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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Lim Chee Guan (林志源) 肉干Bak Kwa, Chinatown, Singapore

Many of us in Malaysia will be very familiar with Bee Cheng Hiang the bak kwa (pork jerky) chain from Singapore. If I were to buy bak kwa in Malaysia, I will prefer Wing Heong (永香) which has been selling bak kwa for a few decades in Kuala Lumpur.


What if I am in Singapore, the hometown of Bee Cheng Hiang? Yes, Bee Cheng Hiang is easily available and be found in Singapore because there are so many outlets there. In fact, you can even find BCH in Hong Kong. For a Malaysian taste bud like me, I prefer Lim Chee Guan another famous bak kua store in Singapore, which only recently expanded their operation to 3 outlets (including the main branch). I found that their pork jerky is not too sweet like BCH's.


Since 1938.


I think Lim Chee Guan wanted to ensure that the quality control and assurance is there, hence the lack of expansion. Even though there aren't many outlets but still people will wait in queue for hours to buy LCG bak kwa for Chinese New Year. So I think most of the locals here also prefer Lim Chee Guan. That's why my sister purposely asked me to come to Chinatown to buy 500gm of bak kua for my uncle before the dinner at Si Chuan Dou Hua (四川豆花饭莊) later that evening.


It's already the 9th day of CNY, yet there's still a queue.

On the wall in this main branch at New Bridge Road, Chinatown there are newspaper cutting showing the long queue of people trying to buy bak kua on past Chinese New Years. I heard this year the queue is still that long.



If you ever come to Singapore, then you can try to buy Lim Chee Guan's bak kwa and compare it with the one in Malaysia. For me, I found it to be as good as Malaysia's. Those that prefer sweeter one might like Bee Cheng Hiang instead though.

Address:

Lim Chee Guan

Main Branch:
203 New Bridge Road (Chinatown MRT Exit A)

Branch:
People's Park Complex #01-25 (Chinatown MRT Exit C, just directly opposite the main branch)
ION Orchard #B4-37 (Orchard MRT)

Website: www.limcheeguan.sg
Email: info@limcheeguan.sg

Other Ppl's View:

Eat Like Us



Friday, February 25, 2011

你們 我們 他們


我们的浪漫故事

最近看了TVB改编幾米的作品“你們 我們 他們”。 这是香港无线电视第一次改编幾米的作品。幾米的作品我都有看过两部,但,都是改编电影。第一部看的当然是“向左走?向右走”, 跟着就是“地下铁”。“你們 我們 他們” 里面有十段爱情小品。



每一段的爱情故事都用简单的手法来描述。简单得来又很有意思。这就是为什么幾米的作品这么受欢迎。除了故事方面,另一个卖点就是幾米画的插图。简单的画面就可以说很多的故事了。那色彩缤纷的图画和几句简单文字的描述,真的可以把人拉去一个童话世界。



看完“你們 我們 他們”里拿十段爱情故事,我就会想到有时候我们都想得太复杂了。生活嘛,可以很简单,不必想太多。不妨的话可以看一看幾米的书,你就会感受到那份简单又舒服的情怀。我想,我也应该去书局找一找“你們 我們 他們”的书买回家看。





Wednesday, February 23, 2011

翁詩耀 Tee Yau - Another Talented Malaysian at Super Idol

After 李佳薇 (Jess Lee) won 超级星光大道7 (One Million Star), we might have another Malaysian breaking into the grand finale of 超级偶像 5 (Super Idol 5th season), another reality music competition show in Taiwan that is as popular as 超级星光大道 (Superstar Avenue). In come 翁詩耀 (Yong Tee Yau) a 26 years old Malaysian architect by profession, on the latest episode of Super Idol, he's already booked a palce in the final 7, just two or three more rounds away to the grand finale.


Picture of Tee Yau in the early stages.


His style is very different from 李佳薇 Jess Lee. Where Jess Lee is the expert in the vocal, Tee Yau is more like a free style performer. He can play the acoustic guitar while singing. He also had composed some songs that you uploaded on his YouTube channel. His vocal is of course no match if compared with Jess Lee but he has got his own unique style of singing, which is very important for a singer to have his/her own personality to be identifiable in the recording industry.



Here are some of the YouTube video Tee Yau's performance in the past episodes of Super Idol 5. Watch it and see what you think of his singing.


翁詩耀 Tee Yau singing Jason Mraz's "Love For A Child":




翁詩耀 Tee Yau did a very good cover of James Morrison's "You Give Me Something":




翁詩耀 Tee Yau Singing Bee Gees' "I Started A Joke":



翁詩耀 Tee Yau Singing Coldplay's "Yellow":




I like 翁詩耀 Tee Yau Singing singing his own composing "風箏線", when he's singing this song, I kind of see a little bit shadow of 张雨生 (Tom Chang):




He also challenges himself by singing "容易受傷的女人":




He also sang one of my favourite song from 陳綺貞 (Cheer Chen), "還是會寂寞":





Oh, as with Jess Lee, he also sang a Malay (technically an Indonesian :P) song by Ungu "Kekasih Gelapku":



Lastly this is Tee Yau Singing "Die", his own original song (very good this song but the lyrics is a bit dark) in the latest episode PKing with a fellow Malaysian musician and recording artist lol (talk about coincident or perhaps it's purposely set?), that got him a very high remarks from the judges of Super Idol:





Tee Yau after cutting his hair short.


