It is on a day, and on an evening as this, that one thinks of a bowl of warm rice porridge chock full with chunks of sweet potatoes bobbing about. It's strange, but as plain as it seems, and as simple as it sounds, it is the nondescript taste of white rice coupled with the faint sweetness of sweet potato that one craves for.
Perhaps there is just that special comfort at the thought of the bowl cupped in the palms of your hands, the spoon dipping into the white, translucent porridge water, and the sight of smooth, perfectly boiled rice grains.
There's porridge as such to be had nearly everywhere- this is Singapore- but it is here, at Crystal Café in Orchard Grant Court Hotel, that the vibe of simplicity and homecooked comfort spills over so much more.
Could it be the décor?
Maybe.
I was there one weekday evening for their dinner porridge buffet, and I felt, despite the fact that I was had my smartphone and laptop with me, that time had reversed, that I had stepped back into the late 80s, and I was once again a dorky child of eight in my dress with ribbon tied behind, Mary Jane buckled shoes with lacy socks, and spectacles.
It was as if time had somehow stopped, that present-day trends did not exist, and that around me were diners with smoothly combed hair, neat starched shirts, frizzy hair perms, blue eyeshadow, rouged cheeks and shoulder padded jackets in colors of bright pink, sapphire blue, emerald green and flaming red.
The rattan furniture, the wooden tables, the flowers, the little plastic stand even the salt and pepper shakers, it made me all think of a time more than two decades ago.
Not that I totally drifted away in time and forgot to eat, no way.
I was hungry, and with porridge offered Taiwanese style, there were a good variety of dishes for the taking.
There was meat- stewed pork, stewed chicken, steamed pork patties, steamed pieces of fish swimming about in light gravy. There were vegetables- mostly done stir-fried- which I don't really remember what there were, but there were lots of the big leafy kind. Then there was tau pok- one whole serving dish of it- served alongside with hard boiled eggs boiled in thick, dark gravy.
I took a bowl of stewed pork. It had a bit of fat and made me think of the kind sometimes served with pigs' trotters.
I took a bowl of brinjals, because I love this vegetable prepared any way and their texture goes well with rice porridge.
I had a bowl of soft, fluffy steamed egg, because it was uber familiar to me, plus one whole salted egg, because that seemed the thing to do, and of which I only fancied the yolk, leaving the white behind.
Then I got intrigued by the huge leaves of this one vegetable in the dish, and so I took a bit without knowing, nor caring what veggie it was. Let's just say I spent quite a bit of time feeling like a caterpillar, patiently chewing up the green leafy parts.
Then after that I got a bit of honeyed ribs- more for the sake of curiosity than me being hungry- and which I quite liked, even if it was prepared slightly different from the usual Chinese style. They were marinated with real honey.
People say that the best part of having porridge Taiwanese style is having all the condiments to go along with it. There were plenty here, really, all arranged beautifully near the big pot of porridge, but me being me, I took just the braised peanuts and left all the preserved vegetables alone.
It was a most heart-warming meal I had that evening, not one I'd soon forget, and it was made even better with the presence of local desserts and the offering of coffee and tea. We shared a plateful of red watermelon, a couple pieces of very sweet, very fun to eat colorful kueh kueh, and three bowls of tangyuan in ginger soup.
Could it be the décor?
Maybe.
I was there one weekday evening for their dinner porridge buffet, and I felt, despite the fact that I was had my smartphone and laptop with me, that time had reversed, that I had stepped back into the late 80s, and I was once again a dorky child of eight in my dress with ribbon tied behind, Mary Jane buckled shoes with lacy socks, and spectacles.
It was as if time had somehow stopped, that present-day trends did not exist, and that around me were diners with smoothly combed hair, neat starched shirts, frizzy hair perms, blue eyeshadow, rouged cheeks and shoulder padded jackets in colors of bright pink, sapphire blue, emerald green and flaming red.
The rattan furniture, the wooden tables, the flowers, the little plastic stand even the salt and pepper shakers, it made me all think of a time more than two decades ago.
Not that I totally drifted away in time and forgot to eat, no way.
I was hungry, and with porridge offered Taiwanese style, there were a good variety of dishes for the taking.
There was meat- stewed pork, stewed chicken, steamed pork patties, steamed pieces of fish swimming about in light gravy. There were vegetables- mostly done stir-fried- which I don't really remember what there were, but there were lots of the big leafy kind. Then there was tau pok- one whole serving dish of it- served alongside with hard boiled eggs boiled in thick, dark gravy.
I took a bowl of stewed pork. It had a bit of fat and made me think of the kind sometimes served with pigs' trotters.
I took a bowl of brinjals, because I love this vegetable prepared any way and their texture goes well with rice porridge.
I had a bowl of soft, fluffy steamed egg, because it was uber familiar to me, plus one whole salted egg, because that seemed the thing to do, and of which I only fancied the yolk, leaving the white behind.
Then I got intrigued by the huge leaves of this one vegetable in the dish, and so I took a bit without knowing, nor caring what veggie it was. Let's just say I spent quite a bit of time feeling like a caterpillar, patiently chewing up the green leafy parts.
Then after that I got a bit of honeyed ribs- more for the sake of curiosity than me being hungry- and which I quite liked, even if it was prepared slightly different from the usual Chinese style. They were marinated with real honey.
It was a most heart-warming meal I had that evening, not one I'd soon forget, and it was made even better with the presence of local desserts and the offering of coffee and tea. We shared a plateful of red watermelon, a couple pieces of very sweet, very fun to eat colorful kueh kueh, and three bowls of tangyuan in ginger soup.
Oh, and the one who had two whole bowls of tangyuan, three balls per bowl, was me. :)