Malaysian Food Delights at PappaRich Plus (One KM)

[Sponsored Review]

To teach children about heritage, one way is to introduce them to the food. Recently the children visited Malaysia, however during our short stay of one day, we did not manage to bring them to try the authentic Malaysian street food. But we are thankful that we can still find great Malaysian food back in our home.

With a humble beginning in Malaysia, PappaRich, a restaurant chain, which aims to bring a truly Malaysian dining experience, is now expanding into the international market, including Singapore. PappaRich offers all-time favourite Malaysian street dishes like Nasi Lemak and Curry Laksa. To offer communal dining dishes that are perfect for sharing over the dining table, PappaRich Plus was launched at Plaza Singapura and One KM.

PappaRich Plus outlet at One KM is spacious and comfortable, it is suitable for gathering with family and friends.

After writing down our order on the order sheet, we pressed the bell and the waitress attended to us shortly. I like this idea, because my children would start shouting / screaming "excuse me" if no waiter attends to us after we have waved for 5 seconds.

The moment Pappa Hainan Steamed Bread with Butter and Kaya was served, it disappeared within a few seconds! The children loved the soft and fluffy bread so much that I could only steal a bite from them!

Pappa Hainan Steamed Bread with Butter and Kaya (S$3.90)

The key to success in a fried rice dish is the "wok hei", and this was observed in their Kampung Fried Rice. This Malay style fried rice may look ordinary, but once we had a bite, we could not stop!

Kampung Fried Rice (S$10.90)

Pei Pei had a craving for Nasi Lemak recently and no doubt her favourite dish of the day was Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken Drumstick. We love the crispiness of the skin and the succulent chicken meat.

Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken Drumstick (S$11.90)

Curry Fish Fillet brought us through an gastronomic adventure of spices - 22 different spices including kunyit, buah keras (candlenut) and biji halba (fenugreek seed) are used in the curry paste. It would be perfect to have a bowl of rice to go with this curry paste. We like the red snapper fillet for its freshness and sweetness. If you prefer fish head, you may choose to order their Curry Fish Head (S$34.90).

Curry Fish Fillet (S$23.90)

Ayam Masak Merah is a Malay dish with Hainanese influence. The chicken thigh meat is tender and the skin is crispy. A little sambal is added to enhance the dimension of the tomatoes and chili paste.

Ayam Masak Merah (S$12.90)

The red sambal sauce of Sambal Aubergine looked "fierce" at the first sight. However, a not-really-spicy-food-eater like me did not need to call an fire engine to come to my rescue as the sauce is of the sweeter variety. The texture is interesting, it has a crunchy outer layer, yet it is soft and juicy inside.

Sambal Aubergine (S$9.90) 

I could only find one piece of bone in the middle of Seasonal Catch with Superior Soy (Mackerel Fish). The other bones were fried until they were so crispy that we could swallow the bones together with the flesh. I love this dish as I don't need to pick out the bones for the children and for myself!

Seasonal Catch with Superior Soy (Mackerel Fish) (S$16.90)

Another dish suitable for the children is Brocoli with Shiitake Mushrooms. The mushrooms are big and juicy.

Brocoli with Shiitake Mushrooms (S$16.90)

The preparation of Iced  Black Gold Coffee is not as simple as I thought. The ground coffee powder from a mixture of Arabica beans is soaked overnight in ice, and as the ice slowly melts, it gradually draws out the coffee’s essence.

Iced  Black Gold Coffee (S$5.50)

My stomach was totally full after the feast, how I wish I could to have another serving of Red Bean Iced. Using homemade red bean paste, the beverage is smooth and is great for sweet tooth.

Red Bean Iced (S$4.50)

The soft stripes of cendol in Pappa Cendol, together with coconut milk, shaved ice and Gula Melaka from Malacca, is perfect to balance the sensation in our mouth after the hearty meal.

Pappa Cendol (S$3.90)

Thank you PappaRich for the Malaysian dining experience that is rich in flavour and tradition!


PappaRich 
Website: http://www.papparich.com.sg
PappaRich Outlets: The Star Vista, Parkway Parade, Suntec City Mall, Westgate
PappaRich Plus Outlets: Plaza Singapore, One KM

Disclaimer: We were invited to PappaRich Plus (One KM) for a food tasting session. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions, photos and taste buds are mine.

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Home Cooked Delight @ Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家)

[Media Invite]

When we met the Lady Boss of Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家), though we are not her nieces and nephews, we did not hestitate to call her "Gu Ma" (eldest aunt) as she is so warm and friendly! 

