caffeinedoll

My Boss

caffeinedoll — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:49:15 +0000

12:59 a.m.

5:08 a.m.

It’s truly a wonder how some people can sleep in just about any position, including sitting straight up like that. I am envious!

Korean Air

caffeinedoll — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:41:45 +0000

Good Morning

I was part of a team of 5 making our way to Yeosu, South Korea to set up some installations at the Singapore Pavilion which is part of Yeosu Expo 2012. It was my first time flying Korean Air, as well as my first time to South Korea. I wasn’t too excited since I had some reservations about their food – kimchi to be exact. A whole truckload of reservations. Kimchi… *hmmm*

No Pandas in Korea, no suhreee!

It was a night flight and since I couldn’t sleep on the plane because the seats were too upright, I had to while away 6 hours plus of absolute torture. Thank goodness for the entertainment console and it’s hidden gems of comedic copywriting. There’s no need to point out the fact that there’s no pandas here, we all know this is about Korea and not China! LOL

Air Stewardess

There were more female than male air stewards here (not like MAS, which is overrun with extremely well-groomed men). All of them were very slim, and most of them were pretty. The cynic in me kept wondering about the amount of plastic surgery needed to achieve that kind of perfection. Oh, and the thick layer of make-up helped too, I guess. Make-up’s cheap in Korea, or so I heard. Yes, I was rude but I can’t sleep anyway, so why not people watch?

By the way, in case you’re wondering what this crazy caffeinated insomniac doll was doing in Yeosu, you can check out the Singapore Pavilion website for more info. We were involved in Gallery 1′s 3D projection mapping show, as well as 5 more interactive installations throughout the gallery – cycling through Singapore, kite flying, pepper’s ghost display etc.

Seasoned Travellers

caffeinedoll — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:19:35 +0000

Brave

The time was 1.13 a.m. and we were just getting settled in. I was onboard the Korean Air flight KE642 from Changi bound for Incheon. I truly salute this mother. At the same time, I wonder if I would survive a 6 hour plus midnight flight with my LO in tow? Most probably not.

a blank

caffeinedoll — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 04:26:10 +0000

it’s 1.21 am. i’m still up, bright-eyed n bushy tailed – mayhaps not as bushy-tailed as i can be with sufficient sleep, but then again, beggars can’t be choosers…

just got my IELTS results and surprise surprise, both my sis n i got the same result and we didn’t take the test together, she took it almost a year earlier than I did…! HA, she can’t gloat now… *grins*

can’t seem to sleep anymore than 6 hours a day since about a month ago, sometimes i even need to PLAN when i can sleep / eat / bathe etc… ain’t God laughing now! as usual, plans never go the way i expect, therefore i need to have contingency plans, which never go the way i expect either… so… HA. HA. HA.

good nite.

Hello, Me.

caffeinedoll — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:38:24 +0000

I just noticed that my last personal entry into this blog was in September of 2011 when I mentioned about going back to work full time after the birth of my LO. So much has happened since then, but I find myself struggling to express my feelings in words. I guess it boils down to one word: fatigue.

sleep.is.for.the.weak

I am up by 5.30am. It takes me 5 plus hours to get to and from work. I work 9 hour days, 5 days a week. Sometimes I skip lunch so I can complete my work without having to clock in overtime. I rush straight home just in time to put my LO to bed. If I miss this, I would have missed seeing her for the entire day, as I’m already out of the house by the time she wakes up in the morning. I know there’s loads of people out there who has it worse than me, and I’m not comparing. I’m just making a declaration: I am bone tired. The brain feels like scrambled eggs and the body feels like it’s been run over by a convoy of trucks, repeatedly. On bad days, I can hardly string two coherent sentences together, and it shows.

Can I stop working? No.
Why? I love what I do. And it makes me Money. My job is my hobby and there’s no such opportunities to do such work in MY.
Then why complain? Coz I’m so freaking tired all the time!

Some days I can just about get by, on other days when work gets on top of me and I’m struggling, I find myself thinking of all the exotic places I would like to visit. DAYDREAMING on the job… I have really reached an early mid-life crises. This was what I posted on FB the other day, after spending an entire day and a half debugging.

I want to go travelling, I want to get lost. I want a change of scene, a culture shock, a sense of excitement, a rush of adrenaline… anything but sitting here typing and tarpao-ing in.

So what can I do? Suck it up and soldier on. I chose this life, now let’s lead it well.

