With the weather increasingly getting hotter and hotter in some parts of Asia (especially the Philippines and Singapore), I'm sure most of us would like to indulge into cold drinks and desserts to chill us a bit. In the Philippines, this is the perfect time for the most common and well loved sweet desserts or snacks - Halo-Halo. While I'm missing my favorite mix of this sweetened shaved ice and glazed fruits, I'm delighted to find an alternative here in Singapore.

Ice Kachang and Ice Cendol are among the popular choices for Singapore's own version. Ice Kachang has sweet corn and red mongo beans as major ingredients whereas Ice Cendol has green gelatin -noodle like strands, coconut milk and red mongo beans. Both are sweet and refreshing. But I still missed the richness of our Halo-Halo back home, especially that of Razon's or Kabigting's in Pampanga.

Together with some colleagues at work, we visited a Korean restaurant in Pasir Panjang for a quest to a good tasting Beef Galbisal. It's a grilled dish that's typically non-marinated and uses boneless meat. Thus, it's pure beef taste to be had. What always fascinates me about Korean dining is the literally numerous side dishes and appetizers being served. It seemed like the table is always not enough to hold everything all at the same time. This is the real definition of bounty!

There's nothing so special about Beef Galbisal in as far as the profile of the dish is concerned. It's pretty straightforward - beef meat. Needless to say, the quality of the beef meat is key for this grilled dish. I would still prefer the Beef Bulgogi though a hundred times over.

Kimchi Pancake is simply awesome! Hot and spicy, tasty and addicting just like the Kimchi soup. These are good choices for the lover of fiery foods.

Ginseng Chicken is a comforting dish to have. Light, creamy with a very subtle aftertaste of spices and herbs.

Pumpkin Soup - this is sooooo sweet. It can be regarded as a dessert rather than a soup appetizer.

Greens and lots and lots of greens! This is what is genuine of Korean Cuisine. It's such a healthy diet to take.
On the whole, what actually caught us from this Korean dining experience in Singapore is this.... We were just so amazed on the technology behind it.

Generally, this was a good first korean dining experience but certainly not the best yet. Food wise, I think there are still more in the menu to explore.

**Credits to Irene Chong for the photos and video

With a land property of 710.3 sq km and home to nearly 5 million people, Singapore is indeed one of the smallest nations in the world. But don't let its size deceive you because there are so much more to see and explore in this very diverse country. In fact, it could be for this reason that it is largely becoming a favorite tourist destination in Asia. After a good many travels to the lion city and then finally relocating, I must confess that I've started to appreciate the country even more. Now, I even have my personal list of the must visit places here. Some friends and relatives started asking me of this inquiry so I decided to come up with a reference that can be a traveler's guide as well. Herewith are my top picks worthy of a visit in the island city-state:

1. SENTOSA - this is the island that's truly a pride of Singapore. Visiting this place is a complete adventure to be had. Actually, a day is not enough to explore it completely. The choice of attractions will depend on the kind of adventure you like and the company you are with. Among the popular though are Underwaterworld, Songs of the Sea, Imbiah Look Out, Siloso and Palawan Beach and Butterfly Park. For the more daring ones, the Megazip Adventure Park awaits you.
2. RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA and 3. UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE - these are the newly opened and hottest attractions in town. The buzz has it that RWS is in close competition now to the popularity of the famous shopping district - Orchard Rd. For the casino afficionados and for the thrill seekers, these are the fitting choices. RWS claims to offer a multi-resort experience however, it's not yet 100% completed at the moment.

5. SINGAPORE ZOO - the zoological garden that is known to be the best yet in the whole world. Refer to previous post here for our own account of the experience. This is 2 thumbs up for me.


6. NIGHT SAFARI - a one of a kind experience that's how I would best describe visiting this place. This is definitely must try!

7. SINGAPORE FLYER - the best way to indulge into a panoramic view of the entire city. Refer to previous post here for more.

While I still couldn't get enough of the fun I had for hosting PPN last week, it's that time of the week again for it. This week's round up is being hosted by Ruth of Once Upon A Feast. I wonder what the pasta geniuses have brought at the table this time? As for me, I'm having something traditional, quick fix and in a way healthy. Among the first things that enticed me upon relocating to Singapore is the opulence of hotpot dishes. For a lot of reasons, it became a favorite dish at our new home. Primary to that, it's so easy to make and this is the kind of dish that actually gives you enough liberation in as far as cooking and ingredients to use are concerned. Also, it's a food for sharing ergo, great doses of laughters and stories can be thrown in while savoring it.

Making a hotpot can lead you to different options. You may have meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, herbs, spices all at the same time. The possibilities are literally endless. For this particular version, I used seafood and vegetables.

1 med sized onion - chopped

4 cloves garlic - chopped

1 1/2 tbsp julienne ginger

1 pc ikan bilis broth cubes

3 tbsps canola oil

250 g prawns

100 - 200 g scallops

squid balls (amount to your liking)

crabsticks (amount to your liking)

cabbage or any green leafy vegetables

1 small pack of enokitake mushrooms

chopped spring onion or coriander leaf for garnish

300 g udon noodles

4 - 5 cups of water

In a metal pot, saute onion, garlic and ginger in canola oil until fragrant. Add in ikan bilis broth cubes and allow to melt. Add water and let it boil. Add in all seafood ingredients, mushroom and noodles. Simmer for 2 -3 minutes. Add leafy vegetables and spring onion / coriander. Stir well and serve immediately.