mycc

Following our previous visits (Part 1 and Part 2)  to the heart of Chinatown, we could not help but developed a nostalgic feeling about the place. Somehow, the Hokkien and Cantonese speaking old folks, the traditional local food and the mix of tourists and locals alike had a very alluring influence.

We dedicated the visit to just Chinatown Complex, which itself housed a food centre, wet market and shops selling sundry goods. The old folks particularly, formed the majority of the diners during the post-lunch period when we visited. With growling stomachs, we had just one thing in mind, 'FOOD!'

Sar Kay Mah (Ma Zai in Cantonese)

Being one of the vanishing traditional Chinese snacks, Sar Kay Mah which translates to 'Sweet Egg Squares' originated as Manchurian food offered at ancestors remembrance ceremonies. 'Sar Kay' in Manchurian equates to 'cut' and, 'Mah' to 'rearrange'. Henceforth the name was a literal description of the making procedure. Apparently, people in Hong Kong referred to this mildly sweet snack, coated with malt sugar as 'Ma Zai', which in Cantonese meant horse-racing. Owing to superstition, punters would eat 'Ma Zai' prior to placing their bets, in the hope of drawing good luck.

According to an article by KF Seetoh from Makansutra, it was reported that the entire process which included kneading, rising, cutting, frying, cooling and coating took a good nine hours, which explained the reason why Mr Pan only sell a handful number of packets displayed at his shopfront.








(+) All the pastries were hand-made with a single hand owing to Mr Pan's deformed hand.
(+) Crisp surface with a crunchy and chewy texture.
(+) Much more fragrant compared to the mass-produced packet types typically found.
(+) Authentic and generous amount of malt sugar evenly applied.
(+) Densely packed. You could feel its weight, certainly not a miser with ingredients.

(-) It was slightly too oily for our liking.
(-) The sweetness, coupled with the oiliness might make one feel full or gelat rather easily. 

This 'Sar Kay Mah' won hands down when drawing comparison with the mass-produced ones typically found in supermarkets or even some bakeries such as those in Hong Kong. The fragrance, texture and freshness were but a few key elements which those commercialized 'Sar Kay Mahs' failed to measure up. It would be good though to have a pot of tea ready to go along with this afternoon snack or to satisfy one's late night sweet-tooth craving to aid digestion.





(+) The paste was smooth, i.e. no grainy bits that clog your throat.

(-) The almond paste was however too bland and 'watery'. Expected a much richer taste.
(-) Lacked the 'hit-in-your-face' aroma and fragrance.

Apparently a popular dessert for this stall (during our last visit, this was sold out), but this was definitely a huge disappointment. 



Barley with Gingko Nuts




The dim sum here were all hand-made on the spot by the two gentlemen in the above picture while the lady attended to the queue of customers.

Siew Mai (Pork and shrimp dumplings)


(+) Juicy and succulent. The siew mai had juices bursting out in my mouth upon the first bite.
(+) Very flavoursome, especially the pork, which was very well seasoned.

(-) Depending on individuals, this was acceptable by our standards as a rather soft, tender type of dumpling as opposed to the more commonly preferred crunch (primarily due to the prawns)



Char Siew Bau (Barbecued Pork Bun)

The past three visits to Ann Siang area ended with us at PS Cafe, The Patissier and the last occasion where Kki Sweets were sold out of their cakes. Upon receiving Swee's whatsapp message of a surprise treat, I waited in anticipation. Alas, we finally got to try Kki Sweets' cakes!

Little Red Riding Hood (S$8.50/-)
Chocolate mousse with raspberry filling, coated with dark chocolate.
(+) Really rich, bitter-tasting dark chocolate, similar to Varlhona chocolate.
(+) Could taste the difference in fine ingredients used.
(+) Unique taste combination and very well balanced.
(+) Bitter initially followed by well complemented mild sweetness and sourness (from raspberry)
(+) The raspberry filling in the middle of the mousse gave a varied mouthfeel to the overall sensation, with it tasting raspberry gelatin-like-jelly with a blend of the fruit.

