Nissin's Truffle Carbonara

Instant noodles are my thing.

They always have been.

What's funny is that I don't remember when it was that I really started to appreciate a (simple) bowl of noodles cooked five minutes on the stove. 

Maybe it was when I realized I could boil the noodles so soft over the stove that they became near like a pudding. 

Maybe it was when I realized I could put an egg inside the noodles and let it cook until the yolk became a golden orange ball of chewy texture. 

And maybe it was when new flavors began popping out on our supermarket shelves that were so affordable one could happily try. 

I've always had a penchant for new flavors that catch my eye. 

And the memory of those flavors on my palate stick with me most of the time.

I've not forgotten my first taste of shrimp flavored noodles from Myojo. 

Neither have I forgotten the taste of creamy tom yum from the Mama brand which I first ate whilst in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Then there're the Indonesian brands, the Japanese brands and the Korean brands. 

I don't remember exactly what all their brands are, except maybe Indomie (Indonesia), Nissin (Japan) and Nongshim (Korea). 

Between all the flavors that Nongshim- and the other Korean brands- have on our shelves, I like kalguksu potato noodles, and the ramyun with the shrimp soup that's got the cheeriest-looking color of orange and tastes more like a lobster bisque than of shrimp. 

Oddly enough I've never ventured to try any of the fiery ones, but I've had a cup cheese-flavored ramyun (something like that). 

I'm open to new flavors though. 

If I weren't, I wouldnt have discovered Nissin's Kyushu Black, Kyushu White, Shoyu, Tonkotsu and Hokkaido Miso ramen. 

Out of all these, Kyushu White, Hokkaido Miso and Tonkotsu I like the most.

Their creamy soup bases grant me a sense of warmth, making me feel as if I'm snuggling under the blanket on cold, rainy nights, or hugging my favorite soft toy tight. 

It isn't only for the instant variety that I like Tonkotsu or Miso though. 

I like them anyhow. 

Especially Tonkotsu, which soup base I will try to have whenever I opt for ramen at cafes, diners or restaurants. 

Once in a while, however, I decide to skip on my favorite flavors and go for brand new ones. 

Like the UFO Truffle Carbonara ramen which I got from DDD couple of months ago.

I'm glad I chose to try this one. 

It's addictive.

So much so that I've found myself searching for this UFO bowl at supermarkets and getting disappointed when I can't find one. 

To be honest, it's really hard to describe, but it's amazing what they've done with the seasonings, especially that of the truffle, which I think is very difficult to replicate, but is so good that it hits the nail on the head with its distinctive, delicious taste. 

What intrigued me even more, however, was how well it blended with the creamy, cheesy (?) taste of the carbonara. 

It didn't taste awkward, anything like that, and I could well imagine just how pasta with carbonara and a hint of (real) truffle would be. 

This was instant ramen, of course, and the sauce wasn't thick like carbonara sauce would be, but there was a hint of creaminess somewhere, and it made me feel like I were having spaghetti, even if I were sitting cross legged on the bed of a hotel room carefully trying not to spill any drops of soup onto the clean white linen sheets in front of me.

Hedgehog's Birthday

There was a lot of food that we had for Hedgehog's Birthday celebration this year. 

I don't know whether it was more than the previous years, but certainly it looked like there was a lot, and thankful I am for all of them too. 

We didn't eat all of them in one single day, of course. 

No, we're the type to spread it out over a week, or in this case, a month. 

Which of all these we had first, I now cannot remember, but it might have been Canton Paradise, because we were at Suntec City in the early part of the month and so decided it best to begin the celebration right there and then. 

Our dinner at Canton Paradise that evening included two baskets of xiao long baos, one bowl of dumpling soup, and a plate of deliciously fried noodles. 

It was all very good- the collagen-rich pork bone soup in particular- and this meal was made even more special when you consider that rice-loving birthday dude is not a huge fan of noodles and usually, unless asked, has them only about once a year. 

A couple of days later we were in Orchard, and so went to Aburi-En at Shaw Lido for a birthday lunch. 

I suppose one could say that it was a regular normal meal. 

Then again we don't always tend to eat this much in the afternoon.

Shall I say that the salmon sashimi don was good?

And that the wagyu (something)- I can't remember how it's done- was tender, not as raw as I thought it would be, and had the best crisp of a seaweed tempura served together with it. 

We've liked it so much that we've gone back there for the very same dish time and time again, and we anticipate it as much as we did the very first time. 

One of the most memorable meals we had during the course of the month was at Tanuki Raw. 

