Forty Hands

Tucked in a corner at Yong Siak Street, one can barely spot this tiny shop. However, it has attracted a huge crowd of coffee lovers. Headed there during on a Sat to try their breakfast set. Oh my! It was packed with people!

Forty Hands Cafe

According to them, the name Forty Hands came about because an average of 40 hands are required in the production of coffee, from plant to cup.

Try spotting this tiny corner on Yong Siak Street. Drivers remember to park behind Forty Hands instead of the front. Behind is a big public carpark, whereas the front are all Season parking lots.

That's just how 'big' the cafe is. Tiny but very cosy.

The display of their cookies and cakes. Spotted something odd? The 2 white pau on the top shelf?

Look what their Tau Sau Pau will turn u into? Haha!

Banana bread instead of the typical Banana Cake. 

Didn't try it though....

Above is the Weekend Brunch Menu! Look at the board, choose what you want, and place your order and payment at the counter.

The Big Breakfast Set at $18.00. Quite pricey given what was served. 

The Eggs Benedict was slightly better, at $12.00. Not the best egg benedict though.

Ice Mocha at $8.00. Nice? Yes it is. But still I may not pay $8 for a small cup of ice mocha served with much more ice than the drink itself.

Generally food and drinks in Forty Hands are on the steep side. But for the nice cosy environment, most may not mind a laid-back afternoon, hanging out with a book an entire day!

Forty Hands

78 Yong Siak Street

#01-12

Singapore 163078.

Tel: 6225 8545

Opening Hours: 8am to 10pm

Closed on Mondays.

Melaka Part 1

Melaka: Singaporeans' hot spots for a weekend getaway.

You can tell how popular Melaka by how packed the hotels are. Tried to make a booking a week before, but was informed that the big hotels like Equatorial Hotel and Holiday Inn Hotel are all fully booked! Even rooms in smaller boutique hotels anywhere near Jonker Street (Melaka's most popular street) are sold out! In the end we settled for a small hotel further away, Hotel 7, for a night's stay. 

Drove from Singapore at 730am, and managed to reach Melaka at 1030am. 

Hungry! Head straight for Melaka Chicken Rice Balls!

Hoe Kee Chicken Rice

Located near the start of Jonker Street, How Kee Chicken Rice has a huge following and pretty good reviews. Queue starts to form from 1045am. We were lucky to get a big table without queueing since we were early at 1030am!

Big shophouse, extending deep into the back.

Steamed Chicken

The Steamed chicken was well done, but frankly nothing much to rave about as we have much better steamed chicken rice in Singapore. 2 plates of chicken for RM34.00.

Chicken rice balls

The Chicken Rice balls are soft and fragrant! Much better than those we tried 2 years back in a neighboring shop. (Shall not disclose that shop name). However, they do not allow 100% chicken rice balls. You have to accept having some normal loose rice as well. Apparently they need to make sure every customers get to try the rice balls, and they have limited quantities. 2 plates of rice balls and 2 plates of loose chicken rice, feeding 7 adults cost RM9.00 only.

Assam Fish

We were recommended the Assam Fish, and yes, it was fresh and good! Not cheap though, for one fish tail like this cost us RM28.

You can actually watch these people prepare your food while you are queueing in front of the shop.


Hoe Kee Chicken Rice
4-8 Jalan Hang Jebat
75200 Melaka
Tel: 06-2834751.


After lunch, its naturally dessert time! Walked 3 minutes heading to the Red House, we pass by this stall by the road selling Chendol and other desserts. Decided to give it a try.

Prices are pretty affordable.

Very very simple Chendol. Nothing fanciful nor special about it. In fact, its quite diluted and watery, without much ice in them! We wanted something really cold to beat the heat from the sun, and this chendol apparently disappointed us. Luckily it only cost RM1.70 for this. Sigh...

We decided to continue walking to explore other places out of Jonker Street.

Chanced upon this corner coffeeshop, and look what we found!

We were already very full after the chicken rice ball lunch, but we couldn't resist this Pig Organ Soup and ordered 2 bowls for sharing. RM11 for a 2 pax Serving.

The soup was very flavorful, tasted a bit like our black Bak Kut Teh soup in Singapore, and was filled with pig livers, pork belly, lean pork and bean curd. It should be served with very fragrant yam rice, but we rejected as we were too full to take in any more rice.

Restoran Kok Keong
11 Kampung Pantai
75200 Melaka
Tel: 012--6905185


Continued walking.......

One may just miss this shop if the boss did not call out to you! The front of the shop is empty, only when you look deep inside then you realized something....

A big group of ladies washing dumpling leaves! The moment we moved nearer into the shop, we could smell the aroma of steamed rice dumplings. This shop is actually a home-made rice dumplings business. A group of TV crew were filming a show featuring them during the time we went in.

