There's always something to look forward to when dining at Seafood Restaurants and indulging in a typical Chinese set meal. Be it the complete satisfaction from the whole repertoire or from the food itself, we are normally filled with a good munch of gastronomic proportions. Unlike other cuisines though, I'm still intrigued why dining in a Chinese Restaurant or in this case a Seafood Restaurant, equates to almost always having a whole set of meal. A la carte choice is hardly a second alternative. But come to think of it, that's maybe what a typical chinese dining experience is all about. Needless to say, just like any other set meals, the choice of food that will comprise of the set is key. One wrong choice might end up to satiation otherwise, ruin the entire dining experience. Fortunately, my first West Coast Seafood encounter proved to be a satisfying one.


It's an 8 course meal that started with appealing soup, mix seafood appetizers and the must try roasted pecking duck rolled in an egg wrap. Then on to the more filling dishes of crispy fried fish, cereal cray fish, stir-fried vegetables with mushrooms, a noodle dish and capped with a thick, oily, sweet yet pleasingly tasty dessert. Overall, this was one good set meal to remember.

Just for the name alone - Coco Exotic, I'm already intrigued what this popular cake of a local bakeshop has to offer. It was recommended by a colleague many times over. Then, finally my palate found its way to sample a nibble. Rich yet far from overwhelming, chocolatey, medium sweet with a playful texture in mouthfeel, this is how I will describe the exotic element of this cake. This heavenly goodie is made up of layers of chocolate chiffon, mousse, cookies with a wafer like crunch and ganache. It's finished with a few chocolate carvings and red berry on top. It's not supremely to die for dessert or sweets but it's sure is one delectable, luscious treat in its own right. The interplay of the overall taste of the cake with an enjoyable texture or bite made it no less one hot item in the glass shelf.

How does food usually entice you? Is it through the aroma, taste or overall appearance? The popular idiomatic expression explain it all right, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". But does this apply to food as well? It's true that people look at things at different angle. And when it comes to food, the differences likewise, won't matter. As we normally coin it "to each his own". The featured dish in this post talks about that. It's so rich in color and appeal that it actually exudes an element of freshness, varying textures and a myriad of taste. Beyond it's vibrant beauty, it has the perfect melding of sweet and savoury. The marriage of the caramelized - wok notes of spices with the inherent sweetness of the vegetables and nuts, brings a harmonious sensory union. What's more, the interplay of the different textures from the medium-softness of the eggs to the crispy-crunch of cashew nuts is another enjoyable tang. Add to that, since it's a vegetable dish, it's healthy too. Thus far, don't you think this is a dish that's a sure bliss to the palate?

What you need:
2 tbsp butter, 1 small chayote (cut into cubes), 1 med size carrots (cut into cubes), 1 tetra pack whole corn kernels (drained), 5 cloves garlic (chopped), 1 med size onion (julienned), 1 cup toasted or baked cashew nuts, 1 small tray (15 pcs) quail eggs (hard boiled), salt & pepper to taste, 2 tsp corn flour dissolve in 1 1/2 cups of water

How to make:
Melt butter in a wok. Saute onion and garlic until fragrant. Add in chayote and carrots, stir-fry until tender. Add in corn kernels and corn flour mixture. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Add in hard boiled quail eggs and cashew nuts. Mix well for 1 minute. Serve.

The first half of year 2010 has been very good to me. I've been blessed with wonderful opportunities and new experiences. There were just too many to be thankful for. Among the significant ones was the wonderful recognition by the Singapore Blog Awards 2010. To be included in the list of the 10 finests in the Best Food Blog category is already a price to behold. I was elated, honored and humbled all at the same time. Tomorrow is the long awaited awards night. Whoever will grab the prices and the winning trophy, my heartfelt congratulations is sent in advance. Personally, winning is beyond my expectation now. No matter what, I think I've already walked away with a good many recollections. Now and again, I will take on my blogging journey the bits and pieces I've earned out of this acknowledgment. I am encouraged more than ever to do better if not best, to dream big and share more. Thank you to everyone who supported Our Taste of Life, from here and beyond.

I've been invited to Media Conferences / Food Events / Product Launches a number of times. But for some reasons, I always decline. Until the invite to the Singapore Food Festival 2010 came, I finally yielded. For one, although I've been running a food blog for 3 years now, I still hardly consider myself part of the media. But this particular event caught my interest completely. I simply cannot resist. Singapore holds this annual food festival since 1994. By doing so, indeed, the country lives up to what it is known for, being a steaming pot of gastronomic experiences. And on July 16 to 25, we will all continue to explore, taste and celebrate. This year's theme focuses on "heritage, authenticity, time honored dishes and familial recipes". Rightfully so, the festival will parade the treasures of Singapore Chinese Dialect Foods namely Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese, Hokkien and TeoChew.

I was more than honored to be introduced to these five distinguished cuisines that shaped the eclectic food fare of Singapore to what it is today, by no less than the culinary "guru" of the country, Makansutra himself Mr. K. F. Seetoh. He walked me through the different food booths and generously shared the cultural significance of these Chinese Dialect Cuisines to the food culture of Singapore. Now and again, I was reminded that "every food does tell a story". Must I emphasize too that it's genuinely good and worthwhile one.