The Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 is now entering into her final weekend, this Saturday 13^th May and Sunday 14^th May, consisting of many different festivities, performances, fun, food and celebration, with the Singapore River being the main attraction for this final Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 weekend.

Taking place at Singapore River this weekend, organised by Asian Civilisations Museum, it’s going to be transformed and brought back in time to the era when the Singapore River was a thriving hub that helped to define Singapore’s status as a trading port and one of the cross roads of the world shipping routes. At where the Asian Civilisations Museum is located, Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 final weekend takes place on Saturday 13^th and Sunday 14^th May, they are taking over the space, bringing visitors back in time to learn and understand Singapore’s early history, heritage and culture of the Singapore River through the activities, performances and of course, delicious food.

What are some of the festivities, performances and fun that you can expect when you visit Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at Singapore River from 12^th to 13^th May 2017?

• Singapore River Performances

Asian Civilisations Museum

Various timings

Free admission

The Asian Civilisations Museum presents a series of performances related to, and inspired by, food stories and migratory cultures.

The performances include:

• Through My Eyes

by Act 3 International

12 May | 7.30pm

13 May | 3.30pm and 7.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), Hardcourt

Meet three living statues, and listen to them bring the history of Empress Place to life. Revisit hawkers by the river, the old Immigration department, and the government offices of bygone years.

• Part I: The Dream

by TO ensemble

13 May | 2pm and 4.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 1, Contemporary Gallery

Spice up your afternoon with fusion music that explores the founding of the Lion City.

• Part II: Port City

by TO ensemble

13 May | 3pm and 5.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 2, Foyer

Be transported back to the hustle and bustle of the old Singapore River scene, and experience its growth over the years through this multicultural musical performance.

• Sounds of the Island

by TCR Music Pte Ltd

12 and 13 May | 10pm | Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), Hardcourt

& 13 May | 6pm   | Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 2, Foyer

Sing along to Xinyao, Singapore Mandarin pop tunes, surrounded by the river, food, and people that are distinct to the island.

• A Banquet of Songs

by Vox Camerata

13 May | 1.30pm and 4pm

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 2, Foyer

Groove to a delectable collection of folk tunes, as this a cappella group tickles your aural palate with songs of adventure, travel, and longing.

• Museum of Eating

Asian Civilisations Museum

Date & Time: 28 April – 14 May | Throughout museum hours

Free admission

We love our Singapore food, we eat a lot, however, do we know more about food, the processes, habits, quirks and practices here in Singapore? Visit the Museum of Eating inside the Asian Civilisations Museum to find out more!

• Masak Makan Trail

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 1, Central Staircase

Date & Time: 12 and 13 May | Throughout museum hours

For children only

This fun activity would be ideal for parents bringing their children to Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at the Singapore River.

Question: “Do you know why the spouts of coffee pots connect near the top of the pot, and tea pots from the bottom?”

You can find the answer by going on a self-guided trail through the Asian Civilisations Museum to discover the answer!

• Somewhere Around Here

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors)

Date & Time: 28 April – 14 May | Daily

Free admission

Photography enthusiasts, history, heritage, conservation and preservation enthusiasts, this photographic installation will definitely interest you. Walk around the environment around the Asian Civilisations Museum, discover how the surroundings around it had changed over time, through archival photos. Remember to check out the stories and anecdotes from the Oral History archives.

• Outdoor Film Screening

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors)

Date & Time: 12 & 13 May | 7.30pm – 10pm

Free admission

Watching movies under the stars, have you tried it before? It’s been a long time since I went to watch a movie under the stars! At Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at the Singapore River, catch the local films being screened!

• Kway Chap (2015)

by Sun Koh (15 minutes)

12 May | 7.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

Even though filmmaker Sun Koh grew up in a family of famous kway chap hawkers, she never made a film about them. But now she makes a last-ditch attempt to document the memories of her family and their livelihood. But many of the places where they started the trade no longer exist – is she too late?

• Old Friends (2015)

by Royston Tan (67 minutes)

12 May | 8pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

From the creators of Old Places and Old Romances comes the final instalment of the trilogy: Old Friends. Savour the stories of those who pioneered the rich, authentic flavours of traditional Singaporean cuisine – and those lucky enough to taste them – in this evocative film by Royston Tan and his team. 

• The Missing Ingredient (2016)

by Wang Eng Eng (19 minutes)

13 May | 7.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

The filmmaker follows the struggles of her cousin as he prepares for the Mid-Autumn festival in Singapore. His challenge – recreating the family’s signature salt and pepper moon cake. His efforts are subjected to criticism by the rest of the family, who feel he doesn’t know the recipe. The expectations of continuing a culinary tradition weigh heavily upon the shoulders of her cousin once again this Mid-Autumn.

• Wanton Mee (2015)

by Eric Khoo (71 minutes)

13 May | 8pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

Wanton Mee presents the journey of Koh Chun Feng, who takes his camcorder with him to local food stalls. He begins to amass the stories of the stall owners, and hidden within those, the history of how Singaporean dishes were created.

Last but not least, when you visit Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at the Singapore River, YOU CANNOT MISS THIS!

• New Empress Place Food Centre

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors)

Date & Time: 12 May | 7pm – 10.30pm

& 13 May | 5pm – 10.30pm

Free admission

Do you remember the Empress Place Food Centre which used to be in front of the Former Empress Place Building (now known as the Asian Civilisations Museum)? I still have some memories of this place when I was a young kid!

Now, you can relive those memories again, with the New Empress Place Food Centre! Let me show you, some photographs of the delicious local food that you can enjoy when you visit!

This is the final weekend of Singapore Heritage Festival 2017, with Singapore River being the spotlight! Come on down, visit and enjoy yourselves with your family, relatives and loved ones! Do visit the Singapore Heritage Festival website for more details of activities and events taking place at other locations too!

Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 @ Singapore River (organised by Asian Civilisations Museum)

Date & Time:

• 12 May: 7pm – 10.30pm
• 13 May: 1pm – 10.30pm

Free admission to the whole museum during the festival, including the Joseon Korea special exhibition.

Visit www.heritagefestival.sg for more details.

* Information courtesy of National Heritage Board *

Whisky or Whiskey? Depends on your geographic location and the English language that you are taught in, both word refer to the same alcoholic beverage around the world that we love and appreciate. My early whisky journeys evolve around Scotch whisky, bourbon whiskey before moving into Japanese whisky.

The world of whisky is pretty big out there, yet there is this duplex in the world today, that has a wide selection of whiskey from all over the world inside the duplex. Where can you find this wide whiskey selection? Inside Changi Airport Terminal 2, it is known as The Whiskey House! With a diverse range of 179 single malts, 68 blended Scotch whiskies, 30 American whiskies inside The Whiskey House, for the Whisky or Whiskey lover in you, this is a must visit place when you visit Singapore! As a whisky fan and avid traveler, I am wondering to myself, how did I manage to miss out this awesome whisky place inside Changi Airport during my previous trips?

On the upper level of the duplex, there is an amazing, must visit destination for all whisky lovers, an intuitive and experiential whiskey shopping experience whereby you can enjoy complimentary tastings of 100 different whiskies from around the world. This is where you taste and enjoy the whisky before choosing your favourite whiskey to bring home.

This was also the location whereby I attended their Whiskey Appreciation Masterclass, part of the Whiskey Festival, taking place from May 25 to July 1 at Changi Airport. For that weekend on June 16 and 17, the regional brand ambassador for The Balvenie whisky house played host for whiskey appreciation masterclass. That was where we met Neil Strachan from Scotland, who hosted us for the whisky appreciation masterclass. His sharing was very interesting and interactive, teaching us how to appreciate and learn more about whisky, the fragrance, aroma and taste. Having an expert to share about whisky tasting makes drinking whisky even more special and fun! If you are a Scotch whisky fan, do follow Neil on his Instagram account! Neil is an awesome ambassador, I hope to have future opportunities to learn more about Scotch whisky from him!

I am probably the “worst student” among the group of us at the Whiskey Appreciation Masterclass because I was busy tasting/drinking the Balvenie single malt vintage whiskies (I don’t wish to declare the number of whisky glasses that I had during the masterclass!) and taking photos of them for this article! While this is not specifically a whisky review article, I would just share some of my thoughts, all of them are pure vintage class and each has its own distinct fragrance, aroma and strength. What were the types of Balvenie whiskies that we tasted during the Whiskey Appreciation Masterclass? There were the 12 years, 16 years, 21 years and 25 years! Do you have a favourite from these four bottles of Balvenie whiskies? From these four bottles of Balvenie vintage whiskies, my preference is the 25 years vintage!

While drinking and enjoying Balvenie whisky, it brought back my recent travel memories to Nikka distillery in Yoichi, Hokkaido, during October 2016. I had a memorable and fun whisky tasting/distillery tour on my own! I would love to visit the whisky distilleries in Scotland in the future! Nothing beats visiting a whisky house/distillery, soaking in the atmosphere and surroundings! It’s like a pilgrimage for whisky lovers!

Whisky and Whiskey lovers in the world, I know you have a bias towards particular whisky houses around the world, you have your favourite whiskies. When you visit Singapore, don’t miss this golden opportunity to visit the Whiskey House inside Changi Airport Terminal 2!

I hope to share more about my whisky tasting experiences in the future, along with cuisines that would be suitable for each type of whisky. Whisky and cuisines pairing sounds like a great food and beverage adventure for me!

I would like to thank Changi Airport Social for the invitation to the whiskey appreciation masterclass!

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A short flight away from Singapore, a popular destination for holidays and fun, ideal for families and their children. Western Australia is home to many gorgeous and extraordinary attractions and experiences. The number of visitors from Singapore for the year ending 2016, an estimated 104,200 visitors visited Western Australia, staying for an estimated 1,509,200 nights and estimated visitor spend $246m. All these figures placed Singapore in third place for the Top 20 international markets to Western Australia year ending December 2016 (ranked by number of visitors).

Western Australia is a destination that I didn’t get to visit during my University undergraduate days (4 years) in Queensland, a holiday that I should have planned and done! Whenever I looked at Western Australia, there were many destinations in the state of Western Australia that I would really like to visit, enjoy, have fun and take many photographs. During a recent Tourism Western Australia event in Singapore, I had a better understanding and know more about the various areas and destinations of Western Australia.

