scraps to scrumptious

Orange peel art :) Who says you can’t play with your...

blueasnight — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 17:56:00 -0500

Orange peel art :)

Who says you can’t play with your food?

Barley Risotto with Brussel Sprouts, Goat Cheese, and Basil

blueasnight — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 04:14:00 -0400

A rainy Sunday morning found me wandering around in circles at Whole Foods Market, where I had come...

Glamorous Architecture Intern Lunch #1: Couscous Last week, one...

typjo — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:57:51 -0400

Glamorous Architecture Intern Lunch #1: Couscous

Last week, one of my coworkers told me that he eyed some delicious looking couscous in the communal fridge. And I told him with a proud grin, “Yes, that’s mine.”

If there’s one valuable lesson that I have learned in my first month in New York working as an architecture intern, it would be: “It’s tough to match beauty with budget. But with persistence and passion, you can make it happen!” This lesson can very much be applied to food. Budget-friendly food does not have to be ugly and unhealthy. In fact, it can be very much the opposite, and trendy! This year, it is my goal to come up with trendy-glamorous intern homemade and budget friendly lunches, so that every time your coworkers open the fridge to grab some milk for their coffee or their own premade store-bought lunches, they start drooling looking at YOUR wallet-happy, handmade lunch.

Inspired by my medical-business student sister, I wanted to make something that was both elegant enough for my office culture, healthy enough for my body, and CHEAP for my wallet. Couscous can be bought at the store for roughly $2-3. One box is about 3-5 servings, which translates to potentially three to five delicious, mouth-watering dinners or lunches. The best part of couscous? As my sister would say: seeing it “fluff like no other”. Watch little small grains burst into a bountiful meal!

Ingredients for your couscous:

Pesto

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mixed Greens

Tomato

Cucumber

Avocado

Spring Onions

Raisins

Little bit of salt

and/or Oven-heated chicken strips

I’m not going to state exactly how much of each ingredient, you should put in because everyone cooks to their own liking. Buy what ingredients you think would be best, but I would suggest creating textures: crunch (cucumbers) with juicy (tomatoes). When you prepare your lunch in your tupperware, don’t mix yet! Put the mixed greens down first, layer with some couscous, and finally put in the mixture of cut vegetables pesto, sprinkle with raisins and spring onions. Mix when you get to work (shake the capped tupperware or gently mix with forks and utensils). It will make you feel like a pro.

And there you have it! A glamorous, budget-friendly lunch fit for anyone, and especially for those in a trendy, elegant office like mine!

An Artichoke Pie Pies? Yeah, up in the Northeast, pies = pizza!...

typjo — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:52:42 -0400

The Pie

Some people just can't stand waiting...

View from the Highline

An Artichoke Pie

Pies? Yeah, up in the Northeast, pies = pizza! I thought about it, and in New York City, they SHOULD be called pies. They are so much more elaborate than your Papa Johns Works Pizza (yeah, suburbanites, there are better pizzas out there). They actually have toppings that you have seen in elegant salads, or gourmet entrees, but never on a pizza! Artichoke is one of the most fantastic toppings you can possibly get on a PIE, but what’s more impressive is the creamy and rich sauce topped with a seemingly overwhelming amount of cheese.

Trust me, it’s worth the calories because…

Just walk it off on the Highline. The Highline is absolutely beautiful on a nice summer day in NYC. My first full day in NYC, I wanted to see what the Highline was all about. I had talked about it with my friends, urging them to go when they visited NYC, and then constantly heard about it during my four year of architecture school BUT never went! It was the first landmark I wanted to experience, and I have to say, it is the best family location in the day, and the most romantic spot in the evening. The sheer flexibility of the Highline to accommodate all types of program during any part of the day, just shows how successful this project is. New Yorkers are tough on the arts and architecture, but they definitely love this one.

OH! I had to include a little snippet of what many of my friends feel like when they wait for me to take a picture…

Artichoke Basille’s Pizza

114 Tenth Avenue

New York, New York 10011

212.792.9200

A Taste of Argentina in Houston The Original Marini’s...

typjo — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 12:59:12 -0400

A Taste of Argentina in Houston

The Original Marini’s Empanada House

Everyone knows what empanadas are, folded bread with meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits, or sweets in the middle. Popular in Latin America, variants of empanadas exist in other countries: samosas in India, calzones in Italy, or meat pies in Ghana. Coming from a Chinese background, they reminded me of my mom’s very own Curry Chinese Pastries, which are absolutely delicious and easy to make, just using refrigerated pie crust dough and Japanese curry powder with vegetables and chicken. I remember glazing each one with egg yolk and using a fork to “seal the envelope”. So empanadas were not a huge surprise to me, but after hearing about my suitemates raving about this one place in Houston that takes roughly 30-40 minutes to drive there, I just had to see what the fuss was all about..

My three wishes came on a bright green plate: Las Pampas, the Humita, and the CHIO Surprise. Before I go on with the details of each empanada, something important needs to be discussed. If you ever pick up a fork and knife to “dissect” your empanadas, expect some dirty looks from your friends, other customers, and the owners. There is an adorable picture of a young chef showing you how to eat an empanada the proper way. Follow it, but be careful not to burn yourself! These empanadas are extremely hot. Restrain yourselves…

Las Pampas (savory): Ground beef, onions, spices, avocado, and Italian mozzarella cheese. The beef and onions, combined with the avocado wasn’t heavy. But the flavor was a little lost with the overwhelming amount of cheese.

La Humita (savory): Corn, cream sauce, onions, mozzarella, provolone cheese, and spices. A traditional empanada in Argentina, the Humita is the shining star on the menu. Although heavily pumped with cheese, this emapanada’s corn and cream sauce combination was incredibly tasteful and delighting.

Chio Surprise (sweet): Diced banana, Ghiradelli chocolate chips and dulce de leche. The rule stays true. Anything with the word “Surprise” in it, is a risk, but a risk worth taking. The ingredients sounded wonderful, but all together, it was too overwhelming. The amount of chocolate and dulce de leche flooded out of my empanada, and was a constant struggle to maintain. However, the warmth of the empanada with the chocolate was delightful. Advice: Keep a cup of water on hand.

Overall, I am impressed with this restaurant and can see it opening another branch by Rice. These affordable and large empanadas would easily satisfy the taste buds and busy schedules of college students.

The Original Marini’s Empanada House

Carillion Shopping Centre

10001 Westheimer Road

Houston, TX 77042

713.266.2729

SPECIAL FEATURE: Guest Blogger - Enstin Thanks for blogging...

typjo — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 10:41:17 -0400

SPECIAL FEATURE: Guest Blogger - Enstin

Thanks for blogging Enstin for S2S! I miss Houston so much already!

Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe

This cute little crepe shop just opened in the Village in May 2012, taking over the narrow space that Patu used to occupy. Patu had been my favorite Thai place in the Village and I was sad to see it go, but I had hope for Sweet Paris to be the new go-to crepe place since Coco’s Crepes in midtown was a bit too far for satisfying crepe cravings.

Sweet Paris Creperie & Café clearly put a lot of thought into its ambiance, transforming Patu’s kitchy, hole-in-the wall feel to something completely different. Stepping into this pristine café is like stepping into a whimsical Paris, with sparkling glass chandeliers and plush seating. White brick walls and sky blue walls bring an airy feel and vintage-style photographs of classic Parisian scenes add to the experience.

The “experience” I am talking about here is the crepe eating! Savory and sweet crepes are both offered, and there are several enticing options to choose from. With the exception of the classic Nutella and fruit combination, all the other crepes are intriguing (or am I just a crepe novice?). Some of the interesting dinner selections include Nordic (smoked salmon, fresh dill, sour cream, capers, scallions, and lemon) and turkey, grapes, and brie. For dessert, there are DDL (Argentine Dulce de Leche) crepes and Very Berry crème brulee, among others. The first decision to make is whether to get a savory crepe, a dessert crepe, or both!

I finally decided on a dessert crepe, the DDL with strawberries and bananas, and my friends tried the Chicken Carbonera, Nutella with strawberries, and Sugar & Spice. Sweet Paris was generous with their crepe sizes, and I probably would not have been able to eat both dinner and dessert. The presentation of each variety was distinct and delightful. The dessert crepes we chose tasted as expected from their descriptions, delicious but not particularly exciting. There is nothing wrong with that either, since a tasty treat is always welcomed. Nutella is Nutella, no matter where you go. Chicken Carbonera was unusual as a crepe choice, but it definitely worked here. Flavorful and just the right texture.

Sweet Paris Creperie & Café lives up to its expectations of delivering a variety of freshly made crepes in an endearing atmosphere. The staff is exceptionally friendly and attentive, although this might be because it only recently opened. A highly anticipated addition to Rice Village, Sweet Paris joins the ranks of the other French establishments, contributing to what appears to be a golden era for French (or Americanized- French) cuisine here- we already have La Madeleine, Croissant Brioche, Café Rabelais, Le Peep, and Bistro des Amis! Sweet Paris should not have too much trouble with the competition though…there is always demand for a cute place for stopping after too much shopping.

Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe

2420 Rice Blvd.

Houston, TX 77005

713.360.6266

Enstin is a Houston-native and graduate from Rice University Class of 2011. She most recently traveled to Costa Rica, and blogged about her musings on her cute and intelligently written, Pigeons and Loquats. She will be traveling to China tomorrow and start medical school this summer.

Affogato al Caffè

blueasnight — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:26:45 -0400

Ever since learning what an affogato was a year ago in the McMurtry college class Coffee Culture,...

Tips from a Singaporean

typjo — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:27:53 -0400

Last summer, I had the pleasure meeting a Singaporean, Jessica Wee from my firm, and she wrote up a...

EATING NOLA Everyone knows what makes NOLA exciting: Bourbon...

typjo — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:40:00 -0500

shrimp and grits

surrey's

cafe du monde damage

somethin' else cafe shrimp burger

ignatius jambalaya

EATING NOLA

Everyone knows what makes NOLA exciting: Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras, and live jazz, but I had no idea that this past weekend with my suitemates was going to be more about EATING NOLA than SEEING NOLA! To my surprise, we got the best taste of NOLA by visiting the popular tourist eats, AND best of all, experiencing local favorites. Granted, I have been in the South for almost four years now, but Houston is so diverse that it lacks the unique identity like NOLA. (And for those who have never been to Houston, think about it this way: the dense ethnic neighborhoods of NYC exploded into sprawl.) The Southern comforts that I expected coming to Houston are actually hard to find… So you can imagine how exciting it was for me to experience “Southern comfort” in NOLA.

NOLAFOOD:

(1) Ground Shrimp Burger @ Somethin’ Else Cafe, French Quarter (620 Conti Street)

Favorite quote: “Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That-that’s about it.” - Bubba, Forrest Gump

OK. I am not going to lie. I love seafood so much more than red meats, so you can imagine how excited I was to try my first shrimp burger. I kept telling myself, “low expectations, high hopes”. No need here. Just bring a hardy appetite! I could really taste the texture of the shrimp. (You know the buoyancy of shrimp meat?) It was so tender and fresh. I actually felt like I was eating fresh shrimp, straight from the ocean. The outdoor setting in an alley was extremely pleasant with good company and a cute puppy begging its owner for a taste.

(2) Beignets and Coffee @ Cafe Du Monde, French Quarter (813 Decatur St)

It’s like waiting in line for the new Harry Potter book. You can immediately sit down and begin, or you can take it on the go to a quieter place to eat… I mean, read! Service is speedy if you are looking to sit down and enjoy the buzzing atmosphere. With three warm beignets per dish, these sweet treats are not as overwhelming as you think. Like dipping an oreo into milk, beignets and coffee go hand in hand. Before you know it, only sugar mountains exist on the dish. You feel like you are in Paris, chatting with friends and people-watching at the same time. Except, we are in America, so start those powder sugar fights!

CAUTION: black purses, black skinny jeans, black hair, black fleece, BEWARE!

(3) Tacos and Sangria @ The Rum House, Garden District (3128 Magazine St)

YES, my suitemate signed us up for a food marathon without telling us! Later at night after a scenic ride on the street car and walking through cute neighborhoods (drizzled in Mardi Gras beads), we arrived on the local and glamorous Magazine Street. Lined with adorable boutiques and uniquely named restaurants/cafes, we ran into the warm Rum House. Famous of their tacos and sangria, this was a perfect way to begin the evening festivities. Sangria herle is absolutely divine. It makes you want to go for seconds and thirds… but remember, pace yourself, it’s NOLA! There’s plenty to go around.

I easily get intrigued by simple organizational and decorative elements. The “taco-holders” are the perfect combination of function and design. The grooves make it easy to pick up a carefully crafted taco. I ordered the TWO DAT combo with my future lawyer (great idea especially on a food marathon). The Lamb Vindaloo Taco is extraordinary: red curried lamb, mint yogurt chutney, sliced plantains… You wonder which country you are actually in. Get the sides: coconut mango rice and fried plantains. You are in the Caribbean without actually being there!

Later that night, we found ourselves on Frenchmen Street at Meson. GREAT live music and different environments: hipster lounge area and a raging dance floor with brass musicians. GO GO GO!

(4) Shrimp and Grits @ Surrey’s Cafe and Juice Bar, Lower Garden District (1418 Magazine St)

Magazine Street is addicting. It’s fun and delicious, and absolutely great place to be for Sunday brunch. OJ is great, but extremely over priced. If you want gallons of OJ, just go to Florida and juice it yourself! But on to the actual food:

GRITS. First try and certainly a memorable one. Shanghainese people enjoy eating rice porridge with dry shredded pork, a 1000 year old egg, and some Chinese canned cucumber. This was like the Southern version of Shanghainese rice porridge….but BETTER. Again, the shrimp was absolutely scrumptious. Louisiana Gulf Shrimp is sauteed and drizzled with New Orleans BBQ sauce (which is not like the typical BBQ sauce), which is then garnished with green onions, French bread croutons and bacon. YES. This is a truly southern dish, and definitely a memorable one. A taste of elegance, simplicity, and comfort is in order!

(5) Jambalaya @ Ignatius Eatery, Uptown (4200 Magazine St)

Don’t smirk! We totally left Magazine street in the day! My brave future lawyer drove us to the lower ninth ward to see the Brangelina Make It Right NOLA houses, brief ride along the Fly, and got our share of daiquiris. (Funny story: Don’t trip and then ask a security guard at the zoo where to find daiquiris. “Honey, you don’t need a daiquiri!”) Anyways, back to FOOD.

A Louisiana Creole dish, Jambalaya can be found on the shelves at your local grocery store by the brand Zatarain… but when you come to New Orleans, you really ought to make it out to this adorably decorated eatery, IGNATIUS. (Please do not name your child this name. Cough cough, BFM. Iggy is a cute nickname but the real name ain’t so much.) The Jambalaya is nicely cooked without being too soggy or too dry. The sausage wasn’t overly zesty and the cute decorations were definitely too enjoyable. The bread in cut brown bags is definitely a fun and functional touch.

(6) Mojitos aka Jojito! @ The Columns Hotel, Uptown (3811 St. Charles Ave)

You know that Bacardi commercial when everyone starts to dance when the bartender grinds the mint? I totally wanted to dance after drinking the Column’s Mojito. (Too bad it was too classy of a place.) It was a tiny bit sweet, and incredibly delicious. Fun facts: There’s a wedding almost every weekend and almost always a film crew around. With only 25 rooms, it’s a real treat to come and enjoy an old Southern mansion without living in it.

Back in Htown, I wasn’t sad to be back or in a food coma. Instead, I thought about how much New Orleanites need to exercise…

Special shout out to the suities who made this trip so memorable and exciting, and to our future lawyer who made an EXCELLENT hostess!! So proud of you Juli!

Restaurant Review: LOCAL FOODS Located near Thai Space, this...

typjo — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:56:02 -0500

Duck Confit Panini

Restaurant Review: LOCAL FOODS

Located near Thai Space, this new, hip restaurant transforms the typical sandwich that we can easily make in servery into a gourmet, scrumptious experience. Taking ingredients from local farms, Local Foods crafts a sophisticated and casual menu for a variety of audiences, including typical students and of course, food enthusiasts. I typically don’t like duck, but I was curious as to what the Duck Confit Panini, Brie, Arugula, Cranberry Preserve ($11) with the Avocado Soup and Potato Crisps, would taste like. I decided to give it a try. I was extremely pleased with the presentation. Crisp bread with a variety of textures in between and a delicate soup on the side, the Duck Confit Panini was truly an amazing treat after a week of servery food. The cranberry jam with the duck was like having Thanksgiving in my mouth. It was nice balance between the savory and the sweet for a sophisticated palette. The Avocado Soup was also very beautiful but was slightly disappointing. It lost the punch by purely using avocado as a base. It tasted like an processed avocado without any exciting ingredients. My only complaint about the panini was the oiliness of the sandwich. I could see and feel oil dripping from the sandwich, which can be a little unappetizing for a health-conscious person. But for me, there was just some quick napkin action.

After trying my friends’ choices: Crunchy Chicken Sandwich with buttermilk ranch dressing ($10) and the Capered Tuna, Tomatoes, Crispy Onions, Hard-boiled Farm Egg ($10), I was really impressed with the presentation and the sophisticated taste of the sandwiches, but I was really unimpressed with the sides. They lacked pizazz and thoughtfulness.

In the end, I think Local Foods is precisely what Houston needs: a smart, casual and local restaurant with carefully designed sandwiches. Go there! It’s so close!

Local Foods

2424 Dunstan Road

Houston, Texas 77005

Beet Root Salad South Servery, Lunch/dinner, Level: easy, 3-5...

typjo — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:02:00 -0500

Beet Root Salad

South Servery, Lunch/dinner, Level: easy, 3-5 min

When it comes to the salad bar, variety is everything. South servery’s salad bar has lots of unique items not found at other serveries that are sure to make your salad extra special. Here is one example, by Bakerite Aline Lueckgen, that gets its hearty flavor from beets and other vegetables at South’s salad bar.

Ingredients: lettuce, broccoli spears, celery, shredded carrot, beet root slices, chickpeas, feta cheese, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette.

What a beautiful salad. Thank you Aline!

Two Cheese Strawberry Melt

blueasnight — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:11:23 -0400

West Servery, Lunch/Dinner, Level: medium, Time: 5-8 min You’ve probably had salads containing...

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast West Servery, Breakfast,...

blueasnight — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:04:49 -0400

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast

West Servery, Breakfast, Level: easy, Time: 3 min

I have to admit I rarely ever eat French toast from the serveries but I’ll probably get it more often now because of this recipe. It’s a great way to start your morning and does not take long at all. Cutting the banana is probably the most time-taking part, and if you’re eating outside like I was, fighting off those monstrous squirrels will take even more time. Here’s what to do:

Spread peanut butter onto french toast slices
Make it rain [granola]
Cut the banana and add the slices to your toast
Enjoy

This recipe could be tweaked to your liking if wanted to try other fruit or nuts instead of granola. Although I didn’t end up using the strawberries that are in one of the pictures, those would probably go well too.

Just Beyond the Hedges, Rice Village: OH MY GOD. OH MY GOGI!...

typjo — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:16:05 -0400

Chicken Kimchi Quesadillas

Bulgogi Kimchi Fries

Just Beyond the Hedges, Rice Village: OH MY GOD. OH MY GOGI!

Say you are a Korean who misses her kimchi and has an affinity for Mexican food…OH MY GOGI! We have a solution for you!

OhMyGogi is a Mexican-Korean fusion food truck with an eye-catching logo and some smiley cooks! With tacos, fries, quesadillas, and burgers, it’s no surprise this food truck is gaining popularity in Houston. I ordered the chicken kimchi quesadillas ($5), and the kimchi bulgogi fries ($6)…OMGI! It was so delicious. It was like being back in Singapore again, where food has an extra punch of excitement. Surprisingly, the kimchi and the cheese are married from the best of two worlds: the creaminess of the cheese and the crunchiness of the kimchi. It is a match made in heaven.

Breakdown

Chicken Kimchi Quesadillas: What really amazed me was the kimchi and cheese pressed in the middle of the tortilla, and the light house special sauce with salsa roja on top. It was so elegantly crafted and paired nicely with a small slice of lemon. The tiny bit of cilantro was just enough to make the quesadilla both filling and refreshing.

OMG! Kimchi Bulgogi Fries: I have never eaten fries with a fork before, but when you go to OhMyGogi, it’s a must. Slaughtered on top: four different kinds of cheeses, spicy house sauce, sriracha sauce, with onion and cilantro… this is stole the spotlight of the night. It’s a deceiving dish because it could easily be overlooked as an ordinary basket of fries with some ketchup and cheese, but it’s secretly packed with explosive flavor.

Overall, OMG! is a nice break from studying and a good way to excite your taste buds. If you think eating food at night makes you sleepy, OMG! is like drinking a Red Bull or getting a double-shot espresso drink. It creates a whole new level of late night snacking. You will just crave OhMyGogi.

Check out their twitter for information about when they are open here. And as a heads up, if you are going for the food and not just to satisfy your after beer munchies, go on a weekday, so you don’t fight with the long lines on Friday and Saturday nights.

Fiesta Sugar Snap Peas Baker Servery, Lunch, Level: Easy When...

blueasnight — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:36:00 -0400

Fiesta Sugar Snap Peas

Baker Servery, Lunch, Level: Easy

When servery vegetables seem too plain, mix them with other foods or dressings to make them more interesting! I decided to try this simple trick with sugar snap peas at Baker a few days ago, using ingredients from the panini station:

sugar snap peas
black eyed peas with finely chopped bell peppers and onions, which happened to be one of the ready made items
grated cheddar

30 seconds in the microwave is enough to melt the cheese, so this is a very quick and easy recipe. If black eyed peas aren’t available in your servery, try adding red beans, quinoa, or something else. I love the flavor of cooked bell peppers, and when mixed with cheese, it definitely adds a bit of tex-mex flavor to pretty much anything. Try this next time you’re faced with some boring vegetables!

Interdisciplinary Food Post: The Mushroom Tunnel

typjo — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:26:00 -0400

Interdisciplinary Food Post: The Mushroom Tunnel: I found this online, and I thought it was...

Beyond the Hedges: HUGE CHUNKS OF TOFU! Les Givral’s...

typjo — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:01:05 -0400

Tofu Pho

Tofu Vermicelli

Les Givral's

Beyond the Hedges: HUGE CHUNKS OF TOFU!

Les Givral’s Sandwich and Cafe, Midtown, McGowen Station

One of the best parts about coming back to Houston is V-town. YES, Vietnamese restaurants in Houston are extremely exciting opportunities to get away from servery food and add some spice into your life. When I was in Singapore, I really thought I would be able to grab a bowl of pho whenever I was in the mood, but strangely, Vietnamese is not as popular. (I guess when you are competing with Thai, Malay, Indian, Japanese, and Chinese, there are already too many options.) One of my favorite places to grab dinner from on Saturdays is at Les Givral’s Sandwich and Cafe in Midtown. I’ll admit their beef pho is not as great as Pho Saigon, just down one shopping complex, but their Tofu Pho (~$5) is absolutely fantastic!

With huge chunks of tofu, it is sure to make a tofu lover feel reunited with tofu from depressing breakup and happy to be back with V-town again. My fellow blogger, got the vermicelli because the pho uses beef broth, and it was like a nice salad with delicious fried tofu. The sauce is definitely key when eating this. Don’t ever forget it!

Pluses of Les Givral’s are that it is accessible by rail and the food is almost always cheap. Sandwiches are about $2.5/$3, with a variety of flavors. Get out there and get some Vietnamese cuisine into your system!

Yian’s Breakfast Panini North Servery, Breakfast/Brunch,...

typjo — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:00:06 -0400

veggie option

Yian’s Breakfast Panini

North Servery, Breakfast/Brunch, Level: EASY PEASY, TIME: 5-6 minutes

When West Servery is closed on Saturdays, McMurtrians and Duncanites need to make the trek to North Servery for breakfast/lunch. Don’t be disappointed with what they have there! One major highlight at North Servery is the panini press.

The wonderful thing about the panini press is the opportunity for creativity. We had Yian, a junior from McMurtry college, show us her scrumptious recipe, the Breakfast Panini, a nice twist from the usual deli meats and cheeses available in serveries. For any fan of breakfast food, you will love this.

Steps for an amazing breakfast

(1) Grab two pieces of whole wheat bread, and put one layer of scrambled eggs on one slice of bread. Make sure it is evenly spread out to ensure scrambled eggs in each bite.

(2) Put some tater tots and bacon on the side of your plate.

(3) Look for the hot sauce and pour a bit onto the scrambled eggs. Allow it to soak into the scrambled eggs. (You can omit this step if you are sensitive to spicy foods.)

(4) Using a spoon, carefully press down on each tater tot. Place them evenly on top of the scrambled eggs.

(5) Take the strips of bacon and place them on top of the taters. (If you don’t take bacon, you can look for chicken breast, which you can cut into strips and black them on top.)

(6) Panini pressing time! Spray oil on both sides of the press. (If the spray is missing, ask the chefs because you don’t want your bread to get stuck to the panini press!)

(7) Hold the panini press down for about 30 seconds, and then wait for about 2 minutes for the press to make its mark.

(8) Take out the panini carefully! Beware of the heat emanating from the press! You don’t want to burn your fingers before you eat this deliciousness!

*For vegetarians, using spinach, green peppers, cheese, and adding a bit of hot sauce is a nice option as well!

Happy Labor Day everyone and enjoy breakfast!

*Special thanks to Yian! I had a great time at brunch and can’t wait to do it again!

Weird Foods in Singapore! Try them!

typjo — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:39:00 -0400

Weird Foods in Singapore! Try them!:

Last Visit to a Hawker Centre Day 75, Old Airport Road Hawker...

typjo — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:00:06 -0400

Last Visit to a Hawker Centre

Day 75, Old Airport Road Hawker Centre, 2:35pm 14 August 2011

My last meal was rightfully at a hawker centre that I had never visited but read great reviews of: The Old Airport Road Hawker Centre. On my adventure to this widely acclaimed hawker centre was my very good friend and fellow foodie from Thailand. We started with a game plan: Find a seat. Split up to go order from the recommended hawker centres. BREAK!

We were both shocked to find that a number of the recommended hawker stands had closed their doors early because of “too good business.” But nothing to fear, there is always food! I came back with Lao Fu Zi’s Fried Kway Teow, which had a very entertaining wait. The chef wore lab glasses and happily bounced up and down while stir-frying the noodles on his wok. He looked like he enjoyed cooking. Why is it that almost all hawker stand women look so angry when the men look so happy?

My fellow foodie came back happily with a large plate of Katong Ah Soon Fried Oyster’s oyster omelette. Who knew that some of the hawker stand owners were Thai? Katong Ah Soon’s stand had a Thai cook who spoke to my friend in Thai, and popped a few more oysters onto our dish. Yay for friends who speak Thai and can mingle with Thai hawker stand owners!

Of the first two dishes, I was really impressed with the fried oyster omelette. It was a bit greasy, but it was hands down the best oyster omelette that I have ever had. The sauce really gave the dish an extra kick in your mouth because it was sour and sweet at the same time.

The kway teow was only ok. I thought the flavor was lost, despite the chef’s enthusiastic bopping. It was decent, but I couldn’t tell if this was my overall impression of kway teow because I had not liked it the last time I had a version of it at East Coast Lagoon. That may explain why.

I went scavenging for more food, and found the Singaporean equivalent to the Otak Otak that I had in Johor. This time, it wasn’t crafted in cute square banana leaves with toothpicks poking out from the middle. Instead, they were wrapped inside long pieces of banana leaves. The name of the dish is derived from the idea that the dish somewhat resembles brains being grey, soft and almost squishy. Ew! It is actually made of fish paste (or in this case, we ordered prawn and crab), with a mixture of chillies, garlic, shallots, turmeric, lemon grass, and coconut milk. Phew.

Overall, I thought that this hawker centre was pretty decent. I wasn’t completely blown away by the food, but I was impressed by the oyster omelette! Tip for lunch time hawker centre foodies: Go around 11:30 or noon to ensure that the stands are still stocked! Until next time, Singapore! :)

Old Airport Road Food Centre

19 Old Airport Road
Singapore 390019
Open Weekdays 6am-9:30pmSubway: Mountbatten