dim Sum. In the center is the best fried pork I’ve ever tasted.  4. Pork Dumpling (Jiao zi) 5. Mala Fried Noodles with pork slice. Mala is seasoning made from Sichuan chili and incorporate 5 spices: Star Anise, Fennel Seeds, Sichuan Peppercorns, Whole Cloves, Cinnamon Stick.     6. Braised Bamboo Shots, Braised Pig Intestine, Herbal Chicken, Seaweed.  7. Chrysanthemum Tea. Herbal drink for health, since my childhood.  8. Yu Sheng. I do not celebrate New Year with Yu Sheng this year. Yu Sheng is fish salad, celebrated by ethnic Chinese in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia. The big portion is meant to be eaten together by several people with chopsticks.  9. Lion Dance. Performed by two people, jumping from one pole to another. By historically, there was a story of Emperor saved from nightmare by creature resembles lion dancing to chase away evil spirit in the Emperor’s dream. Afterwards, the Emperor declared the lion as the symbol of luck in China. The music is very loud, I warned you. 

And the last, of course, Ang Pao (Red Envelope) 

with money inside. Angpao is Hokkien Chinese language. Ang means red. Pao means envelope. Hong bao is the version in pinyin Mandarin Chinese language. 

The tradition of giving angpao by married couple to unmarried, even though the receiver is adult with stable income but unmarried, so yes, not for kids only. Unmarried adult with income is not allowed to give angpao. Giving angpao is meant to be showing care to others and sharing happiness to other people by giving fortune. Red colour is meant to chase away evil spirit and bringing luck in Chinese culture. 

Duck Day 2023: Full Canto

If you've read my "Duck Day" posts before, you know it's my rundown of what corwin and I made for Thanksgiving. In 2023 we left for Aruba with my Mom that Saturday, and I thought I would work on the recap post then. But "Aruba" and "work" do not mix, and instead I read two lovely books and lounged about in the shade (and finally began to feel a little bit recovered from having had COVID in September...) Anyway, now it's February 2024 and I'm finally posting this so I can close the dozens of tabs still open on my browser since November! In Duck Days past, corwin and I have cooked up some high concept menu themes (like the time we traced a map of the Silk Road, or the parody menu "American Classics," or the year we did "togetherness"...), while other times we've stuck to a single cuisine as a theme (i.e. French). This year we decided to go for full-on Cantonese which means including a couple of nods to the Philippines and Singapore, where there are large Cantonese populations and the cuisine has been adapted with local flair. (Same could be said for the USA....) Having grown up as a mixed-race Chinese-filipino kid in the 1970s, I spent a lot of my childhood eating in Chinese restaurants throughout suburban New Jersey, with very regular trips to NYC Chinatown. We ate a lot of takeout from "American" Chinese joints, and often had Christmas Day dinner at one of the slightly fancier Chinese restaurants (because my mom's birthday is on Christmas and she would rather not cook on her birthday). If we went shopping in Manhattan in the morning, we went to dim sum after. If we went to a Broadway show at night, or even to Yankee Stadium which is way up in the Bronx, we still drove all the way down to Chinatown for a late-night dinner. I understood as a kid that there was something "cultural" about going to Chinatown that I was supposed to "get," but I didn't really know what it was, and my family didn't explicitly talk about it. But it meant I felt some kind of connection even if there really wasn't a functional difference between me and non-Chinese tourist kids from the suburbs. If I absorbed some cultural values on these trips they probably boiled down to these: - It's a virtue to eat. - It's a virtue to eat everything. - It's a virtue to eat everything your ancestors (probably) ate. For a while my grandfather came to live with us, and I found it extremely frustrating that we had no common language, because I really wanted to grill him all day long about what his life was like growing up when there was still a dynasty going on. Like, whoa. He liked going to Chinatown even though he spoke a different dialect from most of the merchants there. Because he could write things down, though, he could request special things from the waiters and go into the Chinese pharmacy and get various remedies. One thing, though, that he had going on was high blood pressure, and so his doctor (and my dad, who was an MD) had told him to cut salt out of his diet. So my mom was cooking everything low salt. (My grandfather must've just thought she was a terrible cook.) But his blood pressure didn't go down. They couldn't figure it out. Until my dad found the tub of pork floss he had hidden in his room. For those not familiar with pork floss, try to imagine if chewing tobacco were made from beef jerky so finely shredded it had the texture of dryer lint. (It's DELICIOUS.) Anyway. Probably 90% of my identification with my Chinese heritage comes through food (the other 10% comes through kung fun movies, and I'm not even kidding). tl;dr -- Deciding to do a heavy-duty Cantonese meal is kind of a big deal for me. But of course this is us, so we couldn't ONLY do straight-up traditional, we had to find ways to bistronomize and fuse and elevate and have fun with the dishes.