At the evening with Tourism Western Australia event in Singapore, there was a special culinary ambassador appearance by Chef Tony Howell of Western Australia’s Fresh TV and Formerly Head Chef of Cape Lodge and Margaret River Hospitality Group. Chef Howell shared a lot with the guests on Western Australia food and wine, as well as sharing some delicious food from Western Australia with this cooking!

There had been great developments and growth in the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors of Western Australia. At the Tourism Western Australia event, they brought some local and authentic food, drinks and fun from Western Australia to Singapore! For a start, there were informative boards, brochures, guides and information travelers planning to visit Western Australia.

Perth and Surroundings

Let’s start with Australia sunniest capital, Perth, that is also the capital of Western Australia, consistently rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities.

Accommodation

Since 2012, accommodation in and around Perth has expanded with nearly 1,800 new rooms added to the local market, such as COMO at the Treasury, Crown Towers Perth, Peppers Kings Square, Tribe in West Perth, Alex Hotel in Northbridge, Aloft Hotel in Rivervale and Quest Fremantle. In the next four years, more hotels are coming on board with a further 16 new or redeveloped hotels entering the market, varying from boutique, big name and luxury brands, including Ritz-Carlton’s first Australian property in 10 years, The Westin in the eastern CBD and DoubleTree Group has three developments coming up.

Dining and Wining

Western Australia fresh produce and wines can be found in Perth’s new bars, cafes and restaurants in or near the city’s centre, such as the Shadow Bar and Dining Room, Ku De Ta, The Standard. Isle of Voyage and The Reveley. The recently renovated State Buildings precinct, with its high ceilings and grand halls, is home to some of the city’s best bars and restaurants including Petition Kitchen, Long Chim and Wildflower.

Short trips from Perth City

At the event, there were informative travel boards that gave the guests more information and details on the areas that they can visit outside of Perth City, that are a short 30mins to 90mins away from Perth City, ideal for day trips to destinations such as Fremantle, Rockingham, Sunset Coast, Swan Valley, Perth Hills, Armadale and Avon Valley.

Travelers can base themselves in Perth City, rent a car and drive out of Perth City to the various destinations nearby for day trips!

Beyond Perth and Surrounds

Having studied in Queensland for my undergraduate studies, I traveled out of the major city and discovered many different parts of Australia. In Western Australia, so vast and diverse, around the size of Western Europe and boasting 20,000km of mainland and island coastline, there are a number of destinations beyond Perth and surrounds. Some of the destinations are really gorgeous and I would love to visit them for my travel photography trips in the future!

There are a lot of destinations to visit beyond Perth and their surroundings, I would like to list some of them below:

Margaret River and the South West

• Surfing, swimming and snorkelling
• World-class wine and fresh local produce
• Culture, arts and history (learn more about the customs and history of the Noongar people)
• Tall timbers (in the Valley of the Giants, between Denmark and Walpole)
• Adventure (the bushland Bibbulmun Track, or out to the Porongurup Range’s Granite Skywalk)

Exmouth and The Coral Coast

• Snorkelling at Ningaloo Reef
• Swimming with gentle giants (whale sharks)
• Friendly dolphins at Monkey Mia
• Wildflowers and pink waters
• Extraordinary rock formations (at the Pinnacles near the coastal town of Cervantes)

Esperance and the Golden Outback

• White beaches and pink lakes
• World’s largest outdoor gallery (the striking salt flats of Lake Ballard)
• Golden Quest Discovery Trail (965-kilometre journey from Coolgardie to Laverton)
• Wildflowers and wave walking
• The unexpected (Corrigin Dog Cemetery)

Broome and The North West Region

• Camels on Cable Beach
• Aboriginal experiences
• Best kept secrets (Karijini National Park and Purnululu National Park)
• Horizontal Falls (Talbot Bay)
• Remote luxury resorts (Berkeley River Lodge, Kimberley Coast Camp, El Questro Homestead, Faraway Bay)

Western Australia is huge destination, packed with my beautiful destinations to visit, that’s something for everybody to have fun and enjoy during their travels to Western Australia. This destination is one that I had missed out during my undergraduate days in Queensland that I didn’t get to visit during my studies there, I should have just flew over and visit Western Australia during my semester breaks!

I would love to plan a visit to Western Australia in the future, from Perth, traveling around and out, towards Margaret River, Exmouth and the Coral Coast, as well as Broome and The North West Region.

When I do visit Western Australia, I would shout out, “G’day mate! Just Another Day in Western Australia!”

For more information on Western Australia, visit Tourism Western Australia website!

I would like to thank Tourism Western Australia for the invitation to their An Evening with Tourism Western Australia event in Singapore.

* Information courtesy of Tourism Western Australia and cohn&wolfe *

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Food and travel lovers in Singapore, and those travelers visiting Singapore in July 2017, you are in for a sumptuous and delightful food adventures time in Singapore! The Singapore Food Festival 2017, in its 24th edition is coming soon, starting on 14th July 2017 till 30th July 2017!

The theme for Singapore Food Festival 2017 is “Savour Singapore in Every Bite“. Locals and visitors alike can look forward to a sumptuous spread of both traditional and contemporary Singaporean food flavours, interpreted through the palates of our local home-grown culinary heroes. This is not just about celebrating our local Singapore food and culture, it’s also about celebrating our Singapore food heritage and flavours, and to honour the people behind the Singapore food heritage and culture, who work passionately to keep our local Singapore culinary traditions alive.

For Singapore Food Festival 2017, there are a wide range of interesting, delicious and fun dining events lined up for Singapore Food Festival 2017. There is not only eating that everyone of us is looking forward to, there are also food heritage tours, talks and dining experiences!

Let me share with you some key events taking place at Singapore Food Festival 2017:

STREAT – Singapore Food Festival 2017 Signature Event

STREAT is Singapore Tourism Board (STB) anchor event for Singapore Food Festival 2017. This year’s highly anticipated pop-up restaurant will be helmed by Peranakan Chef Malcolm Lee of Michelin-starred restaurant Candlenut, and Wild Rocket’s Chef Willin Low, who is widely recognised as the founder of Mod-Sin cuisine. Together, they will present contemporary interpretations of local classics, through a 3-course Mod-Sin and modern Peranakan Tok Panjang menu.

Photo Credit: MUSE

Chef Malcolm Lee and Che Willin Low will also work together and curate a selection of nine stalls, each helmed by young “hawkerpreneurs” and chefs, some of the participating vendors include New Ubin Seafood, Peranakan Khek and Whampoa Prawn Noodle. There are also first time collaborations at STREAT, such as between popular zi-char stall, Keng Eng Kee, and Good Chance Popiah, as well as between contemporary eateries, Taste Affair and The Masses.

Foodie Profiles to enjoy island wide Singapore Food Festival 2017 events

There are four Foodie Profiles that are taking spotlight during the upcoming Singapore Food Festival 2017, which food events that would be suitable for the particular Foodie Profile to visit and enjoy themselves!

• Gutsy Gourmand: who lives and breathes modern cuisine

  Visit STREAT, the festival’s marquee event, Hawker Wine Safari, 

  Launch of Singapore-inspired bottled cocktails, Chope Exclusives: Local eats edition, Open Stoves by Timbre+ and Singapore Tea Festival

• Traditional Taster: who believes there’s nothing like old school fare

  Visit The 50 Cents Fest: Those Years 那些年, held at Chinatown Food Street, Singapore Restaurant Festival, Kueh Pairing Workshop Series,  Heritage Town Festival and Kueh Appreciation Day

• Culture Craver: who embraces all things local

  Visit  Hawker Spotlight 2017, ION Orchard Culinary Creations 2017, Popular Local Fare and A New Taste

• Art Addict: who appreciates creativity not just in food, but in art form as well

      Visit Project Plait: Inheritance, photo exhibition titled One Dish, One Chef, Generation of Stories presented by Alvin Foo, supported by Canon Singapore, Transforming Your Food Images workshop and Food for Thought panel series

Personally, I am looking forward to STREAT @ Singapore Food Festival 2017! I would try to cover a few of the food events taking place during Singapore Food Festival 2017, do keep a lookout for my updates on my Facebook Page and Instagram! I was at the Hawker Spotlight @ Singapore Food Festival 2016, had a great time eating all the various delicious local Singapore hawker food!

If you love food, the Singapore Food Festival 2017 is perfect for you, for both locals and visitors alike! Mark it down in your calendar and fill your stomach with sumptuous Singapore food!

For more information on Singapore Food Festival 2017, please visit www.singaporefoodfestival.com 

* Information and pictures courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board *

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The Singapore Food Festival 2017 is just round the corner and McDonald’s Singapore is a partner of this year’s annual festival organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), with their own unique locally inspired menu that are the traditional local favourites, celebrating Singapore’s own local, multi-ethnic food heritage.

Some of the local food favourites that Singaporeans grew up eating are Nasi Lemak, Bandung and Chendol. These few favourites are the inspiration behind the new locally-inspired limited-time menu, launched in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) 2017 starting on 14^th July 2017.

“As a brand that’s deeply woven into the fabric of Singapore, we wanted to pay homage to our traditional local fare in conjunction with the launch of the Singapore Food Festival 2017. We have given a modern twist to familiar local favourites which includes the “Nasi Lemak” Burger – and hope Singaporeans will be thrilled to unravel the local flavours in our exciting menu line-up, as we come together to celebrate National Day soon,” said Agatha Yap, Senior Director of Marketing, Menu and Digital Innovation, Hanbaobao Pte Ltd (licensee of McDonald’s Singapore).

“We are delighted that McDonald’s, a brand with a large fan base in Singapore, is on board with us as a partner for the Singapore Food Festival 2017. With this year’s theme being ‘Savour Singapore in Every Bite’, we are particularly excited by the introduction of McDonald’s locally-inspired menu, which will feature flavours well-loved by generations of Singaporeans who grew up eating them.  This will further pique the curiosity of both locals and visitors about SFF, which is still the only event in Singapore dedicated to showcasing local food and local talent,” said Ranita Sundramoorthy, Director, Attractions, Dining & Retail, STB.

Today, McDonald’s Singapore is launching this special and locally-inspired menu, Just For You Singapore! Presenting to everyone of you:

“Nasi Lemak” Burger

First and foremost, I have to confess that when I heard this name, I was a bit skeptical. When I looked at this burger, smell the fragrance and took a bite, I was swayed across and I really liked it! This is a nice transformation and fusion of traditional and modern cuisine!

