Japanese Food: Tamako

The day before yesterday, 16 December 2010, I went to Tamako for dinner.

I have to say that this is one of the best place for food. As the food is wonderful and the tea is just perfect. The atmosphere or ambience of the place is nice and cosy. It's a feeling of going to a japanese family place for food. I simply fall in love with the place.

But of course, food is still important. But please bear with me for awhile as I will like to show you the next picture, which is the interior photo of Tamako.


The interior is nice right... The cosy little eating place with wooden tables and chairs. And japanese writings and artworks framed on the wall. How could one not fall in love with the ambience, the environment.

And now finally the main highlight of the whole thing, the FOOD.I have told you that the food looks good. And trust me, it taste even heavenly.
The Chawamushi is pretty special. As in the taste. In Singapore, I had lots of Chawamushi. But for this, the smoothest and the taste is just perfect.

The green color bean-like thingy (I think is pea) taste nice... A little salty... But that should be how it is supposed to taste. Not forgetting to mention that there's a certain sweetest after u chew onto the peas.

This got to be my favourite. The mini prawns. You are supposed to dip on the mayonnaise and eat it without peeling the shell... The taste is finger-licking even better. I believe this dish is perfect with the companion of beer or sake.

Due to me feeling hungry, I didn't manage to take a picture of my cold soba. But I have to say it is super nice. A simple dish but an extraordinary beautiful taste. The sauce of the soba just blends in well with the cold soba. And the soba actually absorbs the sauce and when you bite on it, you can feel that the sweetest of the sauce is being squeeze out from the soba into your mouth.

I have to give compliment to the tea that they served. Instead of the normal green tea that we usually have. This is roasted green tea. The fragrant of the tea is so nice, and I really do not mind drinking that tea everyday.

Oh ya, they do have like yakult float that I did not get an chance to try. But I believe that it is worth trying.

So for this, I shall give Tamako a 4.25 out of 5 blurps. You should really go there and try out their food.

Tamako is located at 128 Casuarina Road, Singapore, 579516.

They have a facebook page as well: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tamako-Meal-Pte-Ltd/179030738913?v=wall

And thank you Siddy for bringing me to such a nice restaurant.

Home Team Academy: 14 Dec 10

This day marks the day of my brother, Kevin Sim's enlistment into the Singapore Police Force.

In Singapore, all well-bodied males at the age 18 will have to go through this from Boys to Men phase which is the National Service. They will be serving the nations in their respective vocations for 2 years.

National Service has been divided into many departments namely Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

My brother was being allocated to the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

Hence on Tuesday, he went to the training academy (which is named as Home Team Academy, HTA) at Choa Chu Kang.
And as part of the ceremony, my parents and I are considered as guests. So here I am to talk about the walking experience for the whole journey.

I waited for the whole family at Choa Chu Kang early in the morning like around 7am. And they are LATE... *angry*

And what's next, we quene at the bus interchange waiting for the shuttle service to bring us to the HTA. But it was such a long wait. The arrangement of the shuttle services is pretty bad. And the ushers are quite clueless on what they should be doing.

After almost 30 minutes of wait, we FINALLY got into a shuttle. Nice right? Wait for so long due to the limited number of shuttle buses that they provide.

Within 10 minutes, we reached the premises of HTA. It just looks like a condominium to me. Just that we all know that it's a ground for boys turning to men. (Doesn't that sounded wrong?)

Oh well, then we had to walked this long stretch of pathway in order for us to go to the auditorium. And my brother and us parted our ways as he was supposed to go to multi purpose hall instead of the auditorium.

Finally we got to sit down. My mom as usual likes to talk nonsense. And in fact we were supposed to be guided for a tour but that didn't happen. Instead, the ushers brought us to our seats and we were sitted down.

Every thing from this point of time is quite a disaster for me at least. Why?

The videos that they are looping were bad.

Firstly, I couldn't believe I was watching crimewatch scenes in that auditorium. That makes me wonder, will my brother be watching crime watch in his lectures?

And then, their corporate video and all the random videos are really bad. Bad quality, bad framing, bad voice-overs, bad music, bad concepts. Everything is such a turn-off.
Well, if they want, they could look for RAYOFLIGHT to assist them in their videos. We will gladly to assist them with our full support and definitely videos standards will be improved tremendously.

And then, there was like awkward silence in the auditorium and stuff like that.

I swear, the event management is really bad. The programmes that they had placed is also not captivating.

Finally the big boss came and gave his speech. And there's performances. All performances were bad. Martial arts, drills, music and dance.

I couldn't be bothered anymore.

And finally the enlistees are giving their oath. And the whole auditorium burst into laughter.
(That's rude and needs some crowd control.)

Finally lunch time. But we didn't go for our lunch immediately. Instead, we went to meet my brother and finally an officer is bringing us for a tour. *Hurray, but damn tiring due to the walkings again*

Everything is so not interesting. But there's one thing that I go "WHAT..." and that is enlistees can use the washing machines provided. My time in tekong, I still need to hand-wash my clothes and now these enlistees (including my brother) can use the washing machine.. *RAHHHHH*

Oh well, time has changed. And after the boring tour, we went to the cookhouse for our lunch.
So here's our lunch, and the serving is huge. (Are they serving for pigs or what?)