The menu at each dinner guest's place, a take-off on the old cheesy US Chinese restaurant menus from our childhoods. The Menu: 1) Amuse & Opening Cocktail: A Savory Fortune Cookie Name of the cocktail: ネグロに (Ne Gu Ro Ni, yes we're writing it in Japanese) 2) Dim Sum: Chashu Duck Baked Bun Duck Meatball w/ Yuba Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce with Oolong tea 3) Soup: Duck Kut Teh with You Tiao (Chinese "crullers") served with a Crispy duck-confit filled Lumpia 4) Noodles: Hand-cut Sweetwater noodle w/ ground duck topping 5) Palate Cleanser: Trio of sorbettos: ginger, lychee, orange 6) Main Course: Sticky-rice stuffed roast duck With Scallion & Cucumber garnish 7) Dessert: Yuzu Creme Brulee Pineapple Bun Orange Slice 8) Tea & Coffee ** Candied things

The cocktail is garnished with candied Buddha's Hand that I made. In the background you can see the savory fortune cookies.   Opening Cocktail: Ne Gu Ro Ni (you can spell this with katakana) Inspired by a friend's recent musing on what counts as a negroni (e.g. by some definitions, concrete is a negroni...), corwin invented this one using the idea that a negroni is one part base spirit, one part bitter, and one part sweet. It uses Gokoo Shochu, which is very whiskey-like, as the base spirt, a Japanese "Bermutto" as the sweet component, and a black jasmine tea as the bitter.

The savory fortune cookies. (Scroll to the end of the post to see what they said inside.) The Savory Fortune Cookie: I like my amuses to be, well, amusing, and this seemed a good way to inject some whimsy. When I ran the test recipe for this, I made test fortunes that said things like "This is a test of the fortune cookie broadcast system." "This is only a test." "If this had been an actual fortune cookie, you would have received some Orientalist B.S." and so on. I based my recipe on this one for "Brown Butter Fortune Cookies" from Cook It Delicious: https://cooktildelicious.com/brown-butter-fortune-cookies/ The consensus among my foodie Twitter/Bluesky/etc cohort is that because the fortune cookie batter is mostly sugar and egg whites, trying to reduce the sugar wouldn't work. But plenty of Cantonese cooking is savory while also being sweet, so I kept the sugar content the same and just pumped up the savory aspect. One test batch I added sesame oil to the brown butter and they were okay. Next batch I added the sesame oil FROM THE JAR OF LAO GAN MA and that kicked it right into the savory stratosphere! Delicious! (it also made the cookies slightly pink) The other thing I added was a sprinkling of sesame seeds and flake salt onto the unbaked cookies right before putting them in the oven. They came out fantastic. The biggest problem I've usually found with homemade fortune cookies is that they come out soggy (or chewy) rather than crispy. What I found during the tests was that I could just keep putting the shaped cookies -- held in shape by putting them into an egg carton the moment they're shaped -- into the oven on a low-ish heat (300 degrees, I think) for another few minutes beyond the expected bake time.

The fortune cookies, still soft, right before being peeled off the silpat and shaped by hand.

An egg carton is the best thing to tuck the fortune cookies into the moment they are shaped, and then stick them back in the oven to finish crisping up.   THE DIM SUM COURSE:  We don't go into restaurants indoors when the COVID numbers are over a certain threshold, which means we haven't been to a dim sum palace since before Omicron. And damn, I miss it. Chashu Duck Baked Bun Duck Meatball w/ Yuba Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce

All three elements of the dum sum course. The chinese broccoli in oyster sauce is basically an excuse to get some green vegetables into our guests. According to Buddhist tradition, oyster sauce is vegetarian. No, really. (Chinese Cooking Demystified did a whole video on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDC6Q5upKPE) DUCK MEATBALL on Yuba This is a duck version of the beef ball you usually get on tofu skin. corwin learned the technique that makes those balls so soft yet bouncy (it has to do with lye water), and guess what? It works for duck, too. (Another nod to Chinese Cooking Demystified, who posted their recipe here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/bh7pjc/recipe_dim_sum_beef_balls_/ and the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsEPOKveJFQ) Chashu Duck Baked Bun This is basically the classic charsiu siopao but with duck instead of pork. We've made these before, but it's a classic and good to return to to scratch that dimsum itch!

For one friend who keeps kosher, we gave her the meat filling without the bun, which is made from a milk bread.   Duck Kut Teh with You Tiao (Chinese "crullers") served with a Crispy duck-confit filled Lumpia One of the best foods we ate in Singapore was Bak Kuh Teh, which comes from the hokkienese (Fujianese) words for "pork bone tea." We had it both at the truly delicious and well-known chain restaurant Song Fa, and also as late-night eats in the one area of Singapore where there are all-night dim sum joints (because no matter how much the government wants everyone to get up early to go to work and be orderly and sorta British about everything, you simply cannot completely stamp out this Cantonese cultural norm, apparently?) Song Fa has a Michelin Bib Gourmand award seven years running, and yeah, damn it's good.