The sweet and spicy sambal sauce transforms this burger into Nasi Lemak, along with the delicious chicken thigh patty, golden fried egg, lightly toasted semolina buns, caramelised onions and crunchy cucumber slices. It is mouth-watering, delicious and very enjoyable! So sedap, the taste and fragrance are just like our favourite Nasi Lemak!

The “Nasi Lemak” Burger is available from $5.95 a la carte, or from $7.80 in an Extra Value Meal.

Bandung McFizz & Criss Cut Fries

Pictures courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore

Bandung McFizz, an interesting drink of the traditional beverage Bandung with their McFizz. Cooling and refreshing, from $3, while the savoury goodness of the Criss Cut Fries is available from $3.40,

Chendol McFlurry & Coconut Pie

Picture courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore

For Chendol fans, I think you would like the Chendol McFlurry! A mix of vanilla soft serve with Gula Melaka sauce and Chendol jelly bits! A sweet heaven for those with a sweet tooth! Therefore, this is a perfect dessert to end your meal on a sweet note with the Chendol McFlurry, from $3!

If you prefer a warm dessert to end your meal, you can consider the Coconut Pie, from $1.20. During the food tasting session, I took a bite and tasted the delicious oozing tropical coconut filling with nata de coco bits! It’s quite nice especially if you love coconut!

Chendol Melaka Cone, Chendol Melaka Twist & Chendol Melaka Chococone

Pictures courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore

Chendol and ice cream fans, check out McDonald’s Chendol Melaka Cone, Chendol Melaka Twist & Chendol Melaka Chococone! Chendol Melaka Cone, Chendol Melaka Twist are from $1 each and Chendol Melaka Chococone is from $1.20! A perfect dessert to cool down for a hot and sunny tropical day in Singapore!

Pandan Coco Frappe & Kueh Salat Cake

Pictures courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore

The Pandan Coco Frappe is available all day from $4.60, the combination of a perfect bland of coconut and fragrant Pandan flavours with grass jelly, this is a perfect cooling drink for a hot and sunny tropical day in Singapore!

The Kueh Salat Cake is a unique cake consisting of pandan sponge cake and a glutinuous rice layer. Available all day from $5.

Celebrating 50 years of National Service with McDonald’s

McDonald’s is saluting our servicemen together with Singapore, celebrating 50 years of National Service (NS50). McDonald’s is offering all past and present NSmen a FREE Apple Pie or Hot Fudge Sundae with Extra Value Meal purchased (after breakfast hours) from 4^th to 10^th August. Eligible customers just need to present their SAFRA card, 11B or Pink IC to redeem the treat!

McDonald’s is also spreading the joy of National Day celebrations in August, with a limited-time offer for the signature Vanilla Cone available at a special price of only 50 cents from 4^th to 10^th August!

Just For You Singapore, as you celebrate Singapore Food Festival 2017 and National Day Parade 2017 in August, do check out and try out the new locally-inspired menu by McDonald’s Singapore! You must try the “Nasi Lemak Burger!

** Information courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore **

*** I would like to thank McDonald’s Singapore for the invitaiton to the food tasting session ***

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A short stretch of the road and space in front of the Peranakan Museum closed to the traffic for two nights, transforming into a fun party venue for visitors to bring their family, children and friends down, visit the museums and soak in the party atmosphere. This was the Armenian Street Party 2017 organised by Peranakan Museum that took place on 10^th and 11^th March. The Armenian Street Party made her maiden debut in 2016, I was there too at the first Armenian Street Party!

For this year 2017 Armenian Street Party, I dropped by on Friday evening and managed to catch some of the performances at the street party. The theme for Armenian Street Party 2017 was back to school, going back to the good old school nostalgia days (when we were young), some of you might remember going to detention class, disliking certain subjects such as literature, tuckshop food during recess time, English and grammar class, PE class, music class etc etc.

The Armenian Street Party was also a perfect time to visit the Peranakan Museum and Singapore Philatelic Museum with their family, children and friends. This street party is perfect for the two museums to have more publicity and awareness from the public, they are two great museums with really great and wonderful artworks, contents and exhibitions, that the public may not know as much, compared to her bigger fellow sister museums such as the National Museum of Singapore.

At the Armenian Street Party 2017, on the Friday that I visited, I saw the mass P.E. class by Upside Motion, it’s not a bad idea to conduct P.E. class on the road without the vehicles! The iconic Peranakan Museum favourite band of singers, the Peranakan Sayang, were in action on Friday, with the theme “Balek Sekolah!”, translated to “Back to school!”. This group of singers are really good and they never fail to light up the crowds!

The Armenian Street Party is not just about the two museums, Peranakan Museum and Singapore Philatelic Museum, it’s a community event, the kampung spirit, with fellow neighbours along Armenian Street coming in, participating and be a part of this festive party. Timbre Group, Substation, Upside Motion, True Blue Cuisine and SMU were neighbours, part of the Armenian Street kampung. They all played a part in this year’s street party.

There were also delicious food by True Blue Cuisine, selling all time favourite tuckshop treats, I didn’t manage to go down and eat all the food on Friday. I only manage to eat the laksa during the media preview (I was rushing for time on that day) prior to the street party weekend.

I took the opportunity to visit Singapore Philatelic Museum, a very short walk down the road from Peranakan Museum. I forgot when was the last time I visited this museum, they looked small in physical size yet they packed some pretty wonderful collections inside there. Touring the Singapore Philatelic Museum brought me back many memories, I used to collect stamps when I was a young kid in school and I am beginning to wonder where have I kept my stamps? Probably somewhere in my home!

After touring the Singapore Philatelic Museum, I stayed on and watched two performances –

Literature Class: Music & Prose of the Past

By Cappella Martialis

Literature Class: Will The Night Away!

By Centre Stage.

Two great performances held inside this small and cosy Singapore Philatelic Museum.

The performance “Will The Night Away!” was about a Shakespeare classic “Romeo and Juliet”, that most students would probably have studied if they took Literature during their secondary school days (I didn’t take Literature in my upper secondary school). This is Singapore style, a Singapore spin “Romeo and Ah Lian”. Their play was hilarious, interactive and engaging, with the Shakespeare exhibition theme behind them, this was a perfect setting for Romeo and Ah Lian!

Since I was only there on Friday, I couldn’t catch the rest of the performances and activities that were held during the Armenian Street Party 2017, although I did manage to catch a glimpse of some of them during the media preview.

Personally, I feel that the Armenian Street Party is a great community event that doesn’t need to go massively big, it may not (and need not) be the biggest street party event or museums event, they just leverage and combine together as the Armenian Street “kampung”, the Peranakan Museum and Singapore Philatelic Museum, along with their neighbours along Armenian Street.

Looking forward to the next edition of the Armenian Street Party!

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A modern communal dining experience, having the best of both worlds, a mix of traditional cuisine with a modern cross fusion of cooking style from other cultures. This communal dining experience had 10 different types of dishes, starting from the appetiser, followed by 7 main courses, there are so delicious and mind blowing beyond my imagination, rounding up this unique modern communal dinner with 2 desserts. This is the Quarters Experience.

The Quarters Experience was created by Deming, whom I knew a few years back when he was just doing just one food, his trademark Durian Crème Brulee at a pop up event at Haw Par Villa in 2014. In the blink of an eye, he established two food brands, The Quarters and Kush. Watching how Deming established, transformed and innovate his food cuisine over this period time from 2014, I had great respect and admiration for this innovative food entrepreneur friend of mine.

When I was invited down by Deming to experience The Quarters Experience, I was grateful and thankful to be part of this amazing modern communal dining experience. I arrived earlier than the scheduled start time, photographing the setup process on what creates the special experiences behind The Quarters Experience. This was also a time to catch up with my friend Deming before he got very busy during The Quarters experience, hosting and sharing with the guests on each and every dish that was served during The Quarters Experience.

Personally, this was one of the best dining experiences that I ever had, not because I am invited and treated to this Quarters Experience, not because Deming is a friend of mine. Why the Quarters Experience was one of the best dining experiences that I had was because of the love and passion for food, translated into the excellent cooking skills that can be experienced, felt and tasted inside all of the 10 dishes of the Quarters Experience. All the 10 dishes (except for durian crème brulee because I don’t eat durian) touched not just my taste buds, they also touched my heart, mind and soul.

Let me bring you into the world of The Quarters Experience, sharing my thoughts and views of every dish, and interviewing Deming, his stories behind each dish.

Achar

An innovative and unique method to showcase the Achar, it’s a breakaway from the traditional style Achar. The Quarters Experience Achar is like a small pastry/canape type of dish. I liked how the Achar taste, a good mix of the East meets West cuisine.

JH, “Deming, the Achar looks unique and very different from traditional achar, what is the inspiration behind this unique and innovative design?”

DM, “Traditionally made, it serves as an amazing Amuse Busche to whet the appetite of the diners. The combination of the crisp puff and flavour of Achar is amazing.

Shiok Bak

First and foremost, I am a big fan of roast pork and when I saw the description of the Shiok Bak from the menu, I was eagerly looking forward to it! When I saw the dish arriving, I knew I was in for something more special than I ever thought. There were buns complementing the Shiok Bak, that are usually ate with braised pork, along with fresh lettuce. The skin of the Shiok Bak was extra crispy, crunchy and dry. As the name suggests, it’s really shiok to eat this Shiok Bak! Oh yes, there is a sauce to go along with the Shiok Bak too, the spicy rempah!

JH, ”Deming, I love this dish! This Shiok Bak is really shiok and it looks like it has a mix of a few different Asia cuisines cooking style infused into this dish. Let me make a guess, Teochew (the bun for the braised pork a.k.a. lor bak) + Korean (lettuce to be wrapped with pork) + Filipino roast pork? Did I guess correctly?”

DM, “Yes. There is a myraid of influences involved here. Its combining the best of Filipino style crackling with our chinese roast pork technique. The Teochew influence comes from the braising of the pork belly and Peranakan from the Rempah inspired by the Hiam Te Bak. All in all, it is delicious!

Har Lok

A perfectly charcoal grilled prawn, fresh, juicy and declicious. The menu stated that it was Cantonese style and I got curious. What exactly is a Cantonese style cuisine prawn dish?

