Hong Kong Adventures - sky100 and Kowloon Harbour

The past week, Pauline and myself made Hong Kong this year's vacation trip, and quite specifically, we decided to venture to this colorful city entirely on our own.

To savor HK in its entirety, you simply have to do this on foot, for no amount of coach and car travel can really get you close to the actual atmosphere that is HK.

And frankly, moving around Kowloon and HK is not really that difficult, as their subway is really very well connected across almost every part of the city.

They even allow airport check-ins right in the heart of the city, and the subway will literally whisk you from the city central right to departure hall in less than 30 minutes.

Beyond that, their bus services are very efficient and their cabs are almost abundant any time of the day, something that cannot be said of the Merlion city these days. Sadly.

The one thing that put us off was the large amount of human traffic packed in the cramped streets of Kowloon and HK. But this is the city that never sleeps, and for that, we are appreciative that we get to travel from day to night with lots to see and lots to appreciate.

sky100 Viewing Gallery

And one of the things we really had to see what the view from 100 floors up on sky100's magnificent viewing gallery, and the view was simply amazing!

View from sky100

You get to see the entire sight of Kowloon and HK harbor at its best vantage point, and you get to see the harbor leading to Lantau Island on the right as well. It was a shame we were there only in the daytime, as I believe the night view would be just as incredible, if not, more so.

HK Harbor from Kowloon View

The other great view we had of this magnificent harbor was the night view as seen from the Kowloon Harbor side. At night, as all the commercial buildings on the HK side light up, it was simply a beautiful kaleidoscope of city colors!

Along the Avenue of Stars, which is akin to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is also filled with famous HK stars of new and old on the walkways, completed with finger imprints and stars. But the real star was HK itself. 

And every night they would conduct a Symphony of Lights show for 15 minutes where the buildings will flash a myriad of light show synchronized to music.

Night Market at Sham Shui Po

The street and night markets of HK are also something to look for. They have a number of famous and well known street markets, Ladies' Market, Temple Street Night Market to name a few. This is very reminiscent of our pasat malam, but stretched across 4 to 5 blocks of a street on either sides of the road.

They sell anything from clothing's to iPhone pouches, to toys and all sorts of wonderful and interesting merchandises.

See the video below for more on sky100 and HK night views as well as other things like night markets.

Written, filmed, edited, music and directed by Ian Low.

Thye Moh Chan Cake House - A Piece of Singapore History About to be Lost Forever With Video

Traditional chinese pastry shops are rare these days, and as time passes, they will get even less, which is a very sad reality.

Last week, I was proud to present Tong Heng here, and it is heartwarming to see that its present generation of owners continuing to preserve its legacy.

Today, however, I am blogging about a different view of another traditional bakery.

Thye Moh Chan has been in operation for 70 years, which in itself, is no simple feat. And till today, they continue to sell very traditional tau sa pia and peanut brittle.

Being very much a Teochew heritage, these sumptuous pastries will be sorely missed. Shops like these are being rapidly replaced by the likes of BreadTalk at every corner. Commercialism and marketing seems to be the victor against good old fashioned tradition and effort.

Black Sesame Cake

This very classic and hard to find black sesame cake was once called the poor man's mooncake. Now we think of mooncakes as baked beauties or delicate snowskin creations from hotel chefs.

This simple but tasty cake holds it own charm and seeing the folks making this by hand, one can really taste the great tradition behind this classic dessert.

Traditional Mooncakes

They also carry the much more familiar mooncakes you find in most of Singapore, and yet they also retain a certain rustic appeal about them. Again, seeing the people in the shop working this one by one by hand with a certain Swiss precision was certainly very eye-opening for me.

Baking the tau sa pia

Walking through the entire shop, and seeing the behind the scenes, gave me an atmosphere that I was back in pre-war time Singapore. Where everything was done manually, using traditional methods and ovens and beating out the pastries by hand.

65 year old owner, Koh Hong Chua

So, why is it that this post sounds so melancholic, almost somber like. Well, it is because the 65 year old owner, Koh Hong Chua, will retire after next week and will end the business for good.

