308. Le Pasta

Pesto @$4.80

Bukit Timah Market & Hawker Centre, my fingers and toes are not enough to count the number of times I have been there. It's a place I frequent since young. These days, the hawker centre has turned 'international', offering not just the usual hawker fare but also Japanese and Thai food and even pasta.

The greenish pasta, Pesto, caught my eye as the boyish looking boss served it to a man in formal attire 1 table away from me. I walked to his stall, there was no one and I saw the young boss hurriedly ran back with beads of perspiration trickling down his face. One man did it all.

With fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and grated cheese makes pesto. I specifically ordered my spaghetti to be cooked softer and not al-dente. I don't like my pasta made al-dente. The pesto was aromatic and the taste was nice. A light pasta. What's more, it's cheap. If you didn't want to spend a lot on your pasta and yet hoped that you won't get a yucky one, you may want to consider Le Pasta.

Bukit Timah Market & Hawker Centre
#02-158
116 Upper BT Timah Road

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307. Bolu Gulung Meranti

Bolu Gulung (Keju) @Rp 40,000 (SGD 5.80)

Bolu Gulung, it means roll tart in Indonesian language or what we see here, a swiss roll. The bolu gulung from Meranti, Medan, is a famous food souvenir that tourists will buy back home. Once, I asked my Indonesian friend what is there to buy from Indonesia. And food was her reply. Narrow down from the word 'food', the usual buys will be Indonesian bakes; cakes or cookies.

In Singapore, we have our Bengawan solo, known for its 'green' cake (pandan chiffon cake); in Indonesia, they have Meranti, known for their bolu gunlung. Checked it out with my Indonesian friend and she said she heard Meranti has had no preservatives added to their cakes. "Tidak Ada Calang" was printed on their package box. I wondered if it meant no preservatives added.

The one that I had has had shredded cheese (keju) in it. The sponge was sweet and soft but it was very oily. Too much butter and oil? If you have noticed from the picture(above), the package box was already oily having had absorbed the oil from the roll. Overall, the taste was nice but it didn't make me attempt another slice. It is cheap and makes a great souvenir but if you have health-consious friends then you may want to select another souvenir for them. I have also heard that advance orders have to be made for their cakes.

Bolu Gulung Meranti
Jalan Kruing No. 2-K, Medan
Tel (061) 453-8217

306. Familie Oven

Familie Oven. The name suggested bake. Yes, cake(s). The online media has grown so much to our convenience that we do not have to go to the supermarkets to get our groceries, shopping malls for our clothes and even to bakeries for our cakes. Familie Oven operates via its online website (www.familieoven.com) with the home bakers, Lim and his wife. With the belief that a cake bonds everyone together and Lim's fondness for chocolate fudge cake, the couple started out Familie Oven.

Familie Chocolade

Familie Chocolade- a two layer dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate fudge. I have not tried any of the very much raved about chocolate fudge cakes from Lana cake shop, Jane's cake station and etc so there will not be any comparison made and I shouldn't for Familie Oven is just a starter in this industry.

A thin layer of velvety alike chocolate ganache covered the chocolate sponge cake. The sponge cake was spongy. I felt the two most important things I looked for in a good chocolate fudge cake are the moisture in the fudge cake and the taste of the chocolate ganache. Familie Oven's had the moisture but I felt it will taste even better if it could be made a tad more moist.

The chocolate ganache was bittersweet and Lim told me that they have made the cake not-so-sweet. I liked the cake not-so-sweet. In fact, I felt the level of sweetness was just right. I have tried some chocolate fudge cakes which were made slightly too sweet and I did not like it as much as Familie Oven's. I was looking for one where the ganache amalgamates smoothly to the sponge but somehow Familie Oven's still a little far from that. I realised that the chocolate ganache had a texture akin to gelatin, not very much, just a little. The chocolate ganache was dense but don't expect the very moussey kind.

I personally feel that Familie Oven's chocolate fudge cake is good and decent enough to warrant a try. In fact, my family and I liked the cake as it is presented and of course, welcome the better.

Lastly, thanks to Lim for the wonderful cake.

Familie Oven

E-mail: sales@familieoven.com

Phone : 9 029 2191

305. East Coast Lagoon Food Village II

10 km ? Yes, I can...Thriathlon? No..no, spare me. It was a big event, the Osim Thriathlon 2009, held at East Coast Park (ECP) on 1-2 August. I went there for cycling. I think it's great that such events are held at ECP. ECP was burstling with energy that weekend. We ordered some satay, barbequed wings and hokkien mee. The food was mediocre but it was the people, environment and the energy that made eating filled with joy, especially the satisfaction on the faces of the participants.

See previous entry

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East Coast Lagoon Food Village
1220 East Coast Parkway
Opens : 11am to 10pm

304. Tan's Tu Tu Coconut Cake

Phew! Finally, I managed to post. My lappy went on a 'strike' and I sent it for a week of 'free counselling'. It came back to me with a healthy 'heart' but when I wanted to post, blogger has had problems with its post editor which made me keep my post for another 2 days.

During this period, I came across a few readings on the different perspectives towards living life and I pondered how the rest of the people perceived this food blog. Frankly speaking, I am no food critic nor connoisseur, I merely shared my dining experiences. Be it good or bad or even to the extreme, I blogged my felts. Everyone has a different taste and acceptance level when it comes to eating. I particularly hate it when people take my words and twist the meaning behind it. Just like people who lack originality in writing and chose to plagarize. C'est la guerre !

Located at a corner of the halal coffeeshop at clementi where the famous Brothers rojak is, my colleague introduced to me this tutu kueh (steamed rice flour cake) made with the Tan family's heirloom recipe (stated on their namecard). I have not heard of them until my colleague recommended it to me. I often go to clementi for lunch and I know it is a hit with regulars, my colleague is one. Filled with ground peanuts or grated coconut, get 4 for $2 or 10 for $5.

I had it hot, it was very nice. It was soft and the coconut fillings which was mixed with gula melaka released a pleasing fragrance. The sweetness was just right for me. My mum finds it a tad too sweet. Another time, I had them packed and 10 minutes later, the tutu kueh turned hard and it wasn't nice. So, remember to have them hot.

Extra: The popiah stall which is just right beside Tan's tutu kueh is also a hit!

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Tan's Tu Tu Coconut Cake

Blk 449 #01-211

Clementi Avenue 3