Lost Heaven on the Bund @ Shanghai

I was treated to some fine Yunnan 云南 fare on my first night in Shanghai at Lost Heaven. Located by the Bund, this restaurant specialises in the tribal cuisine of China's Yunnan Province.

Exterior of Lost Heaven.

I'd never had Yunnan food before but the entrance to the restaurant, with its enchanting decor gives one a good first impression. Lined with beautiful potted plants, the walls are adorned with framed photographs of the faces and scenery of Yunnan.

The walls adorned with photos.

Stairway to Lost Heaven.

The dim lighting adds to the ambience as walked up the stairs into the dining area. In fact, it was so dim that a torchlight was required to view the menu!

The food didn't take long to plate, much to our tummies' delight. First up, the Crab Omelette. Not a huge fan of crabs, but this dish was simply delicious with the egg and crab cooked just right and drizzled in some kind of sweet sauce.

Crab Omelette.

Next, Pork Ribs. Again, not sure what they used to marinate these babies but whatever it was, it sure passed the taste test. I especially liked how the ribs weren't too oily.

Pork ribs, Yunnan style.

Then, there's the Taro Spring Rolls. Taro - good. Spring Rolls - good. Marry the two and it's pure heaven!

Taro Spring Rolls.

Last but not least, Pumpkin Cakes. These cakes were simply delectable. Much like glutinous rice cakes, these deep fried cakes from heaven were crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Best part was I didn't feel sick from having one too many. 

Pumpkin Cakes.

If these dishes were indeed authentic and representative of Yunnanese cuisine, I'm definitely sold! *Pens down Yunnan Province on travel list*

Where:
上海市延安东路17号
17, Yan'an Dong Lu,
Shanghai 200002,
PRC.

When:
Daily 
Noon- 2pm
5:30pm - 10:30pm

Central Perk @ Shanghai

The Shanghai foodscapade continues, this time at Central Perk. Those who are familiar with the hugely popular Friends TV series will know that this is the hangout place of Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Monica, and Chandler. Of course, being the typical tourist and fan of Friends, we had to stop by to check it out! (Also, the cold was getting to us haha..)

Central Perk, Shanghai.

The place was packed and we were lucky to get a spot without having to wait long, on the famed couch too! The layout is pretty much the same as is in the show, complete with a TV showing Friends episodes.

The menu - Which Friends cupcake would you like?

I picked the 'Rachel' which was a red velvet cupcake with supposedly cream cheese frosting which tasted more like whipped cream. The cupcake was only alright.

The 'Rachel'.

How you doin'?

The drinks here are unsurprisingly overpriced and only just fine tastewise. However, this is definitely a place good for those wishing to be part of the Friends craze.

Where:

160 Harbin Lu,

Shanghai,

PRC.

When:

Daily, 11am - 10pm.

Kommune 公社 @ Tian Zi Fang 田子坊

So, I was in Shanghai over new year's and my friend brought me to Kommune. Located in the back alley lanes of Tai Kang Lu (泰康路), nestled in the commercial village of Tian Zi Fang (田子坊) is a funky little cafe.

Kommune Cafe.

We had just been walking around doing some shopping, and decided it was time for a hot chocolate! It's winter time so naturally indoor seating was not easily available so outdoors it was.

Outdoor seating complete with hot water bottles, scarves, and heaters.

It wasn't all too bad as the cafe is equipped with hot water bottles, scarves, and heaters. I like the cold, but a balance of some warmth is nice too! I can't quite sum it up, but the ambience of the cafe was just perfect. Perhaps it was the artsy and creative feel to the surrounding shops as well.

Yarra's Hot Chocolate Bomb

I usually don't mind the cold, but when wind is added into the equation, that's a totally different ball game. Yarra's Hot Chocolate Bomb couldn't have come at a better time.

Marshmallow sticks dripping with melting chocolate.

Marshmallow sticks dipped in hot milk and delicious melting chocolate at the bottom of a mug deliberately dented and chipped for character is all one needs on a cold, windy day. On the side, in an old style thermos flask is a refill of hot milk. 

I've heard good things about the food too, but tummy space had to be saved for the next hip cafe. This cafe turns into a bar by night too. Next time, for sure!

Where:

The Yard No. 7,

Taikang Road,

Shanghai 200025,

PRC.

When:

Daily 7am - 2am

Satay Celup @ Ban Lee Siang

I was in Malacca with my girl friends a couple of weeks ago on a food trip. We arrived late in the afternoon, with tummies almost empty. With no time to lose, off we went for Malacca's famous Satay Celup.

Ban Lee Siang

Satay celup is basically skewers of an assortment of vegetables, seafood, and meat dipped into a boiling pot of satay sauce.

Selection of skewers in huge refrigerators.

The skewers are available for self-service selection from huge refrigerators in the shop right by the tables. Long queues are a normal sight here but as we'd found out, 4pm is a good time to be there so we got a table in no time.

Our selection.