JH, “Cantonese style, would you mind sharing more about this style of cooking?”

DM, “ This is my contribution in preserving a dying dish in the Zhi Char world. This dish has been overshadowed by Salted Egg Prawns and Cereal Prawn. The essence from this dish is Canontese inspired with its simle yet amazing sauce. The smokiness from the charcoal grill elevates this dish which is a worthy rendition of this Hok Hei laden dish.

Ooh La La

The Venus clams, cooked in flambed style with Singapore style chilli sauce and croutons added into them. The final product is like a chilli style soup with Venus clams and croutons.

JH, “The Oooh La La dish, was it meant to be a spicy soup dish since you added croutons into it?

DM, “This is our take of Singapore’s most favourite Chilli Crab sauce. More than just a cute play on words, this clams in this dish elevates the umami experience of the dish.

Bibik’s Chicken

Another perfectly charcoal grilled dish, the Bibik’s Chicken with a rich Buah Keluak Sauce. When I ate the Bibik’s Chicken, the chicken meat was tender and not overcooked, this demonstrated the skill and experience level of the chefs charcoal grill cooking.

JH, “This Bibik’s Chicken is so delicious, so awesome! I have a few questions, is this a Peranakan cuisine? Was there any special seasoning on the chicken?”

DM, “ This dish is a tribute to the traditional Ayam Bua Keluak. Normally done as a stew, this rendition adds a few more layers into the gastronomic experience. Unlike the usual Buah Keluak Ayam, this dish brings together many more textures. The Chicken is firstly charcoal grilled to achieve a really crispy skin with the meat left tender and succulent. Infused with local herbs and spices, it is a flavour bomb when eaten together with the buah keluak paste.

Mum’s Cabbage

A plate of mixed vegetables, consisting of stewed cabbage, carrots and minced pork. This dish may not look the most glamorous compared to the other counterparts in the 10 course The Quarters Experience. Yet, when I took a bite, the feeling was like “This is Home, truly”. The type of dishes, the emotions and feelings that warms your heart, mind and soul when you are back home eating your favourite food cooked by your parents or grandparents. The menu described it as “Family favourite …” I totally agree.

JH, “Bro, this dish, a simple dish yet I felt so good, the feeling of home cooked food! They just warmed my heart! How did you do it?” 

DM, “ Inspired by what my Mum cooks at home, its about the simplicity and perfect balance of flavours which is appealing. Food done well, with love. Yum!

Quarters Fried Rice

An egg coated fried rice with two types of salted fish. The rice was so soft, fragrant and not oily at all. The Quarter’s Fried Rice was addictive because it was simply too good, too delicious.

JH, “Bro, would you mind teaching me the secret behind the secret to your Quarter’s Fried Rice?” 

DM, “ It’s yet another dish which is a hit with our diners. We go through an arduous process to make sure that the rice is of the right consistency as well as using the right combination of dried fish and cooking technique to accomplish a very satisfying dish.

“Nai You” Lobster

This lobster dish stood out among the 10 dishes, it was charcoal kissed and butter poached. The chefs of The Quarters were really skillful in their charocal cooking techniques, it was just nicely cooked, sweet and tender.

JH, “I saw it on the menu, charcoal kissed and butter poached, would you mind elaborating more on this cooking technique?”

DM, “Inspired by our favourite “Nai You” Crabs and prawns. This is our take on elevating simple ingredients with an amazing lobster. Simply put, we butter poach the lobster and finish the lobster on the grill for that bit of char and smokiness. It’s all about the right timing.

Duriancanboleh

This is Deming’s trademark dish, the original dish that got me to first know Deming for the first time (3 years ago) before he launched his food concept The Quarters. Today, I am back again to taste another revolution and innovation in his traditional and modern cuisine. I gave away my Duriancanboleh because I don’t eat durian (don’t judge me, please!)

JH, “Bro, you know that I don’t eat durian hor, not that I don’t like your Duriancanboleh hor!”

DM, “ You would have enjoyed the other renditions of crème brulee which have done over the years. Lemongrass and Vanilla. The magic and texture of the crème brulee would still be the same. It’s an in house secret which we are proud of.

Profiterole

It’s called the Kaya bomb in the menu, not exactly the profiterole that you have in your mind.

JH, “Bro, this looks more like a The Quarters mini Kaya bun leh, why did u call it a profiterole?” 

DM, “ It’s a Kaya profiterole. An amazing kaya which explodes out of a crispt choux pastry. What can be more delicious and local than this?

At the end of the 10 course The Quarters Experience, I had a very wonderful and very enjoyable food dining experience, a modern communal social dinning experience with an excellent selection of dishes, a mix of traditional and modern cuisine fusion and also East meets West fusion. The chefs excellent, highly experienced and professional cooking skills can be found in their 10 course dishes, without a doubt.

The main attraction doesn’t lie in the fusion of traditional and modern cuisine, or excellent cooking skills. For me, it’s in the heart, mind and soul, the passion and love for cuisine, traditional or modern. That to me, are what makes Deming and his The Quarters stand out, that later gave birth to The Quarters Experience.

I would like to thank Deming of The Quarters for the invitation to experience The Quarters Experience. This was beyond an awesome communal dining experience, it’s a fusion of traditional and modern cuisine. The love and passion for cooking, traditional cuisine, I totally felt it in my heart

If you would like to experience The Quarters Experience for yourself, you can visit their website and register to taste it.

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Whenever I visit an Ayam Penyet Ria outlet here in Singapore (I usually go to the outlet at Lucky Plaza), I know that there are more than just their trademark, iconic and delicious Ayam Penyet dish. However, I don’t look beyond their menu list and I will definitely choose their Ayam Penyet, one of my favourite food (because I like fried chicken!).

Therefore, when I was invited to a food tasting session by Ayam Penyet Ria, together with a group of friends, at Bedok Mall, I was introduced to a few more delicious dishes by Ayam Penyet Ria. During the food tasting event, I was totally enjoying myself with the different kinds of dishes on offer at Ayam Penyet that I always fail to look at whenever I visit. Ayam Penyet Ria has a number of different dishes too, just as delicious as their famous smashed fried chicken, their Ayam Penyet.

First and foremost, let me introduce their Ayam Penyet whereby most people who visited Ayam Penyet Ria will know about this dish

This is my favourite and still my favourite dish at Ayam Penyet Ria. However, I want to introduce and share with everybody some of the other delicious dishes on offer at Ayam Penyet Ria. You have to try them when you visit! Check out the photos below that I took!

Ikan Gurame Penyet (Smashed Gurame fish)

Bawal Penyet (Smashed Pomfret)

Lele Penyet (Smashed Catfish)

Kulit Ayam (Chicken Skin)

Jamur Enoki (Fried Enoki Mushrooms)

kerupuk Udang and Emping (Prawn Crackers)

Tahu Telor Fried Egg and Tofu

Dessert – Es Campur (Ice Mixed Fruits)

Drinks – Lava Boy & Lava Girl

From the different kind of dishes that you saw above, Ayam Penyet Ria offers more than just Ayam Penyet. Therefore, don’t be like me and just eat the Ayam Penyet!

Personally, I really like the Ikan Gurame Penyet and Kulit Ayam, these two dishes captured my heart and taste buds (not that the rest of the dishes are not delicious, they are just as good!)

I know Ayam Penyet is their trademark, iconic and delicious dish, however, there are more than just Ayam Penyet! When you visit Ayam Penyet Ria, have a go and try out their other dishes, especially their fried fishes! Don’t be like me last time, visit Ayam Penyet Ria and just eat Ayam Penyet only! For more information on Ayam Penyet Ria, do visit their website and check them out!

Check out the Ayam Penyet Ria locations below –

Lucky Plaza #01-45 (11am – 10pm)

Lucky Plaza #04-25 (12pm – 9pm)

Far East Plaza #05-22 (11.30am – 10pm)

Jurong Point #B1-06 (11.30am – 10pm)

Bedok Mall #01-71/72 (11.30am – 10pm)

I would like to thank Ayam Penyet Ria for the invitation to their food tasting session, opening my eyes and taste buds beyond their Ayam Penyet dish!

When you visit Ayam Penyet Ria, remember, you gonna love the original! The authentic taste of Indonesia!

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The Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 is now entering into her final weekend, this Saturday 13^th May and Sunday 14^th May, consisting of many different festivities, performances, fun, food and celebration, with the Singapore River being the main attraction for this final Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 weekend.

Taking place at Singapore River this weekend, organised by Asian Civilisations Museum, it’s going to be transformed and brought back in time to the era when the Singapore River was a thriving hub that helped to define Singapore’s status as a trading port and one of the cross roads of the world shipping routes. At where the Asian Civilisations Museum is located, Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 final weekend takes place on Saturday 13^th and Sunday 14^th May, they are taking over the space, bringing visitors back in time to learn and understand Singapore’s early history, heritage and culture of the Singapore River through the activities, performances and of course, delicious food.

What are some of the festivities, performances and fun that you can expect when you visit Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at Singapore River from 12^th to 13^th May 2017?

• Singapore River Performances

Asian Civilisations Museum

Various timings

Free admission

The Asian Civilisations Museum presents a series of performances related to, and inspired by, food stories and migratory cultures.

The performances include:

• Through My Eyes

by Act 3 International

12 May | 7.30pm

13 May | 3.30pm and 7.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), Hardcourt

Meet three living statues, and listen to them bring the history of Empress Place to life. Revisit hawkers by the river, the old Immigration department, and the government offices of bygone years.

• Part I: The Dream

by TO ensemble

13 May | 2pm and 4.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 1, Contemporary Gallery

Spice up your afternoon with fusion music that explores the founding of the Lion City.

• Part II: Port City

by TO ensemble

13 May | 3pm and 5.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 2, Foyer

Be transported back to the hustle and bustle of the old Singapore River scene, and experience its growth over the years through this multicultural musical performance.

• Sounds of the Island

by TCR Music Pte Ltd

12 and 13 May | 10pm | Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), Hardcourt

& 13 May | 6pm   | Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 2, Foyer

Sing along to Xinyao, Singapore Mandarin pop tunes, surrounded by the river, food, and people that are distinct to the island.