They are very popular in Melaka, appearing in many newspapers and magazines for their rice dumplings. They do wholesale of their dumplings as well! Or you can order in advance and pick them up. Needless to say, we started buying in bulks! The Salted Egg dumpling is my favorite!

Rice dumplings

Joo Huat
6 Kampong Hulu 
75200 Melaka
Tel: 06-2843782

After checking into the hotel, we headed straight out again. Needed an air-conditioned mall to get away from the heat outside. Walked over to Palawan Mall to book our Thai massage for the night. It's tea break time, and we wanted A&W!!! Childhood food!

A&W Melaka

A&W Ice cream Waffle

Don't you miss this?? It tasted almost exactly what we had in our earlier days in Singapore A&W restaurants! Super Yummy!

We may have KFC, Popeyes, Texas Chicken, Wendy's etc in Singapore these days, but have you tasted A&W's fried chicken? You just need to try it once. I swear you will love it!

The classic A&W Rootbeer Ice Cream Float served in a super heavy glass, frosted in the fridge before serving!

The Old-school A&W bear mascot

Dinner Time:
Brother suggested searching for the popular Aunty Fatso to have our dinner after reading a lot on its customers' reviews. A restaurant by the sea, it's within walking distance from Equatorial hotel or the Mahkota Hotel.

You knew you are at the real place when you see this huge sign board from far.

The place was packed and fully booked. Luckily, we managed to get a table after someone left.

There isn't any menu, so just look at the signboard at the restaurant wall and order what you want. The lady boss, a fat aunty, as her name suggests, would recommend you some of her specialities.

Sweet sour Pork Ribs in Yam Ring RM15.

It was real plain, with no garnishes nor vege or nuts around it. Taste: So-so

Their famous Cheese Beehoon. Very flavorful dish indeed. RM50.00

Salted egg Calamari- My favorite dish of all. RM18.00

Steamed Fish at RM43.

Sambal Kangkong RM 8.00

Curry Crabs RM123.00

Worse form of crabs eaten! Recommended by the Aunty Fatso. Tasted like the curry powder from Maggi Instant Mee! Argh! Regrets!

The whole dinner was about waiting and waiting...... Lots of shouting from Aunty Fatso cos of frustrations. I guess it must be due to Fathers' day celebrations.  Generally the food didn't turn out as good as expectations. Very ordinary zi-char.

Aunty Fatso
39 Jln Tmn Melaka Raya 30
75000 Melaka
Tel: 06-2836456.


PS: Please make reservations if you are heading there.

Mata Thai

It's always a big headache when it comes to deciding on a lunch venue every sunday.

Every week, we send our parents to a market in Ang Mo Kio to do their weekly marketing. Apparently they are so used to buying from the AMK wet markets for the past 30 years that they insist on going back there despite moving into  Sengkang 12 years back. 

Each time mummy is done with her marketing, the next question my dad will pose:

" Where are we going for lunch now?"

We will look at each other, shrug our shoulders and start brain storming for a place where we can go.

It's a headache as we didn't want to repeat the usual places, and my dad's only hobby is finding good food, especially new ones to try out. However, he is not very receptive to foreign food. We always want to bring him to somewhere new, but results can either be :

1) He is extremely excited and overjoyed

2) He frowns and gets disappointed

We hate to see the latter, hence we always want to make sure the choice is one that makes him happy.

It's not easy at all. But we will keep on trying..........

We made a 2pm facial and massage appointment at My Village for the old folks and ourselves. Thus, lunch has to be somewhere not too far from Serangoon Gardens. Sister suggested a Thai food restaurant in Bishan which she just tried with her husband lately. Off we go!

The place is very quiet considering the fact that it's 12.30pm already. This place is located in the rows of HDB shophouses, with beauty salons and the POSB bank branch being their neighbours. A mere 3 mins walk from the Bishan MRT station and bus interchange, you can't miss this place if you head towards the 2 storeys NTUC Fairprice supermarket and the POSB bank.

The Colorful Menu

Deep Fried Prawn Cakes - $8

We looked like the first few customers for the day, so we assume the prawn cakes were fried using fresh frying oil, and hence the beautiful golden brown patties! The crust is lightly battered, and you can bite into a mouthful of prawn! Very satisfying!

Prawn omelette- $8

One of the nicest omelette we have seen in terms of appearance. Its nicely fried with the right shade of brown and yellow. Being pretty generous with the prawns is another plus! 

Roasted Chicken - $12

Not very much like our oriental-styled roast chicken, this Thai-style roasted chicken is real crispy on the outside. A layer of sweet brown sauce was poured over the roasted chicken, giving it another unique flavour. The only complaint is that the meat is pretty dry. Not a bad replacement though, if you are sick of ordering the usual pandan chicken served in every Thai food stall.

Fish Head Curry- $10

We specially ordered this dish to go along with the dry dishes ordered above. And best of all, they are running a promotion now! The Fish Head Curry is currently $10, instead of $18!