The food don't taste good at all. All the best to my picky brother.

And after the not very nice lunch, we were supposed to leave already. So we say goodbye to my brother, and off we go...My brother (Kevin) and my dad.

My brother(Kevin) and mom

And finally, Home Sweet Home and the moment I reached home, I go zzz...

Random Day on 13th Dec 2010

Oh well, I was woken up by my mum like around 10am. And she was like saying, lets go out for lunch.

Being me, I just agreed. And there goes my day.

So, after changing, we went to take a train down to Bugis.

And my brother and mum are like complaining that they are hungry.

So we went over to Crystal Jade La Mian and Xiao Long Bao for food.

So, here's a sneak peek on the food that we ordered.

Spinach, Drunkard chicken, and Xiao Long Bao.

Colourful dumplings

Spicy minced meat with cucumber, and some wrap thingy.

I am pretty sure that the above pictures look yummy. Sure it does, but to a certain extend.
The only dish that is my favourite is still the Xiao Long Bao.

Appetizer: Drunkard chicken.

This is just normal. I believe they uses Shao Xing Chinese Wine to cook this.
The taste of it is pretty interesting. As it is slightly salty. With a little fragrance of the chinese wine. And it is a cold dish.

But I was expecting it to have an aftertaste. But it doesn't. So that's the disappointing part.

Main Dishes: Spinach, Xiao Long Bao, Colorful dumplings and the Spicy meat wrap thingy.

Spinach: This one is like any other spinach stir-fried with garlic. But I personally find it too soggy. (Is that the right word to use?) So don't really like it.

Colorful dumplings: At first, I thought that this is interesting. As under the menu description, each color is of different ingredient in making the skin. But ended up, ALL TASTE THE SAME...

Xiao Long Bao: This is just my ♥♥♥. And I am serious. The juicy soup that you are supposed to suck it. And the tender meat in it, and the skin is just at the right thickness.

Spicy minced meat, cucumber and wrap: This is a wrap it yourself type of thing. The spicy minced meat is not spicy at all. ♥ the cucumber.

Overall, I think the food is normal. Not that fantastic.
Shall I give it a 3.5 out of 5 blurps.

(Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is located at basement one, #B1-04a of Bugis Junction.)

After our lunch at Bugis Junction. I finally know the agenda for coming out. And that is to buy stuff for my brother's enlistment. -.-'''

So I felt so cheated... As in cheated to go out... But still since I am already out, there's nothing much I could say as well.

So 1st stop after lunch, my brother will like to buy singlet.

So here we are at bugis street.

And this is what he got.And I was like -.-''' when he insisted in buying this, as this is expensive in Singapore.

But whatever, as not spending my money.

And the next stop that we all went to is the Kwan Im temple. I know that me and temple somehow doesn't link, so you should know that I am being forced to go in.

Oh well, to me, it is always interesting to look at the culture and religion of the individuals.
And my mum kept repeating that this temple is very divine. And alot of people always comes here as it will answer what you wish for. And the hong kong stars also frequent here as well.

So as usual, I just nod my head. As seriously, I am only interested in the building architecture, and the people's expression and somehow their emotions and thoughts while being there.

No photography allowed so no photos in respect to the authorities or management.

And along the streets I saw this interesting toy on the ground.


Doesn't it looks kind of cute?

Something just came into my mind, and that is how our soilders and being stabbed by the flag.
(Not going to say much as I still love this country.)

Then waited for Dad to come and drive us for an tour around Choa Chu Kang area.

And I found the place. Neo Tiew Village.
A place that I wanted to do some shoots.

Click here to view Neo Tiew Village.

The place looks really kind of eerie but perfect for shoots.
And we noticed that there's some offerings and candles that are still burning in one of the void decks.

Oh well, didn't manage to take photos as we drove past it only.

Then after all these driving, it's time for dinner. And we went to Petir Road.Oh ya, there's still 2 dishes that i didnt manage to take pictures of. (Yee Mee, Hor Fun and a yam basket.)

The food here is not nice at all.

The carrot cake is too salty. The Dim sum just doesn't taste right.
The Yee Mee and Hor Fun are a little bland. And the Yam basket is just as bad.

Damn sad when there's not much of a good food.

It's located at Petir Road, Blk 163, Choh Dee Place.
And I am only giving it a 1 out of 5 blurps.

After that, I went to meet Siddy at his place.

Waited for him to get ready before heading to NEX for a movie, Hello Stranger.

Read my review of Hello Stranger by clicking here.

After that, went to the Prata House for supper.
Yes... Supper. Seems that my life is currently all about FOOD.

I have been eating and eating. And what makes it worst is I don't exercise.
Had Maggi Goreng and Teh Tarik.

I am loving the Teh Tarik. It's just nice.

After supper, went to Hougang NTUC, and as expected, I didn't go home. I stayed over at Siddy's place.

So that describes my 13 December.