Coffee & Desserts @ The Orange Thimble, Singapore

Like Malaysia, independent cafes are growing too in Singapore, mostly with also the rugged or old school concepts. I was lucky to have some time to try just one cafe - The Orange Thimble (love the name by the way) located at Tiong Bahru with my friends right after our Korean dinner (walking distance from Big Mama). 

The cafe has a mixture of concepts, a little artsy, old school yet not overly rugged, neat and cozy to hang-out at. The shop itself is very long and deep in so it's almost like there are rooms with different concepts in it.

Some unique decor found at the cafe. 

Clean and tidy too!

They serve coffee, good selection of hot food, sandwiches and cakes, as well as ice-cream and chocolate! 

Since we just had dinner, we ordered only desserts to go with our coffee.

My latte with a teddy latte art on it! How cute! $4.50.

Double Scoop Ice-Cream, $8.50, Iced Latte, $7.

Tiramisu, $8.

Hazelnut Daqouise, $6.50.

I was pretty happy with my latte which comes with a nice aroma and tasted quite smooth. Definitely one of the better coffees I've tasted recently. I'm guessing their desserts and ice-cream are all outsourced but I really love the Hazelnut Daqouise. But then again, I like almost everything that has hazelnut in it anyway! :p Ice-cream were quite yummy too but the Tiramisu is just so-so.

Coffee and desserts to end a wonderful catch-up night! :)

We sat there for about two hours chit-chatting and gossiping and the cafe gets busier even later in the night! I saw some people having their dinners there and the food look delicious too!

Gotta love these old buddies of mine who we still pretty much clicked after not seeing each other for so long! :)

With the three drinks and three desserts we had, the bill came up to $40.50, which is honestly pretty reasonable, once again, if we don't convert! In KL this could easily cost up to at least RM60 already! Sometimes I really think Singaporeans are freaking lucky... :S
Anyway, here's a nice place to have a cuppa while hanging out with your friends or family! :)

The Orange Thimble
56 Eng Hoon Street #01-68
Singapore 160056
Tel: 6223 8068

Comforting Korean Food @ Big Mama, Singapore

During my recent work trip to Singapore, I was really glad to be able to catch-up with some of my old friends there. Honestly speaking, most of my best friends are in Singapore and I sometimes feel a bit lonely in KL, that's for sure. 

Anyway it was Friday night and we all know it was going to be really tough to have a proper dinner at a proper restaurant in Singapore. If you are living in Singapore or travel there often, you should know there are always long queues everywhere just for food! It's becoming a bit crazy. So thank god for Mei Wei who pre-booked a table for us four as we dined at Big Mama.
Situated in a small corner shop, the restaurant, amid its humble interior design, offers a complete menu of Korean goodness. And trust me when I say they makes you feel at home because of the food and the good service. :)

The side dishes which I always enjoy at Korean restaurants.

Although the side dishes that came were much lesser than what we get in some of our Korean restaurants here in KL, they were all of very good quality. The anchovies, for instance was made salty and crispy instead of sweet and hard, more like what we Malaysians and Singaporeans are used to, and I really appreciate that a lot.

Suyuk (small), $25.

One of the staffs trying to teach us the right way to eat the Suyuk.

The Suyuk was more like a Korean version of Siew Yuk (roast pork), with these a bit lighter and thinner slices and comes with three condiments and some sauces to go with. The uncle (as pictured) was very nice teaching us how to eat them - with each piece of meat, you go with different condiments/sauces and they all tasted lovely! I mean, I've never tried this dish in KL so this is something really fresh and nice to have as a starter! 

Kimchi Soup, $14.

Korean Pancake, $15.

Dakgalbi (for 2 pax), $30.

And then, add in the rice! 

Fried Rice (for 2 pax), $6.