Picture of Tee Yau after the makeover.

It seems that he likes to sing English songs. Well, as a Malaysian he do have to learn Malay and English, Chinese too if he studied in a Chinese Ed School. Also, I think because English song can have more changes in the way of singing not limited by the tone like Mandarin.




He's already have a fan club on Facebook simply named Tee Yau Fan Club. If you want to know more about him, you can go to the links below:

詩耀 on INDIEVOX

http://www.indievox.com/teeyau/intro

翁詩耀 @ MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/teeyau

翁詩耀 @ YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/teeyau


Well, hope he'll get into the grand finale and even be the champion of Super Idol 5 and make us Malaysian proud. Getting to this far of Super Idol is already no easy fit. Malaysia have so many talented singers, it's just that the market here for Chinese music is too small for our talent to make it big. That is why most of them have to go to Taiwan or Hong Kong to build a name first before coming back home. Good luck and all the best to you Tee Yau. I can see that the future is bright for Malaysian Chinese Music industry. Malaysia Boleh!!



Monday, February 21, 2011

林夆 Raymond Lam Desire Tour Concert Malaysia 2011

Last Saturday I went to watch 林夆 Raymond Lam Desire Tour Concert Live in Malaysia 2011, I won the tickets from the Sunway Pyramid Facebook contest. The tickets are the cheapest which is free standing, it will cost RM 90 per ticket if bought. I invited Wilee to go with me, whom I also invited to Paramore concert last year lol.





Wilee and I camwhored while waiting for Raymond Lam.


One complain here is that the viewable area of the stage is quite limited in the free standing zone. It is too side way. We won't be able to see Raymond Lam at all if he's at the back of the stage. Oh, well, it's quite far too to ever see his face. So have to see the big screen instead. It's free for me so no complain there.



Almost 40% of the stage is now viewable from here.


The ticket printed 8pm as the starting time but as all Asian artist's concert, it will never starts on time. Paramore's concert started on the dot. So, at around 8.30pm, the concert started.



He opened his concert with a few fast numbers. Not too bad he can dance but the fast songs I am not very familiar with. No die hard fan mah :p He told the audiences that this is the warmest concert he's ever performed in. I couldn't agree more with him because I can see sweat dripping from his face like pipe water.



Then he continued with some slow songs like one of his first ever song sang for a HK TVB drama series and a newer one from drama Growing Through Life - 摘星之旅.



He also invited his fans to come up the stage to sing with him and the second time he invited a fan who flew all the way from Australia and she get to go backstage to change his clothes (well that's what he told us what the fan have to do). They then pop up the stage again on a bed, while he sang a love song. The fan is to flabbergasted to give any reaction to his act lol.


Raymond Lam singing 愛人與海 (Lover and Sea) with his fans.


He's quite friendly and very nice to his fans. He came down from the stage to shake hands with the audiences not once, twice but thrice. If my hand is longer, I would have be able to shake his hand too :p






He also sang songs from other singer like Jacky Cheung, Faye Wong and Leon Lai. He also sang songs of his female singer friends like Miriam Yeung and Joey Yung. Of course he also sang some of his popular hits like 愛不疚 (Love with no Regrets).




Near the end he sang 直到你不找我 the theme song of TVB drama The Mysteries of Love, which he's the main actor. He encored and ended the concert with the song that made him popular as a singer 愛在記憶中找你 (Searching For You In Loving Memories).



It's not a great concert but hey I think a fan will a home happy. I will give it a seven out of ten.



Friday, February 18, 2011

Mobile Burger Stall, Medan Putra, Bandar Manjalara

Up till now I haven't had the chance to try out the famous mobile burger stall in SS15 Subang Jaya, which is well known for their mushroom burger. Alas, SS15 is quite far away from my place. So I won't be able to go for a quick bite in the middle of the night if I craved for burger.

It's hard to find a good street Ramli compatible burger around my area until I bumped into a mobile burger stall in Medan Putra, Bandar Manjalara which is parked near a mamak restaurant there.



There are a lot of choices of burger and hot dog available here. You also can mix and match your own burger. One can opt to add black pepper sauce on your burger for additional 50 sen.



I ordered a double daging special to takeaway.I like the fact that the amount of ketchup and mayonaise put is just right and won't make the burger too messy. I know some of you out there like it to be as messy as possible but not me because the bun will be very soggy when I got home :p Overall this burger here is very nice and a first choice for me for my sudden craving for burger in the middle of the night.


Address:

Mobile Burger Stall
Jalan Medan Putra 1,
Bandar Manjalara,
52100 Kuala Lumpur.

Google Map here.



Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Ogawa Japanese Kitchen, Plaza Mont Kiara

Last month end I went to Ellie's farewell party at Vogue, Plaza Mont Kiara. She's flew to Australia to continue her Master degree. Before going to the party, I have to get my dinner first, if not later cannot drink the free flow beer :p



It's been quite a long time that I haven't come to Plaza Mont Kiara. So, I don't really know what's nice to eat there. Then walking around I saw this very home feel Japanese restaurant named Ogawa Japanese Kitchen. Reminds me of massage chair wtf.




It's quite the Izakaya feel here in Ogawa Japanese Kitchen with the Japanese boss cum head chef serving and chatting with regular customers behind the sushi bar. There was a couple sitting next to me at the sushi bar table, they don't even have to order anything, the boss will just prepare something and serve to them. I think some of the items are not even in the menu.



I was served a complimentary Grilled Eggplant in Miso Sauce. Very nice. The miso sauce is sweet and very flavourful. The sweetness is not sugary sweet but natural from the miso. Goes very well with the grilled eggplant.

I saw in the menu there's Oden (おでん). Which I rarely find in the Japanese restaurants in Malaysia. Oden is actually a street food like Yong Tao Fu (Stuffed bean curd). It's consist of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon radish, konnyaku, and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy-flavoured dashi broth. I've always wanted to try Oden. Blamed it on too much Japanese drama series, especially more currently watching Kamen Rider OOO (inside joke).



The broth is more one the salty sweet side but not very sweet like having dessert. Quite light and not too overwhelming. It's very suitable if you don't have the mood to eat heavy stuff. Only then I found out that karashi (Japanese mustard) is used as a condiment for Oden. Funny, I didn't see it in the Japanese drama series :p



It is the first time I try eating Konnyaku 蒟蒻 (Devil's Tongue). It's actually quite tasteless on it's own. It absorb a bit of the broth to give it a bit of taste but the texture is quite nice. Very springy kind of feel.


Konnyaku 蒟蒻 (Devil's Tongue)


By using the chopsticks to pick up the daikon (radish) and the daikon is still intact yet it has absorbed the broth evenly. I know that the boss is a very experienced chef.



I wanted to order Hamburg Steak but it's not available on that day so the staff recommended me Fried Minced Beef instead. Well it's not too bad. Fried till crunchy with the bread crumbs batter yet the minced beef is still juicy inside.





I saw on the wall that there's a Fugu set meal available. Using every parts of the Fugu (of course not the poisonous part) to make a dish. If not mistaken the price is RM 180++. I think one set can be shared by two to three person.

Ever since Dontaku in Bukit Bintang closed down, it's quite hard to find a Japanese restaurant that makes you feel at home anymore. Food here is good and the staffs are friendly and knowledgeable with the menu. If you becomes a regular here, you might get a surprise dish from the boss too.




Address:

Ogawa Japanese Kitchen
A-0G-03 Plaza Mont’ Kiara 2
Jalan Kiara Mont’ Kiara
Tel: +603 6201 0221
Fax: +603 6201 0212

Google map here.

Other Ppl's View:

Feedmelah



Sunday, February 13, 2011

Singapore Chingay 2011

No wonder the Singapore government is rich in cash until they can give SGD $40,000 to their citizen when buying their first HDB apartment. Even a traditional festival like Chingay can be turned into an annual money making event and a tourist attraction.



Singapore Chingay 2011 is unlike the Chingay in Penang or Klang, it is much like an event such as Singapore F1 GP at a tone down scale. For a good view of the Chingay parade, tickets have to be bought. There are also a lot of activities going on in the different zone of the Chingay festival. Luckily, there's an area that the public will be able to see part of the parade without having to buy the ticket. This is where I went to catch a piece of the action near Marina Bay.

I took some pictures of a part of the parade from the Free Zone. Leading the way are some girls dressed in bunny ears and bikers riding on their Harley Davidson motors.



Sorry, no Playboy Tuxedo Bunny outfit here. I recently found out that the Playboy Tuxedo Bunny costume is patented.




Will ya look at those bikes.








Coming up next is the fire breathing Dragon Car. Sponsored by Singapore Flyer apparently. Kaching $_$






Beauties and the Choy Sans 财神 (God of Fortune).






A very distinctive icon of a Chingay Festival, the giant flag bearers. See, even the flags have sponsor. The Malaysian government should learn from Singapore government in terms of getting additional income. Especially our Tourism Ministry, spent millions visiting other countries like the Tourism Minister own vacation but has done almost nothing in promoting our traditional festival and make some money from it.









It's not only a Chinese affair here, the Indians also take part in it. So, Datuk Seri, if you want to promote 1 Malaysia, this is the way to do it.






I like their Peacock parade car very much.



Here comes the Immortals (神仙)




A very pretty 仙女 here.




Of course there's a sponsor for this parade car. Money, money, money.



If those 仙女 are working in Peach Garden Chinese Restaurant, I'll be first one to go eat there :p



Last but not least, a parade car from Resort World Sentosa. While Sans Marina Bay is nearer, Resorts World trying to pull away their customer here eh, lol.




Is thang Zheng He (郑和)?



It's very nice to see the parades and the crowds there. There's also fireworks two nights in a row. Guan Eng should really plan something like this for Penang.