Kampachi @ Johor Premium Outlets

caffeinedoll — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:27:58 +0000

According to Kampachi, they are one of the top five Japanese restaurants in Malaysia, as noted by The Miele Guide To Asia’s Finest Restaurants for 2011/12. So, as we’re famished from walking around the premium outlets at Johor, we decided to treat ourselves to a big lunch!

My mom (the foodie) was telling me how my dad (the other foodie) used to always entertain his Japanese customers at Kampachi in Equatorial KL, which was THE place to be for fine japanese food back in the old days.

Previously, you can only sample their fare at Equatorial Hotels in KL, Penang, Putrajaya and Melaka. But now they have expanded to include restaurants in shopping malls like Pavillion and JPO (lucky us!)

Japanese Tea

I loved the understated deco of the restaurant, with a wall display of all their featured teas.

Special Green Tea

A special blend of green tea, recommended by the helpful staff, came served in this “kawaii” teapot. The tea was fragrant and flavourful.

Soft-shell Crab

Golden perfection. The crabs were fresh and had eggs in them!

Unagi

YUM! The meat was thick, the sauce divine and I just couldn’t stop eating it!

Seafood Fried Rice

This had ‘wok hei’. Amazing.

Nabeyaki Udon

No ramen, so I settled for this. Light and clear soup with yummy thick noodles. The highlight? Served with a tempura prawn and loads of crispy tempura bits.

Tempura prawn + crispy tempura flour bits

The highlight of the above-mentioned dish.

Seafood Tempura

Big prawns coated in a thin layer of tempura flour. *bliss*

Dad's Bento Set

I did not take note of what this bento set was called, but it’s great for lunch! Note the name of the restaurant that’s seared into the eggroll.

Chawanmushi

Fish egg lovers, prepare to enter heaven. Delicious!

Dorayaki

The waiters were going from table to table, asking customers if they wanted to try the dorayaki that’s fresh off the grill. Dad couldn’t resist. The red bean paste was smooth but a tad bit too sweet for my liking, but then again, that’s just me. Dad loved it! Wish they had served it with a scoop of green tea ice cream.

This lunch for 3 people came out to be approximately RM300. Pricey, but worth it. DH didn’t get to try this time, so I’ll be bringing him next time… maybe to the Pavillion outlet, cause I have nothing to buy at JPO.

Kampachi, Johor Premium Outlets
Address : Lot 506, Johor Premium Outlets, Jalan Premium Outlets, Indahpura, 81000 Kulaijaya, Johor Darul Takzim Malaysia
Tel : +60 7 590 9277
Business Hours : Daily 11am – 10pm

Joan Bowen Cafe @ Jalan Wangi, SG

caffeinedoll — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:07:34 +0000

We had our annual christmas lunch at Joan Bowen Cafe – a cafe that employs and trains youths with special needs so that they can develop healthy self-respect and hopefully contribute to society. You can read more about their good work here.

Their menu may not be extensive, but the food served is scrumptious! Plus, their desserts just blew me away!

The Menu & Environment

Was amused by the naming of their dishes like “Belly Dancer” and “The Duck Stops Here”. LOL

Their waitresses in action

Affogato

Expresso with a large scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.

Belly Dancer

Threw my diet plans out the window for this strip of pork belly that had been slow-cooked for 8 hours and then pan-fried till the skin’s crispy. Beautiful!

Chilli Crab Pasta

SJ ordered this unusual dish and I had a bite. It was a bit too “fishy” for my taste but still had a good kick to it.

Alfredo Squid Ink Linguine with Prawns

BL ordered this. He said it was sinfully creamy! *mmmmm*

Below are some of the food my colleagues ordered.

Fish & Chips

Catch of the Day

And then, it was dessert time!

Oreo Cheesecake

The house specialty. It was served like a frozen block of ice cream straight from the freezer! I love the creamy texture of the cheesecake that contrasted nicely with the crunchy bits of oreo.

Brownie

For a chocoholic like me, this wins hands down. Moist, chewy and chocolatey inside with a crunchy caramelised layer of sugar on top, it really hits the spot.

Apple Crumble

This wasn’t as good as the others, due to the fact that the apple filling was not soft and sticky enough, but overall taste was still good.

Wonderful dishes, amazing desserts… there’s no excuse not to try it out at least once!

Joan Bowen Café
Address: 9 Jalan Wangi, Singapore 349354
Tel : +(65) 6281 3629
Business Hours :
Monday to Friday: 11am – 9.30pm
Saturday: 12pm – 9.30pm
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

The Han Room @ Gardens Mall, Mid Valley

caffeinedoll — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 02:23:03 +0000

Part of the Oriental Group of Restaurants, The Han Room is tucked in a quiet corner of the Gardens Mall where The Gardens Hotel & Residences is located. Once again, my parents the foodies brought us there for lunch. I swear that if my parents were food bloggers, they would be super famous by now. Sadly, they only have me, and my day job consumes my life on most days.

