Interesting finds this week

Heartland auntie successfully grows 15kg giant melons
New species of mistletoe found just in time for Christmas!
Babies in China reaching early puberty due to hormone tainted milk powder
Train's new release- Hey Soul Sista (Soul Catchy!)
Have moolah to spare? Buy a palace (and don't forget to invite me to your housewarming)
The cutest bandit bunnies evar
My current favorite cookbook- Cooking for the President

Christmas lunch at Bar and Billard Room

By this time, if you are planning a pre-Christmas lunch with colleagues and friends, chances are that you would be unable to secure a reservation at a good restaurant.

A and I were initially planning to go to Sheraton Towers for a very affordable pre- Christmas lunch international buffet (SGD45+++ per pax) but subsequently decided to splurge on a more atas luncheon at Bar and Billard Room instead (SGD118+++ per pax). Thank God for the Feed At Raffles Card which shaves a whooping 50% discount off the bill for 2 diners.

Many have lamented that the food quality in Raffles Hotel has declined over the years. Being a relatively frequent Feed At Raffles Card diner, I tend to agree. Gone are the good ol days where the chocolate buffet at Bar and Billard was purportedly "the best in Singapore" and the cold seafood section "to die for".

Nonetheless, the buffet spread yesterday did not disappoint. The ambiance was charming, with high colonial ceilings adorned with fairy lights, humongous Christmas trees and giant wreaths.

Bottles of bubbly and fine wines for those who can afford it

A most delicious looking bottle of French liquer. I would have ventured a sip if not for the fact that I am pregnant...

What is a Christmas spread without turkey and ham? In this case, both dishes were executed perfectly. The turkey meat was surprisingly moist and tender. Accompanied with savoury bread and chestnut stuffing and giblet sauce, it was easily one of my favorite dishes.

Piece de resisance. Don't forget to ask for the stuffing!

Not forgetting the ham, which was prettily studded with cinnamon cloves and basked in honey. A little dry but otherwise sublime, especially when doused with apple sauce.

What is Christmas without ham like this?

Ham with apple sauce- a marriage made in heaven

Sauces and side dishes to go with your ham and turkey...stewed carrots, brussel sprouts, squash and cranberry sauce

I happily skipped the cold seafood section (having resolved to reserve room for dessert) -but not without taking some shots of the neatly arranged prawns and glistening oysters.

Prawns arranged in almost military precision.

The forgotten oysters...didn't look too fresh

There was also a special section for ham and cold meat cuts this year.

The salad, cheese and bread sections looked decent but otherwise boring. Next please.

Bar and Billard Room also offers a cooked food station where meat lovers can feast on meat dishes like veal, lamb and duck confit. Based on previous experiences, these dishes are named fancifully but often taste lack lustre.

Red snapper with coco bean and roast peppercorn. I tried a coco bean out of curiousity and it tasted like..emm..just an ordinary bean?

Veal what?

Dry looking duck confit

some other meat dish which looked too gamey for my liking

My eyes started to twinkle after spotting my favorite potato gnocchi with four cheese sauce happily bubbling in the adjourning pasta station. Mama mia!

Three cheers for the four cheese gnocchi

What can I say about the gnocchi? It was creamy, rich and luscious, boasting a melt in the mouth texture. Frankly, I couldn't ask for more.

Strategically placed next to it was a dish of tantalising baked eggplant parmigiana. Being a sucker for all things eggplant, I couldn't resist scooping a generous portion for myself too.

Crumbly soft and strangely reminiscent of the breaded pork chops my late grandma used to lovingly cook for us. How I miss mama.

If you like your pasta prepared ala minute, get the pasta man to whip up something for you.


Dessert was a lavish affair centred around a gingerbread theme (gingerbread ice cream, gingerbread tiramisu, gingerbread cheesecake etc). I couldn't resist taking a small scoop of gingerbread ice cream doused with chocolate sauce and chocolate balls.

Gingerbread and candied chestnut cheesecake

Festive gingerbread tiramisu

Waragaw's gingerbread ice cream concoction..unfortunately this didn't taste great.