Gu Ma believes in strengthening family bonds through the joy of eating. Indeed, with a simple decor and many family photos on the wall, Gu Ma Jia gave us a homely feeling.

I heard that Gu Ma Jia's ingredients and seafood are selected form the wet market daily. I was really looking forward to the dinner.

Eight Treasure Vegetables (素八宝)

Eight Treasure Vegetables (素八宝, S$12 / S$18 / S$24) was one of the children's favourites. Why? The deep-fried lotus root and the yam basket are so crispy.

Crispy Bean-Jal (豆茄双脆)

While I was attending to Hao Hao, DaDi placed this on my plate. And I fell in love with one bite. So crunchy! When I asked him what it was, he said, "Brinjal." I was shocked. How could I fall in love with something I hated in the past?! Crispy Bean-Jal (豆茄双脆, S$12 / S$18) is really a pleasant surprise! I change my view towards brinjal from then!

Assam Fish Head (亚叁鱼头)

Gu Ma Jia's signature dish is Assam Fish Head (亚叁鱼头, S$28). Oh yes, some of you know that I do not eat spicy food. But I took up my courage to try some fish meat, and oh my! The meat is such a delicacy because of its freshness! Served on a hot plate, the colour makes this dish look super spicy. According DaDi, the chef food taster for this dish, he felt that the spiciness and sourness of the curry sauce are quite balanced, though he hoped that it could be more spicy to suit his fearless taste buds.

Sambal Sotong (叁峇苏东)

Another spicy dish - Sambal Sotong (叁峇苏东, S$16 / S$24 / S$30) which DaDi gave thumbs up for its spiciness!

Wait! Something is on fire!

Kyoto Pork Ribs (京都排骨)

Kyoto Pork Ribs (京都排骨, S$20) is served in aluminium foil to retain its juiciness. It is so meaty and sweet, no wonder the children kept asking for more!

Yuan Yang Kai Lan  (鸳鸯芥兰)

You may think that Kai Lan is nothing special. But Gu Ma Jia's Yuan Yang Kai Lan (鸳鸯芥兰, S$10 / S$15 / S$20) is very unique. The stems are blanched while the leaves are fried. I had never thought of Kai Lan can be cooked in such an interesting manner!

Claypot Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil (姜丝麻油鸡)

I simply could not stop drinking the gravy soup of Claypot Chicken with Ginger and Sesame Oil (姜丝麻油鸡, S$15 / 22 / 28). The chicken is so tender, and soup is very fragrant. 

Oyster Omelet (蚝蛋)

As a seafood lover, this is definitely one of my favourite dishes - Oyster Omelet (蚝蛋, S$8)! Look at the oysters! They are so big and succulent! Unlike some oyster omelet at some hawker stalls that is soggy and starchy, this egg is fried till crispy.

Crab Bee Hoon Soup (螃蟹米粉汤)

Excuse me while I find some tissue paper to wipe away my drool. Please meet my love (other than DaDi)! Crab! I was eyeing at the claw from Crab Bee Hoon Soup (螃蟹米粉汤, seasonal price). Thankfully, other diners from our table did not kill me as I took it. The crab is so fresh, the crab meat can be separated from the shell easily, every bite of it sends me to heaven. The soup is very tasty, the bee hoon absorbs the tasty soup and is very yummy too.

Fruity Enzyme with Rock Melon, Strawberries, Kiwi and Basil Seeds

After such a hearty meal, Gu Ma gave each of us a glass of Fruity Enzyme with Rock Melon, Strawberries, Kiwi and Basil Seeds (S$3.80).

Fruit Jelly Enzyme with Longan and Wolfberries 

A great meal must be completed with great dessert. Fruit Jelly Enzyme with Longan and Wolfberries (S$5.80) was simply yummy!

Do you know the benefits of fruit enzymes? They are said to improve immune system and digestive system, lower cholesterol level, reduce weight and so on. 

Thank you Gu Ma for the delicious home cooked dinner! It was such a great pleasure to dine with our blogger mummy friends and their families. 

Oh, one good news! Gu Ma Jia does not charge GST and service charge! Gu Ma Jia also offers buffet catering service and bento delivery.

Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家)

Address: 45 Tai Thong Crescent, Sennett Estate, Singapore 347866
Telephone: 62852023
Website: http://www.gumajia.com.sg
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sg.gumajia
Opening hours: Daily 11 am to 3 pm (last order 2.30 pm), 5.30 pm to 10 pm
How to get there:
Bus 8, 61, 64, 65, 66, 90, 125, 147, 153, 154, 628 and alight in front of POSB, MacPherson Road
MRT Northeast line, alight at Potong Pasir and walk about 8 to 10 minutes

Parallel parking lots available nearby (It took us a while to find a parking lot on a weekday evening)

Disclaimer: We were invited  by AT Marketing Consultancy to food tasting at Gu Ma Jia. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions, photos, taste buds are mine. 

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Blurgers? Burgers? Two Blur Guys @ Boat Quay

[Sponsored Review]

Blurgers?

I was sure I was not blur when I saw the menu.

Two Blur Guys, opened by two not-blur guys, is a New York concept cafe that offers range of signature blurgers, oh I mean, burgers.

The first outlet of Two Blur Guys is located at Orchid Hotel in Tanjong Pagar area. We were glad to be invited to visit their new Boat Quay outlet.

There were some stars on the menu. No no no, I was not blur again. Those are the popular burgers. We ordered two stars - Prime Beef and Portobello Burger (S$21++) and Pulled Pork Burger (S$15++)

I fell in love with Prime Beef and Portobello Burger. The succulent beef patty, together with the juicy balsamic mushroom, make the burger a gastronomic delight. I cut the burger into halves to share with DaDi. Suddenly a selfish thought flashed across my mind -  to declare that the burger was mine! But I finally gave up this thought. Good thing must share, right?

Pulled Pork Burger, unlike the usual American style burgers, has a special Asian flavour. The shredded pork is well-marinated and tender. The creaminess of the Gruyere Cheese is well balanced by the honey mustard sauce. Oops, where is my tissue paper?

Other than these two burgers, there are also Smoked Salmon, Grilled Chicken, Duck Rillette and Grilled Portobello burgers.

Lemoncurd Tart (S$5++) would be suitable to those of you who enjoy tangy sensation. I found myself wide awake after one bite!

It was not very crowded during lunch time, the chef shared with us that the crowd would appear in the evening to enjoy the burgers, drinks and the companions to watch soccer match together. So to parents with young children, I would advise you to visit this outlet during lunch time.

Two Blur Guys

Address: 64 Boat Quay Singapore 049852 | Orchid Hotel #01-13, 1 Tras Link Singapore 078867

Website: http://www.streetdirectory.com/twoblurguys/

(Note: the price at Boat Quat outlet is slightly higher than what is reflected in their website)

Disclaimer: We were invited to a complimentary food tasting session. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions, photos and taste buds are mine.

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The King Louis Grill & Bar Christmas Festive Banquet at Home

[Sponsored Review + Giveaway]

My Christmas wish is to have a hearty meal with my family - my parents, siblings, hubby and children. But in terms of logistic, it is challenging to bring the whole village family out to dine at a restaurant.  Preparing a meal for the whole family is even more challenging for me! 

The kind folks from The King Louis Grill & Bar granted my wish - they sent their Festive Dining Take Home Set right at my doorsteps!

The packaging looked really like a Christmas present!

Let's unwrap the present!

The Festive Dining Take Home Set comprises of:

• Turkey Ham Garden Salad
• Banana Bacon Bites
• The Castle BBQ Wings
• Roasted Beef with Black Pepper Sauce
• Premium BBQ Baby Back Ribs
• Roasted Queen Pullet
• Lamb Steak with Rosemary Herbs
• A Bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay

All these are the must-have to celebrate Christmas! The feast is meant for 5 pax, but it was sufficient for 7 of us - 5 adults + 2 children!

The children loved The Castle BBQ Wings. By the time I sat down to start eating, there was only one drumlet left!

Soft banana wrapped by crispy bacon, Banana Bacon Bite gave my mum a pleasant surprise. Premium BBQ Baby Back Ribs were well-marinated and tender, no wonder they were our favourite. Roasted Queen Pullet was succulent, it was amazing that the juice was well retained after roasting.

I seldom eat lamb steak because I don't really like its gamey taste. However, Lamb Steak with Rosemary Herbs from this set did not have such strong flavour, and I ate two pieces!