Although he has been in this business for the longest time, and being the third generation in his family to carry on the legacy, the legacy will, sadly, have to end.

He has mentioned to me that his children are pursuing other career interests and hence, he wants to retire and enjoy the good life. Which is more than deserved, and judging by the number of loyal customers he has during my visit there, it will be very missed.

I hope whoever reads this will take the effort to go to this quaint little shop and check it out before it closes. This is a little piece of Singapore history that is about to be lost. Forever.

Thye Moh Chan Cake House
53 Geylang Lorong 27



Written, filmed, edited and directed by Silverchef Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Geylang Lorong 27.

No black sesame cake was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"天山行" written by Goh SY and performed by Ian Low and Goh SY.

Chan Wai, Food Writer Extraordinaire With Video

If you have been noticing on my last couple of posts, there has been a constant mention of this wonderful gentleman by the name of Chan Wai, who just so happens to be one of Hong Kong's best food critics.

Chan Chun Wai, (Chan Wai for short), is a freelance food and travel writer and goes all over the globe to find the best in cuisine and food. He is basically Asia's Anthony Bourdain.

Armed with an immaculate palette, and an affable charm and personality, he was simply a joy to be with during our culinary adventures throughout the island over the last week or so. He was on assignment for the popular magazine, Eat and Travel Weekly.

Never wavering from any interesting food, he is a true culinary gladiator. And he has such a keen eye for everything that passes him by, so much so that even us locals miss the details that he was able to pick up on.

Chan Wai and Chef Winnie

The classic notions that food critics are stuffy and highly strung are thrown out of the window where Chan Wai is concerned. He is always ready to disarm even the sternest of hawker stall owners with his easy going manners, and his highly inquisitive nature on all things culinary.

On one such occasion during an impromptu pandan cake making session, he displayed all the abilities and charm of a seasoned TV host as he joked and cooked his way through with our local Chef Winnie. Thankfully, I was there to capture it all on video and it is attached below.

On other occasions, during our visit to Rich and Good Cake Shop, he created such a light and enlightening atmosphere that had the entire staff enamored and posing for him for pictures. Such is his ability with folks from all walks of life.

Chan Wai and Lily

It is his knowledge of food from all over the world that is easily impressive and something that I was thankful to learn from during this week. His generosity in sharing his travels and eating experiences was a treasure in itself and I heartily thank him for letting me in on these.

Ultimately, it has been my extreme privilege to make his acquaintance and to follow him on his food adventures in the land of Singa and making this wonderful friend and fellow food warrior. I am left with many great food memories on video that was so preciously captured.

Oh, and lest I forgot, I also want to applaud him for his courage to taste all things durian despite his obvious adverseness to the fruit and in the process, taking to it ever so slightly and slowly.

And in case I also forget, Rex Chapman, his talented photographer, is also a very friendly and funny sidekick. I am equally privileged to make this other fellow food friend. Both are very humble and simply nice folks.

With that said, I hope to meet up again with Chan Wai and Rex the next time they touch down here to begin a sequel of more food adventures. I leave you with the video of Chan Wai and Chef Winnie making a fabulous pandan cake!



Written, filmed, edited and directed by Silverchef Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Pan Pacific Hotel.

No pandan cakel was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Chendol Jonker Mix" written and performed by Ian Low.

Rich and Good Cake Shop at Kandahar Street With Video - Best Swiss Roll in Singapore

If you enjoy a good old traditional swiss roll, it is rather hard to find a decent one these days. Especially one that is fully handmade and tastes like it was made many years ago.

Well, fret no more as I have recently located one right in the heart of Kandahar Street, and is even quaintly housed in a shophouse settting that simply oozes tradition.

Rich and Good Cake Shop is run by Mdm Lily Liu, who loves to indulge her passion of baking that she started this bakery simply to cater to this incredible passion.

Specialising in swiss rolls, this humble shop also does cakes and some amazing biscuits. But the key focus here is swiss rolls, coming a wide variety of flavors, including strawberry, orange, durian, coffee, chocolate, kaya, green tea and blueberry.

