10 TAKE MY MONEY Cafes and Restaurants 2015

I'm the kind of guy who eats to live but once in awhile you've got to indulge, and sometimes sharing a good meal is the best thing to do with people you love.

After a year of eating out so much cos I've moved out, I've spent more than I dare to admit, and gone to more places than I care to mention. Some dining spots were pretty but served crappy food, which was sad. Then there were others that made me go - TAKE MY MONEY!

I'm not some major food critic but here are my taste bud biases for 2015:

ONE: 320 Below

11 Tanjong Katong Road, #01-K1 One KM, Singapore 437157

Ever since I interviewed Aillyn, Director of 320 Below for shiok.sg and got to try their amazing creations, I was hooked! The coconut ice cream and lava cake is epic. You can even request for a mash-up of their ice cream flavours, one of which is lychee earl grey. They prepare the puree in front of you, freeze it with nitrogen at -320 Fahrenheit, and voila, ice cream that's fresh, delicious and with real fruit! Pretty outstanding IMO.

TWO: Curious Palette

64 Prinsep Street, Singapore 188667

Opened by the brilliant Ryan who has more barista awards than I can mention, the good coffee is a given but it's the food and desserts that are quite brainspoil. I've dragged friends there for ice cream waffles after dinner around PS and it never disappoints. Love that it comes with poached pears and other fruit. I've got to go back to try the rest. Visually satisfying, gastronomically tantalising. Nom nom nom.

THREE: Ikoi Japanese Restaurant

401 Havelock Road #01-01, Hotel Miramir, Singapore 169631

Tucked away in Hotel Miramir, the place looks simple but the sashimi is the bomb. Who knew this place would serve up Jap food buffet like it does? Love it! And this boat - just ordered tonnes of sashimi so I could see it plated like this. IM ON A BOAT

FOUR: Itacho Sushi

2 Ion Orchard, #03-20

From one Jap restaurant to the next, this is my go-to Jap food place forever. Relatively consistent, great selection and dishes that throw some surprises my way... I've pretty often, I guiltily admit. Love the sushi - put it in my mouth, take a moment, inhale and then go OMG!

FIVE: Legendary Hong Kong

63 Jurong West Central 3, #03-80 Provisional Unit Jurong Point 2 Shopping Centre, Singapore 648831

When it first opened, I was still working in the west so we went crazy when we had gatherings there. Haven't really explored many options for HK food in Singapore but Legendary Hong Kong really takes me back (to Hong Kong). Would love to hear from you if you have more recommendations but this, other than Tim Ho Wan, is at the top of my mind when I have a craving for bo luo bao and his friends.

SIX: Mad About Sucre

27 Teo Hong Rd, Singapore 088334

It's not just on the list cos the BFF works there now. Mad About Sucre delivers! Prettiest cakes I've ever seen and their servers come up to tell you a bit more about the story behind the desserts on your plate. Quite an experience. If you're feeling fancy, you could even have one of their customised teas (blends they came up with themselves and you can't get anywhere else) paired with your dessert. Rumour has it that a lady who used to get her stuff from Grand Hyatt came here instead for her Christmas Party and spent... well, probably my monthly pay check!

SEVEN: Muchachos

22 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089129

Went once before it closed for renovations and then a couple of times more after that. Loving the bad-ass skull outside and the slightly greasy Mexican food they serve. Instantly memorable, huge portions and now with a roomier seating area (but enclosed and everyone's voice echoes like crazy), this is where I want to be when I need to sink my teeth into a burrito or tortilla. Gah. This is making my stomach rumble right now.

EIGHT: The Populus Coffee & Food Co.

146 Neil Road, Singapore 088875

Yes, yes and yes. This is what happens when you combine the sensibilities of what makes a good cafe and put it into a modern, edgy outfit - you get Populus. New kid on the block and it clearly knows what I want. Gorgeous, insta-worthy food that's prepared with a twist. Loved the stuff I had there. Refreshing compared to most cafes I've been, and although I seem to remember it being slightly pricier than most places, it really got me saying - TAKE MY MONEH!

NINE: Ronin Cafe

17 Hong Kong Street, Singapore 059660

It's like the best well-kept secret. There isn't even any sign of it at the door! The green tea latte was awesome and food was genius, combining sweet with meat... WOW. It's not a place for instagram - it's dark, it's chill, low-key, a place for you to find seek solace, solitude, a place away from the outside world.

