Scrumptious Swiss Roll at Rich & Good Bake Shop (Singapore)

(Singapore, strolling along Arab street) 

Friend: Hey, we've got a fulfilling breakfast and a delightful lunch, so what do you want to do next? 

Me: Ehmm, pre-dinner? 

Friend: I know exactly where to get that!

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Rich & Good Bake Shop with its signature light blue and white exterior stood out among the long line of shop houses on Kandahar Street. Just a turn from the popular Sultan Mosque, it radiates with a light simmer. One that you could easily overlook without noticing. I was fortunate to have a local friend that brought me here. She's a fashion designer by trade and a foodie by influence (from me of course). 

They have one specialty here: the swiss roll. It comes in different flavors. Chocolate, green tea, to name a few. I would usually go for the cocoa treat, but somehow my eyes were infatuated by Kaya Swiss Roll.  It sort of jumps out of the menu and scream for my affection. I went with my instinct and this time I was right. It was nothing less than scrumptious. 

The soft and airy green cake comes with a strong pandan upbringing. While the kaya jam that glues the roll together added in a touch of sweetness and a major influence of egg and coconut-ty flavor. All this wrapped in cold temperature that seals it in dessert snacking category. 

My only warning to you guys is that it is addictive. Not just because of the taste, but also the fact that it is only SGD 7.5. You'll be easily tempted to stock on it. If you brought a pack home, you could easily finish the whole foot long over the first half an hour of a movie. My suggestion, share it with a friend. That way, when you get to the end of it, you will feel less guilty. Plus, while doing that you can test whether the quote "happiness is best shared" is true. 

Man, I miss Kaya Swiss Roll already. 

Fellexandro Ruby 

Food Photographer & Storyteller

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Rich & Good Bake Shop 

No. 24 Kandahar Street, Singapore

Ph: (+65) 62963334

Ng Ah Sio: Vigorous Ba Kut Teh (Singapore)

What's the best thing to do in Singapore if you have the whole weekend?

You probably see this coming. Yes, for me it would be exploring all sort of culinary delights from different parts of the little red dot. I went from the famous Hong Lim food centre, to the suburbs of Hougang, to the fancy strip of Dempsey. Here's a story of so many stories that happen in that weekend in March.

Longan Lou Han Tea (SGD 1.87)

After a morning incident and a breakfast at Outram Park Kway Teow, I called out my Singaporean friends to venture on the local recommendation. Something that stranded a bit of the tourist map, yet still a winner. My taipan friend decided its about time for some pork affair. I dare him that if he could make me happy with our next lunch, then the treat will be on me. 

A few minutes on the taxi, the happy uncle stopped on the left side of Rangoon Road, just a turn from Balestier Road. Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup it says. A quick glance on the amount of patrons inside has partially convince me, but I left no room for assumptions. Let's get the best dishes out of the long list of menu. 

Mr. Taipan quickly scanned through and ordered a few of his personal favorites. 

Spare Pork Rib Combo (SGD 6.54)

Spare and Pork Ribs Combo Soup

Its 180 degrees different from the usual ba kut teh I have in Jakarta. Here we usually pour in a big portion of medicinal herbs as the main flavoring, resulting in an aroma that resembles more of a meds potion. While here, there's a dominating flavor of spices, particularly peppers, star anise, cinnamon and heaps of garlic. I fell in love with it on the first sip. Probably because I always hated our Indonesian version of ba kut teh that makes me feels more like in a clinic than in a restaurant. 

Mushroom (SGD 4.67)

Braised Winter Mushroom

Juicy thick meaty mushroom. Well seasoned with soy, but have the tendency toward neutral flavor that let the natural shrooms taste to overrule. 

Pig Tail Soup (SGD 5.14)

Pig Tail 

My first encounter with this part of a pig and I must say it is quite of a feast on its own. If only it could be cooked a while longer to let it smooth and soften a bit then it would be perfect. It is served with the similar soup to the pork ribs. The only difference here is the tail texture compared to the softer pork meat. 

Preserved Veggie (SGD 1.87)

Preserved Veggie 

The dish that complete the whole palate. We've had sweet, salty, and spicy. This particular veggie comes in to awake our sour tastebuds. A treat to eat in between other dishes. Think about 'sayur asin' and this will be its next of kin. 

