Mu Liang Zai Liang Kee on Havelock Road

The original Liang Kee restaurant opened by the father (Ng Bak Liang) was in Ellenborough Market. After a long story, documented by the local press, there are now 3 restaurants bearing the Liang Kee name. Mu Liang Zai Liang Kee restaurant is opened by Ng Bak Liang’s fifth son, Ng Hong Seng, hence Mu Liang Zai (literally “Son of Bak Liang” in Mandarin).

It was a slow Tuesday night when I text’d Tony about the possibility of dinner on Saturday and he said he was interested in trying out the new Mu Liang Zai Liang Kee on Havelock Road. And before I know it, a group was rounded up and suddenly what was supposed to be a quiet Saturday dinner became a birthday celebration at Mu Liang Zai Liang Kee.

Posted on 28th Jun 2010 in Food and Drink, Makankaki, Old School, Teochew, Tze Char | 10 comments

Liu Yuan Pavilion on Lockhart Road, Hong Kong

“Mom, who are your friends and how do they drink so much and still party on?” cried a 29 year-old girl to her mom as we made plans, after a fantastic dinner at Liu Yuan Pavilion, to visit dragon-i.

We were on vacation and, taking advantage of the “no duty on wines” in Hong Kong, we brought some good shit. Someone even took the opportunity to ship a case of Champagne magnums from the UK.

Truth be told, after 2 days of Hong Kong’s predominantly Cantonese cuisine, we were tired of it. To be sure, it’s all good, in fact you’d have to go very far to find a street-side cafe or restaurant that’s not very good. However, we needed a change.

Posted on 1st Jun 2010 in Food and Drink, Makankaki, Old School, Shanghainese | 2 comments

Of Broken Embraces and late night Nasi Lemak

For our effort, we were invited by the Spanish Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Antonio Sánchez Jara to attend the EU Film Festival where the Spanish film, Broken Embraces, was showcased. We knew we were in for a treat when the film opened with ~~a softcore sex scene~~ an artistic expression of transient need and pedestrian convenience in the form of high heels, a newspaper and a cunningly positioned couch.

After the movie, being die-hard foodies, we went for something less artistic and more hardcore.

Posted on 14th May 2010 in Food and Drink, Fun, Makankaki, Malay | Post a comment

Lunch with Ferran Adria

I was in the kitchen cooking breakfast porridge and deep-frying some tofu when I discovered 5 missed calls from TTC. Our dinner with Ferran Adria had turned into a lunch because he had an early evening flight out of Singapore.

Like all busy celebrities that everyone wants a piece of, Ferran’s schedule was unpredictable. But I was told he wanted to sample hawker food. So an alternate plan was formulated.

Posted on 26th Apr 2010 in Fun, Makankaki | 6 comments

King’s Beef Noodles in Seremban

The cuisine section in the Wikipedia entry for Seremban states that the other great Seremban dish to sample is the Braised Beef Noodles or Ngau Nam Meen. While that particular entry reads like an advertising spiel (unverified even), it is no less true about being one of the unique Serembanite dishes.

And Jeff have been talking about King’s Beef Noodles despite the fact that in the past 3 years, he’s only been there like thrice. That’s because the man running King’s Beef Noodles sources his own beef from a particular farm in Seremban and would not open if he is unable to obtain beef of sufficient quality.

Intriguing no?

Posted on 18th Apr 2010 in Chinese, Food and Drink, Makankaki, Malaysia, Meat | Post a comment

The Malaysia Eat List 2010

My friends and I made a short trip north of the border over the Easter weekend to Seremban and Kuala Lumpur. It’s become an annual food pilgrimage for us. And despite the traffic forecasts of alarmist pundits with a journalistic bent, the travel up at 4pm, via the North-South Highway, was smooth; even with a short stop at a roadside collection point for the Malaysian Police Daily Wage Supplement.

It was a fun trip where we observed the little differences like how Malaysians like light soy whereas Singaporeans tend towards the dark; the standardized usage of the genteel “Tandas” (as opposed to the vulgar “Jamban”) versus the Singaporean thesauric “Gents”, “Washroom”, “Toilet” and yes, in rare cases “Jamban”; the technically competent, soft sell techniques of Malaysian mobile phone salesmen compared to our take-it-or-leave-it, tidak-apa temps. And the food, oh my…

Posted on 11th Apr 2010 in Drink, Makankaki, Malaysia, Tze Char | 4 comments

Reflections on Wo Peng, Macpherson Road

The first time the Makankaki group had dinner at Wo Peng, it was such a resounding success that people are still talking about it. Stuff of legend included the famous braised pork trotter with pumpkin and the steamed crab with glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf.

This is why there was a good response for the second makankaki dinner there. And even though I’ve tasted the menu before, I still signed up, mainly because I would be sitting in good company and also, you can really never get enough of a good thing.

TTC gave a short incisive summary of what he thought about Wo Peng and Chef Julian’s cuisine which set me reflecting upon my many dinners there, especially when throughout dinner people kept asking what were my views about Wo Peng besides “I see that it’s a good thing, now shut up and let me eat”.

Posted on 25th Mar 2010 in Cantonese, Makankaki | Post a comment