TEN: Sunday Folks

44 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-52 Chip Bee Gardens, Singapore 278116

There's a pattern here - I have a bit of a weakness for ice cream waffles. Opened this year, I believe. There's a queue no matter the time of day and I only managed to get it when it was the very last order for this. On par with Creamier but cuter and for some reason, tastier. I need to go back.


I'm always on the hunt for places with reasonable prices. Leave a comment and let me know if you've got any recommendations, especially those serving wicked Jap food and sinful ice cream waffles!

5 Reasons to Run Downtown Singapore

Keith and I with SG50 graffiti at one of the underpasses

Surprised myself by taking up a tour of around Singapore, but not just any tour - a Running tour!

Keith, our guide for the one hour, 5km adventure, took us through Clarke Quay, Chinatown, Marina Bay, City Hall and more. The man had impressive stamina. We ran at a comfortable pace for conversation but surely, it must have been a challenge to spout history on the move, and perhaps even harder explaining places to fellow locals like ourselves!

Here are 5 Reasons why you should run around Downtown Singapore:

1. Rediscovering beauty of urban development

The Fullerton Hotel on the right, with a bridge that used to be raised to allow boats to pass under

I love parks, but there's only so many times I can run in Punggol! It was refreshing to pound the pavements of the CBD area with the (hot) office folks who have just finished work.

Our urban landscape is constantly changing too, so there's always something new to discover.

2. Learning and re-learning history

Another thing that got jogged was my memory. All that history of Singapore came to life, with an emphasis on our multicultural background and the lasting impact of WWII.

Doing the Raffles outside Victoria Theatre, which was used as a hospital during WWII

Sri Mariamman Temple, built in 1827, is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple

Civilian War Memorial, with four pillars representing the four races of Sg.

Had a solemn moment walking through the War Memorial when I was told that the remains of war victims were buried beneath it. Reminded me of a war monument in Sense 8, where the characters were reflecting on loss, terror and choices.

3. Touring with the tourists

Merlion Park, overlooking the bay area with a view of the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands

Singapore is packed with tourists in town on a weekday and nowhere is this more evident than the Merlion Park. It was crazy - every single person was trying to capture an Insta-worthy shot at the bay area, of the MBS and the Merlion. I did not expect that our local icons could rouse that kind of excitement in tourists!

Loved the feeling of being tourist for a day. I took a touristy pic there, and at the Jubilee Walk which is a new walkway linking the Esplanade to this area.

4. Getting your fitness on

It was a running tour after all and Keith is pretty serious about running! We went on without taking many breaks in between, stopping only to snap some photos so you've got to be really active to take on this tour. The upside to it is definitely working on your fitness when you're travelling, and covering as many places as possible in the short span time. You'd be surprised at how much more you can see when you speed things up a bit!

We worked up a pretty good appetite for delicious local fare as well, and with the hawkers at Chinatown nearby, we were not short of choices.

Also, my last last minute training before my 10km one at Standard Chartered Marathon this Sunday.

5. Taking postcard-worthy pictures

I think they speak for themselves:

Taking a pit stop to capture the magnificent, newly-opened National Gallery Singapore

Favourite pic of the day - sunset over Clarke Quay

We got the best of both worlds - a good work out and a tour about Singapore. The great part about it is you could get more running if you wanted. Prove that you are up to it, turn up the pace, and you could probably go a longer route and see more. If you wanted a more relaxing one, you could ask more questions, learn more history and stop to take more photos. It's pretty much up to you.

Thanks to Keith for bringing us around. He was youthful (probably a couple years younger than myself), energetic and raring to go. The muscles on his calves were testament to his passion for this tour, which sometimes requires him to do a morning session followed by an evening one. One thing I thought he could've done better was to tell us more in-depth history, but I'm probably just nitpicking! Kudos to him.

View this post as a photojournal without my crappy writing here.


This post is courtesy of the good people at BeMyGuest. It seems like a popular way of exploring the city. Keith sometimes does up to three of these a week. Interested? Check out the Historical 5km Run here. 

Island-Hopping through St John's Island, the fabled Lazarus Island, Seringat Island and Kusu Island

The beach on Lazarus Island - a wide C-shape bay and more sand than most beaches in Singapore.

St John's Island, the fabled Lazarus Island and Seringat Island

The three islands are connected - Lazarus to St John's, Seringat to Lazarus. All you have to do is find your way to St John's and you'd have access to all of them! 

St John's Island

The most well-known of the three, the island has holiday bungalows for rent and well-loved beaches of its own to boast.

Partner-in-crime Thamsy in red carrying a foldable chair and food, among other things.