From now until 5 January 2014, you can order this Festive Dining Take Home Set by either completing the order form on their website or calling them at (+65) 62760862. The set costs S$178.80++, there is early bird discount of 15% until 15 December 2013!

image source: The King Louis Grill & Bar

[Giveaway] (Closed)

We are pleased to give away *one set of three dine-in discount vouchers to one lucky reader:

• The King Louis Grill & Bar - One S$10 discount voucher with minimum spending of S$50, and one S$50 discount voucher with minimum spending of S$150
• Queens Sentosa Broadwalk - One S$20 discount voucher with minimum spending of S$80

Just 2 simple steps!

1. Like PeiPei.HaoHao's Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Peipeihaohao (Thanks if you have already "Liked" us)
2. Leave a comment on this blog, telling us whom you are going to dine with if you win the vouchers, and your email address. [If you experience difficulty in commenting here, alternatively, you may email to mami (at) peipeihaohao (dot) com]

The giveaway will be closed on 14 December 2013, 2359hrs. One winner will be randomly drawn. The winner will be announced and notified on 15 December 2013. 

*Terms & Conditions

• Valid for residents in Singapore only
• Valid for dine-in only
• Valid until 31 December 2013
• Not valid for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Eve of Public Holidays, and Public Holidays
• Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotion(s), discount(s) and voucher(s)

Congratulations to the winner - Daphne!

The King Louis Grill & Bar

1 Harbourfront Walk

#03-07A Vivocity

Singapore 098585

Tel: 62760862

Website: http://www.thekinglouis.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thekinglouis

Disclaimer: We received a complimentary Festive Dining Take Home Set for review purpose. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions, photos and taste buds are mine.

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Dining with a Big Heart @ Heart of House

[Sponsored Review + Giveaway]

Update: Heart of House is closed down.

Christmas is a season of giving. Have you thought of having a great meal or taking a beautiful mug home can be a form of giving too?

Hidden in the neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru, Heart of House, a restaurant serving homemade classics, has a big heart like its name. We were glad to be invited to its food tasting session and to learn about its charity initiatives.

The moment we stepped into Heart of House, we were brought back to the good old days.

With its collection of old cooking utensils, telephones, toys, figurines, typewriter, and so on, the restaurant looks exactly like a mini museum!

Look up to the ceiling, you will find the lamp covers that are actually recycled from Milo tin and other metal tins. How creative!

During the meal, you will find that no one else uses the same mug and serving plate as you. The collections of mugs, serving plates and shot glasses are also another eye opener for the diners.

Don't be alarmed, the children were not served Guinness Stout, it was fresh orange juice!

Look at the crust of Bacon, Pineapple, Olives and Pepper Pizza! It is so thin and crispy!

Fish slices soup served with rice is a good choice for the children. The fish slices are fresh, and we did not find any bones in our serving!

N.Z. chunk tender diced and marinated in red wine, braised with Guinness Stout, carrots and potatoes, this Beef Guinness Stew was my favourite dish of the day. If it was not meant for the guests to share, I would love to drink up the whole bowl of gravy! The kind owner informed me not to worry that my children will be drunk by this Beef Guinness Stew, as the alcohol has been evaporated during the cooking process.

BBQ St. Louis Pork Rib is tender and well-marinated. The home made barbecue sauce is not too spicy and is suitable for people with low spicy threshold like me.

Crispy and tender chicken thigh topped with pineapple salsa, Chicken Hugo A Go Go is one of the must-try at Heart of House. This is the star dish of the food tasting session as it is the ambassador of the charity initiative. 

What a pity that we didn't have a chance to taste Oath pizza, Braised Lamb Shank, Nachos and Chicken Parmigano (breaded chicken topped with back bacon, salsa and mixed cheese), as they were cleared by the other guests with the speed of light!

For the children, the highlight of the meal was Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice-cream! As the owner was preparing the ice-cream, he told the children to count one to ten. Yes, they did... in one second.

I wanted to cut the cake to take a photo of the lava flowing out of the cake. However, judging at the way they "attacked" the cake, I had to give this thought a miss.

Heart of House also serves a variety of bottled beers and ciders. But no, children don't get a share of this.

I feel that the food is nice, the price is reasonable (no GST and service charge!) and the owner is very friendly (He was not angry when Hao Hao kept asking him "Are you a girl?" as he tied his long hair), just find that there was a strange smell in the indoor part of the restaurant.

Hao Hao saw an important notice on the chalkboard...

Kindergarten and primary school students (age 4-8 years old) who score 'A' for their test, or if they have improved by two grades from the previous test, show the test paper and they will be rewarded by having a kid's item on the house! Of course, the child must be accompanied by an adult.

