Mamma Mia Italiano ... Mondo Mio

In order to create the ambiance to write a review for an Italian restaurant, I am tuning into Italian songs - by my all-time favourite, Il Divo.

My ex-colleague highly recommended Mondo Mio for real good Italian food, especially their risotto. After watching "The Guru of Chai" play (pretended to be artistic :P), me and my only bestie in this small island headed to this restaurant.

I love Italian food, even though they are fattening. Sigh.

Being a ravioli die-hard fan, I will order this dish whenever I find it in the menu. Mondo Mio serves Ravioli di Ricotta & Spinaci in Crema di Formaggio. 

The menu says "Truly authentic Italian dumplings filled with spinach and ricotta cheese and tossed in a creamy cheese sauce". I was stunned when the dish was served, even before I tried it - as I can count how many pieces are there! You got it - 8 tiny pieces and guess what, I was starving that time so I took less than 15 minutes to finish it. Yeah right, I know I am a big eater. Frankly I don't find ravioli here extraordinary. The Lobster Ravioli I had at Centro KL (I think the restaurant is closed down now) was the best, followed by the Salmon and Pumpkin Ravioli at L'osteria Langkawi.

Bestie had the Pasta all’Amatriciana - your choice of Italian pasta served in a slightly spicy tomato sauce flavoured with thinly sliced onion and bacon.We both found that the pasta was not cooked al-dente but UNCOOKED. Too bad. Didn't like it at all.

As mentioned earlier, I was starving and 8 tiny pieces of ravioli were not filling enough for big eater. So I went for dessert. We shared the Chocolate Profiterole. It was okay but the ice-cream tasted like normal Nestle ice-cream instead of gelato that a decent Italian restaurant should serve.

We didn't enjoy the dinner though. Well I guess everyone deserves a second chance. Maybe I will pay a visit again for something else.


Guten Appetit!

Mondo Mio
30, Robertson Quay
Riverside View #01-02A
Singapore 238251

Brew Works Magic at Brewerkz

Used to work somewhere near to one of the most happening spot in this small island - Clarke Quay. Friday night was when we will head to somewhere to grab a beer or two and bitch about nonsensical people around the world.


Brewerkz is one of the places for such occasion. Brewerkz - "Brew Works" - quite a quirky name huh? This place serves about 15 types of unique own-brewed beer, those that you can't never find at the supermarket.


Frankly I am not a beer person. However, I must admit that beer suits casual conversation the most. I do like Bintang beer from Bali. I still remember how i drank a whole mug of chilled Bintang beer the moment I sat down with my friends at the restaurant.


This place is always crowded with well-heeled white-collared people sitting in groups, chatting jovially and of course, drinking beer. The first time I came here it somehow reminded me of Paulaner Bräuhaus at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, Jakarta. Darn, how could I forget this place and Paulaner beer - one-litre of it made me lost so much of.... Okay, enough of whining...

I tried their honeyed beer. Pretty smooth and definitely for ladies who opt for something light and easy to go with. I prefer the Darkside Lager though. My friend somehow got us some huge onion rings for signing in FourSquare @@

Apart from beer beer beer beer beer and more beer, Brewerkz has a really extensive food menu as well, serving finger food such as fries that go best with beer to sandwiches, pizzas and hearty Pork Knuckle. We ordered some Nachos and they were sooooooooooo goooooooodd....

If you are really not a beer person, wines, spirits, liquors and cocktails are available from the menu as well. Come on guys, you want to see how their brew works, don't you :)


Let's head for beer next Friday!


Brewerkz Riverside Point
30 Merchant Road
#01-05/06 Riverside Point
Singapore 058282
Tel: +65 6438 7438

So Seoul Yummy

Wandered around The Central Mall, looking for food with my ex-colleague. Grumpy and hungry. Menu displayed outside captured our attention. Went in straight and ordered a set menu for two persons in less than 10 minutes.

I am not a K-pop person. My young cousin was once trying hard to introduce me Shinee, SJ or TBXQ etc. In less than 2 minutes, I got all of them mixed up. I think I have only watched two Korean drama series in my entire life. Korean food, however, is something I fancy.

As usual - the side dishes. They serve spicy cold tofu (first on left), potato salad, braised nuts, pickled cucumber, fried anchovies and of course, Kimchi.