• A Banquet of Songs

by Vox Camerata

13 May | 1.30pm and 4pm

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 2, Foyer

Groove to a delectable collection of folk tunes, as this a cappella group tickles your aural palate with songs of adventure, travel, and longing.

• Museum of Eating

Asian Civilisations Museum

Date & Time: 28 April – 14 May | Throughout museum hours

Free admission

We love our Singapore food, we eat a lot, however, do we know more about food, the processes, habits, quirks and practices here in Singapore? Visit the Museum of Eating inside the Asian Civilisations Museum to find out more!

• Masak Makan Trail

Asian Civilisations Museum, Level 1, Central Staircase

Date & Time: 12 and 13 May | Throughout museum hours

For children only

This fun activity would be ideal for parents bringing their children to Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at the Singapore River.

Question: “Do you know why the spouts of coffee pots connect near the top of the pot, and tea pots from the bottom?”

You can find the answer by going on a self-guided trail through the Asian Civilisations Museum to discover the answer!

• Somewhere Around Here

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors)

Date & Time: 28 April – 14 May | Daily

Free admission

Photography enthusiasts, history, heritage, conservation and preservation enthusiasts, this photographic installation will definitely interest you. Walk around the environment around the Asian Civilisations Museum, discover how the surroundings around it had changed over time, through archival photos. Remember to check out the stories and anecdotes from the Oral History archives.

• Outdoor Film Screening

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors)

Date & Time: 12 & 13 May | 7.30pm – 10pm

Free admission

Watching movies under the stars, have you tried it before? It’s been a long time since I went to watch a movie under the stars! At Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at the Singapore River, catch the local films being screened!

• Kway Chap (2015)

by Sun Koh (15 minutes)

12 May | 7.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

Even though filmmaker Sun Koh grew up in a family of famous kway chap hawkers, she never made a film about them. But now she makes a last-ditch attempt to document the memories of her family and their livelihood. But many of the places where they started the trade no longer exist – is she too late?

• Old Friends (2015)

by Royston Tan (67 minutes)

12 May | 8pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

From the creators of Old Places and Old Romances comes the final instalment of the trilogy: Old Friends. Savour the stories of those who pioneered the rich, authentic flavours of traditional Singaporean cuisine – and those lucky enough to taste them – in this evocative film by Royston Tan and his team. 

• The Missing Ingredient (2016)

by Wang Eng Eng (19 minutes)

13 May | 7.30pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

The filmmaker follows the struggles of her cousin as he prepares for the Mid-Autumn festival in Singapore. His challenge – recreating the family’s signature salt and pepper moon cake. His efforts are subjected to criticism by the rest of the family, who feel he doesn’t know the recipe. The expectations of continuing a culinary tradition weigh heavily upon the shoulders of her cousin once again this Mid-Autumn.

• Wanton Mee (2015)

by Eric Khoo (71 minutes)

13 May | 8pm

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors), ACM Green

Wanton Mee presents the journey of Koh Chun Feng, who takes his camcorder with him to local food stalls. He begins to amass the stories of the stall owners, and hidden within those, the history of how Singaporean dishes were created.

Last but not least, when you visit Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 at the Singapore River, YOU CANNOT MISS THIS!

• New Empress Place Food Centre

Asian Civilisations Museum (Outdoors)

Date & Time: 12 May | 7pm – 10.30pm

& 13 May | 5pm – 10.30pm

Free admission

Do you remember the Empress Place Food Centre which used to be in front of the Former Empress Place Building (now known as the Asian Civilisations Museum)? I still have some memories of this place when I was a young kid!

Now, you can relive those memories again, with the New Empress Place Food Centre! Let me show you, some photographs of the delicious local food that you can enjoy when you visit!

This is the final weekend of Singapore Heritage Festival 2017, with Singapore River being the spotlight! Come on down, visit and enjoy yourselves with your family, relatives and loved ones! Do visit the Singapore Heritage Festival website for more details of activities and events taking place at other locations too!

Singapore Heritage Festival 2017 @ Singapore River (organised by Asian Civilisations Museum)

Date & Time:

• 12 May: 7pm – 10.30pm
• 13 May: 1pm – 10.30pm

Free admission to the whole museum during the festival, including the Joseon Korea special exhibition.

Visit www.heritagefestival.sg for more details.

* Information courtesy of National Heritage Board *

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“Just For A Cup of Good Coffee” that’s the slogan when you visit Mellower Coffee in Singapore, at their Robinson Road or Middle Road cafes. A leading boutique coffee brand from China, they have shown great professionalism and passion in their coffee culture, in a minimalist chic, classy, cosy and comfortable café boutique environment.

I heard about Mellower Coffee and visited their outlet at Robinson Road previously. They had a range of coffee that attracted my attention and I didn’t really get to know more about them during my visit with my friends. At a recent Mellower Coffee tasting event invitation, I got the opportunity to know more about Mellower Coffee, their history and origins, their range of Mellower coffee and their Mellower Coffee Signature beverages.

Established since 2011, a coffee brand from China, adopting a from-plantation-to-cup industry model. They aim to deliver quality speciality coffee through their professionalism, platform and passion for coffee. They strive to be the leading brand in the coffee industry. Mellower Coffee expanded overseas to locations Singapore and Korea, eyeing further expansion into Vietnam and United Kingdom.

After their short presentation, we started with the Mellower coffee tasting and appreciation. Being a coffee lover myself, I was most excited with the tasting and appreciation. Observing how the barista prepares the various coffee beans for tasting, he was meticulous and precise, in ensuring the prescribed amount of coffee powder and water mixing well together to deliver the best coffee tasting appreciation experience for everyone of us there.

Mellower Single Origin Series

Colombia: Nut x Green Grapes

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe: Floral x Bergamot x Lemon

Kenya: Tomato x Brown Sugar x Berry

Sumatra Mandheling: Cocoa x Butter

Each of their Mellower Single Origin Series has its own unique quality, taste and fragrance. I encourage the coffee lover in you to taste each of them before deciding which is your favourite, since we all have different taste buds and preferences.

Mellower Classic

Mellower Coffee has a range of coffee products that can be purchased for your own consumption at home or as gifts for your family and friends. They are the Drop Coffee, Coffee Beans and Bag Coffee (do check out their website for more details on their coffee products).

I am going to share on their Drip Coffee, one of the coffee products that I tried during the coffee tasting event. The barista from Mellower Coffee demonstrated how to prepare and setup the Drip Coffee when we want to drink them at home. We also got the opportunity to taste it during the session and it’s pretty good.

Mellower Coffee Signature – Sakura Fubuki

Mellower Coffee has a few signature coffee beverages (check out their website for more information)

• Sweet Little Rain
• Ice Lemon Sparkling Yirgacheffe
• Ice Rose Fresh Cream Lungo
• Sakura Fubuki

In the near future, I hope to try out their different signature coffee by Mellowe Coffee and share about my photos and experiences on my Instagram and Facebook Page.

During the coffee tasting event, we tried this Mellower Coffee signature drink, the Sakura Fubuki. This is a special coffee beverage and for those who love the cherry blossom, you would be to relate with this unique coffee beverage. Fubuki means snow storm. Therefore, Sakura Fubuki means the wind blowing the sakura petals off from the trees as though it is like a snow storm.

This is a romantic drink, the cherry blossom is only for a short period of time and when the petal falls, it’s the end of the season, just like the first love that we all had, so wonderful yet so short lived, beautiful yet there is a sense of bitterness.

The Sakura Fubuki is presented in two separate segments, the glass contains the Sakura blossom preserve while the test tubes contain two shots of espresso. Before we started to mix them together by pouring the espresso into the glass, everyone of us were busy taking photos of this drink and the pouring process. Once you mixed them together, we would get a taste of bitterness from the espresso, saltiness of the sakura petal preserves and sweetness of the syrup. All these coming together gives a unique and special taste to the Sakura Fubuki.

There is something special about Mellower Coffee, from the quality of their coffee beans selection from different parts of the world, their minimalist chic, cosy and comfortable café boutique environment, their signature and unique coffee beverages.

I am impressed with their boutique café environment, I love the ambience, minimalist design and interiors, along with their various types of coffee under their branding. Starting from their own global procurement of coffee beans, followed by their own independent roasting in Shanghai, into their classy, minimalist boutique café outlets, delivering quality coffee experience and culture to us coffee lovers. Personally, I feel that they have live up to their slogan “Just for a Cup of Good Coffee” , in Chinese “只为一杯好咖啡”.

I would like to thank Mellower Coffee for the invitation to the coffee tasting and appreciation event.

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In a space of two weeks since the official launch on 13th July 2017, this iconic and newly locally inspired burger by McDonald’s Singapore, the “Nasi Lemak” burger took Singapore by storm and it was sold out.  This was an overwhelming response and it was pretty unbelievable! I was glad that I had the opportunity to taste the “Nasi Lemak” burger prior to the official launch of the “Nasi Lemak” burger.

Initially, I was skeptical of the “Nasi Lemak” burger when I heard of the name. However, when I took a bite and tasted it, I was swayed across and I really liked it! I thought I would still have the chance to eat the “Nasi Lemak” burger again, yet I would never realise that it was sold out that fast, in two weeks!

McDonald’s Singapore thanks Singaporeans for their overwhelming support of its “Nasi Lemak” burger and the locally inspired menu offerings.

“Singaporeans’ overwhelming support for our “Nasi Lemak” Burger and other locally-inspired menu offerings have far exceeded our wildest imagination. We are both heartened and honoured to receive so many positive reviews from customers and food critics who have truly enjoyed our latest creations. And we will certainly consider suggestions to bring it back sometime in the future,” said Agatha Yap, Senior Director of Marketing, Menu and Digital Innovation, McDonald’s Singapore.

“The success of our locally-inspired menu attests to Singaporeans’ love for local flavours with a modern twist, and is also a result of our menu innovation efforts. We will continue to evolve and innovate our menu, staying close to local and international food trends, and strive to delight our customers with tantalising new tastes on top of their favourite McDonald’s core classics,” she added.

Since the iconic “Nasi Lemak” burger is now sold out, don’t worry folks! Next Up: McDonald’s Eggcellent McSpicy and Dinosaur McFlurry!