A wide variety of swiss rolls

During a recent trip there, I was joined by one of Hong Kong's best food writers, Chan Wai, who happened to be searching for the best swiss roll around here, and boy, did he find it!

Lily insists on using the freshest ingredients, and because of this, her swiss rolls really stands out. Her durian roll for example, uses only D24 and if it is seasonal, she will even use Mao Shan Wang, which makes her durian roll really authentic and fragrant.

Orange Roll

But the one flavor that really stood out for both Chan Wai and myself was this really fantastic orange roll. Using fresh orange slices, this roll had such a zesty and refreshing flavor that you simply had to have another one after finishing one.

Strawberry Roll

For the younger ones, this strawberry roll will likely appeal more. The sweetness and the aromatic nature of this roll was simply popping with strawberry goodness and visually, it was very appealing as well.

Coffee Roll

Having tasted so many rather one dimensional coffee rolls over the years, I was rather surprised by this particular coffee roll. The cream was not heavy, and the coffee fragrance managed to shine through brilliantly.

Kaya Roll

According to Lily, the shop's bestseller is this delectable Kaya Roll. Made with fresh kaya daily, it had a lovely balance of the coconut and egg flavors, and had just enough enough sweetness without ever overpowering it.

Chan Wai posing with Lily and her team

It was such a pleasure visiting this shop and talking to Lily, who clearly enjoyed her baking quite a bit. As we visited her bakery, we realised what an efficient unit she had to push out her daily output of baked goods.

On the day that we were there, we even met up with a lady who happened to be there for the first time, but had wanted to visit it for a year, but could only do because she happened to be on sick leave and somehow, the swiss rolls provided the perfect tonic.

The ever cheerful Lily Liu

This place is certainly in rich in tradition and definitely good in flavors. Very authentic flavors indeed. And when you have one of Hong Kong's top food critics agreeing with the Silver Chef, you can hardly go wrong.

Rich and Good Cake Shop

24 Kandahar Street

Written, filmed, edited and directed by Silverchef Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Arab Street.

No durian swiss roll was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Apricot Brandy" written and performed by Ian Low.

Zai Shun Curry Fish Head at Jurong East - Forget Me Not Fish 忘不了鱼, The Mystical Fish of the West With Video

Steamed fish has always been a Chinese favorite and  very often, the most expensive component on a menu in restaurants and zhe char places alike.

Yet, I was almost dumbfounded when I was told that there was a fish in a Jurong East coffeeshop that was selling steamed fish going for more than $100 a kilogram.

This particular fish is a very unique fish that was revealed by the owner only as "Forget Me Not" fish 忘不了鱼. Well, for sure, the price was unforgettable.

Forget Me Not Fish 忘不了鱼 Uncooked

Looking at the various boxes of fresh fish at this joint, there was a lot of many varieties of fish that was both visually tempting and appealing. The Forget Me Not Fish, though, seemed almost inconspicuous by comparison.

I was told that this was a freshwater fish that feeds on fruits like cherries to give it a very special and sweet flavor. Beyond that, the almost mystical background of this fish had me altogether curious.

Forget Me Not Fish 忘不了鱼 Steamed

Rather than further indulging my curiosity, the owner finally presented the dish in its fully cooked glory. On first sight, it seemed like any other steamed fish.

Bathed in a light soya base, and lightly garnished with ginger strands and spring onion, it looked light and refreshing.

However, when I put one mouthful of this mystic fish into my mouth, I then realised why it was called Forget Me Not Fish. The taste was unbelievably superb!

Tender but not mushy, the meat was just perfectly firm and had this delicate texture about it. The flavor was incredibly fresh and had a hint of gentle sweetness about it.

Balanced nicely with the savory but light soy broth, and the slight kick for the scallions and the ginger, this is one fish bite to always remember. Forget this fish not indeed!