For this dinner we went to the one at JEWEL, which I was exceptionally glad for, because I have an unexplainable love for the airport. 

Coming here wasn't about the arrival halls nor the departure halls however. 

It was about the food. 

And- looking at the picture here now, a couple of months after- really, it's very difficult, no, almost impossible, to forget the chilled Prosecco wine we had, and the beautiful arrangement of cold, fresh salmon sashimi over an entire bowl of ice. 

Likewise, the steak, French onion soup and creamed spinach at Ginette will not let themselves be forgotten. 

Someone else might take a liking to the beef of the steak. 

Me, however, I liked the fat of the steak, the tender of the beef's chew, and the spoonfuls of creamed spinach which I generously helped myself to. 

It wasn't all Japanese, Chinese and steak that we had for this birthday. 

There was Turkish- in the form of soup (with potatoes!) and kebab (Alexander, was it)- at Donergy in Millennia Walk on one of the weekends too. 

This is one of our favorite places when it comes to Turkish cuisine, and we never hesitate to put it on the list whenever we want something solid, heartwarming, and comfortable to eat. 

You know, it's just occurred to me that for Hedgehog's birthday this year we ate a heck lot of fries. 

It can be considered an indulgence, I guess, what with the diet these days, and it feels like a lot because we had Mentaiko fries at Tanuki Raw one day, we had fries at Ginette another day, and if the other places had offered fries, we probably might have had them too. 

A birthday won't feel the same if you don't have anything sweet, and so I'm glad that this year we not only had cake (courtesy of people who visited #02-01 to measure the rooms), there was also a cup of Godiva iced chocolate no whip- which I hope Hedgehog liked. 

Ginette

We ate here before.

A long time ago.

How long ago offhand I don't remember now, but it might have been 2019- before Covid, definitely. 

We had come here to celebrate The Hedgehog's birthday back then.

We were here for the same purpose now. 

It's a blessing to be able to celebrate one's birthday year on year on year. Doesn't matter whether you do it by yourself or if someone does it with you, doesn't matter even whether it's big or small. Just so long as something's being done, something little even, by you and for you, especially- that's all you need.

I'm glad to be able to celebrate The Hedgehog's birthday once again at Ginnette though. 

(In light of everything that's been going on this year, actually I'm more than glad)

We might have our own preferences when it comes to food, but there're some things that speak to both of us, and there're some times that genuinely appeal to us. 

To be able to share a steak and a mountain of truffle fries together is a wonderful thing. 

Especially since Ginette does their steak particularly well. 

Over here the meat's as fresh as it can be- a mark of a skillfully grilled steak is when it doesn't come to you with its surface looking burnt, that the texture isn't as tough as nails or that it's drowned in your choice of sauce. 

I wouldn't say that the beef was tender- I don't think it was supposed to be- but I'd say that it wasn't hard to chew, nor tough, nor dry.

There was a bit of the burnt, charred charred taste at parts of the meat, those I didn't mind, and there was the fat, which portion I took. 

Perhaps the nice thing about their steak is their sauce, which, for tonight's dinner we chose to have Bernaise. 

Then of course there was the creamed spinach which is no small portion, and which is one of the best things about their meal. 

I know there're those amongst us who will think of creamed spinach as no big deal, but oy, this little bowl of soft, mushy vegetables swimming about in cream is certainly more delicious compared to steamed carrots or steamed broccoli.

Another dish we ordered this evening was the French Onion soup.

It's not exactly the one that we're (still) (secretly) missing- but it's good enough with its dark brown clear broth, its thick chunk of cheese on top, and nicely sliced onions almost one bowl full. 

I didn't take a lot of this one- only a bit of cheese.

Instead I spent more time nibbling away on the hot, crispy fries. 

It's not always that I call fries moreish, but those at Ginette here really were. 

Either I was in a restless state, thinking too much, worrying about stuff that I wish I didn't need to worry about... I don't know what it were, just something, but I kept reaching out for these little tubers of shoestring potatoes, and dipping them in the truffle mayo. 

I guess they were meant to aid conversation.

Except that we didn't need any.

We're comfortable enough on our own, with or without dessert, with or without these shoestrings, and we're happy enough to munch through a meal quietly, happily, whatever we and how at that moment we might be. 

(New) Pizza @ Collin's

A friend of mine told me that pizza was back again on Collin's regular menu, then asked me if- for old times' sakes- I wanted to go try. 

I didn't mind. 

So together we went. 

The Collin's of today may be known for a good number of offerings besides pizza- you'll find beef, pork, poultry, fish, salad and pasta- but pizza was in fact the very first dish that introduced me to Collin's when I went to their Balestier Shaw outlet years ago for the very first time. 