Eggcellent McSpicy

The McDonald’s McSpicy burger is a popular burger on the menu in Singapore. From 26th July 2017, Singaporeans can look forward to a new twist on the classic McSpicy – the Eggcellent McSpicy. The new burger features the iconic spicy chicken thigh with the added deliciousness of a fresh golden fried egg, and is available from $5.75 a la carte, or from $7.40 as part of an Extra Value Meal.

Dinosaur McFlurry

After having your Eggcellent McSpicy, have a dessert! The new Dinosaur McFlurry® is available from $3!

Both items are for a limited time only, whilst stocks last!

Celebrating NS50 and National Day

Singapore is preparing to celebrate National Day soon, as well as celebrating NS50 – 50 years of National Service.

McDonald’s is saluting our servicemen by offering all past and present NS men a FREE Apple Pie or Hot Fudge Sundae with every Extra Value Meal purchased (after breakfast hours) from 4 to 10 August. Eligible customers simply need to present their SAFRA Card, 11B or Pink IC to redeem the treat.

McDonald’s is also spreading the joy to all customers with a limited-time offer on the signature Vanilla Cone at a special price of only 50-cents from 4 to 10 August. A perfect cool treat to have whilst celebrating National Day!

* Information and pictures courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore and Golin *

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Ladies and Gentlemen, the burger that took Singapore by storm in mid July 2017, sold out in a space of two weeks, is making a comeback today on 31st August 2017! This is a wish come true for Singaporeans and fans who have taken to social media to call for the return of the Nasi Lemak burger!

 ** Photo: From my archives when I tasted the McDonald’s Nasi Lemak Burger in July 2017! ** 

Let’s put our hands together and welcome back our Singapore “Nasi Lemak” Burger! 

Let me share with you foodies more information on the return of the Nasi Lemak Burger-

• “Nasi Lemak” Burger (from $5.95)
• Coconut Pie (from $1.20)
• Chendol McFlurry® (from $3)
• Bandung McFizz™ (from $3.00)
• As well as new additions including the Potato Wedges (M) (from $3.80) and Sweet Corn Cone (from $1).

 Following its launch on 13 July, the “Nasi Lemak” Burger stirred up a craze islandwide, receiving a string of positive reviews from customers and food critics alike. Little did Singaporeans know, McDonald’s has been listening closely to their wishes and steadily planning for a sweet surprise this August. To mark the comeback of one of its most popular creations, McDonald’s has since kick-started a campaign by responding to Singaporeans’ social media posts and tweets about the burger in a series of quirky advertisements.

Foodies, do take note! While stocks last! Mai tu liao!

* Information and picture courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore and Golin *

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A modern communal dining experience, having the best of both worlds, a mix of traditional cuisine with a modern cross fusion of cooking style from other cultures. This communal dining experience had 10 different types of dishes, starting from the appetiser, followed by 7 main courses, there are so delicious and mind blowing beyond my imagination, rounding up this unique modern communal dinner with 2 desserts. This is the Quarters Experience.

The Quarters Experience was created by Deming, whom I knew a few years back when he was just doing just one food, his trademark Durian Crème Brulee at a pop up event at Haw Par Villa in 2014. In the blink of an eye, he established two food brands, The Quarters and Kush. Watching how Deming established, transformed and innovate his food cuisine over this period time from 2014, I had great respect and admiration for this innovative food entrepreneur friend of mine.

When I was invited down by Deming to experience The Quarters Experience, I was grateful and thankful to be part of this amazing modern communal dining experience. I arrived earlier than the scheduled start time, photographing the setup process on what creates the special experiences behind The Quarters Experience. This was also a time to catch up with my friend Deming before he got very busy during The Quarters experience, hosting and sharing with the guests on each and every dish that was served during The Quarters Experience.

Personally, this was one of the best dining experiences that I ever had, not because I am invited and treated to this Quarters Experience, not because Deming is a friend of mine. Why the Quarters Experience was one of the best dining experiences that I had was because of the love and passion for food, translated into the excellent cooking skills that can be experienced, felt and tasted inside all of the 10 dishes of the Quarters Experience. All the 10 dishes (except for durian crème brulee because I don’t eat durian) touched not just my taste buds, they also touched my heart, mind and soul.

Let me bring you into the world of The Quarters Experience, sharing my thoughts and views of every dish, and interviewing Deming, his stories behind each dish.

Achar

An innovative and unique method to showcase the Achar, it’s a breakaway from the traditional style Achar. The Quarters Experience Achar is like a small pastry/canape type of dish. I liked how the Achar taste, a good mix of the East meets West cuisine.

JH, “Deming, the Achar looks unique and very different from traditional achar, what is the inspiration behind this unique and innovative design?”

DM, “Traditionally made, it serves as an amazing Amuse Busche to whet the appetite of the diners. The combination of the crisp puff and flavour of Achar is amazing.

Shiok Bak

First and foremost, I am a big fan of roast pork and when I saw the description of the Shiok Bak from the menu, I was eagerly looking forward to it! When I saw the dish arriving, I knew I was in for something more special than I ever thought. There were buns complementing the Shiok Bak, that are usually ate with braised pork, along with fresh lettuce. The skin of the Shiok Bak was extra crispy, crunchy and dry. As the name suggests, it’s really shiok to eat this Shiok Bak! Oh yes, there is a sauce to go along with the Shiok Bak too, the spicy rempah!

JH, ”Deming, I love this dish! This Shiok Bak is really shiok and it looks like it has a mix of a few different Asia cuisines cooking style infused into this dish. Let me make a guess, Teochew (the bun for the braised pork a.k.a. lor bak) + Korean (lettuce to be wrapped with pork) + Filipino roast pork? Did I guess correctly?”

DM, “Yes. There is a myraid of influences involved here. Its combining the best of Filipino style crackling with our chinese roast pork technique. The Teochew influence comes from the braising of the pork belly and Peranakan from the Rempah inspired by the Hiam Te Bak. All in all, it is delicious!

Har Lok

A perfectly charcoal grilled prawn, fresh, juicy and declicious. The menu stated that it was Cantonese style and I got curious. What exactly is a Cantonese style cuisine prawn dish?

JH, “Cantonese style, would you mind sharing more about this style of cooking?”

DM, “ This is my contribution in preserving a dying dish in the Zhi Char world. This dish has been overshadowed by Salted Egg Prawns and Cereal Prawn. The essence from this dish is Canontese inspired with its simle yet amazing sauce. The smokiness from the charcoal grill elevates this dish which is a worthy rendition of this Hok Hei laden dish.

Ooh La La

The Venus clams, cooked in flambed style with Singapore style chilli sauce and croutons added into them. The final product is like a chilli style soup with Venus clams and croutons.

JH, “The Oooh La La dish, was it meant to be a spicy soup dish since you added croutons into it?

DM, “This is our take of Singapore’s most favourite Chilli Crab sauce. More than just a cute play on words, this clams in this dish elevates the umami experience of the dish.

Bibik’s Chicken

Another perfectly charcoal grilled dish, the Bibik’s Chicken with a rich Buah Keluak Sauce. When I ate the Bibik’s Chicken, the chicken meat was tender and not overcooked, this demonstrated the skill and experience level of the chefs charcoal grill cooking.

JH, “This Bibik’s Chicken is so delicious, so awesome! I have a few questions, is this a Peranakan cuisine? Was there any special seasoning on the chicken?”

DM, “ This dish is a tribute to the traditional Ayam Bua Keluak. Normally done as a stew, this rendition adds a few more layers into the gastronomic experience. Unlike the usual Buah Keluak Ayam, this dish brings together many more textures. The Chicken is firstly charcoal grilled to achieve a really crispy skin with the meat left tender and succulent. Infused with local herbs and spices, it is a flavour bomb when eaten together with the buah keluak paste.

Mum’s Cabbage

A plate of mixed vegetables, consisting of stewed cabbage, carrots and minced pork. This dish may not look the most glamorous compared to the other counterparts in the 10 course The Quarters Experience. Yet, when I took a bite, the feeling was like “This is Home, truly”. The type of dishes, the emotions and feelings that warms your heart, mind and soul when you are back home eating your favourite food cooked by your parents or grandparents. The menu described it as “Family favourite …” I totally agree.

JH, “Bro, this dish, a simple dish yet I felt so good, the feeling of home cooked food! They just warmed my heart! How did you do it?” 

DM, “ Inspired by what my Mum cooks at home, its about the simplicity and perfect balance of flavours which is appealing. Food done well, with love. Yum!

Quarters Fried Rice

An egg coated fried rice with two types of salted fish. The rice was so soft, fragrant and not oily at all. The Quarter’s Fried Rice was addictive because it was simply too good, too delicious.

JH, “Bro, would you mind teaching me the secret behind the secret to your Quarter’s Fried Rice?” 

DM, “ It’s yet another dish which is a hit with our diners. We go through an arduous process to make sure that the rice is of the right consistency as well as using the right combination of dried fish and cooking technique to accomplish a very satisfying dish.

“Nai You” Lobster

This lobster dish stood out among the 10 dishes, it was charcoal kissed and butter poached. The chefs of The Quarters were really skillful in their charocal cooking techniques, it was just nicely cooked, sweet and tender.

JH, “I saw it on the menu, charcoal kissed and butter poached, would you mind elaborating more on this cooking technique?”

DM, “Inspired by our favourite “Nai You” Crabs and prawns. This is our take on elevating simple ingredients with an amazing lobster. Simply put, we butter poach the lobster and finish the lobster on the grill for that bit of char and smokiness. It’s all about the right timing.

Duriancanboleh

This is Deming’s trademark dish, the original dish that got me to first know Deming for the first time (3 years ago) before he launched his food concept The Quarters. Today, I am back again to taste another revolution and innovation in his traditional and modern cuisine. I gave away my Duriancanboleh because I don’t eat durian (don’t judge me, please!)

JH, “Bro, you know that I don’t eat durian hor, not that I don’t like your Duriancanboleh hor!”

DM, “ You would have enjoyed the other renditions of crème brulee which have done over the years. Lemongrass and Vanilla. The magic and texture of the crème brulee would still be the same. It’s an in house secret which we are proud of.

Profiterole

It’s called the Kaya bomb in the menu, not exactly the profiterole that you have in your mind.

JH, “Bro, this looks more like a The Quarters mini Kaya bun leh, why did u call it a profiterole?” 

DM, “ It’s a Kaya profiterole. An amazing kaya which explodes out of a crispt choux pastry. What can be more delicious and local than this?