Difficult as it was, we managed to resist the urge to take too many skewers. Had to pace ourselves for the food party for our tummies that was to come!

Yummy satay celup.

The fish cakes, crab sticks, pork balls, mushrooms, and veggies we got were fairly fresh, but it all comes down to the sauce. It was thick and aromatic, delicious indeed! If you're a fan of satay, then you'll enjoy this.

Where:

45E, Jalan Ong Kim Wee,

Bandar Hilir 75300,

Malacca.

When:
Daily 5pm - Midnight

Fatboy's the Burger Bar @ Katong

Continuing in the theme from my last post, this post will be on the meal after the run. When given the option of going for either a vegetarian burger or meat burger, I jumped on the latter without hesitation.

I turned to my friend and said: "This is not the first day you know me, right?". Especially coming from a fellow meat lover, shocking suggestion indeed haha.

I'd just done my first 10km run, starving like hell and in dire need of substantial sustenance. Protein is without a doubt the way to go.

So, off we went to Fatboy's with my surprisingly not (yet) sore legs. Instead, what was starting to get to me was the heat!

Fatboy's @ Katong

I'd tried Fatboy's in KL before but was keen on trying it out in its birth place at one of its branches in Singapore. It didn't take long for our tummies, I mean us to decide on what to get.

I was thrilled to finally have the space to try their malt shakes, and what a treat it was. Thick and rich, the Thick Chocolate Malt Shakes was the perfect blend and consistency in taste and texture. It was agreed that this was comparable to the ones in the States. Superb! 

Thick Chocolate Malt Shake

Then, came the burgers. 

The whopper of a Fat Basterd comes in not one, but TWO beef patties sandwiching a fried egg, and bacon. No way I would be able to finish that even after a run haha.. but somehow my friend managed to, even without running haha. Madness!

The Fat Basterd and The Royale with Cheese

The Royale with Cheese consists of a beef patty topped with cheese, BBQ sauce, and onions. Classic cheeseburger - my childhood favourite, and Fatboy's didn't disappoint. Not to be left out, the fries were wonderfully done - crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, dipped in chilli sauce of course!

Most definitely a satisfying meal. 

Where:

465 Joo Chiat Road

Singapore 427677

The Curry Wok @ Bukit Timah

Another Singapore foodie post! Was there this past weekend for the Standard Chartered run, where I managed to complete 10km without stopping woohoo! Jelly legs now haha..

This post will be on the meal the night before the run. Probably not the healthiest but definitely one of the tastiest!

Headed to the Curry Wok for some yummy Teochew-Peranakan dinner.

The Curry Wok

First up, Curry Chicken! The chicken was nice and supple, the curry thick and delicious. I'd be satisfied with just the gravy and a big bowl of rice.

Curry Chicken

Next, there's Beef Rendang. The tender pieces of beef, with the gravy mouthwateringly melts in the mouth. Mmm...

Beef Rendang

The Sayur Lodeh was a pretty average dish of cabbage, long beans, and carrots soaked in a coconut milk curry broth. Sufficient for my bare minimum daily dose of vegetables.

Sayur Lodeh

The homemade Ngo Hiang 五香 (known as lobak in Malaysia) was simply delicious! Especially when paired with their homemade belacan.

Homemade Ngo Hiang

Sambal sotong has always been my all-time favourite since childhood so I had to give this dish a try. It really did not disappoint. Fresh and chewy to the bite, the squid went well with the flavourful sambal!

Sambal Sotong

The Curry Wok is famous for its Curry Fish Head, which I didn't manage to snap a photo of but it was some deliciously fresh fish in tasty curry gravy.

Good dinner, overall. It helped put me into a good sleep after in preparation for the run the next day for sure!

Where:

5 Coronation Road

Coronation Arcade #01-04

Singapore 269406

When:

11am - 9pm. 

Closed on Tuesdays.

Verona Trattoria @ Section 17

Owned and operated by an Italian, Verona Trattoria serves up some yummy Italian fare.

With a simple mix of pork pepperoni, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese, the thin-crusted Verona Boscaiola was simply delicious!

Verona Boscaiola

The pasta dishes followed and so did more porky happiness.

First up is the Aglio Olio. Anything with bacon is good, but this partnership between bacon and garlic was heavenly.

Aglio Olio

I'm a fan of Carbonara, but it tends to get a bit too heavy and just a tad overwhelming when it cools down. The Carbonara here was surprisingly nothing like that at all. However it was made, it was just the right balance. Of course, bacon made the dish all the more tantalising.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Of course, there is always room for dessert! One of their specials for the day was the Sticky date pudding in butterscotch sauce with vanilla ice cream. I used to eat this lots in NZ so it was pretty nostalgic savouring this sweet selection.

Sticky date pudding in butterscotch sauce.

Where:

8, Jalan 17/54

Section 17,

46400 Petaling Jaya.

When:

Tues - Sun: 12pm - 2:30pm; 6pm - 10pm