www.Go To The Mountain - Musings of a Potential Guru

Long ago when I once lived in Toa Payoh, it felt almost like the centre of the universe even though we are in a little red dot. It is convenient to go almost anywhere. Bus stops are all within short walking distance and provisions and food from the market stalls, coffee shops and hawker centres surrounded us. When it is really late, some hawkers opened till way late too. I used to work till way too late those days and got home by 10 pm to 12 am. There is a popular Tze Char stall at the next block, so on the way home I would order my food first, took a shower and then went back to collect my ''wat tan hor fun''. Incredible convenience. If you reside in Australia or New Zealand, you get beautiful houses, big and cheap cars, your own apple trees in the backyard, scenic landscape and perhaps a river or stream behind the house but you could never have this super convenience.  These days the new neighbourhood that is getting old has not much to offer unless you do no...

Despite being among the smallest dialect group among the Chinese here, I have been affected by the Hainanese at every stage of my life. I mean not just the food but the friends and the relatives. I shall elaborate on that at another time in a special article which has been long overdue. And since I have been so well acquainted and connected with the Hainanese, how come none has suggested to me coming to a place or well not just the place but the name and restaurant which has been around since 1952? That's well before I was even born? You can see I am still rather tender of age. I knew of Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, Yet Con and Purvis Street or Mooi Chin Restaurant at Golden Landmark (formerly at High Street) but it was the first time I visited "The Hainanese Kitchen" at the Golden Mile Tower with some friends. Thanks for the invitation and the lunch. The lunch crowd was okay but  I was told that they are packed to the brim in the evenings for dinner and furthe...

Do you experience this problem sometimes? It is meal time, you go to a food place, walk around and you just don't know what to eat. The food are very much the same despite the variety. In part, it is due to commercialisation of simple hawker food fare to the quality and standard of taste. At times, I asked if we are running out of ideas. So in a dilemma, it is better the devil you know then the devil you don't. It was my mum who introduced and made me French toast. Bread soaked in egg then fried = French toast. You can add cinnamon, spread it with maple syrup, brown sugar or kaya. My wife helps me with it these days. The other day, a boy was asking the auntie at the coffee shop why his French toast has no kaya. The auntie replied: "Aiyoh! Ah boy, don't you know? We are saving Gaia!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jt6TJomo8g Walking around on a hot and humid day gives us a dress rehearsal of the fury of hell. You can hallucinate about being in the N...