(-) The lingering bitter taste from the chocolate could be too strong for some.

The silky smooth looking exterior masked the strong abundance of flavours that this petite cake contained. It was however a love or hate relationship with the dominating bittersweet (think 70% bitter 30% sweet) taste, which might proved to be overwhelming for some.


Antoinette (S8/-)
White chocolate mousse with a layer of sponge cake and mango puree filling.
(+) The velvety white chocolate mousse was very smooth and light.
(+) The white chocolate was only mildly sweet which suited our palette for the afternoon.
(+) When consumed in entirety with the mango puree, it was a divine combination.
(+) Mango puree was like the rest of the ingredients, pure and rich, unlike those essence flavouring commonly used.

(-) The portion of mango puree was really intended for 1-2 mouthful bursts. 

In general, we felt that the cakes were good, in the sense that fresh and fine ingredients were used. The fact that most of the cakes (well, the 3 we tried) were not overwhelmingly sweet, it did not upset us from trying to get another dig at the cake. I certainly enjoyed the 'lightness' of the cakes, though I would preferred it better if cakes such as Antoinette and Little Red Riding Hood had more fillings being pocketed between the mousse.

Tucked away in a hidden quiet corner at Tiong Bahru, which was one of the first public housing estates in Singapore, 40 Hands certainly stood out among the old buildings being a modern and trendy looking cafe, which would appeal to students and young professionals alike.

The name was inspired from the fact that an average of 40 hands are required in the production of coffee, from the initial process of planting coffee seeds to the end product of a delicious and aromatic fresh brew. What many failed to recognize when enjoying their shot of Espresso or Latte was that the history of coffee was one filled with stories of poverty and exploitation. At 40 Hands, they aimed to promote a sustainable coffee economy whereby certified 'Fair Trade' coffee beans were used, i.e. purchasing directly from growers allowing them to earn a higher profit margin. With the abundance of budding cafes, I must say that I was impressed with what 40 Hands endeavour to achieve and their business ethics.

The first impression at the outset was that it was rather cramped, well explicitly, expect to brush some shoulders trying to make your way through. What I particularly favoured though was the clever use of the setting and location of the cafe at a quiet hideout at Tiong Bahru (an old public housing estate) with modern touches to its interior design, display exhibits and arguably the food served. Not forgetting of course provocative billboard posters as such.
After some 10-15mins of waiting, during which nobody seemed to acknowledge our presence the whole while, a table was finally secured, unfortunately at the rear end of the cafe and down a flight of stairs which was sheltered but in a outdoor setting, similar to what I would call a backyard. With an impressive shopfront, the latter part of the cafe was somewhat lackluster, in terms of design and layout. Some might favour the laid back setting but certainly did not appeal to us the slightest bit, especially the big electrical standing fan blowing right at our faces and food of course.

Probably due to the busy staffs attending to customers' orders, I was pretty much left to myself (which was a good thing) to roam around the cafe snapping interesting bits and pieces.



(+) High roast, slight bittersweet tang with less acidity.
(+) Strong delicious aroma, certainly titillating to one's sense of smell.

(-) Regrettably, the initial taste was offset by the sour aftertaste.
(-) The tart flavour, such as unripe fruit persisted and lingered and had to be washed down with plain water, which was a real letdown.
(-) With the fan blowing at full blast, it was not too long before my coffee dropped to almost room temperature and the sour taste was the dominant flavour.


(+) The skin of the bun was good in the sense it did not stick to our teeth.
(+) Red bean paste inside was rich in ingredients and only mildly sweet, just to our liking.
(+) Despite the smoothness of the paste, it was not too 'liquefied' nor fluid.
(+) Unique shape of the bun contrary to the conventional round shape.

(-) Way Overpriced. Could easily have bought 2-3 tau sar paus at S$2.50.
(-) Did not seem freshly made as it was served straight from the pau electric steamer.


Big Boy Breakfast with scrambled eggs (S$18/-)
(+) The ingredients used in this all day breakfast were fresh and of a good quality.
(+) Scrambled eggs were done perfectly with a soft curd texture, just the way it should be.
(+) Interesting presentation of western breakfast served on an 'old school' metal plate.