For non gingerbread aficionados, there's always Christmas pudding, vanilla ice cream and other chocolate delights to contend with.

some hits and misses. the creme bulee is not bad though

Of all the logcakes featured that day (Green tea azuki, Berry cointreau with cranberry, pear lemongrass and milk chocolate, chocolate truffle), the pear lemongrass and milkchocolate log won hands down, with milk chocolate that was not cloyingly sweet and tangy morsels of pear embedded within.

Prettiest presentation of the lot- the green tea azuki

Summarized in two words: Sour vomit

The Winner!

I like to end off my meals with a cup of good tea and cookies/chocolates/lapis. The restaurant offers quite a good selection of TWG tea. However, being my usual boring self, I opted for camomile tea with honey. This went reasonably well with the Christmas cookies offered at the dessert station. I would have much preferred some chocolate truffles instead.

TWG rocks! love the feel of the muslin tea bags- so quaint

The Christmas cookie selection..all are nice except for the squarish almond studded one at the far right corner

Having thoroughly overdosed on Christmas food (unceremoniously gaining yet another kilo in the process), I grudgingly trudged back to the work with A.

After thought no 1: Always take half day off to recuperate after a good meal.

After thought no 2: Opps! I forgot to eat fruits! (but at least I managed to take a picture of it)

Of Poets and Pet Lobsters

We all need some craziness in our lives.

And what better way to live it up than rearing a pet lobster? Which is exactly what French poet Gerard de Nerval (1808-1855) did.

Apparently, Nerval had a beloved pet lobster named Thibault which he took for walks in the Palais Royal gardens in Paris on the end of a blue silk ribbon

In an article about the life of Nerval by his contemporary, Nerval is quoted as having said "Why should a lobster be any more ridiculous than a dog? ...or a cat, or a gazelle, or a lion, or any other animal that one chooses to take for a walk? I have a liking for lobsters. They are peaceful, serious creatures. They know the secrets of the sea, they don't bark, and they don't gnaw upon one's monadic privacy like dogs do".

Viva the humble lobster!

Life at the other side

This week, we officially started work at our new office premises in Marina Bay Financial Centre.

View from my spanking new office

It's a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of Raffles Place. Unfortunately, this also means a longer walk (15 mins!) from Raffles Place MRT every morning and a dearth of cheap and good eats. I miss Say Seng Mee Pok from Golden Shoe Carpark!

Since I was feeling a little lazy this week, most of my lunch hours were spent lounging around the spanking new Marina Bay Link Mall, which is just below my office building. Ever in search of a good bargain, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that:

- from now till 31 Dec 2010, you can park at the mall for free from 6pm onwards with any amount spent (simply present your receipt at the concierge).
- spend SGD30 at any shop and get a SGD5 mall voucher from the concierge
- spend SGD80 at any shop and get a SGD15 mall voucher from the concierge
- while redeeming for the vouchers, you will also be presented with complimentary christmas gift wraps and tags.

I think I must have redeemed at least SGD50 worth of complimentary mall vouchers already!

Most of the shops in Marina Bay Link Mall are F&B outlets. There's quite a wide range to choose from e.g Toastbox, Din Tai Fung, Paradise Inn, Polar, Starbucks, Soup Spoon and Ichiban Boshi. Unfortunately, if you are looking for more economical alternatives, you would have to walk quite a distance either to Lau Pat Sat, Amoy St or Raffles Place to buy your chow..

Many restaurants are running opening promos- Toastbox being no exception

For toiletries and snacks, chi chi shoppers will probably enjoy browsing atas supermart Four Seasons Gourmet Market (for the rest of us, there's always good ol Watsons located just a few doors away). Dessert lovers will find heaven at the Marble Slab Creamery, which serves up a delectable range of customized ice creams.

Enjoying a SGD9 cone of S'mores ice cream from Marble Slab Creamery during lunchtime. So expensive but oh so yummy...

I suspect it will only be a matter of time before the mall gets more crowded (given the increasing number of companies relocating to this area). In the meantime, I fully intend to explore every corner of the mall until the novelty wears out. Watch out for my reviews!