My all-time favourite - spicy Kimchi soup with pork, tofu, shiitake mushroom and other generous condiments all found in the thick, rich soup. Hot, spicy and absolutely delicious! (In fact the best I have ever tasted) What's Korean food without Kimchi soup?

The set meal for two comes with three main courses for you to choose. We agreed on the Spicy Beef Glass Noodles as one of them and it's definitely the right choice. Can never get enough of the bouncy glass noodles with huge slices of beef   (I ordered the same during my subsequent visit as well...)

Another main course - Spicy (again) Hot Plate Chicken. I would say there isn't anything extraordinary to yell about this dish. The chicken is tender, would be better if it is spicier... 

Some of the other choices include Hot Plate Salmon, Bibimbap and Saba Fish. The Saba Fish is pretty decent though.


Staying in this small island could be very depressing sometimes, as I don't seem to be able to find good food easily. Seoul Yummy is one of the few exceptions so far.


Guten Appetit, liebe...

Seoul Yummy
The Central Mall
Level 3-92/95
6 Eu Tong Sen Street, Singapore
Tel: +65 62278802

A New Place. A New Me.

I am moving forward.
I am leaving the dramas behind.
I am going to be a god mother for little Xavier.

I want to eat good food.
I want to go travelling.
I want to blog more frequent.
I want to take more nice photos using my DSLR, Cessa.
I want to ensure a certain figure in my bank account by end of 2011.
I want someone who can make me committed to a relationship.

I, am starting a new life.
Off you go, nonsensical people...

Lunar. Rabbit. New Year

I am going to leave the politics for a few days.
I am going to leave my fort for a few days.
I am going to leave all the stabbing and defending for a few days.
I am going to leave the mailbox runs by itself for a few days.
I am going to be myself for a few days.
I am going home for a few days.

Happy Lunar New Year peeps. May the Year of the Rabbit be a bountiful and prosperous one for all.
I hope this is going to be a great year for me.

Haven't Met You Yet

Sipping Corona at Clarke Quay, 22nd January 2011, 10:00 pm.
Part and parcel of conversation between me and my bestie, Michelle aka SY.

***

Mich SY: In Red
Me: In purple

Mich SY: Can I ask you a question?

Me: Yeah?

Why did you break up with him after being together for so long? Don't you think it's sad?

Erm, yeah, it was sad that we didn't manage to be together after four damn years but I had to do it. I don't want the same terrible thing to happen again.

Don't you think it's wasted? I mean, not to say "wasted" but he is a great guy. He has done so much for you.

Yeah, he definitely is. He never yelled at me throughout these years. At all. The only time he yelled, we're done. It just needed to happen. I was about to leave the city that time and I foresaw that the same damn thing of his insecurity will happen again and again, like a never ending story. You know, the thought of me being unfaithful just because he's insecure kills everything. I was sorry for the way I let it go too but you know, that's the best way.

You know what, the worst thing was, I have been living under the wrong perception. Everyone thought that I was the cruel one who dumped him. In fact, it's just the total opposite. I was unwanted. Haha... 

Yeah, that's why. It's the same between me and my boyfriend now. We are so far away from each other and I have to do things to make him feel secured. When you are apart from each other, you just need to take care of his feeling, just so the relationship grows stronger.

However, I think that long-distance might just work for me at the moment. I have been moving a bit these two years.

By the way, do you wish to get someone and how do you plan to do that?

Erm, I don't know , there's nothing much I can do, hahahaha... except to wait for the right him to fall from the sky (God, please be mercy to me :P)
Well, it's nice to have someone to talk to, someone who cares but the thought of having to contribute the same frightens me. Sometimes I seriously think that I don't have the time to care a damn thing about my partner (if I happen to have one now) because life has been crazy enough for myself. I can't imagine if I have to comfort someone while I've just had the worst day of my life. I know, this sounds unfair, relationship is a two-way thing, but it's tiring.

***

Conclusion: Maybe I should act dumb. Being too independent freaks people out. Nay, not a good idea at all...

I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck - Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble

Lotsa love to those who love, and to those being loved ... Xx

Away. Again

Haven't really got the time to update what's wrong with me lately here. Yes, I have moved again. From one island to another. A city island this time. Everything was mad rush.

Life has been okay, could be better. Getting used to traveling with the subways, not to forget bus.

Looking for more places for better food. 

Paying rental which is almost equivalent to the money sufficient for a nice apartment / posh imported car back in my home country. 