The fish is fresh, curry looks creamy, but the taste is good. However, it wasn't spicy at all. Suitable for those who can't take very spicy food. Portion is just nice for 2-3 persons provided you order other dishes to go along with it. What more can you ask for in a $10 Fish Head curry?

Thai Iced Milk Tea- $1.50

Quite an authentic Thai iced milk tea, but it can't beat the ones in Tawadang Microbrewery. 

No Service Charge, No GST! Quite an economical lunch for 4!


You may be curious to know my dad's comment? 
"Pretty good food, can eat can eat......"




Mata Thai is located at:
Block 508 Bishan Street 11
#01-390
Singapore 570508.


Tel: 92762629

L'etoile Cafe

Setting up a cafe has been on everyone's dream somehow in some part of our lives. Instead of slogging in the offices, who wouldn't like the idea of having one's own cafe, serving small bites, coffee & tea, and lazing in them? I had mine since years ago. But how many actually took action, and put in efforts into setting up one? 

With the countless cafes popping out in this food scene over the years, not many enjoyed an eternal lifespan. Chris Tea House was one good one which was closed (not because of poor business, but because of the owner's decision). To enter into this 'cafe competition', good food and drinks are no longer the only criteria. Themed interiors, quirky ideas, originality, media publicity etc are just some areas in which you need to be unique in before you get a share in this pie.

L'etoile Cafe at Owen road has certainly met many of these. Hidden in the midst of old hardware shophouses, this cafe definitely left an impression in those looking for it for the first time. For the clueless foodies, I can only comment that L'etoile is located somewhere near to the famous Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh. Got an impression now?

The exterior

When I first reached this place, my thought was " Such a pretty cafe"! Makes me dying to check it out!

It was a Saturday afternoon. Before I entered, I saw a few outdoor customers reading newspapers, sipping L'etoile coffee, with their dogs sitting next to them. What a nice afternoon to laze in!

Corner selling some cute accessories

Stepping into L'etoile, a bright and clean environment welcomes you. This French-themed Japanese cafe makes one eager and curious to venture in. The first floor was packed (they have less than 10 tables on on level one). We walked all the way, bypassing bookshelves and some unique furniture and found a carpeted staircase leading up to the second floor.

L'etoile Cafe- The Upstairs

The eclectic interior with different pieces of vintage furniture and soft music playing in the background, Oh my! What an interesting place to hang out! The big windows allow ample light to fill the cafe, yet not too glaring with their French-themed lace curtains. 

Table by the windows

One of the largest seats around for bigger groups

The staff do not allocate tables. We were free to choose any available tables that we like. Since we will be having food, we opted for a dinner table, rather than those sofa seats with low coffee tables. 

Bird Cage hand-drawn on the wall

Many couples and small groups of friends gathered here just to read some books, surf the net with their laptops and simply just hanging out, looking like they are gonna be there for a least a couple of hours. I can't agree better. A few book shelves filled with books ranging from motivational books, novels, to recipe books are provided for reading free-of-charge! Its such an inviting cafe, cosy and comfortable, you just feel like lazing here for an afternoon. 

You may now ask: How about the food and drinks?

Let's take a look at the menu.

The Menu

They certainly have a good range of food, ranging from the weekend English breakfast sets to main dishes like Fish & Chips, to Pasta and even Vietnamese Beef Pho. Prices are steeper than before I heard.  

Fish & Chips- $15.90

I wasn't very adventurous with the food options since I haven hear much reviews about the food served here. Ordered the safest choice- Fish & Chips. Surprising, it is much better than an average Fish & Chips! The white fish was fresh and thick, and the crust being very light! Fried to such a nice golden color, not many can resist having a bite at it! Its definitely a 9/10 rating!

Nutella French Crepes

Instead of ordering the cakes, I decided to try their French crepes. 

They serve their French Crepes in 3 ways: 

1. Butter & Sugar ($6)

2. Strawberry Jam ($6.50)

3. Nutella ($6.90)

Being a Nutella fan, option 3 was a natural choice! 

Two Sweet French crepes were served with grapes and apples. The choice of fruits being served was a bit strange to me since the apple may brown after being in the open for some time, and the combination of local fruits on a french crepe looks kinda mismatched too. 

Earl Grey Tea

Loved the way they put the 2 retro biscuits beside the cup! 

Ice Mocha

It cost us $38 for the 2 drinks, 1 main dish and the dessert. 

Prices are not steep but not exactly that cheap after all.

However, for the efforts in putting up such a nice cosy cafe (Best thing is the staff are polite and attentive, and they don't make you feel like "you have stayed too long, its time to go" kind of attitude despite most customers ordering only a drink and cake, and hanging there for hours......

I would definitely come again, and I bet the next catch-up sessions with the BFFS should be done here!

More pictures before I end it off here!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Chocolate Swiss Roll

L'etoile Cafe is located at:

160 Owen Road

Singapore 281953.

Opening hours:

Tuesdays to Sundays:

9am till 8pm