meinblogland

I'm back with this segment. If you have no idea what this is about, then I suggest you check out my first series that I posted last year 😊

I've been busy with guests from India since the start of the week so although I have been cooking, it hasn't been keeping the blog in mind. It'll probably take me a while to bounce back with a recipe post and not having read any book or watched any movie of late, I decided it was time to gather my thoughts and come up with five things in Singapore that I genuinely love.

So here is my next set of favourite things,

Note that these listings are in no particular order of preference

1. Milk Pan at Provence Bakery & Café

I was introduced to Milk Pan by a colleague/friend sometime in 2011. Since then, my love-affair with this delicate Japanese bun filled with milk custard has been a fierce and unending once. Don't be fooled by the appearance, these plain and boring looking buns are irresistible.

There was a time when Holland Village was my usual haunt because of its proximity to my work place. Holland Village is a mecca for foodies as it houses restaurants offering all kinds of cuisine, cafes & bakeries. And when in Holland Village, a stop-over at Provence would be mandatory for me. I've tried a lot of baked goodies at Provence but the one thing that stands out for me is the Milk Pan. Soft on the outside, softer on the inside with a smooth, creamy, milky filling that will put a smile on your face.

I can't explain it any further....you should taste it to understand the obsession.

Provence

Holland Village Shop
269 Holland Village

Petit Provence
50 Jurong Gateway Road,
JEM #B1-K13,

2. Singapore Sling at Long Bar (Raffles Hotel)

When cousins from the US flew to Singapore to visit us a few years ago, we took them to Raffles hotel. This beautiful colonial style building houses Long Bar, the birthplace of the Singapore Sling.

The Singapore Sling, widely regarded as the national drink of the country, was first created in 1915 at the Long Bar in Raffles Singapore by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. It later went on to gain international fame and a century later, is still enjoyed around the globe.

Singapore Sling is one of my favourite cocktails so I had to taste the original. Sipping the iconic drink whilst flinging peanut shells on the floor (yes you can litter) was a truly memorable and uniquely Singapore experience.

Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road Singapore
Singapore 189673

3. Sticky Date Pudding at PS. Café

I had been to PS. Café with a large group of my girlfriends during Christmas a few years ago. I was advised to keep room for dessert since the restaurant offered a good selection.

The Sticky Date Pudding (steamed) was my absolute favorite dish of that evening. This dessert is presented beautifully, is moist, light, not overly sweet and has an interesting texture. The luscious sauce and ice-cream only enhances this decadent dessert. A must-try.

You can check out my review of PS. Café (Palais Renaissance) here

Palais S.C
390 Orchard Road
Level 2
Singapore 238871

*Note: there are more branches on the island

4. Quesadillas at Blooie's Roadhouse

Quesadillas feature commonly on our weekend menu and when we are entertaining at home. My hubby specializes in this dish and he serves it alongside salsa, guacamole and sour cream. His rendition is inspired by the quesadillas at Blooie's Roadhouse (click here for more).

To rewind a bit, I acquired the taste for quesadillas from Blooie's Roadhouse, an American pub/restaurant on Upper Bukit Timah Road that was short walk away from our previous condo. We used to go there ALL the time (this was before we had the kids) and for the starters, we would order the quesadillas served with salsa, sour cream & guacamole and jalapeno poppers without fail. When it comes to quesadillas, I like them simple. I know of people stuffing them with refried beans, mushrooms, avocado, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes, ground spices, herbs and other stuff but I just like them to have grated cheese and nothing else. That's how it is done in Blooie's and it is this simplicity that I love.

The pic you see below is atrocious (the lighting at Blooie's is dim) but trust me when I say that this dish is yumminess on a plate.

Bukit Timah Branch

Rail Mall
426/428 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 678053

5. Gajar Ka Halwa at Zaffron Kitchen (East Coast)

Zaffron Kitchen is a restaurant I've been to innumerable times (ever since it opened at Westgate). But the very first time I visited this restaurant was several years ago at their East Coast outlet. At the time, me and hubby were at the newly opened Katong mall on a Sunday morning to watch a movie in Gold Class. After the movie, we were contemplating where to go for lunch and we ended up heading towards Zaffron Kitchen which is a stone's throw away from the mall.

After a hearty meal, we were in two-minds whether to order dessert or not. I am not a huge fan of Indian desserts (unlike the husband) so I usually end up sampling a bit of his plate. After much deliberation, he ended up ordering the gajar ka halwa, a carrot-based traditional Indian dessert.

The gajar ka halwa looked like art on a plate. It was warm and creamy with ghee oozing out of it (take a good look at the pic). The Ben and Jerry's vanilla ice-cream complimented the halwa beautifully.

I haven't been to this particular location since then (and I don't know if the standards have remained the same) but I still dream of that to-die-for gajar ka halwa.

East Coast
135/137 East Coast Road
Singapore 428820
Tel +65 6440 6786