Ramen Chashu

The wonderful MIL started taking Japanese food classes, and recently learnt how to make Japanese chashu. It's a pork belly rolled up, and stewed for a super long time with some mirin and soy and goodness knows what else.

 Ready to be sliced, several hours later

It was GORGEOUS

She also had some ramen, which was cooked separately

All ready to go

What a beauty

 

Ramen with chicken stock and an onsen tamago - better than any MSG-laden commercial ramen out there.

Aoki reprise

This was a couple of months ago - we managed to make it to Aoki for a weekday lunch towards the tail end of truffle season, and gratified ourselves with a chawanmushi with shaved white truffles. Divine.

The husband had a nigiri sushi set, which I believe, was $50. He won't eat ikura and ama ebi anywhere else but Aoki.

Another view of the set.

I had my usual mazechirashi - I don't think I've ever ordered anything else during lunch.

Every little bit is precious. It's amazing how happy this bowl makes me, everytime we go.

The dessert was slightly different - although it was still a trio of different things, there was a tofu-like item instead of the mochi. Can't really remember what it tasted like (or was!), but the umeshu jelly is always a great way to end the meal :)

Pizza made by the MIL

The MIL suddenly decided she wanted to make pizza at home one day, so it was a pleasant surprise when we got home and saw her blending tomatoes and kneading dough. Of course we got to do the fun stuff  after she did all the hard work.

 We had a variety of toppings - this was anchovies, olives and shrimp

While the other one was a basil+tomato and pepperoni combo

She ran out of dough so this was a hawaiian topping on a frozen pizza base

 

In the oven they went

Freshly baked

They looked great, and smelt even better

This one was really good - nice and cheesy and not too salty - except the anchovies!

This was no Roman pizza, but it was good enough : )

 

Tung Lok Overload

In recent years, the extended family's choice for a Chinese meal has always been Tung Lok, whether at Orchard Parade, Vivocity or Chinese Swimming Club.  Heck, I even had my (very small) wedding dinners at different Tung Lok restaurants across 2 different weekends, but that's a story for another day and there were no photos of food because (a), I hadn't started blogging yet; and (b) well...I was the bride, dammit.

Admittedly I have no idea what the difference is between Signatures and Classics, but what I do know is that both have pretty good food that we really enjoy. Here's a series of photos taken over the past 6 months from all our meals at Tung Lok.

Roast Peking Duck from Tung Lok at the Chinese Swimming Club - not as good as Da Dong, but a pretty good duck by local standards.

Duck skin wrapped up in little crepes. Mmm. 

Spinach with mustard and sesame sauce

Deep fried whitebait - the Chinese Swimming Club version is definitely very good

 Stir-fried black pepper beef - excellent with white rice

The mixed vegetable dish - this was so-so. 

I think this was deep-fried prawns with salted egg

Curry prawns with fried mantou. A firm favourite with the parents in law. 

The prawns were very fresh, with curry that was thin enough to drink up. 

 This was a special they had that month - roast pork knuckle. The skin was amazing.

Tofu and something (I have no idea) underneath - I remember it being preserved egg, but this certainly doesn't look like preserved egg to me.

Spinach with 3 eggs-  this was decent

Can't recall what this dessert was, but it was quite attractive-looking. Wasn't mine. 

This was mine! Ice cream mango with sago in coconut. A brilliant end to a brilliant meal.

Pulot hitam with coconut ice cream - not mine but at least I got a taste of it. Nice, but ordinary. 

Gui Lin Gao - not sure about the osmanthus in the syrup though. 

At another occasion, we had a 8 course banquet for someone's birthday. This was pan-fried foie gras served peking duck style with beancurd skin...delicious. 

Sharks' fin soup with some weird flaming thing

 Not a bad bowl of soup. 

Lobster with superior stock. 

 Beancurd and sea cucumber

Grilled soy honey pork

Scallop with eefu noodles

Palate cleansers that no one knew where to place

The birthday plate - more impressive with the dry ice effect

Aloe vera with lime sorbet in coconut.

Another occasion at Orchard Parade for the FIL's birthday, just one week after the 8 course banquet - love their siew yoke

The whitebait wasn't as good as Chinese Swimming Club's version

Dongpo Pork, I think it was, with beancurd strips. Tasty. 

Curry prawns made it to the table again. 

Lotus leaf rice with seafood. This was pretty good. 

And - the mango ice cream coconut dessert again. 

http://www.tunglok.com/