Sambal Sotong

Lest you think that there is only fish and fish heads that are worth savoring, there are indeed many other great food in this Teochew porridge stall. Yes, the mainstay is porridge Teochew style with a wide selection of dishes to choose from.

The sambal sotong, in particular, was very good. Not chewy, with just enough bite and an aromatic sambal sauce that was nicely balanced to pair with the squid.

Shark Cartilage

The shark cartilage was equally impressive. Cut up into chunks, and eating the starchy and jelly like substance of the bones, this was beautifully cooked with a savory and delectable sauce to go along. Very high in collagen levels too.

Bitter Gourd with Salted Egg

Another dish that you should savor here is this beautifully balanced bitter gourd fried with salted egg. The saltiness of the eggs took away the bitterness of the vegetables exquitely and never bordered on being too salty at the same time.

Giant Blue Fish

Besides the unforgettable Forget Me Not Fish, there was also this gigantic blue fish. I was told it was called Su Mei fish, and seemed that only the head was used for cooking with curry. I did not have the chance to try this, but again, it was just visually amazing!

The owner with Kenry and Chan Wai

The owner was obviously very excited to share with one and all his fish delicacies and we were fortunate enough to be part of a group that included our venerable Master of Tea, Kenry Peh and also a very notable and popular food journalist from Hong Kong, Mr Chan Wai.

In all, I must admit, this was one of my most fascinating gastronomic experiences thus far, and to be doing it at Jurong East was not something I would have anticipated. I encourage one and all to check this out, but just take note of the fish prices.

Blk 253 Jurong East St 24, 

#01-205 First Cooked Food Point

Written, filmed, edited and directed by Silverchef Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Yuhua Market.

No forget me not fish was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Autumn Harvet" written and performed by Ian Low and Goh Soo Rong.

The Master Of Chinese Tea - Pek Sin Choon With Video

Chinese tea is akin to wine when it comes to cuisine and food pairing. And for those who enjoy a delicious bowl of bak kut teh, chinese tea is a must to go along with.

I will be the first to admit that I am not an expert on this subject, and will not even attempt to explain the various teas from Jasmine to Dragonwell.

What I would like to mention in this post, is our own master of this classic Chinese beverage, and he is none other than Mr. Kenry Peh, from Pek Sin Choon.

For those who frequent bak kut teh outlets, you will have no doubt have tasted the teas from this tea house. I have, and have noticed their simple but effective packaging over the years.

My dad would always make the tea from the little paper wrapped packets of tea leaves during our Sunday breakfasts years ago when we had our bak kut teh at Rochor market.

The fragrance and lightness of this beverage would always diffuse the oil from the pork ribs and pork knuckles, and elicit a wonderful and refreshing aftertaste.

Mr. Peh making a fresh pot of fragrant tea

Kenry's forefathers built this tea business and has been around since the mid 1920s, and he is carrying on the family business in the best way possible. Supplying to almost every bak kut teh owner in Singapore, he has since expanded his tea tradition to the best hotels here as well.

Recently, Kenry worked with Man Fu Yuan from InterContinental Hotel to supply a very unique brew of what is known as the Five Elemental Tea as an exclusive to the reputable Chinese restaurant.

This was done in conjunction with the total makeover and renovation of this much elegant restaurant, and it goes to show how important Chinese tea and Kenry's contribution is to Chinese cuisine at the highest level.

Kenry's Tea Culture on Display at Man Fu Yuan

Despite his successes, what struck me most about Kenry is his unassuming and very down to earth nature. He embodies the spirit of the greatest of Chinese businessmen. that of humility.

Every Wednesday morning, Kenry hosts a breakfast at a notable bak kut teh place in Sin Ming, where his friends and associates gather to enjoy a breakfast of great food and wonderful tea.

This is done to keep the spirit of camaraderie alive and kicking, and more importantly, to cultivate an understanding of what is truly great about all things Chinese, culturally and otherwise.

As National Day arrives, we should not only celebrate this nation's birthday and independence, but we should remind everyone that national pride is also about preserving our Chinese heritage.

And Kenry Peh is a living example of a great tradition that needs to be preserved for future generations to come.