A landmark that you can spot from the boat, hundred meters before reaching the island.

My cousin mentioned that she used to stay in this house during Sec School badminton camp. There was a row of such houses, which we didn't have time to explore, but looked old and worn, like they had a story to tell.

A lookout point on the causeway to Lazarus. Amazing.

Lazarus Island

As with many experiences that people try to sell you, this one is a tad hyped up.

There're nothing (save for one shelter) on this beach, except sand, sea and trees so you're completely immersed in nature, which I was a happy with, but could be a bad thing for some people. It's on you to bring all you need to make yourself comfortable - a huge beach hat, 1.5l of water and sunblock, in whichever combined amount you would prefer (and I recommend equal), a mat, and some snacks.

When we were there the sun was so hot that you'd want to be in the water or under shelter.

If it weren't that hot, it would have been way more relaxing. It's a decent stretch of beach with white, fine sand, a view of the sea not littered with countless cargo ships and very few people. We visited it during the school holidays so there's no doubt that if you visited it on a normal week day, you'd see almost no one.

If you got a boat.

Seringat Island

Not much has been written about Seringat Island. It's even quieter than Lazarus, which has stolen the limelight for having "the best beach in Singapore". I much prefer it actually! There's a nice path that leads you around the island and a couple of picnic shelters facing the sea thrown in for good measure.

Thamsy and I ended up spending most of our time there, looking at the residential estates of Sentosa Cove and enjoying the food that he prepared. The aspiring home cook is a life saver. We'd be living on chips if he didn't have pursuits like these.

Kusu Island

On the way back to the mainland, the ferry dropped us off at Kusu Island for an hour. You could probably cover its perimeter in twenty minutes. We climbed up to Datuk Kong, which appeared to be a place for prayer, and chilled out by the beach. It gives off a bit of East Coast type of vibe, but more zen. 

Kusu Island means "Turtle Island" and there were tales of how the turtle saved early sailors who reached its shores and the island's mystical healing powers. With more time it I would have liked to soak up the cultural heritage of the place.

Iconic Chinese temple in the background, and one of the many homages to turtles on the island.

Thamsy doing his best to be the last picture in Tyra's hands so he would not have to pack his bags and go home.

How to get there:

The ferry schedule as of June 2015.

1. 

Charter a yacht. Waiting for Thamsy to become a millionaire for this. Or more economically:

2.
Singapore Island Cruise will bring you to St John's Island and back for $18, stopping by Kusu Island for about an hour on the way back.

A typical weekday trip will see you leaving Marina South Pier (which you can get to via MRT to the station of the same name) at 10am and coming back to the mainland at 4.15pm. The weekends offer more timings, which you can check out here.

Resources:

Straits Times: Lazarus Island's laid-back charm
Expat Living Singapore: A step-by-step guide to finding Singapore's best beach

I failed Maths. I'm a Math Tutor.

At the end of Sec 2, my academic life was in a sorry state. I failed almost all my subjects with an average score of 46. My parents and I were called into the principal's office and informed that I was no longer allowed to continue my education in the institution.

I was in a state of disbelief and so, blocked out most of what happened. With less than a month to the new term, I, thankfully, got myself a place in Sembawang Secondary School.

So what went wrong? For one I had a tough time transitioning from Primary School, especially to the school that was then ranked the #2 co-ed school in the country. What was most disappointing for me though, was how I did for Maths. I had this mousey teacher who couldn't control our notorious class. He was short, with hair coming out of a mole on his chin, and a voice so soft that he resorted to speaking into a mic with a portable speaker clipped to his pants. I didn't understand anything that came out of his mouth and got so frustrated that I scribbled Maths Makes Me Mad and DDR arrows in the textbook so I could practice the moves under the table during class.

I ended up learning nothing from him and he made no attempt to help me escape my fate. While my smarter classmates graduated and others got retained, I slipped through the cracks.

So just as I was starting Sec 3, my parents hired a maths tutor. When she worked with me, things became surprisingly easy. It took me two months to learn what I was supposed to know in two years, and before long I was competent enough to follow what was going on in class. I became engaged during lessons, and my teacher was actually brilliant. She was sharp, precise and taught with such clarity that it would've been hard not to understand her. With their help, I ended off my O levels with an A1 for E Maths and A2 for A Maths.

My math teacher in NYJC, whom some said looked like Garfield, had a wicked sense of humour and a knack for shaming students who didn't put in effort, was a genius. With that, I sailed through to an A at A levels.

