Photos: Singapore

Hungry birds

As I was enjoying a smooth and spicy Chai Tea Latte in one of The coffee Bean & Tea Leaf branches (on Orchard Road) the persons at the table behind me picked up their belongings and walked away. No sooner had they left that a flock of birds flew onto the table and fought for the reamining bread crumbs in the plate.

I had lunch at Balestier Bak Kut Teh at Food Opera (part of Ion Food Hall).

Set-lunch: Bak Kut Teh (means meat - bone - tea)
Pork ribs soup, salted vegetables, braised peanuts served with a bowl of steamed white rice

The pork ribs soup contains herbs and black pepper and is cooked in a clay pot.

I also ordered fried dough strips (You-Tiao - means oil and strip).
I soaked the strips in the spicy soup. It was so yummy!

We had dinner at Paradise Dynasty (also in Ion Orchard) upon one of my friends' recommendation. They serve colorful dumplings (xiao-long-bao) which she said were worth trying (if only for fun and pleasure for the eyes).

Paradise Dynasty setting

Basket of 8 colored dumplings - signature dish of the restaurant
8 flavours: garlic, crab roe, cheese, ginseng, truffle, foie gras, Sichuan, and original.

Sichuan style noodles

Cold appetizer: Silken tofu with thousand year old egg

2nd cold appetizer: Cucumber salad with garlic

Kitchen staff busy folding dumplings

I enjoyed the experience of eating the colorful dumplings more than their taste. I personally prefer the original flavour (pork or crab) of xiao-long-bao a lot better than the fancy-flavour varieties.

The following day I tried the famous Singaporean laksa dish for lunch. And in the afternoon, tired after a lot of walking, I went to Oriole Cafe & Bar, one of the best cafes in Singapore according to ladyironchef 's blog, where I had - I agreee with Brad - a very good coffee {with a couple of muffins!}.