I really should've bought 20 of these when we were in Singapore...   Song Fa sells spice packets for making bak kut teh at home both in their stores and on the website (I've also seen it on Amazon) and in Singaporean grocery stores. I've made bak kuh teh a few times since our 2022 trip and I think it comes out best with a combination of the Song Fa packet and additional fresh spices. The main thing you can't believe until you do it is just how much white pepper it takes to really get the flavor right. (Also 5 heads of garlic per rack of ribs.) I used the following reference recipe, as well as the instructions on the Song Fa packet, and a few others I looked up: https://delightfulplate.com/bak-kut-teh-singapore-pork-rib-soup/ But here's what I ended up with: My BAK KUH TEH recipe - 1 rack of pork ribs (12-13 ribs) - 25 fresh peeled garlic cloves (or 5 heads of however many cloves) - one Song Fa spice package - several slices of fresh ginger - one cinnamon stick - two tablespoons white peppercorns - 2 star anise - 1 tsp dark soy sauce - 1 tsp light soy sauce If you don't have the Song Fa packet, you can replace it with 30 grams of white pepper (yes that is most of a grocery store container of white peppercorns) whether as whole peppercorns or ground, 10 grams of sea salt, 5 grams of cinnamon chunks or sticks, and 4 broken star anise. (And MSG if you want it. I find this meal has enough umami and salt without it.) Buy a long flat rack of pork ribs when it's not grilling season and you can find them on sale for $5.99 a pound (they'll jump to $12.99 a pound or more in barbecue season). In fact, buy a few and freeze them until you're ready to use them for bak kuh teh. First bring a LARGE pot of water to a boil (large enough for all the ribs.) Cut up the ribs and peel 50 cloves of garlic while you're waiting for the pot to boil. Put a few pinches of salt and some slices of ginger in the water. Once it gets to a rolling boil, put all the ribs in and return it to a boil. Parboil one minute, then discard the water and rinse the ribs well with cold water. Clean out the pot. Some recipes now have you toast the spices and garlic cloves in the bottom of the pot before you refill it with water, but I have not done that. Add fresh water, and the ribs, and bring it to a boil again. Then add all the garlic cloves, and both soy sauces. Have the spices in either tea balls or other infusers, or those disposable tea bags, and halfway through the cooking, be sure to move them around a bit (but don't break them or the soup will be gritty). Simmer 90 minutes to 2 hours. Serve with 3 ribs per large soup bowl and a ladle or two of the broth. In the Song Fa restaurant, they strain the garlic cloves out to make the broth clear again, but I leave them in. (They're mostly disintegrated.) If you've ever wondered why "vegetarian delight," the really bland vegetable dish served at Cantonese restaurants, exists at all, it's because it's the perfect balance to offset the intensity of bak kuh teh. Of course, because this is DUCK DAY, we cooked up a version that used duck legs with some meat still on them as a stand-in for the ribs, and duck stock, and the rest was the same spice mix and garlic, and it came out fantastic. (There are many non-pork variations including duck to be found around Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. but I didn't really look up any recipes, I just swapped in duck for pork and it worked.) Somehow I didn't get a photo of the duck kuh teh, but here's one from Regis's instagram (full post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0CC9Z2L0oM/): Duk kuh teh as served. Photo by Regis.   The other traditional accompaniment is a long, bumpy "cruller" -- you tiao. The first time I made the crullers, I used a gluten free recipe because I was making this meal for a friend who with a few dietary restrictions and they came out surprisingly great! So I thought surely with actual gluten in them they should be even better? (I actually think they came out about the same.) The gluten free version came from Fun Without Gluten (https://funwithoutgluten.com/chicken-congee-with-gluten-free-chinese-doughnuts/) and the regular version came from What To Cook Today (https://whattocooktoday.com/cakwe-you-tiau.html).

The lumpia and the crullers ready to deep fry!    DUCK-CONFIT FILLED CRISPY LUMPIA So, lun pia, or lumpia if you're filipino, are another southern Chinese specialty that are all over the Philippines. They require super-thin, almost lacey skins, and I've made them by hand before. The recipe I use comes from the indispensible cookbook that is Andrea Nguyen's ASIAN DUMPLINGS. You can read a review of her recipe on the aptly named Burnt Lumpia blog: https://burntlumpia.typepad.com/burnt_lumpia/2009/09/homemade-lumpia-wrappers.html However, this time, in the middle of the heat of service of an already too-long meal... I could not get the dough to work. The pan was too hot, then it was too cold, then the dough was too wet, or maybe too dry? I don't know why it didn't work, and I didn't have time to figure it out, so I defaulted to the back-up plan: the "shanghai style" extra-thin spring roll skins I had bought at H-Mart a few days earlier, for just such a contingency. The filling was shredded duck confit, which stands in very well for the finely shredded pork one often finds in these at parties catered by filipino caterers. (I just gave myself such a craving for lechon, holy cats.)

corwin and me plating the noodle course. Photo by Scliff. Hand-cut Sweetwater noodle w/ ground duck topping corwin learned to make these thick, chewy, rustic noodles from, where else, Chinese Cooking Demystified. Here: https://chinesecookingdemystified.substack.com/p/chengdu-sweet-water-noodles But I'm the one who ended up actually doing the hand-cutting of the noodles, and I fixed up these accordion dividers out of wax paper to keep them from sticking together.

Making sweetwater noodles by hand. Trio of sorbettos: ginger, lychee, orange We made these three sorbets that came out in three different textures as well as three flavors. The ginger was so intensely gingery and so intensely sugary (because corwin used the sugar that was left in the pot after I candied ginger to make it) that it wouldn't actually freeze. It remained creamy in texture and had to be kept in the deep freezer, not the upright, or it turned to soup. And he used the sugar leftover from me candying the buddha's hand to make the orange sorbet. And we used canned lychee for the lychee sorbet, but I don't remember the details now... The main thing is we have a decent ice cream maker (Whynter brand) that can be left unsupervised while it aerates and freezes.

Closeup on the candied buddha's hand.  

The roast duck before carving.   Sticky-rice stuffed roast duck (main dish) With Scallion & Cucumber garnish

The traditional roast duck accompaniments, cucumbers and scallions. Read the full article

And so while still early in it, the sorceress Lady Yinyin Xianren still continued her two-week magical transformation sprint through the U.K. and whether or not people at large were noticing anything strange going on. It was impossible for Police constable William “Willy” Wilson to ignore someone striding down a street, and turning a corner into a side street while carrying a dark object trailing noticeable pale blue vapors.

Rushing to get in front of the person who of course was Lady Xianren and her book the Jade Shade Book of One-thousand and Two Changes. Constable Wilson stood in her way pointed his finger at her and commanded, “What’s this here then!?” “xiànzài nǐshì!” replied Lady Xianren, and the blue smoke washed over Willy.

In a snap Wu “Wendy” Wen Qian stood before Lady Xianren filled with the frightful knowledge that if she didn’t hurry she would be late for her shift at the Wok and Roll Restaurant where she worked and so ran past the woman with the book and headed that way.

And it was a good thing that Wendy made it in time because it was that night she was made head waitress, new fancier hat and all. Later that night after the dinner rush was over Wendy had time to think. “hear, didn’t I use to be a bobby?” she thought “And a bloke too!” she continued her thoughts in English. “我稍后会担心” (I’ll worry about that later) she then said to herself out loud in Mandarin. “As the new head waitress, I have to see to shutting the restaurant down for tonight.”

The transformation of Willy into Wendy leads Lady Xianren to think about getting something to eat. , Unfortunately all she could see was a food truck called Andy's Fish and Chips, “Ugh! British food.” she thought, but also, “Not that that is a problem,” and with a gesture and the words of power, she ate at Annie's Dim Sum on Wheels.

“Cor, but I’m tired,” thought Andy/Annie after Lady X was gone, still feeling himself thoroughly but also different. “I think I’ll close early and head home.” somehow, she had the feeling she would have a lot of explaining to do to his wife about something or other. But just exactly what, she was not yet sure.

Yinyin’s next encounter proved that, indeed, some people were starting to notice, as she was stopped by a man who introduced himself as Kevin Douglass of The Daily Telegraph who asked if could he have “more than a few words with her” about how she or someone looking like her was being described as being at a string of odd happenings, probably mass hysteria or even mass hypnosis around London but they did seem to happen where she had just been “xiànzài nǐ shì!” she replied with extra force knowing this change would take a bit more effort.

She then left the confused woman standing on the sidewalk. A few minutes later, Ding Kai-Ming came to herself and called her editor at Vogue China. “I’ve got It! I’ve got the story,” she announced. “This Fall the all-black ensemble is making a comeback!” “Now, can I write that up, turn it in and get back home to Singapore, please?”

And then there were the two London street toughs who demanded, “Your money or your life?” “How unoriginal,” said Lady X and then the “Words.” “Oh no, it's very new and original,” said Qin Qin (Kiss Kiss). “And a joy to behold!” added Yao Jung (Stupid). “The best dance troop in town!” they said together. “please come!” “Tell me where it is, and perhaps I’ll come later,” Said Lady Xianren getting the address of where their gang met so she could find them and see to it that they became a dance troop before Qin Qin and Yao Jung got into real trouble.