When I completed my NS, I was looking for a job before starting my tertiary education. On top of being a sales assistant at Sony and enjoying the thrill of selling big ticket items over the Christmas holiday, I started tutoring Math.

I had been someone who royally sucked at maths and helped me empathise with the kids, forcing me to explain complicated things in the simplest ways, channeling the great teachers I had. Then, if the kid was cooperative, slightly hardworking and just a bit clever, they would reach heights they never imagined. It was gratifying to change their mindsets from "trying to make it" to "the sky's the limit". That's why I didn't stop teaching through my years as an undergrad and my first job.

And now, I'm a Math Tutor.

Doing More on All Fronts

It's been 3 months since I left my nine-to-five job.

My initial plan was to stand in the sun and I've literally visited nature reserves, parks and reservoirs with the recent ones being Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the Green Corridor and the Peirce Reservoirs. I enjoy being outdoors and practising photography as well as the company of friends who were game enough to go on these trips with me.

Other than that, things have been going slower than expected. 

The three things that I really want to do this year are:

1. Teaching Tuition

2. Freelance Writing

3. Travelling 

I see these things as complementary to each other - gathering the resources and skills I need to do the things I enjoy to afford me this freedom to continue my current lifestyle. They are a prelude to something bigger, such as discovery walks, trekking trips and food-tasting overseas for an extended period of time.

To do that, I need more focus on doing the long-term, "achievement" oriented things, like getting more tuition students and writing jobs. I might have gotten a bit crazy with this new-found freedom, like a kid in a candy store. I've been valuing pleasure over achievement, doing the simple, easy stuff such as spending far too much time on social media, meeting friends and hitting the gym.

The only way I can get more done out of this year is by sharpening my focus and prioritising what I need to do over less important tasks.The tough part, of course, is discipline and time management. As it is, my schedule is packed and I'm running all over the place all the time, doing as much as I can, but I think I can still do more.

At this juncture I'm trying to string all the different themes of my life together, even when they seem to be pulling in different directions. I want to do more on all fronts - discover more places, walk more, write more, photograph more, teach more, meet more people, eat more food.

People say that being busy is a disease but I'm anxious not to take my time here for granted. I'll do more, achieve more, be more productive. Work harder, run faster, party crazier. Push more on all fronts. And perhaps that's what this time is for. I'm at the cusp of a lifestyle change. It will always been for the better, because I'm making a move and finding out what works and what doesn't.  

Getting closer to wildlife at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

When it comes to places for spotting wildlife, not many places in Singapore come close to Sungei Buloh. In fact, it's so popular with nature photographers that just before I visited, I came across this disheartening article on their actions stressing animals just to catch the perfect shot. As such, I resolved to stay on the path, not disturb any living things and leave good photos to chance.  

Part I - The Boardwalk

Enter the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre via Kranji Way to gain access to the new boardwalk which was opened to visitors late last year. The route through this area is full of lookouts, and you'd be able to see the Johor Straits, and the mud levels. 

I enjoyed this part tremendously because of the beautifully designed, vaguely conical lookouts which reminded me of both acorns and birds' nests. The structures blended perfectly with the surroundings and made for some interesting photos.  

This area was also particularly rich in wildlife, with familiar animals such as crabs, mudskippers, spiders, wild dogs, birds, monitor lizards and I've heard that you can even catch sight of a crocodile if you're lucky! We didn't, despite our best efforts, so we might have to go back there to give it another go. 

The red pincers gave it away.

A pretty shy mudskipper.

I spy a spider.

There were quite a few of these lookout points along the boardwalk.

The steps going up and down through the reserve made it a real "Jungle Gym".

The pretty shaky rope bridge was amusing to cross.

Part II - Mangrove

The reserve can be accessed by another entrance, with parking, via Neo Tiew Crescent.

The bridge that links the visitor centre to the reserve.

This part was significantly different. It was no longer a wooden boardwalk structure. Instead, we found ourselves walking on a dirt track that led us round the perimeter of the mangrove.

From one of the lookout towers. Spotted some white birds from here.

At this point we were probably a tad tired out from the noon sun and the initial exploration at the board walk. However before we left, one of  the inhabitants at this small pond with "deep water", came by to say bye.

Sungei Buloh is huge and if you really want to see it all, it would probably take 4-5 hours. Also, it is no Bishan-AMK park. There aren't any food places around, so you might want to bring along some snacks and drinks for the walk.

Resources:
NParks - https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/sungei-buloh-wetland-reserve 
Straits Times - Get closer to nature at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve