Hainanese Kopi-O A place to share, keep events and thoughts.

Best surprise in this trip

Hot off the printers!!! I have Singapore CityScoops 1st Edition which is indenspensible for preparing what to do, see, should-have in Singapore. Important info such as web link, contact number, location map, operating hours, days are detailed in both books. Interesting part is places mentioned were actually visited by the Singapore CityScoops team. No advertisting supports it publication.

Day 1: Holland Village & Shaw House

Provence bakery at Holland Village is our must visit on the first day. Its coffee, daily baked bread and pastries are unique and most of them are not available in other local bakery. Next door is a bead shop which is well stocked for serious beader where findings are plenty of choices. Price $$ Food 4/5 Ambience 1/5

The purple cabbage on a flower bouquet looks good to eat. Window shopped in Shaw House at Orchard Road for late evening and ended up at a pork fritter specialist Japanese restaurant, Ton Kichi. I have never been to a proper Tonkatsu restaurant – normally had Tonkatsu at food court. I was too hungry to walk to Takashimaya food court.

Ordered 2 sets – the food portion is much for 2 persons. Each set costs below S$20 before tax and can feed 2 persons. Tonkatsu portion is huge that is solid 1″ thick, drizzled with sauce and mustard, on the side – finely fresh cut cabbage with seaweed vinegar dressing – very japanese style. Udon is chewey, soaked in hot flavourful shoyu soup.

The other set difference is – cold noodle, instead of udon in soup. The jellyfish topping is delicious on its own as appetizer. Price $$ Food 4/5 Ambience 3/5

Day 2: Gone mad with Ton Kichi over dinner

Lunch’s iced lemon tea at food court was great to cool down brain heat. Lemon scent and sourness is balanced for cleansing the after taste of Thai food. Olive rice, creamy green curry, stir fried chicken in black pepper and another in sweet and spicy were not too hot, but the more were consumed, it all became fiery on the tongue.

We went mad about Ton Kichi and had dinner there. Kimchi salad is something you would like to indulge on your own. This time I ordered Udon in Tonjiru soup, basically have strips of pork in vegetable and pork soup.

Day 3: Cartier exhibition at Singapore National Museum

This is my personal main objective to visit Singapore. After the Cartier exhibition ends, the collection will be return to Geneva. The heaviest and biggest diamond necklace was owned by a Maharajah. Pieces shown on catalog and media are more impressive in real. The National Museum have just finished renovated. It is a nice and peaceful place for creative work and probably quiet moment of meditation. The building were redesigned and built to bring the outdoor into the building. Not much can be seen from the front but at the side and back of the building.  Pictures of the building can be seen here. Cartier exhibited some of the most memorable pieces that set record in the past. Went to Cartier shop at Takashimaya to find the Trinity de Cartier ring costs about S$1390. Cartier is said to be jewellery for lovers. I am thinking of asking my boyfriend if he loves me…

After a long walk and wandering around, lunch at Suntec was comforting. Steamed minced pork meat with salted fish; carp fish slices and lean pork double boil soup with both types of chinese almonds, chinese sweet date; Pork belly stewed with preserved mustard. All fulfilling after a hot long walk.

Spent next half day in CarreFour at Suntec. More french or CarreFour products here than Malaysia. We went to Plaza Singapura for dinner at Crystal Jade with Moon and discovered Daiso, a japanese S$2 item shop. Fantastic!!

Blanched fish skin, fried wanton, rice noodle, claypot beef brisket and claypot aubergine were delicious.