Macau Fong Cheng Cuisine, Chinatown, Smith Street

Say hello to another awesome zi char find! I love zi char because they are affordable, easily accessible, completely unpretentious, and often possess fantastic wok hei. I am especially fond of the Cantonese style of zi char because they serve delicious double-boiled soups! Slurps.

Anyway, the Chinatown Complex Market at Smith Street is truly a gem. They serve the best yam cake, the best ikan bilis yong tau foo (Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo), the best clay pot rice (Lian He Ben Ji), and some of the best zi char ever. I grew up eating these yummy food and I used to come here rather often when I was younger. Back then, I still had time to follow my mum to People's Park and Chinatown to buy stuff. Nowadays I leave the shopping in her good hands even though I still tag along every now and then. 

My family wanted to try New Ubin Seafood tonight but we could not get a reservation for 6:30 pm. So we decided to make a trip to Chinatown for zi char. My mum recommended Macau Fong Cheng Cuisine so that was what we had. 

Chicken Feet and Peanut Soup. This is one power-pack soup. Thick and robust traditional double boiled soup which smelled great and tasted even better. 

Stir-fried chicken in salt. The wok hei in this dish is incredible. The chicken was well-fried on the outside yet extremely tender within. Very tasty dish.

I have no idea what this vegetable is called in English. We call this Yao Men in Cantonese (some pretty poor translation there). We had this vegetable fried with fermented bean curd and it was really yummy. Crunchy veggies in a delicious sauce. 

Sour plum boneless pork ribs. This was interesting - pork ribs coated with a tangy sweet and sour sauce. It was good but I would not rave about it.

Eggplant and fish stew in black pepper. This was wonderful. The fish and eggplant absorbed the delicious black pepper sauce and went very well with white rice.

Rice was free! We had a refill and it was also free! Fantastic. I know I sound really auntie but hey, who doesn't like free rice right? We paid a total of $40 for all the dishes. Such a good deal! Even the substandard zi char near my place costs more than this and the food is not even comparable. This is a really good zi char for the price we paid. 

The Chinatown Complex is pretty big so take your time to walk around and see if anything catches your eye. If nothing catches your eye, drop by Macau Fong Cheng Cuisine. Or if the queue at Lian He Ben Ji Clay Pot Rice is too frightening, drop by Macau Fong Cheng Cuisine. 

Update: October 2015 - No more free rice refill when I went back recently. While it was a nice gesture to have free rice refill, I don't really mind so much that they are now charging for rice (everybody is). Plus standard of the dishes was still very good!

Blk 335 Smith Street

#02-211 Chinatown Complex Market

Boracay, Philippines Day 4 - Sailing with Red Pirates and Manoc Manoc, Summer Palace, Juice Bar

We took a trike after breakfast to Station 3 and reached the Red Pirates Pub by 11 am. We were going to sail to the Carabao Island and Puka Shell Beach today! We paid P700 each for the day trip (inclusive of a BBQ lunch and booze) and were joined by 8 others for the trip. When the boats were ready, we clambered onto one and soon we were on our way!

Stef and I were on board the Love Song and trust me, there was nothing more amazing than stretching out on the net, feeling the wind in your hair, and enjoying the sunshine on your face.

We reached Carabao Island after sailing for awhile. There were no tourists in sight except us and it felt like a tranquil little place which is accessible only to those who know where to look.

We took a stroll around the island and found another stretch of beach on the other side of Carabao Island. We climbed up a small slope and enjoyed the view from above. A long stretch of sand, tall trees, clear blue waters which stretched out as far as our eyes could see. It was beautiful and peaceful.

That's Captain Joey (the one holding the fish) with the owner of Carabao Island. Life is simple on Carabao Island and the owner had just returned from a fishing trip after catching that huge fish. I was so amazed that the fish was longer than my forearm that I just had to take a picture!

When we were done exploring the island, we returned to find that the food and drinks were unloaded from the boats and the crew had started a fire to prepare our BBQ lunch. We were soon opening beer bottles and drinking ice cold beers while chatting along the shore. The BBQ lunch was fantastic! The meats were incredibly well-marinated and the fish was so fresh. I love the crispy pork and the baby potatoes in butter!

When we were done with lunch, the crew packed up and we were on our way to Puka Shell Beach. Stef and I climbed onto the other sailboat this time (the Red Pirates) and both boats sailed to the Puka Shell Beach. The white powdery sand along Puka Shell Beach was perfect! It felt almost like flour and I was having a lot of fun wriggling my toes into the sand. The waters at Puka Shell Beach were so blue and so clear as well, with hardly any rocks, so I spent a lot of time bobbing up and down in the water with another bottle of beer in hand. This was where I lost track of time. 

Eventually I pulled myself out of the water when someone came over to tell me that the Rum Cocktails were flowing. The crew had settled down under a large rock and were preparing rum cocktails (Boracay Rum with chunks of juicy watermelon). The rum cocktails were amazing! I drank a couple and enjoyed the steady sea breeze along the beach. Stef was way more adventurous and sporty. She went to swim before returning for a cocktail and then disappeared to explore a cave. Amazing. All I did was sit under the large rock drinking cocktails. Ahhhhh well. 

We sailed back to Red Pirates in the late afternoon. Such a pity that it was a cloudy day and there was not much sunset that evening. I can only imagine that it would be so amazing to view a spectacular sunset from a sailboat out in the middle of the sea. It was dark when we finally reached Red Pirates and Stef and I did crazy things like chasing each other along the shore and sitting in a small boat to park the larger sailboats.

We went back to Punta Rosa to shower and change before going back to Red Pirates where we had agreed to meet Jessie for Fiesta. Fiesta was the local party at Manoc Manoc and we wanted to see how the locals partied so we decided to tag along. Fiesta was such an eye opener! The party was held in an indoor basketball court converted to a dance floor and clubbing music was blaring from overhead speakers. There was a DJ at the back of the court and disco lights illuminated the place. Everyone bought booze from a small convenience store outside and came in to join the fun. We sat down on some chairs at the side and enjoyed the music for awhile before joining the rest on the dance floor. This is truly an experience of a lifetime! Thank you Jessie, Sarah, and Rob for taking us there and for being such amazing local hosts!

We left Manoc Manoc when we finished our drinks and returned to Red Pirates Pub. At night, Red Pirates Pub transformed into a comfortable place where locals gathered to chill out and enjoy some acoustic music. It was very different from the hippie vibe of the bars in Station 2 and I like it.

Stef and I took a stroll along the beach from Station 3 to Station 2. We checked out Juice Bar (which was something like a gay bar) and Summer Palace (a club). We reached Exit Bar where we had planned to meet up with the others who sailed together in the day but we were late and the bar was closed. Eventually we decided to take the trike back to Punta Rosa and call it a night.

Read more about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 5 in Boracay!

Gyoza Ya, The Heeren

When I was (much) younger, the Heeren used to be the place for teeny boppers and you will find lots of teenagers in their school uniforms hanging out in the area on Friday afternoons. On weekends, you will find the same teenagers clad in fashionable outfits hiding in the neoprint booths taking countless neoprints because selfies were not the in thing back then. Heck, we did not even have smartphones in those days. Most of us were still using our parents' phones which were the Nokia 8250 brick while the lucky (richer) ones paraded around with their colour phones.

That was easily more than 10 years ago. The Heeren fell from grace shortly after and went through a major face lift. It now houses Robinsons which only appeals to me when they are having sales. So I enter for the sake of Gyoza Ya which I read from other reviews that they serve good food. This is another place where I wonder how they received such awesome reviews when it was really pretty meh. 

The menu at gyoza ya.

We had Nasu Miso Gake ($4.80) which was grilled eggplant with sweet miso. Unfortunately, I have no idea how this could pass off as being grilled. How is this grilled?! It was served cold and mushy, without any hint of being grilled, with a scoop of miso and some spring onions on top. Did the kitchen forget that they were supposed to grill this and end up boiling it for me? I have no idea, and I finished this in an extremely confused state. 

I had the Jya Jya Men ($6.50) which was thick noodles with minced pork and special miso. This tasted like the Chinese Zha Jiang Mian. If I were to compare it with the Chinese equivalent, I would say that this bowl of noodles was sorely lacking. But since this was much like a confused mix between the Chinese Zha Jiang Mian with Japanese influence, I do not have anything comparable to compare it with, so I shall leave it as that. We could add white vinegar and chilli oil into the noodles as we wished and the result was a rather ordinary bowl of noodles. 