Then came absolute proof that The Grand Mistress, the sorceress Lady Yinyin Xianren. Was being noticed, after all, how could they not, what with London being almost street to street covered in cameras by the government? He thought he was being stealthy; to an ordinary person, he would have been unseen, but Yinyin, in her 527 years, had become very must more than ordinary.

So as a certain government worker with a “licensed to kill” was drawing a bead on her with his Anderson Wheeler 500 Nitro Express Double Rifle, she popped just five feet right in front of him, and he pulled the trigger…

...And her bright red umbrella opened up. By the time Bau… Bau Ung Jian got the umbrella down Yinyin was gone, and 00qī felt strange. Not sure what she was all about at the moment, she decided the thing to do was go to her favorite watering hole and get her favorite drink, a Dragonfly Martini. Stirred, not shaken, definitely never shaken. Well, never say never... shaken, but yes, mostly just stirred.

12/26/2023

Despite it being very warm for the season (I hate climate change) the sky looked wintery to me today.

Positive thing: I ate, like, a lot of crab.

It was so good and so much that I was stuffed in the end. Eating crab legs really does just unlock something feral in me - I think it's the fact you have to snap their limbs and scrounge the meat out like some kind of creature. It's just free enrichment with your meal.

Anyway, I'm heading home tomorrow, and although it was nice being at my dad's I'm looking forward to just being in my own apartment again. Nothing beats having my own space. Also I miss my fancy PC. I need to work more on the Japan itinerary and it's a lot more tedious on my laptop.

The day after tomorrow is my birthday too so I need to solidify plans for dinner. I think all that's really left is to make the reservation, but I wonder if they'll even let me since the other times my friends and I have tried they just say it's fine and that there's no need to make one. They're never busy at that restaurant so I guess that's why. I suppose it still doesn't hurt to try just in case.

Hmm, I wonder what I'll order. I know I'll get their soup dumplings and singapore rice noodles, but they have lots of other good dishes too. At least the nice thing about dim sum places is that everyone shares so I'll probably just have whatever everyone else gets.

📍Dim sum haus, Singapore

4.5/5 ⭐️

Step into Dimsum Haus, the coolest spot in SG where Asian flavors are lit! This location serves up delicious dumplings, buns, and other crazy bites, making it a total dim sum heaven. Each dish is a work of art that is designed to satisfy all the senses. An unforgettable dining experience formed by the steaming baskets and the lively atmosphere. Dimsum Haus represents the best of Asian cuisine, from traditional favorites to mind-blowing twists.

Stay tuned to know where we’ll leave our footprints next!

i was tagged in a different (shorter) version of this awhile ago and i had it all answered and then accidentally backed out of it just as i was about to post 🙃 so this time i did it in google docs. thank you @saintgarbanzo for tagging me! deepest apologies to everyone for how long this is. i tend to go on.

relationship status single, but also i take my marriage to @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm very seriously.

favorite food dim sum. shrimp rice rolls drowned in sweet dim sum soy sauce foreverrrrr.

favorite color green, pink. i think i’m really just a very saturated color person. neons. jewel tones. love them.

song stuck in your head for reasons unknown - the killers. they bring fans up on stage to play the drums with them when they play it on tour and i watched so many of them last night. my favorites are kyle, from their scotland show (which @wolfpants will probably appreciate) and katie from manchester (brandon calls her casey, but there was a fairly credible article that identified her). but there are so many and you should look them all up!! i clap and cheer at the end of every single one.

last thing you googled "how much is a steinway” i cannot play piano, nor do i want one. i just couldn’t remember if they’re in the $50k or $100k range (probably could get an old used one for $50k if you looked, but starting around $70k depending on model. and the sky’s the limit.)

time 8:13pm

dream trip a trip that literally will only exist in my dreams is one i was supposed to take before the panini ruined everything. visiting my brother in japan. i would stop in singapore for a week first, and then go visit him and we’d maybe go on a road trip together. he’s moving back here in the spring, so it can’t happen, but i did get to see him and take a mini american road trip so thats okay. other places: italy, hong kong, taiwan, various american roadtrips, a house in the country or next to lake with all the people i love most in the world.

last book you read uhhhh this is very embarrassing. i have not read a complete book in the longest time. but the last book i started is george saunder’s A Swim in a Pond in the Rain

last book you enjoyed i was enjoying the saunders book. brain just does not cooperate.

last book you hated reading i’d have to have read something to hate it

favorite thing to cook/bake either things that are low effort, high reward (my favorite brownie recipe), or things that are high effort to make, which makes it very expensive to buy or source, so i must supply it for myself. the pinnacle of this for me are canneles. my favorite pastry ever, especially fresh. i think i will go make myself some chocolate cake now tho.

favorite craft to do i’ve been very into knitting since i started last year. so far i’ve completed: a scarf for myself, a hat and scarf for my friends’ toddler, a shawl for my mom, a hat for me. working on: a shawl for me, a sweater for me, a cowl for a friend. 

most niche dislikes the phrase “have a good one” feels too vague for me. though i’ve mellowed on it somewhat over the years. i hate bell peppers. i think they ruin anything they’re in. traffic lights on roads where the speed limit is 40+ mph. (which is like in many places in the US, but god, it’s horrible trying to stop in the right time/place for the red at that speed without slamming the brakes.)

opinion on circuses i don’t know enough about present day circuses to have an opinion, tbh. might have to go change the “last thing you googled” answer shortly.