Written, filmed, edited and directed by SilverTunes Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Man Fu Yuan.

No dragonwell tea was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Jasmine" written and performed by Ian Low.

From Musician to Chef - Lynnette Seah at Rubato With Video

If this past week was about my transition from cooking to music, I was equally fortunate enough to be involved in another event that was just the other way around.

Lynnette Seah is not only our Singapore Symphony Orchestra co-leader, but an extremely celebrated and accomplished violinist. She happens to be a great cook too.

So good in fact, that Rubato invited her to be their guest chef over the past weekend. She has also been a guest cook in other events and publications, and also among a judging panel selecting the best restaurants in Singapore.

Without a doubt, her food pedigree is second to none. And witnessing her first hand, preparing for the night, as well as cooking, and overseeing every detail was really eye-opening and a privilege.

Her guests were also highly expectant and Lynnette herself, amazingly, found the time to mingle and was a perfect host at front of house and a masterchef, in the kitchen.

Romchei Parma Ham with Lynnette's Raspberry
Vinaigrette and Roma Tomatoes

This lovely appetizer was a perfect to start off the night. The parma ham was specially procured for the night and the dish itself was light, flavorful and so elegantly plated.

Cream of Asparagus with Crabmeat
and Wild Salmon Caviar

The broth was so aromatic it could hit you from a mile away. Gorgeously delicious, the caviar added a much desired crunch and savory taste to it. One very beautifully presented soup in every sense.

Seafood Linguine in Lobster Sauce

This was an extremely indulgent yet utterly irresistible pasta course. The lobster was enormous and perfectly cooked. The scallops were sweet and succulent and the sauce had that perfect tomato balance that most pastas could only dream of.

Norwegian Cod with Pumpkin Puree
and Parma Reduction

For mains, diners had a choice of cod or beef. The cod dish was so beautifully plated that you had a hard time breaking it down to consume it. Perfectly seared to perfection, the pumpkin puree had a secret ingredient which I shall not divulge, but let's just say it was superb.

Oven Roasted Ribeye with Foie Gras Sauce
and Portobello Mushroom

The ribeye was so nicely cooked that it had the perfect pink in the middle while the edges had a wonderful sear. Moist and tender, this ribeye had an air of invincibility about it. The sauce was beautiful and delicious, and the mushroom round out the whole dish off perfectly.

Exotic Tiramisu

Lynnette's own secret recipe for this classic dessert certainly did not disappoint. Exotic was aptly used as it contained a certain alcoholic kick like no other tiramisu I had tasted. A delicious way to finish the evening.

All in all, everyone had a wonderful time and a testament to the quality of the food can be found in the way that no plate came back unfinished.

Food, like music, is fueled with creativity. Being a virtuoso in the music field, Lynnette has also proven her caliber in the annals of cuisine as well with this excellent menu and night of cooking.

I look forward to more artists making the plunge to try other creative outlets like what Lynnette Seah has done.

Written, filmed, edited and directed by SilverTunes Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Rubato.

No parma ham was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Chendol" written and performed by Ian Low.

Shokudo Japanese Coffee House With Video

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of new Japanese cafes that specialises in western fare, especially Italian pastas and pizzas.

I remember a few years back, I used to frequent Waraku Pasta in Clarke Quay Central, and back then, it was very packed and had a novelty feel about it.

Since that time, Waraku seems to have expanded this concept to a few more outlets, and Sakae has gotten into the act. Unfortunately, Sakae just did not seem to have the same quality and their Wheelock outlet has since reduced to half its original size.

I found this Shokudo Japanese Coffee House sometime last year, and was quietly impressed by it the first time I was there for a simple coffee and light meal.

I happened to be in Bugis Junction over the weekend and wanted to bring Pauline to let her try it out for herself. Thankfully, it is as I remembered from last time.

Macha Latte

Pauline started off with a very greenish macha latte and it was a good start indeed. Not too milky, and just enough of the green tea macha flavor without too overpowering.