We also ordered a Kimchi Soup and the Haemul Buchu Jeon (Korean pancake). While I've tasted better Korean pancake, I really love the Kimchi Soup here because once again, I think they have modified the soup to become more locals-friendly. Unlike the usual Kimchi soup, this one has a more savoury taste and tasted more like a Minestrone Soup I just couldn't stop sipping the bowl of soup! Yumzzz...
One of their signatures is the Dakgalbi which is a hot pan with loads of chicken, vegetables, sweet potatoes, rice cakes and spicy sauce. We topped up another $6 for two portions of fried rice, which basically means as we were half way done with the dish, the server will come and add the rice and fry the rice with the leftover ingredients in the hot pan. Pretty interesting, isn't it? I really love the spicy sauce and the aroma they bring to the rice after being fried in the same hot pan. Such a comforting food is best for rainy days! :)

Me and my lovely old friends! :)

It was a great meal I must say and I must thank Mei Wei, the 'Food GPS in Singapore' for the recommendation! Unfortunately we could only stay there for 1 1/2 hours as the next slot was booked and the customers were already there so we had to leave (without even finishing our fried rice). Well, it seems like such time-limit dining has become a trend in places like Taiwan and Singapore and I wouldn't be surprise at all if one day I see such system in our restaurants/cafes here! :S
With a 10% service charge, the meal cost us $99, which is not bad at all a price if you don't convert it back to RM! What more is that you get some quality comfort Korean food with some nice service too! Definitely worth visiting! :)

Big Mama Korean Food
No. 2, Kim Tian Road,
Singapore 169244
Tel: 6270 7704
(Reservations are highly recommended)

13 Unforgettable Experiences During My Work Trips

It's been almost two months since I returned from Taiwan and about three weeks from Singapore for work purposes. Words can't explain how tiring these work trips were. A LOT of makan-ing and A LOT OF walking, like serious walking! It doesn't help too to fall sick before and during the Taiwan trip...

Anyway, I'm a bit lazy to do a serious entry on the trips, so let's do it the Buzzfeed way (again)!

14 Unforgettable Experiences During My Work Trips

*Drum roll please~~~*

In Taiwan
1) These Awesome Beverage Packaging

Shirlexia holding the Mandheling Coffee that looks more like a moisturiser bottle!

For a few seconds I thought they were beauty products!
... Because Taiwanese Boleh!!!

2) Went to Kaohsiung (for the first time) by Train

Pleasant and speedy ride. Peaceful city.

3) Tried the World Cup-Winning Bread at Wu Bao Chun.

It was great, mostly because there were rum in it. Non-Halal stuff FTW maybe???

4) Witnessed Taiwanese in Long Qs just for Breads

Because again, Taiwanse boleh and I tak boleh. Me ain't bread lover that's why!!! ==|||

5) The Amazingly Yummy Kidney Meal. Slurp x 100000000000000000

DROOLING~~~

So excited I went blur!!! 

A dish so common in Taiwan while we can only have them during confinement month. Sigh... 

(My colleague just asked me to get pregnant fast just so I can eat more kidney. Siao man, siao... But that really will be fun, one day!)

6) Found and Ate the Same Beef Noodle We Had During our Last Trip

It was walking distance from our hotel and we only found out second last night of us in Taipei. It was one of our favourite food we tried back then and it is still as awesome as it is!!! Want proof? I had food poisoning before the trip and fell sick in Taiwan because of the cold weather and couldn't finish most of my meals but this beef noodles to me was 'mou man tai' to finish!!! *BIG HUGE GRIM~*

7) Must Do #OOTDs 

Polka Dots knitted top from Forever 21.

Mint top from Forever 21, pants from Zara, shoes with lace details from Rocha John Rocha by Debenhams.

Over coat from H&M, blue dress from Dorothy Perkins, stockings with ribbons prints possibly from Forever 21 and shoe from Rocha John Rocha by Debenhams.

Just because I wear absolutely different stuff in Taiwan because it was super pretty cold!!!

8) Went to a Supermarket and Stock'em Taiwanese Products up! 

Cos we love them and they are cheaper in Taiwan???

In Singapore

9) Oriole Coffee

Freshly roasted and brew to suit my liking. LOL!

Tasted extra good because I got the cuppa for free just by dropping a business card at their booth at the FHA 2014! :p

10) This Church's 'Smart' Marketing

Walked past the church everyday to get back to the hotel and I must say Jesus truly, is very up-to-date and tried His best to relate to youngsters nowadays.

Amen???

11) The Famous Katong Laksa

The cockles, prawns and fish cakes tasted so different too! Thank god I've got relative like Ah Ku to bring me to some local awesomeness!!! 

12) The Old Friends Gathering

Selfie that needs two hands? Failed lo...

Never felt any tired chatting and gossiping with them! 

13) The Cousin Sisters' Selfiesssss

Did I give them my phone willingly or did they hijack my phone plus Instagram?
And those captions they used! Those tongue... So hot? WHEEEEERRRT?

Well that's all from me.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND YOU GUYS! :D