(-) The portion size was evidently sparing to say the least for the price.

The portion size was evidently sparing for the price though. 2 sausages, some sauteed mushrooms, minced meat (think spaghetti bolognese), 1pan fried tomato sliced in 2, some iceberg letture, 2 slices of naan bread and some scrambled eggs for S$18 certainly seemed too expensive to us since we were used to having English breakfast here in UK at pubs and they were about half the price at 40 Hands with similar quality and larger portions. 

The ambiance at 40 Hands was good in general (with seating at the ground floor) not the lower ground level where our table was. Apparently GST and service charge was not levied onto the bill, so prices listed above were nett. Even so, we felt that it was overpriced at current standing, considering the quality and quantity of food. Do not be mistaken though, the quality was certainly above average for the food, though I would beg to differ when it came to the coffee beverages. Being a caffeine addict, I expect nothing but the best especially when it is the first cup of the day. 

Selling themselves as a socially responsible cafe, I was impressed more by their business ethos rather than, regrettably, their brew. Despite not being charged for customer service, one could certainly expect better attention at 40 Hands. Drawing comparison with a recent dining experience at QQ Noodle House, which similarly did not charge for service had a much better approach and attitude towards their diners. It is not just about the price, it is about professionalism in the service industry. Many cafes and restaurants tend to attribute this aspect of the dining experience to the shortage of manpower and busy orders, but personally I felt that is but an 'excusatory' element conveniently relied upon. It should be regarded as an integral part of one's dining experience and paying no heed to your customers is certainly a taboo in my books. 

If you are a fan of fresh olive oil, you would certainly love this bottle of Olio Novello which we picked up from Carluccio's yesterday evening. Freshly harvested, pressed and bottled within 24 hours, each bottle is hand-labelled and scribbled 'Olio Novello'. With only 2,000 bottles to go around, we managed to get bottle no. 28!

The past weeks had been filled with lots of food tasting sessions but we simply had no time to pen everything down as yet, however all verdict and grading are recorded in our little black book! This is our last day in Singapore for the next 6 months at least as we would be moving back to UK. Stay tuned and we would be back up writing as soon as we can!


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After a transit in Dubai, we had finally arrived in London and on M1, not forgetting its 3 degrees celsius compared to Singapore's 31 degrees.

Following our first visit to Maison Kayser almost a month ago during their opening, we figured they would have settled down now and the quality of products should be consistent. With one of the best reviews I had ever furnished for any eatery during my last visit, it was no surprise that I held high expectations.

Business seemed brisk compared to a month ago where they had not received as much publicity. We observed that there was a constant stream of customers from nearby shops and offices which came for take-away orders. With a simple layout unlike the elaborate decorations at Paul (bakery and restaurant), it certainly set a more casual relaxed atmosphere in this quiet corner of Scotts Square.

Before I continue, I reiterate that one should start by 'appreciating its colour, gently press a slice to your nose to experience its crispy touch and crust, the smoothness and perfume of the bread itself. Only then take a bite, and feel its texture and flavors develop in your mouth'. This is indeed the crux of how one should enjoy their deli. For more details about their fermentation and production process, please refer to my first post.

Collection of the pastries was self-service (No service charge was imposed anyway) and after I had made the payment, I was offered a variety of other bread to try. Before I could extend out to fetch a piece, the server kindly placed them on our plates and thoughtfully placed 2 pieces of each item for us to taste.

Pain Au Raisins Noix - apple, walnut, raisins, honey fillings (S3.70/-)


(+) The crust was crisp and it was very fragrant, exuding the richness of fruits and the wholemeal bread.
(+) Like the rest of their bread, ingredients were generous.
(+) Chunks of walnut which was crunchy and tasted fresh. (Not the stale soft types)
(+) Raisins were juicy and succulent.
(+) Being a wholemeal bread, it was relatively dense but the natural sweetness from the natural fermentation and fresh ingredients was more than alluring for the next bite.

(-) Could not taste much of the honey to know of its existence as an ingredient.