The boyfriend's Tokusei Tonkotsu Udon ($6.80) which was special pork bone soup with thick noodles. There was nothing special about the soup. It tasted like they poured a copious amount of MSG into a pot of hot water, added some milk, stirred the mixture and served. The soup base was flat. I could not describe it further. Pork bone soup bases are usually very robust and rich, but the soup base here was flat and bland. I applaud my boyfriend for not wasting food. Then again, I applaud myself for not wasting food too. 

And this is the highlight of the meal. Definitely the saving grace. We had the Pan Fried Dumplings with Pork ($4.80 for 5 pieces). The gyozas were crispy on the outside with a juicy pork filling. The pork was very fresh and there was a light broth oozing out of the gyoza when you bit into it. This is good. If you do come to Gyoza Ya, I would suggest you only order the gyozas.

OCBC Robinsons cardholders get 5% off the Bill. Good for me since my mains were so sad, I was rather happy to enjoy a discount.

260 Orchard Road

#B1-02A Robinsons Orchard

67375581

11:30 am - 10 pm

Spuds and Aprons, Mount Faber

It was a cool Friday evening and the boyfriend decided to take me to Mount Faber to celebrate my birthday. He had a reservation with Faber Bistro but it started to drizzle as we were nearing the top of Mount Faber so we decided to check out Spuds and Aprons instead. Unlike Faber Bistro which was alfresco, Spuds and Aprons had an open air, sheltered dining area which allowed us to enjoy both the night breeze and stay dry at the same time.

The Spuds and Aprons menu.

We had Chilli Crab in a Tux ($13) and Wicked Fries and Gravy ($8). The Chilli Crab in a Tux was basically chilli crab stuffed in potato skin and it was perfect! In fact it was probably the best dish of the night. Tangy crab meat in chilli sauce on grilled potato skin.

The Wicked Fries and Gravy ($8) was thick fries with melted cheese and gravy. The fries were kind of soggy and limp, and the delicious melted cheese on top of the fries did not save this dish. The fries might have been left out in the air for too long before they were served.

While we were working our way through the starters, the sky turned dark outside and lights lit up in the distance. Spud and Aprons offered a perfect night view from the top of Mount Faber.

The boyfriend ordered the Crispy Pork Belly ($26). The Pork Belly was crispy and tender as the menu promised, but it lacked the punch and flavour that we expected. Served with roasted potatoes and rocket leaves, this dish was ok but not incredibly fantastic. 

I ordered Oven-Roasted Mustard Marinated Chicken ($19). The chicken skin was crispy and tasty, but unfortunately the chicken meat was dry and, just like the Crispy Pork Belly, was not sufficiently flavorful. Spuds and Aprons should work on their marination. I think that would save their meat dishes. The mashed potatoes was buttery and decent.  

A live band started playing at about 8:15 pm and the music was good. While the cool night breeze drifted in and music filled the air at Spuds and Aprons, we finished our meal and washed it all down with a pint of beer. Thank you for the lovely night and thank you for being who you are and for loving me so.

If you are driving, you will enjoy one complimentary valet parking if you spend above $30 at Spuds and Aprons. Just remember to ask for the stamp on your valet parking ticket before you leave.

109 Mount Faber Road Level 2

63779688

Happy hour from 4pm to 8 pm (1 for 1 Beers, 30% off house pour wines)

Sun - Thur: 11: 00 - 23:00

Fri - Sat. Eve of PH: 11:00 - 02:00

Eve of PH: 1

友谊

锦上添花的不是朋友，但雪中送炭的也未必是朋友。

将你的私事公诸于世的不是朋友，但为你守口如瓶的也未必是朋友。

在你背后说你闲话的不是朋友，但于你畅谈心事的也未必是朋友。

我问男友友谊是什么。男友回答说：“没有定义，只有时间能证明。”

的确，路遥知马力，日久见人心。若那心是丑陋不堪的，时间将会证明一切。

Boracay, Philippines, Day 3 - Lemon I Cafe, Bella Isa Spa, Red Pirates Pub, Aria Cucina Italiana, Bom Bom Bar, Epic Club

Stef woke up super early for a dive while I slept in. I woke up in the late morning and dragged myself to the rooftop for breakfast before returning to the room to laze around with Running Man on my Samsung tablet. When I had enough of lazing around, I ventured out to D'mall at Station 2 to meet Stef for lunch at Lemon I Cafe. We read some awesome reviews about the food here so we decided to give it a try. Lemon I Cafe is situated in the heart of D'mall, beside the colourful Ferris wheel. 