Do you have a sense of direction and if not what’s the worst way you’ve gotten lost? i think i do! i don’t think i’ve ever gotten lost real bad, but i’ve been unable to find something and had to wander. i was in shanghai for an overnight layover and made the mistake of leaving the airport without getting cash. you couldn’t buy metro tickets without cash and we needed to get to our hotel. it was about 9pm. i wandered around the airport train station looking for an atm google maps was telling me was nearby while my dad waited with our luggage. couldn’t find it. had to find the nearest bank. jammed my card in the wrong slot and almost lost it inside the machine. a pair of nail clippers in my backpack saved me. i managed to use them like tweezers to pull the card out. finally got money. but on top of that, uh, let’s say the airplane food was not agreeing with me. so. it was a difficult hour for me. i never travel without nail clippers now.

last show you watched gamechanger, a game show where the game changes every time. it’s on dropout.tv and you should look up clips on youtube if you need a laugh.

currently watching nothing, but probably the sandman is next on my list.

currently reading nothing omg. i’m even between fics.

current obsessions welcome to mountport. eva noblezada. my backyard stray cat. finishing my ex-wireless fic. trying to figure out the ideal shampoo/conditioner situation for my head. this drarry fic that's a wip. every thing i talked about above. you know, normal things.

i'm just tagging people for attention. let's be transparent about this. do it if you feel like it!! @makeitp1nk @phoebe-delia @basicallyahedgehog @sorrybutblog @m0srael @cavendishbutterfly @corvuscrowned (who i know is away but 🤷🏻‍♀️)

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I’m going to try to post some pics to catch up from a busy couple of days. We did a little shopping, hung out by the pool, had the best dim sum, went to a marvel/DC model store, went to the S.E.A. aquarium, played magic, and I binged Emily in Paris on my birthday because my legs were tire. 😅 we’ve been busy and we still have lots on our to do list! (at Singapore) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmfVNaEvp5x/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Supper @ Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant

Yanxi Dim Sum & Hotpot restaurant serves up top-grade dim sum at very reasonable prices,albeit with a limited menu.One of Singapore’s oldest and most successful dim sum place.

Savoring Culinary Delights with S. S. Kim Enterprises Pte Ltd: Your Halal Wholesale Food Supplier in Singapore

S. S. Kim Enterprises Pte Ltd emerges not only as a wholesale food supplier but as a culinary partner, enriching dining experiences and culinary endeavors across Singapore. From the tantalizing symphony of shabu-shabu meat to the inclusive embrace of Halal frozen foods, the fiery allure of barbecues, and the delicate elegance of dim sum, their offerings cater to a diverse palate. With a commitment to quality and a keen understanding of evolving preferences, S. S. Kim Enterprises epitomizes the essence of culinary innovation, ensuring that food establishments and enthusiasts alike can savor the finest ingredients and flavors, all underpinned by their unwavering dedication to excellence.

Unveiling the World of White Wines in Singapore: A Paradise for Wine Enthusiasts

Singapore, a vibrant metropolis known for its dazzling skyline and culinary scene, also boasts a thriving wine culture. While red wines often take center stage, white wines offer a refreshing and versatile alternative, perfectly suited to the tropical climate. This article delves into the exciting world of white wines in Singapore, exploring popular varieties, local favorites, and tips for navigating the vast selection available.

A Global Journey in Your Glass: Popular White Wine Varieties

Singapore's wine scene reflects its cosmopolitan nature, offering an extensive selection of white wines from across the globe. Here's a glimpse into some of the most popular varieties:

Sauvignon Blanc: A perennial favorite, Sauvignon Blanc is known for its crisp acidity, vibrant citrus flavors (think grapefruit, lime), and refreshing herbal notes. Wines from New Zealand's Marlborough region are particularly celebrated for their distinctive grassy and gooseberry characteristics. Explore options from France's Loire Valley, South Africa's Stellenbosch region, or Chile's Casablanca Valley for a wider range of flavor profiles.

Chardonnay: This versatile grape variety can produce a spectrum of wines, from light and unoaked with hints of apple and pear to rich and buttery styles aged in oak barrels, developing notes of vanilla and toast. California, Burgundy in France, and Australia are renowned for their Chardonnay offerings.

Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio): Often enjoyed for its light-bodied character, dry finish, and subtle flavors of pear, honeydew melon, and citrus. Italian Pinot Grigio tends to be lighter and crisper, while French Pinot Gris may offer richer body and texture.

Riesling: A fascinating grape known for its ability to produce wines ranging from bone-dry to lusciously sweet. German Rieslings showcase a beautiful interplay of sweetness and acidity, often with notes of minerality, honey, and stone fruit. Explore options from the Rheingau, Mosel, and Pfalz regions for diverse styles.

Other White Wine Varieties: The world of wine white extends far beyond these popular choices. Consider venturing into the floral and aromatic world of Gewurztraminer, the refreshing minerality of Gruner Veltliner from Austria, or the tropical fruit notes of Viognier.

Local Gems: Exploring Singaporean Favorites

While Singapore may not have its own vineyards, its strategic location and free trade policies have made it a hub for wine distribution and appreciation. Local wine retailers and restaurants curate exciting selections, featuring established and emerging regions alongside well-known classics. Here are some Singaporean favorites to keep an eye out for:

New World Sauvignon Blancs: New Zealand Sauvignons Blancs are particularly popular in Singapore, with brands like Cloudy Bay, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc consistently gracing wine lists.

Australian Chardonnay: Australian Chardonnays offer a good balance between fruitiness and oak influence, making them crowd-pleasers. Look for labels like Penfolds, Yalumba, and Wolf Blass.

Unoaked Chardonnays: A growing trend in Singapore is the appreciation for unoaked Chardonnays, which highlight the pure fruit character of the grape. Explore offerings from Argentina or Chile for vibrant expressions.

Beyond the Classics: Pairing White Wines with Singaporean Cuisine

The beauty of white wines lies in their versatility when paired with food. Here are some suggestions for enjoying white wines with Singapore's diverse cuisine:

Spicy Dishes: The high acidity of Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the heat of spicy dishes like Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken or Thai curries.

Seafood: Light-bodied white wines like Pinot Grigio or unoaked Chardonnay complement the delicate flavors of steamed fish or shellfish dishes.

Dim Sum: Aromatic white wines like Gewurztraminer or Riesling can stand up to the rich flavors and textures of dim sum.

Nyonya Cuisine: The sweet and sour notes of Nyonya dishes find harmony with the off-dry styles of Riesling or Gewurztraminer.

Navigating the Wine List: Tips for Choosing a White Wine in Singapore

With such a vast array of options, choosing a white wine can feel daunting. Here are some helpful tips:

Consider the Occasion: Is it a casual gathering or a special celebration? Lighter styles like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio might suit a casual setting, while a richer Chardonnay or Riesling could elevate a special occasion.

Food Pairing: Think about the food you'll be enjoying and choose a wine that will complement the flavors.

Grape Variety Preference: Do you have a favorite grape variety? Explore different regions and styles within that variety to discover new favorites.

Budget: Wine prices can vary

Paradise Dynasty Still Offers the Best Flavored Xiao Long Bao in the City

It's been a while since my last visit to Paradise Dynasty and I had been thinking about their flavored Xiao Long Bao for quite some time now. There are many other restaurants around the city that offer these delectable soupy dumplings, but I have always kept coming back to the place that introduced me to the many different flavors and variants that these tasty XLBs can come in.

It was time for The Hungry Kat to rediscover the signature dishes and flavors of Paradise Dynasty Philippines. I have dined several times at their original branch in S Maison (Read: Legendary Xiao Long Bao at Paradise Dynasty) but this was my first time to visit their branch at SM Aura Premier which you can easily find on Level 2.

The SM Aura outlet comes with the same elegance and charm as their two other branches in Metro Manila. Paradise Dynasty is a popular international franchise which originated from Singapore and specializes in serving Xiao Long Bao and other delightful Shanghainese dishes.

Their pioneering branch in S Maison was where I first had a taste of their signature XLBs. Paradise Dynasty has been included once again on Tatler Dining Guide's list of Best Restaurants in 2024, an award they also received in 2022 and 2023.

Their Podium branch is the one I usually visit nowadays since this is closest to my residence. Paradise Dynasty is planning to open two more branches later this year including one at Greenbelt 5 so that should bring them closer to everyone.

I was really excited to be back at Paradise Dynasty. While the SM Aura branch may be a bit smaller than their first two branches, it does feel more homey and relaxing to dine in.

We ordered some of their Seasonal Fruit Shakes (P150) to begin our adventure. My husband had the Watermelon Shake while I had the Mango Shake. These are refreshing beverages to have during this hot summer season.

For our appetizers, we started with the Stewed Bamboo Shoots in Oyster Sauce (P238). This is the first time I have seen bamboo shoots prepared this way so it was quite an interesting dish. It's a healthy appetizer that should be featured more often.