At the end of the 10 course The Quarters Experience, I had a very wonderful and very enjoyable food dining experience, a modern communal social dinning experience with an excellent selection of dishes, a mix of traditional and modern cuisine fusion and also East meets West fusion. The chefs excellent, highly experienced and professional cooking skills can be found in their 10 course dishes, without a doubt.

The main attraction doesn’t lie in the fusion of traditional and modern cuisine, or excellent cooking skills. For me, it’s in the heart, mind and soul, the passion and love for cuisine, traditional or modern. That to me, are what makes Deming and his The Quarters stand out, that later gave birth to The Quarters Experience.

I would like to thank Deming of The Quarters for the invitation to experience The Quarters Experience. This was beyond an awesome communal dining experience, it’s a fusion of traditional and modern cuisine. The love and passion for cooking, traditional cuisine, I totally felt it in my heart

If you would like to experience The Quarters Experience for yourself, you can visit their website and register to taste it.

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Whenever I visit an Ayam Penyet Ria outlet here in Singapore (I usually go to the outlet at Lucky Plaza), I know that there are more than just their trademark, iconic and delicious Ayam Penyet dish. However, I don’t look beyond their menu list and I will definitely choose their Ayam Penyet, one of my favourite food (because I like fried chicken!).

Therefore, when I was invited to a food tasting session by Ayam Penyet Ria, together with a group of friends, at Bedok Mall, I was introduced to a few more delicious dishes by Ayam Penyet Ria. During the food tasting event, I was totally enjoying myself with the different kinds of dishes on offer at Ayam Penyet that I always fail to look at whenever I visit. Ayam Penyet Ria has a number of different dishes too, just as delicious as their famous smashed fried chicken, their Ayam Penyet.

First and foremost, let me introduce their Ayam Penyet whereby most people who visited Ayam Penyet Ria will know about this dish

This is my favourite and still my favourite dish at Ayam Penyet Ria. However, I want to introduce and share with everybody some of the other delicious dishes on offer at Ayam Penyet Ria. You have to try them when you visit! Check out the photos below that I took!

Ikan Gurame Penyet (Smashed Gurame fish)

Bawal Penyet (Smashed Pomfret)

Lele Penyet (Smashed Catfish)

Kulit Ayam (Chicken Skin)

Jamur Enoki (Fried Enoki Mushrooms)

kerupuk Udang and Emping (Prawn Crackers)

Tahu Telor Fried Egg and Tofu

Dessert – Es Campur (Ice Mixed Fruits)

Drinks – Lava Boy & Lava Girl

From the different kind of dishes that you saw above, Ayam Penyet Ria offers more than just Ayam Penyet. Therefore, don’t be like me and just eat the Ayam Penyet!

Personally, I really like the Ikan Gurame Penyet and Kulit Ayam, these two dishes captured my heart and taste buds (not that the rest of the dishes are not delicious, they are just as good!)

I know Ayam Penyet is their trademark, iconic and delicious dish, however, there are more than just Ayam Penyet! When you visit Ayam Penyet Ria, have a go and try out their other dishes, especially their fried fishes! Don’t be like me last time, visit Ayam Penyet Ria and just eat Ayam Penyet only! For more information on Ayam Penyet Ria, do visit their website and check them out!

Check out the Ayam Penyet Ria locations below –

Lucky Plaza #01-45 (11am – 10pm)

Lucky Plaza #04-25 (12pm – 9pm)

Far East Plaza #05-22 (11.30am – 10pm)

Jurong Point #B1-06 (11.30am – 10pm)

Bedok Mall #01-71/72 (11.30am – 10pm)

I would like to thank Ayam Penyet Ria for the invitation to their food tasting session, opening my eyes and taste buds beyond their Ayam Penyet dish!

When you visit Ayam Penyet Ria, remember, you gonna love the original! The authentic taste of Indonesia!

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Scotch whisky lovers alert! Ballantine’s, one of the world’s renowned Scotch whisky, recently launched their first ever 15 years old single malt series. For those who have been following my articles here on my portal/blog and my Instagram, you would have seen my whisky drinking adventures with Nikka, Balvenie and Ballantine’s, as well as my family secret collection of whisky over the past few decades.

A recent news release by Media Outreach got my attention, Ballantine’s launched their first ever 15 years old single malt series in Taipei, Taiwan. From the press release, I also learned that Taiwan is the 4th largest whisky market by value and the most vibrant Single Malt market in the world. With this factor, Taiwan is the first country  to officially launch the Ballantine’s Single Malt Series.

I am going to share more information provided by them on their first ever 15 years old single malt series Scotch whisky.  I hope to have the opportunity to taste them here in Singapore and I would love to visit whisky distilleries in Scotland when the opportunity arises.

Let me share the key information and details of Ballantine’s first ever 15 years old single malt series:

For the first time in its 190-year history, Ballantine’s has unveiled three outstanding 15 years old Single Malts, each unique in flavour and from three of its signature distilleries: Glenburgie, Miltonduff and Glentauchers.

This innovative move sees Ballantine’s look to meet the growing demand for Single Malts and allow a new generation of discerning drinkers to discover the unique flavours of three of the signature malts from the heart of Ballantine’s.

Fusing the traditional and the modern, each Single Malt celebrates nearly two centuries of heritage and tradition in the beautiful and historic Speyside region of Scotland — whilst showcasing founder George Ballantine’s need to do things differently.    The packaging itself is an outward expression of this fusion, taking inspiration from Scotland, the home of the brand and showcasing the natural stone of each of its distilleries.

Sandy Hyslop, the fifth Master Blender for Ballantine’s, worked with his talented team to craft the first ever Single Malt Series, he comments: “This is a truly exciting time for Ballantine’s. Since 1827, Ballantine’s has been creating award-winning whiskies, and the Single Malt series is a bold expression of both Ballantine’s heritage and sense of innovation within the world of whisky.

“Each of these 15 years old Single Malts has been made with the same craft, care and authenticity that goes into every bottle of Ballantine’s, whilst pushing the boundaries of what is currently on the market today. I am certain that whisky drinkers, connoisseurs and collectors alike will enjoy these new whiskies.”

The Glenburgie Single Malt

• Nose: Perfectly balanced with aromas of sweet soft red apples and blackcurrant. Allied with this is wonderful honeycomb candy sweetness.
• Taste: Full and creamy with a velvety smooth texture (honey). This whisky is bursting with fruity sweet orange flavours.
• Finish: Very long, sweet and round.

The Miltonduff Single Malt

• Nose: Rich fruity and sweet. Flavours of peaches in syrup, juicy sweet orange and creamy soft toffee with a hint of toasted almonds.
• Taste: Sweet scented floral flavours. Extremely smooth with milk chocolate flavours and hints of cinnamon spice, cloves and liquorice root in the background.
• Finish: Very long, warm and sweet.

The Glentauchers Single Malt

• Nose: Bursting with sweet citrus fruit flavours (tangerine and sweet clementine) with hazelnut notes and a hint of delicate floral heather coming through the background.
• Taste: Coats the mouth with smooth, soft berry flavours of raspberry and blackcurrant, combined with a tantalising taster of barley sugar sweets.
• Finish: Incredibly long and luscious.

* Information and pictures courtesy of Ballantine’s and Media Outreach *

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Samurai Burger by McDonald’s Singapore, one of our favourite burgers there, is making a comeback! The return of McDonald’s Samurai Burger!

This iconic Samurai Burger has attracted some attention and wrath of a strong Ninja rival that is secretly planning an attack on the Samurai Burger, I am pretty curious and excited on this new Ninja rival! Stay tuned for more news and updates!

The Samurai Burger is available in either a succulent grilled chicken patty or juicy quarter pounder beef patty, dipped in teriyaki sauce, packed with a layer of crunchy lettuce in between lightly toasted sesame buns.

Do check out the Seaweed Shaker Fries, you can opt to upsize your meal to add it in! From $8.80, indulge in a Samurai Special that includes the Seaweed Shaker Fries (L) and refreshing Heaven & Earth Green Tea (M), the perfect beverage to send your taste buds to Japan. End your meal on a high by digging into the Matcha McFlurry® with Red Bean from only $3. The burger can also be enjoyed a la carte from $6.

All the above items shared, available after breakfast hours in all restaurants and via McDelivery from 13th October 2017, while stocks last

* Information and pictures courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore and Golin *

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Food and travel lovers, there is an exciting feast festival taking place in Hong Kong during the month of November. There are many exciting and delicious food events that would make you eager and excited! All the delicious food are making me hungry and I would love to visit Hong Kong soon!

I would like to share more information and details about the Hong Kong Great November Feast taking place in Hong Kong, a month long packed festival, promotions and events featuring some of the best food and drinks that Hong Kong has to offer.

Crabalicious, a month-long celebration of the crustaceous creature. Participating restaurants like Michelin-starred restaurants Akrame, Ye Shanghai and more will offer a crab-based set menu during the whole of November. The seasonal hairy crab will also be making an appearance on some of the menus.

Sparkling Sunset @ Harbour City, a wine- and crab-pairing package offered between 5-8pm Thursdays and Fridays, and 3-8pm on weekends from 26 October – 12 November at the new Ocean Terminal Deck. For HK $100, customers can enjoy  a “Sparkle and Shine” party set that entitles them to three glasses of sparkling wine paired with three crab snacks, all while admiring the glorious sunset.

Lan Kwai Fong Carnival, a lively annual outdoor bash hosted in one of Hong Kong’s most bustling party districts. This year, the theme is Japanese, meaning everything will have a touch of Nipponese influence. Set aside 11-12 November for the two-day affair, which promises to be the largest street party in Hong Kong.

Great Wines of the World 2017, an international wine exhibition in collaboration with wine critic James Suckling. Held at the Four Seasons Hotel this 3 November, the ticketed event will feature high-ranking wines from China, Argentina, Thailand, France and more.

The Great November Feast will be opened by the annual Wine & Dine Festival on 26-29 October. This year, the festival is bigger and better than all previous editions, with 400-plus booths touting delicacies from Hong Kong and across the globe.