Just realized that I have a long-abandoned twitter account. My last tweet was nearly exactly one year ago - when the Christmas was just around the corner.I should start to tweet more. Not only for work anymore.
Do check out the right panel here.

This year, I am not home for Christmas.
Have a blessed Christmas, lotsa love to all lonely souls away from home and loved ones.

Everybody loves bubbly

Everyone loves the bubbly champagne, don't you?
Special occasions are not special enough without champagne.


I turned from someone who dislikes the dryness of champagne / sparkling wine to a huge fan of them after being in a duty free island for one year.


Veuve Clicquot is fabulous, so does Moët et Chandon.
Once saw the VCP Rose at the airport (Jakarta if not mistaken). I totally understood what's "love at first sight" that moment.

"The Vintage Rosé 2004 offers a deep pink colour with highlights of copper and delicate, light effervescence. The nose, extremely elegant, at first reveals flavours of ripe red fruits that burst on the tongue, before gradually giving way to violets, lilacs and light "pastry" notes."

I should have bought it. It's merely less than USD 100. Darn.


Dom Pérignon can be saved for my big day :)


Oh, I love Prosecco as well. It tastes great, and not as arrogant as Champagne.


Lotsa love to all the bubby lovers...
I want to undergo the fermentation process in Champagne, France.

Eat, Pray, Love

If only I could eat less, but pray more (frequently) and love more (passionately).

Elizabeth Gilbert traveled to Italy, India and Indonesia to search for everything. I wish I could do the same. Well maybe I can skip the spiritual trip to ashram; I don’t think I will have the stamina to do what she has done in India, ever.

I love food. Or rather, there’s always a love-hate relationship between me and food. You can easily win my heart with food. How can I eat without putting on any unwanted fats on my body? Oh god, this is definitely not something to preach please.

I am never a religious person but I never doubt the existence of God (or Gods / Goddesses). I just don’t spend enough time bonding with Him.

I don’t love passionately.

I love mom and dad, but I don’t spend enough time with them.

I love Whisky and Vodka (my dogs, okay), but I don’t spend enough time with them.

I love my late grandma, but I don’t think I have spent enough time with her. I wish I’d have more days to love her.

Love is a strong word. It’s never easy to love someone easily, unconditionally, deeply, but, being loved is always great…

I am so blessed to be able to read more books these days. Can’t believe I weep as if I have been dumped upon finishing A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Even worse than what happened when I have read and watched The Kite Runner.

My working desk is now officially my display desk. All the knick-knacks that I brought back – photo frames, little gifts, soft toys, McDonald’s premium items and books are all displayed nicely here.

I love the designer’s Evian bottles the most. Jean Paul Gaultier is the second edition while Paul Smith is the third. I got to know that the latest version is now Evian by Issey Miyake. Where can I get it? Please let me know.

Will be nice to have the first edition – the one by French Designer Christian Lacroix as well. I would love to have a complete collection of these gorgeous Evian(s) :)

Lotsa love to all who love, and to all being loved.

Sugar Rush

Sugar, Oh, Honey Honey...

You're my candy girl, and you got my wanting you...

I know I have put on so much weight but how can I resist those angelic donuts and cheesecakes?
No, I can never say no to them...

OK, instead of buying half dozen like how I used to be, I bought only three - savory cheese, sinful coco loco (chocolate inside out) and green tea.

Well, the exact reason behind the three donuts is - I wanted to have U Hu! Hu! cheesecakes as well. Stood in front of The Loaf, Pavilion for 5 minutes, feeling disappointed as I couldn't find my favorite green tea and caramel flavor :( So I got only the chocolate (right) and raspberry.


Having these cheesecakes in paper cups brings up some of me of my childhood memories. Do you remember how you carefully scooped ice-cream from the similar cup, with a flat wooden spoon? No fancy flavors, it's always chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.

My pre-dinner desserts - U Hu! Hu! Chocolate Cheesecake and Cheese doughnut from J Co. The doughnut was simply irresistible, so heavenly fluffy.


The cheesecake, on the other hand, was slightly disappointing. The upper layer of chocolate remains sinful as how I remember it used to be, but the cake, tasted so bland that I thought I was eating soaked sponge cake.


Anyway, they made my day. This is my real sweet escape...


Lotsa love to all the beautiful ladies who love sweet stuffs. Eat them without any sense of guilt!
Life is too short for bad wines, bad food and of course, bad desserts!