I've never forgotten the taste of blue cheese over mozzarella cheese over crispy, chewy pizza dough. 

I've never forgotten the price of $17 either.

Maybe that's why the pizza appealed particularly well to me. 

Because where else, I ask, can noobs (who aren't familiar with fermented foods and the like) have a taste of blue cheese over warm, chewy bread without breaking the bank, without receiving side eye?

I don't know.

I have yet to find a place that will offer me good blue cheese pizza without strong recommendations for a glass of wine.

Maybe that's why I was really glad when the pizza arrived at our table in Collin's at Great World City. 

Their standards haven't changed. 

Their prices remain more or less the same as well. 

This evening we decided we'd make our dinner a meal, so along with the pizza (which I now cannot remember what it was we ordered), there was a soup, and a drink.

To some, the soup might be nothing much to shout about, but creamy mushroom soup means something if you haven't had it for a long time. 

Same goes for the pizza- even if you cannot remember what it was you ordered. 

I think it might have been a Hawaiian. 

It might also have been something else. 

But I know there were chunks of juicy pineapple, there was a thick layer of melty, gooey cheese underneath, and best of all, a whole heap of carefully arranged, thinly sliced parma ham right on top.

It isn't every day that I get to have this much of parma ham with pizza.

And we took a special liking to it. 

No doubt they might have been cut thin, yes, but there was no substitute for the distinctive flavors, nor the textures that blended the meat together with the melted cheese, the pizza bread, and that fresh burst of pineapple juice all in one bite.

That wasn't all.

There were also some bits of (minced) meat, and my all-time pizza favorite- sliced black olives- scattered all over this delicious, affordable Italian-style dinner as well.

Hotel Fort Canning

Tell you a secret.

I'd never been very fond of Hotel Fort Canning

It's not that I didn't like the room nor the service nor the ambience. 

It's just that after a night's stay, I always wondered whether I'd gone around enough, done enough, rested enough, and more often that not, what exactly had I paid top dollar for.

It's not the ambience, of course. 

Hotel Fort Canning is a skillfully restored, beautifully refurbished property  that sits in a building once occupied by the British military. It's a place that's got a sense of old-world, gentlemanly, timeless vibe, which you get a sense of when you enter the lobby and see, right below your feet, as if in situ, a display of artefacts discovered from archaeological findings done on Fort Canning Hill.

Come to think of it, timelessness is strong here. 

Whether it be the staircases, the balustrades, the lighting, the architecture, after a while, one begins to wonder what all these rooms were used for, whether they were individual offices, Officers' offices, mess rooms, barracks, or used for other purposes. 

Not just that, after a while further, one also begins to wonder if there beneath the basements of this building lies a passage to the once-operational Battle Bunker located nine stories underground. 

I would've loved to know the answer- if there was one. 

I didn't think too much about it this time.

It's been so long since I came to Hotel Fort Canning that I was more interested in the present, not so much of the past. 

So I spent more time at the lobby with the armchairs, tables and decor all artfully arranged without trying to figure out if the space was once a reception area, a large meeting room, or even the general clerks' office. 

It's a bit of pity how I didn't get a chance to sit on any of those comfortable chairs this time round. 

I wanted to- I know it- but somehow the opportunity didn't come.

Instead I spent a great deal of time curled up on the bright orange armchair in the balcony of my room, looking out the huge window to the canopies of lovely trees outside.

And I discovered that I never knew just how tired I was until I came to a place that told me just how tired I was. 

Maybe that's what top dollar at Fort Canning was meant for.

One of the loveliest things about this hotel is the room. 

It is the kind of room that you can daze in, snooze in, read in, and flatten out like a pancake in. 

There's no need to worry that your bed will not be comfortable, or that there won't be enough space to lay out your things. 

It's big enough a room, complete with wardrobe, side tables, big TV and all. 

Under the TV is a long shelf, two levels, where you can put out as many skincare bottles as you want. 

Or you can, like me, put the keycard and the portable diffuser at one end of the shelf, and leave the rest of the space for all the smaller stuff in the pockets.

Next to the TV is the fridge, hot water kettle, coffee machine and counter. Again it's pretty large- you can put out as many pretty cups or plates on the counter as you want, and you can put out the supplement jars, the bag of chips, and the coffee sticks that you brought along. 

I had a particular love for the bed. 

As expected of a top-dollar hotel, the mattress was firm, it had smooth linen, fluffy pillows and two little poufs that reminded me of charcoal black xiao long bao. 