Next up was the Sliced Beef and Tripe in Spicy Szechuan Sauce (P488). This one really comes with a spicy kick so my husband enjoyed having several bites of this fiery starter.

There are also several dim sum items on the menu like the Steamed Vegetable Bun (P150) which is another healthy way to explore Shanghainese cuisine.

The star of the show at Paradise Dynasty is always their Xiao Long Bao. Everyone who visits Paradise Dynasty has to order their Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (P488). This basket contains eight different flavors of Xiao Long Bao which are all color coded for easy reference. Paraside Dynasty is the first restaurant which offered this kind of colored Xiao Long Bao set and they will always be remembered for putting their legendary Xiao Long Bao on the global foodie map.

There's actually a recommended sequence of eating these flavored XLBs as shown on the paper that comes with it. Start with the Original (white) in the middle which is the traditional pork soup dumpling filled with chicken broth. Then go clockwise starting with the Korean Kimchi (green), Foie Gras (brown), Black Truffle (black), Cheese (yellow), Crab Roe (orange), Garlic (gray), and finally ending with the Szechuan (red).

Each Xiao Long Bao has its own unique flavor and taste which really separates this from other Chinese restaurants I have visited. The Xiao Long Bao dumplings are perfectly made, with thin but durable wrappers that do not easily break even with all the hot soup inside. So how do you usually eat XLBs? First, place a dumpling on your spoon. Next, take small bite out of the side of the dumpling and sip the hot broth. Lastly, dip the dumpling on the XLB sauce and finish the rest of the piece. The procedure is not really as strict as like how the Japanese eat their sushi, so you can eat it however you like.

Once you have your own favorite flavors, you can order each Xiao Long Bao basket with just one type of dumpling. The Original XLB (P230-6pcs / P360-10pcs) continues to be the most popular, but you can also go get the special flavors like the Szechuan XLB (P280-6pcs / P450-10pcs). My favorites are the Cheese, Foie Gras, and most especially the Black Truffle XLBs.

Paradise Dynasty offers several interesting noodles on the menu. One of them is the La Main with Pork Wanton in Hot Chili Vinaigrette (P300). This semi-dry noodle comes with spicy pork wonton dumplings that really go well with the noodles.

Now let's try some more of their hot dishes. The Stir Fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce (P588) is served with Chinese Crepes that can be used as wrappers.

Place the savory shredded pork inside the crepes, wrap or roll them into bite-sized portions then bite away. The salty and savory pork pairs well with Chinese crepes to help balance the flavors.

One of their fiery Szechuan specialties is the Poached Sliced Fish in Szechuan Chili Oil (P1288) which is really as hot as it looks. The fish slices are really so good to eat, although the soup base is really red and spicy. This bowl can be good for up to four adventurous persons so make sure you are up for it.

Another dish for those who like it hot is the Stir-fried Shrimps in Spicy Bean and Tomato Sauce (P588). The spiciness level of these shrimps is way up there and while I may not be that comfortable with very spicy dishes, my husband happily took care of finishing this item.

The Deep Fried Garlic Pork Ribs (P588) is a dish that everyone will enjoy. We paired these crispy pork ribs with their Shanghai Fried Rice which was also so good and fragrant.

One of my favorite hot dishes at Paradise Dynasty is the Stir-Fried Beef with Kai Lan (P588). These tender slices of beef are cooked in oyster sauce resulting in a rich and very flavorful dish that would also really go well with fried rice.

For our dessert, we enjoyed nibbling on the Charcoal Custard Lava Bun (P188). This Darth Vader-looking bun is quite heavenly with its gooey salted egg yolk custard that just oozes out when you bite it. The custard has just the right amount of flavor, not too rich or salty, so you can finish all three pieces in one sitting if you don’t want to share. I actually prefer having my custard bun as a dessert instead of an appetizer but you can do that as well.

We would like to thank Xchosa Deniega for hosting our small reunion at Paradise Dynasty in SM Aura Premier. It had been a while since we last met her so we were all happy sharing our recent travel adventures over a hearty and flavorful lunch. If you want to enjoy these yummy dishes, you can visit any of their three branches or order online via Grabfood, Foodpanda, Pickaroo and SM Online for delivery.

Paradise Dynasty Philippines

Level 2, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City

8478-3333

paradisedynasty.ph

www.facebook.com/paradisedynastyph

Top 5 foods

right now

1. biang biang noodles

2. singapore prata (onion) or chive jian bing (slotting them both here cus they’re similar imo)

3. maple honey fried chicken wings, korean style. omg i had these during a recent trip to new zealand of all places and it was sooo magnificent

3. hk dim sum and im cheating again and just using a whole category here

4. char siu. marbled roasted pork my hometown beloved

5. bubble tea like just as a category