Iced Yuzu Soda

My own iced yuzu soda was even better. It was refreshing and the little bits of lemon zests really gave this soda a real zing and zip to it.

Unagi and Mushroom Ultra Thin Crust Pizza

Pauline had this very sumptuous unagi and mushroom pizza. It was shaped rectangularly, similar to Crust Pizza, and had this super thin crust which was rather crispy. The mix of unagi and mushroom was quite nice, except that the mushrooms were a bit dry.

Salmon Spaghetti with Wafu Butter Sauce

I had this very tasty pasta dish, which was essentially pan fried salmon on top of a spaghetti tossed in a slight butter sauce. I particularly liked the generous amount of garlic and slight chilli for the extra heat. The highlight for me personally.

Caramalised Bananas on Thick Toast with Chocolate Sauce

Japanese cafes tend to do very funky and pretty looking desserts, and Shokudo is no exception. This thick toast did look pretty, but tastewise, it was a letdown. The toast was a bit too thick and dry, and though the notion of bananas and chocolate was a temptiing one, here it just did not work out.

Tofu Cheesecake

The tofu cheesecake was a totally different experience. Not only was it beautiful to look at, it was also a delight to consume as well. It has a nice, creamy and soft texture that was both sweet and savory at once. And the chocolate sauce on the side just perfectly complemented it.

Shokudo is a cafe that is designed more for the younger crowd, and the ambience within was definitely colorful and cosy. But as a place to have some light and tasty meals, Shokudo is definitely appropriate and serves as a nice alternative to other Japanese pasta cafes.

Shokudo Japanese Coffee House
200 Victoria Street
#01-53
Bugis Junction

Written, filmed, edited and directed by Silverchef Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 in Bugis Junction.

No unagi pizza was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Innocent" performed by David Cook.

Sole Pomodoro With Video

I was privileged to be invited along for a pizza tasting session at Sole Pomodoro over last weekend, and this was quite a new pizza place located at Mackenzie Road, just off Selegie Road.

It is owned by two very passionate Italians who are very proud of their pizzas and how they actually make them. The place itself is a refurbished kopitiam, but made to look more like an Italian alfresco cafe.

We were there primarily to taste the difference between a Naples type of pizza, which is of the heavy crust variant and more doughy type, against the thinner crust and more crispy version which the owners prefer.

Looking around the cafe, I could see that they have preserved the art of making pizza very well here, including using charcoal fire instead of gas or electric fire for their stove.

Accordingly, this will create a better tasting pizza and making pizzas is all about making the best dough and crust, and having the right tomato base. Any other topping is simply bonus to the basic margherita pizza. That said, they did give us quite a few different toppings of pizzas to try.

Margherita Pizza

This is the most basic of their pizzas. Just an excellent tomato sauce, layered with some beautiful cheese and a few leaves of basil. We tried both the thicker and thin crusts, and to be honest, both were equally excellent as the dough was really good. It did not taste too doughy, but the thin crust felt more balanced with the toppings and just had a more lovelier, crispier texture to it.

Ricotta Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato Pizza

In essence, all of the pizzas had the same crust and base, but with different variations of toppings. The ricotta cheese and sun dried tomato was really delicious when you had the richness of the ricotta nicely balanced with the acidity of the tomatoes.

Sole Pomodoro

The best of the lot was this beautifully made sole pomodoro pizza, which is their signature pizza as well. It consisted of roasted sun dried tomatoes, potatoes, and flavorful Italian sausages bathed in a rich yet not overpowering cream base. The flavors came together wonderfully on the crispy crust.

For a rather new kid on the block, Sole Pomodoro has already established itself as one of the premier and authentic pizza places to go to in Singapore. Coupled with their passion and enthusiasm, pizza lovers should really give this a try.

Sole Pomodoro
12/21 Mackenzie Road #01-01

Written, filmed, edited and directed by Silverchef Productions.

Shot and edited entirely on Apple's Iphone 4 near the former Rex Cinema.

No pizza was harmed in the shooting of this video.

"Apologize" performed by Kris Allen.