I don't really know what the xiao long baos are meant for, though. 

Maybe they're meant for you to rest your elbows on.

Or they become a sort of huggable when you're at the desk or armchair. 

I wish I had an opportunity to use the desk this time, but no, there wasn't. 

A good amount of time I spent outside, and whenever I was inside, for some reason, I headed straight to the chair. 

Maybe I needed to feel more comfortable compared to the formality of the desk and the desk chair. 

But should there come a time when I need a desk, I'll be glad to work my laptop on it, I'll be glad to write in a journal on it, and I'll be more than happy to wear my makeup whilst seated by it. 

We went out for lunch as soon as we arrived.

Not quite sure where we ought to go, we decided on the nearest mall close by: Plaza Singapura, which, by the way we got to by going down the flight of steps at the back of the hotel, down another flight of steps at Fort Canning, across Fort Canning road to the current UBS Building, into the airy open air building, down an escalator (which I'd totally forgotten was there) in the building, and across Penang Road. 

At the mall we decided it wise to have chicken rice at Go-Ang Pratunam, which we both liked, but which hadn't had for quite some time. 

After that down it was to the supermarket to see if we wanted extra ingredients to make for early dinner. 

This dinner deserves special mention.

It might look like we were trying to save money by cooking inside the room, but really, it was a good amount of fun- and cooking on the balcony (however indoor) was something I always wanted to do. 

We decided to stick with what we already had. 

Two skewers- one of lamb, one of beef, some pieces of chicken, and an already-thawed filet of frozen salmon. 

It was good enough.

We were full, it was cheery, and best of all, it was clean. 

A clean meal is very important when you're doing a grill in an indoor place like this.

It saves a lot of on the washing and cleaning up, trust me, and you don't have to worry that there'll be odd smells permeating through the space, or worse still, let off so much smoke that it activates the alarm sensor. 

What I liked about this meal was its color and its cleanliness, so much so that it didn't affect the bathroom one bit at all. 

I wouldn't like to fill such a neat, elegant-looking bathroom with the post-meal smells of food. 

I mean, how would you be able to have a relaxing hot tub soak with the smell of barbecued meat lingering in the air? 

One would need a big candle or an even bigger diffuser, wouldn't it not? 

I'm not one for soaks, however. 

Unless I really, really want it, most of the time I don't have the patience, and this time I didn't have the patience either. 

But I liked the space. 

I also liked the rain shower, and all the toiletries in the solid-looking box they offered. 

There was more than we did the day after.

I wanted to walk Fort Canning Hill.

So we did. 

Right after a bite of lunch at Soi 47 in Orchard Central further down the road, where, in anticipation of a lot of walking, we decided to order more in way of carbs.

One of the dishes we got was the Moo Ping. 

Then we decided on a clear tom yum soup, a green curry chicken, and a plate of fried kuay teow beef, which I absolutely loved, and which I hope to have every time I am there.

All this great food energized me so much that I was glad for the circumference walk around Fort Canning Hill afterward.

We began from the front of the hotel, going up a short flight of stairs before turning right along the path. I had no idea where I was going- I simply followed the route- but there was the Fort, there were the Married Quarters, there was the entrance of the hilltop reservoir, and then there was the area with the shrine and the gun replicas from which I got a most vantage city view. 

We didn't do much after that, though. 

There was a conversation I had to prepare mentally and emotionally for, and I couldn't bring myself to do anything else.

Thankfully in the evening Someone- who had gone out for a walk- brought back from Mcdonalds a lovely Hershey's chocolate ice cream sundae and a crispy Hershey's chocolate pie. 

It was a gesture greatly appreciated, because this Someone knows precisely just how much the conversation drains me and hurts me but so little there is I can do about it. 

It's been these little things that have helped me be here- I won't lie.

Of course, immersing myself in the scenery outside the window helped a great deal too. 

I wanted to go out for another walk- in the dark- amidst the park's lights- but got lazy after my ice cream and decided to go sleep. 

But I didn't want to miss out taking picture of the pool.

So out I went early the next morning- the day we were checking out- wandered down the corridor till the end where I found two gorgeous, scenic swimming pools- a play pool, a training pool- surrounded by deck chairs and a nice landscape of coconut trees. 

Will I see Hotel Fort Canning in the same light as I once did, again?

No.

Because now I've come to understand what it's real purpose is, and was for. 

It's not just a hotel. 

It's not even just a 'home away from home', as Hospitality often says. 

She's a retreat. 

And if you're in a time anything like how I've been this year- at that time, even- you'll appreciate her, and you'll want to spend top dollar at her.