There’s the FeedMe lane featuring dishes by some of the city’s trendiest restaurants, including Bo Innovation, Chili Fagara and Lai Bun Fu. Then there’s the Robert Parker Wine Advocate Pavilionhighlighting off-the-beaten-path wines from around the world. Meanwhile, The Concept Store will be a hit for style-conscious customers keen to get their hands on the designers’ kitchen gadget. And that’s just a small glimpse into the Festival!

For more event information, please visit http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/see-do/events-festivals/highlight-events/great-november-feast.jsp

* Information and pictures courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board and Media OutReach *

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In an earlier article, the McDonald’s Samurai Burger made a return to Singapore and they were preparing for a new rival burger to make an appearance in Singapore and “attack” the Samurai Burger!

Now, the rival burger to the Samurai Burger has finally made its appearance and debut! Presenting the all-new Ninja Burger by McDonald’s!

Living up to its name of a hidden warrior, the all-new Ninja Burger will come striking down on the Samurai Burger from 2 November. Featuring a crispy chicken thigh and sweet Japanese Nanban sauce, the Ninja Burger is complemented with bold textures from sliced cucumbers and shredded white cabbage with Japanese Tartar sauce, all sandwiched between two lightly toasted charcoal sesame buns.

Enjoy a Ninja Special meal from $9.20 that includes Seaweed Shaker Fries (L) and refreshing Heaven & Earth Green Tea (M). The burger is also available as a la carte from $6.40. 

The Ninja Burger will be available after breakfast hours in all restaurants and via McDelivery® from 2 November, while stocks last.

* Information and picture courtesy of McDonald’s Singapore and Golin *

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Whisky or Whiskey? Depends on your geographic location and the English language that you are taught in, both word refer to the same alcoholic beverage around the world that we love and appreciate. My early whisky journeys evolve around Scotch whisky, bourbon whiskey before moving into Japanese whisky.

The world of whisky is pretty big out there, yet there is this duplex in the world today, that has a wide selection of whiskey from all over the world inside the duplex. Where can you find this wide whiskey selection? Inside Changi Airport Terminal 2, it is known as The Whiskey House! With a diverse range of 179 single malts, 68 blended Scotch whiskies, 30 American whiskies inside The Whiskey House, for the Whisky or Whiskey lover in you, this is a must visit place when you visit Singapore! As a whisky fan and avid traveler, I am wondering to myself, how did I manage to miss out this awesome whisky place inside Changi Airport during my previous trips?

On the upper level of the duplex, there is an amazing, must visit destination for all whisky lovers, an intuitive and experiential whiskey shopping experience whereby you can enjoy complimentary tastings of 100 different whiskies from around the world. This is where you taste and enjoy the whisky before choosing your favourite whiskey to bring home.

This was also the location whereby I attended their Whiskey Appreciation Masterclass, part of the Whiskey Festival, taking place from May 25 to July 1 at Changi Airport. For that weekend on June 16 and 17, the regional brand ambassador for The Balvenie whisky house played host for whiskey appreciation masterclass. That was where we met Neil Strachan from Scotland, who hosted us for the whisky appreciation masterclass. His sharing was very interesting and interactive, teaching us how to appreciate and learn more about whisky, the fragrance, aroma and taste. Having an expert to share about whisky tasting makes drinking whisky even more special and fun! If you are a Scotch whisky fan, do follow Neil on his Instagram account! Neil is an awesome ambassador, I hope to have future opportunities to learn more about Scotch whisky from him!

I am probably the “worst student” among the group of us at the Whiskey Appreciation Masterclass because I was busy tasting/drinking the Balvenie single malt vintage whiskies (I don’t wish to declare the number of whisky glasses that I had during the masterclass!) and taking photos of them for this article! While this is not specifically a whisky review article, I would just share some of my thoughts, all of them are pure vintage class and each has its own distinct fragrance, aroma and strength. What were the types of Balvenie whiskies that we tasted during the Whiskey Appreciation Masterclass? There were the 12 years, 16 years, 21 years and 25 years! Do you have a favourite from these four bottles of Balvenie whiskies? From these four bottles of Balvenie vintage whiskies, my preference is the 25 years vintage!

While drinking and enjoying Balvenie whisky, it brought back my recent travel memories to Nikka distillery in Yoichi, Hokkaido, during October 2016. I had a memorable and fun whisky tasting/distillery tour on my own! I would love to visit the whisky distilleries in Scotland in the future! Nothing beats visiting a whisky house/distillery, soaking in the atmosphere and surroundings! It’s like a pilgrimage for whisky lovers!

Whisky and Whiskey lovers in the world, I know you have a bias towards particular whisky houses around the world, you have your favourite whiskies. When you visit Singapore, don’t miss this golden opportunity to visit the Whiskey House inside Changi Airport Terminal 2!

I hope to share more about my whisky tasting experiences in the future, along with cuisines that would be suitable for each type of whisky. Whisky and cuisines pairing sounds like a great food and beverage adventure for me!

I would like to thank Changi Airport Social for the invitation to the whiskey appreciation masterclass!

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A short flight away from Singapore, a popular destination for holidays and fun, ideal for families and their children. Western Australia is home to many gorgeous and extraordinary attractions and experiences. The number of visitors from Singapore for the year ending 2016, an estimated 104,200 visitors visited Western Australia, staying for an estimated 1,509,200 nights and estimated visitor spend $246m. All these figures placed Singapore in third place for the Top 20 international markets to Western Australia year ending December 2016 (ranked by number of visitors).

Western Australia is a destination that I didn’t get to visit during my University undergraduate days (4 years) in Queensland, a holiday that I should have planned and done! Whenever I looked at Western Australia, there were many destinations in the state of Western Australia that I would really like to visit, enjoy, have fun and take many photographs. During a recent Tourism Western Australia event in Singapore, I had a better understanding and know more about the various areas and destinations of Western Australia.

At the evening with Tourism Western Australia event in Singapore, there was a special culinary ambassador appearance by Chef Tony Howell of Western Australia’s Fresh TV and Formerly Head Chef of Cape Lodge and Margaret River Hospitality Group. Chef Howell shared a lot with the guests on Western Australia food and wine, as well as sharing some delicious food from Western Australia with this cooking!

There had been great developments and growth in the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors of Western Australia. At the Tourism Western Australia event, they brought some local and authentic food, drinks and fun from Western Australia to Singapore! For a start, there were informative boards, brochures, guides and information travelers planning to visit Western Australia.

Perth and Surroundings

Let’s start with Australia sunniest capital, Perth, that is also the capital of Western Australia, consistently rated as one of the world’s most liveable cities.

Accommodation

Since 2012, accommodation in and around Perth has expanded with nearly 1,800 new rooms added to the local market, such as COMO at the Treasury, Crown Towers Perth, Peppers Kings Square, Tribe in West Perth, Alex Hotel in Northbridge, Aloft Hotel in Rivervale and Quest Fremantle. In the next four years, more hotels are coming on board with a further 16 new or redeveloped hotels entering the market, varying from boutique, big name and luxury brands, including Ritz-Carlton’s first Australian property in 10 years, The Westin in the eastern CBD and DoubleTree Group has three developments coming up.

Dining and Wining

Western Australia fresh produce and wines can be found in Perth’s new bars, cafes and restaurants in or near the city’s centre, such as the Shadow Bar and Dining Room, Ku De Ta, The Standard. Isle of Voyage and The Reveley. The recently renovated State Buildings precinct, with its high ceilings and grand halls, is home to some of the city’s best bars and restaurants including Petition Kitchen, Long Chim and Wildflower.

Short trips from Perth City

At the event, there were informative travel boards that gave the guests more information and details on the areas that they can visit outside of Perth City, that are a short 30mins to 90mins away from Perth City, ideal for day trips to destinations such as Fremantle, Rockingham, Sunset Coast, Swan Valley, Perth Hills, Armadale and Avon Valley.

Travelers can base themselves in Perth City, rent a car and drive out of Perth City to the various destinations nearby for day trips!

Beyond Perth and Surrounds

Having studied in Queensland for my undergraduate studies, I traveled out of the major city and discovered many different parts of Australia. In Western Australia, so vast and diverse, around the size of Western Europe and boasting 20,000km of mainland and island coastline, there are a number of destinations beyond Perth and surrounds. Some of the destinations are really gorgeous and I would love to visit them for my travel photography trips in the future!

There are a lot of destinations to visit beyond Perth and their surroundings, I would like to list some of them below:

Margaret River and the South West

• Surfing, swimming and snorkelling
• World-class wine and fresh local produce
• Culture, arts and history (learn more about the customs and history of the Noongar people)
• Tall timbers (in the Valley of the Giants, between Denmark and Walpole)
• Adventure (the bushland Bibbulmun Track, or out to the Porongurup Range’s Granite Skywalk)

Exmouth and The Coral Coast

• Snorkelling at Ningaloo Reef
• Swimming with gentle giants (whale sharks)
• Friendly dolphins at Monkey Mia
• Wildflowers and pink waters
• Extraordinary rock formations (at the Pinnacles near the coastal town of Cervantes)

Esperance and the Golden Outback

• White beaches and pink lakes
• World’s largest outdoor gallery (the striking salt flats of Lake Ballard)
• Golden Quest Discovery Trail (965-kilometre journey from Coolgardie to Laverton)
• Wildflowers and wave walking
• The unexpected (Corrigin Dog Cemetery)

Broome and The North West Region

• Camels on Cable Beach
• Aboriginal experiences
• Best kept secrets (Karijini National Park and Purnululu National Park)
• Horizontal Falls (Talbot Bay)
• Remote luxury resorts (Berkeley River Lodge, Kimberley Coast Camp, El Questro Homestead, Faraway Bay)

Western Australia is huge destination, packed with my beautiful destinations to visit, that’s something for everybody to have fun and enjoy during their travels to Western Australia. This destination is one that I had missed out during my undergraduate days in Queensland that I didn’t get to visit during my studies there, I should have just flew over and visit Western Australia during my semester breaks!

I would love to plan a visit to Western Australia in the future, from Perth, traveling around and out, towards Margaret River, Exmouth and the Coral Coast, as well as Broome and The North West Region.

When I do visit Western Australia, I would shout out, “G’day mate! Just Another Day in Western Australia!”

For more information on Western Australia, visit Tourism Western Australia website!

I would like to thank Tourism Western Australia for the invitation to their An Evening with Tourism Western Australia event in Singapore.

* Information courtesy of Tourism Western Australia and cohn&wolfe *

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