It was heartwarming when the representative of Heart of House shared with us their charity initiatives:

1. All profits made from the sale of St Luke's Dish named Chicken Hugo A Go Go (S$20) will be donated to St Luke's Hospital, a community hospital that provides professional healthcare services to the needy elderly. 
2. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the mugs designed during the HOH Entrepreneurship Award (See the designs here) will go to Singapore Children's Society, which looks after the welfare of disadvantaged children.

Indeed, Heart of House has a big heart! So are you keen to show your big heart too?

I was saying that Christmas is a season of giving, right? Good news for you! 

[Giveaway] (Closed)

We are pleased to give away one *S$50 dining voucher at Heart of House! Just 2 simple steps!

1. Like PeiPei.HaoHao's Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Peipeihaohao (Thanks if you have already "Liked" us)
2. Leave a comment on this blog, telling us why you would like to win the dining voucher, and your email address. [If you experience difficulty in commenting here, alternatively, you may email to mami (at) peipeihaohao (dot) com]

The giveaway will be closed on 14 December 2013, 2359hrs. One winner will be randomly drawn. The winner will be announced on 15 December 2013. The discount code will be sent to the winner via email, so remember to leave your comment with your email address, ok?

*Terms & Conditions

• Valid for residents in Singapore only.
• Voucher is valid until 15 February 2014.
• Reservations are strictly required.
• Voucher is not valid on Fridays, Saturdays and Eve of Public Holidays.
• Heart of House is not open on Mondays and Public Holidays.
• Voucher is not exchangeable for cash. Unused values will not be returned. 

Congratulations to the winner - Debra!

Heart of House 

Address: 4 Kim Tian Road, Singapore 169245 

Phone: 62747448

Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 3 pm - 12 am (Closed on Monday and Public Holiday)
Website: http://heartofhouse.com.sg/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HeartofHouseSingapore


Disclaimer: We were invited to a complimentary food tasting session. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and photos are mine.

Thank you for visiting PeiPei.HaoHao. If you enjoy reading this post, do stay connected with us on Facebook!

Staycation: Hard Rock Cafe and Malaysian Food Street @ Sentosa

How can a staycation at Hard Rock Hotel be completed without having a meal at Hard Rock Cafe? As hotel guests of Hard Rock Hotel, we have 15% discount at Hard Rock Cafe!

Entranced, the staff gave Pei Pei and Hao Hao some crayons (we can take them home!) and menu-cum-activity sheet. Really thoughtful of them to occupy the children while waiting for the food to be served.

There are kid's meals which cost S$10 nett per set, each set comes with free flow of coke or sprite.

While Hao Hao enjoyed his cheese burger, Pei Pei did not really like the fish and chips, as it was hard as rock.

We ordered the Legendary 10 Oz Burger (S$25++). The waiter was very helpful, he heard that two of us were sharing, so he offered to cut the burger into halves before serving to us.

The beef was very succulent, and the crisp fried onion ring in it gave us a crunchy feel. It was not too oily, as compared to some burgers in other restaurants.

Dessert time! We had Mud Pie (S$16++)!

Chocolate ice-cream on top and coffee ice-cream at the bottom, with a layer of chocolate base, together with crunchy almond flakes, though a bit expensive, the Mud Pie was so heavenly! What a pity that Pei Pei didn't have a bite, as she was too exhausted after swimming soaking in water the whole day.

As the Mud Pie was really frozen, the spoon didn't work well. As I was about to break the spoon, the observant waiter again offered his assistance by taking a set of folk and knife for me to cut the Mud Pie!

Thumbs up to the helpful and friendly waiter!

On the next day, before we checked out from the hotel, we had our lunch at Malaysian Food Street.

Yes, you can enjoy the hawker food from different parts of Malaysia in one place without travelling all the way to Malaysia!

The old town ambience gave a nostalgic feel to the dining experience.

We ordered KL (Kuala Lumpur) Wantan Mee (S$4.50), which was swallowed by the two hungry children in split seconds, so I didn't manage to take a photo of it.

We also ordered Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice (S$8). It uses a unique heated charcoal cover, so the rice is really piping hot! The chicken is well-marinated and soft.

Read about our first family staycation adventure at Sentosa!
Stay - Resorts World Sentosa Hard Rock Hotel
Play - Resorts World Sentosa Hard Rock Hotel and Festive Hotel swimming pools


Read about other places you can visit in Sentosa:
Adventure Cove
S.E.A. Aquarium and Maritime Experiential Museum
Universal Studio Singapore

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