At the end of my meal, I looked at my taipan friend and fashion designer buddy with a huge grin in my face. The signal couldn't lie, I was really satisfied with what I had, and that means I'll have to stick to my gentleman agreement. All on me. Total damage: SGD 33. Not bad. Not bad at all. 

In fact, I really enjoyed it that I bought home a box of its instant ba kut the spices. One of these days, when I miss Ng Ah Sio, I could easily pull it out from my cupboard, chopped in some pork, and cook myself a bowlful of vigorous ba kut teh. 

Fellow Indonesian, I would recommend this to any of you coming to Singapore. Don't forget to mention this blog upon paying, they will give you a discount*. 

Cheers, 

Fellexandro Ruby 

Food Photographer & Storyteller

*Nah, I'm joking. ;p

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Ng Ah Sio

Pork Ribs Soup (Ba Kut Teh) 

208 Rangoon Road 

Ph: +65 6291 4537

http://ngahsiobkt.com

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee : Oh The Length I Had Gone For You.

The little red dot.
The fine city.
The lion city.
The shopping city.

Despite of all the nicknames given, Singapore has grown more and more as a foodie city for me. So much that I dedicated the whole three days solely to hunt for culinary gems. I would blame this rising frenzy to I Eat I Shoot I Post, a Singaporean food blog that in a way has become my unofficial guide for this trip of complete gluttony.

It's funny how I get that extra surge of battery power prior to traveling that I manage to sleep at 12.30am and then wake up at 4am to catch the earliest flight available. I guess it's the endorphin called excitement. I was all smileful during the drive to the airport. Even more cheery upon boarding the gate with some of the hottest flight attendants alive. Yes, the ones in red. ;)

Arrived just in time for breakfast, I spared no time and rush to Chinatown right away to grab what said to be one of Singapore's most acclaimed char kway teow. With a starved belly and a I-could-eat-a-guy appetite, I must face reality when my dollar notes is rejected. Lesson's learned. Only carry small notes. Apparently people prefer to lose one customer rather than having to bear the tedious task of finding change.

Total breakfast delay time: one excruciating hour.

What happened in that precious hour? I ran to find money changer, that Indian guy say no even before I finished my sentence. I ran to 7-11, that old Chinese lady spoke something in words I don't understand followed with a go-away hand gesture. Alright, I get it ma'am. I've never feel so rejected in my life. *dramaking* Fortunately, an aha-moment came when I saw a shophouse on the side of New Bridge Road, wrapped in glass wall, a yellow banner that says Maybank, and a security guard that opens the door for me. Finally!

Off I go to Hong Lim Food Centre, jumped to the second floor and with the little snapshot of Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee taken from the web, I browsed the site for it. You should see the sparkle in my eyes upon seeing this store sign. I think there was a bit of happy tears flashing out in between too. *dramakingcontinues* 

It appears that this place has gained popularity having featured on the page of Strait Times. I was told a long queue happens almost everyday, but I was lucky coming in as an earlybird. No queue at all, and I get to take a few close shots of the uncle cooking. I noticed that he has his own way of frying the kway teow. He would splat out a few eggs to start with, let it cooked, pour in all the other ingredients, and then he'll stop in the middle, splat out a few more eggs. However, this time, he let the eggs half cooked and quickly mash the stuff all over again. The latter gave the kway teow a rather creamy wet end results.

I love this $3 goodness. I love that it uses cockles. I've been craving for a good alternative since Chopstix took it out of their menu. I love that it's more on the sweet end. I love that its hot as it needs to be. If only it could be a bit spicier, then it would be perfect. Overall, as a dish, it has all the quality that pulls you in. It made you couldn't stop until you savored the last bite.

And until the last bite I did. Enjoyed it so much, that I sat another 15 minutes just mesmerized. In that short period of time, I kept on seeing people taking the familiar kway teow on red plates and wood chopsticks to their table. If this were an MTV award, this stall would've won the people's choice trophy.

I'm happy that I started my journey with the dish that is not a tourist trap. I must say you are worth all the length that I've gone just to meet you.

Drama King over and out,

Fellexandro Ruby 
Food / Travel Photographer & Storyteller

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Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee
Hong Lim Food Centre
Blk 531A, Stall 02-17
Monday - Saturday : 06.00am - 04.30pm
Closed Sunday & Public Holiday