We ordered Salmon and Fetta Quiche and Lemon Club Sandwich to share. Both were good and light, fantastic for lunch. 

We also wanted to try the famous Lemon i Cheesecake so we ordered one to share. The cheesecake was lemony and tangy on one side but completely plain on the other. I'm guessing they did not spread the lemon sauce evenly throughout the cake. What a bummer. This had the potential to be a really delicious lemon cheesecake but the one we tried was only delicious on one side.

We took a trike to Station 3 for my massage at Bella Isa Spa. There were numerous spas in Boracay but Bella Isa Spa came highly recommended so I called them in the morning and made a reservation. I chose the 60 minutes full body massage package (P1170) and opted for shiatsu because I did not want any oil on my body. The weather was really hot and I was all sweaty by the time I reached Bella Isa Spa so I asked to use their shower facilities which came with an extra charge. Stef went off to explore Station 3 while my muscles were kneaded and squeezed for 60 relaxing minutes. I had a small private room to myself but ventilation was poor and the room became rather stuffy after awhile. When I told the masseur that it was getting warm in the room, she switched on the cooler and that made the massage experience much better. I have to say that I enjoyed her skills and massage much better than the room I was in. It was daytime when I left Bella Isa Spa but I forgot to take a picture so this is the picture of Bella Isa Spa at night.

Stef was waiting for me at Bella Isa Spa's entrance when I finished and we took a short stroll down Station 3 to Red Pirates Pub. Red Pirates Pub felt... just so comfortable. Like I can imagine living in Boracay and coming down to Red Pirates Pub every night after work to hear live acoustic music, sit in a corner while the night wrapped me in its warm arms, sipping a beer. We sat down on the stone benches along the beach, ordered two bottles of San Miguel, and watched yet another beautiful sunset. Sunsets marked the days in Boracay. I love sunset everywhere but the sunset at Boracay was truly majestic, especially when I am enjoying it with a beer in hand. And of course not forgetting to sail fast live slow. 

When the last ray of sunlight disappeared into the horizon and a heavy darkness fell upon us, we sat there in the darkness and finished our beers. The boss of Red Pirates Pub came over and asked if we would like to sail out to the nearby islands the next day. It would be a day trip with roughly 10 people and included a bbq lunch and booze. This sounded like a good deal to us at P700 so we agreed and told him we would come by tomorrow morning. When we finished our beers, we said goodbye and made our way back to Station 2 for dinner at Aria Cucina Italiana.

We chose to sit outdoors on the beach and picked a table closest to the sea. It was almost therapeutic to feel the sea breeze, hear the crashing waves, but because it was so dark, we could see nothing at all in the distance except darkness. And thankfully, there were no sand flies.

We chose Parma Ham Pasta in White Truffle Sauce and Parmigiana with Baked Potatoes. The white truffle sauce was fragrant but the pasta was a bit heavy and greasy. The Parmigiana was good, the eggplant was soft and mushy, cheese was abundant, and the tomato sauce was delicious! I am starting to believe that you will never go wrong with Parmigiana. 

After a good meal at Aria, we moved on in search of a place with good music and booze. We settled down at Bom Bom Bar where there was live music on the beach and everyone was relaxing on chairs lined up neatly on the beach. Reggae is big in Boracay and Bom Bom Bar is possibly the place to be for reggae music. Unfortunately, neither Stef nor I were fans of reggae music so we left after our first drink. 

We found Sand Bar where a fire-dancing performance was in action. Fire-dancing is also very big in Boracay and Sand Bar probably does it best. We stopped for a while to watch the exciting fire-dancing performance before moving on to Epic Club. We ended our night at Epic (cover charge at P300 with 2 drinks) where they played the usual hip hop, R&B, and clubbing music late into the night. The place was packed with tourists though we also made friends with a Filipino couple from Manila. Filipinos are just so friendly! Epic is definitely the place to go for good clubbing music, dancing, and cheap booze. 

Read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 4 and Day 5 in Boracay.