So, what’s good to eat here? HOKKEIN MEE! Yes, it has to be in caps, cause it’s that good. Besides that, fans of dim sum can also expect a variety of delicious fare here. At 1pm on christmas day, the restaurant was packed! The place is short on space, so our baby stroller had to be folded, and I had to eat with my daughter on my lap (she’s still too young to sit in a highchair)

Hokkein Mee

Incredibly, fantastically, amazingly good. Who cares about blocked arteries when something like this comes along? Must must must must try.

Chu Yao Char (Fried Pork Fat)

This divine plate of porky goodness accompanied the above-mentioned mouthwatering dish. I’ll detox later.

Siew Mai (dumpling stuffed with prawn and pork)

First bite? *Yum*… I want more!

Century Egg and Ginger Dumpling

According to the waiter, this is their speciality. I am not a fan of century egg so I gave this a miss. DH liked it though.

Fu Chuk Guin (meat wrapped in beancurd skin)

Good, but not fantastic.

Steamed Pork Ribs

Another good try but it was somewhat lacking…

Char Siew Pao (steamed buns with pork meat)

A must-have when DH has dim sum. The paos were small (similar to those in Singapore) but the filling was delicious!

Siew Yok (roasted pork belly)

Crispy skin and succulent meat. Only complaint? The layer of fat was way too thick.

Char Siew (grilled pork)

DH, a char siew lover, gave his thumbs up to this dish (and consumed most of it too!)

I cannot wait for my next trip back to KL so that I can eat those black noodles again.

The Han Room
Address: Lot G243,G246 &G247, Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 KL.
Tel: 03 – 2284 8833
Business Hours:
Mondays to Fridays
11.00 am – 11.00pm
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays
10.30am – 11.00pm

CoCoICHIBANYA @ 313 Somerset, SG

caffeinedoll — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:00:22 +0000

We went to 313@Somerset for some seriously famous japanese curry during JY’s birthday. CoCoICHIBANYA has been in business since January 1978 and now have more than 1200 restaurants worldwide! They opened their first store in Singapore at the basement floor of 313@Somerset and we had to go and check it out. Besides, it was wonderful to have some stress relief after a tough couple of weeks at work!

The shop wasn’t impressive – nothing jumped out and said *special*. However on opening the menu, their marketing strategy was revealed. Anything and everything can be customised – from the amount of rice (250g is the standard) to the spiciness of the curry (level 0 to level 5) to customisable toppings for your curry (like corn, egg, bacon etc.) It was a novel experience and we had fun challenging each other to order the highest level of spiciness for the curry.

In the end I settled for a Pork Cutlet curry with Cheese, with the standard amount of rice and level 4 spiciness. I always find Japanese curry lacking that *spicy kick* so I was hoping that a hotter curry would satisfy my tastebuds. Nobody in my group wanted to try level 5. Only the two Malaysians (SJ and me) ordered level 4.

Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet) Curry Rice with Cheese

Here’s my curry. They were really generous with the amount of curry sauce and I loved it. However I wished they had an option to put in a raw egg (like those we had in Tokyo) for it would really make the dish much much better. The menu has an omelette curry rice option but the dishes there are non-customisable so it wasn’t as “fun” to order.

Curry Rice with optional toppings

Additional toppings like corn, cheese, spinach and even clam comes in little dishes for you to pour onto your rice.

Sausage + Curry Rice

This is another variation of the curry. They have seafood curries as well as vegetable curries etc. There’s something there for everyone!

I thought that Level 4 spiciness was just right for me, though my Singaporean colleagues say that Level 2 is hot enough. Besides, there’s a bottle of spice there that you can add to your curry if you think it is lacking *oommmpphh*. So when in doubt, order the milder curry, then add more spices later. By the way, I found that 250g of rice was way too much for me so the next time I go, I will get the 150g of rice (with a $1 discount!). For the big eaters, each additional 100g of rice will cost you an extra $1.50.

Any excuse to have a good meal

Even writing this post now is making me salivate. Oh when will we have another excuse to go eat curry?

CoCoICHIBANYA Singapore
Address: 313 Orchard Road, #B3-25/27 313 @ Somerset, Singapore
Tel: +65 6636 7280

September Cooking Party

caffeinedoll — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:53:10 +0000

We had a crazy party at my boss’ house. The challenge for everyone is to cook an (edible) asian dish at his place. It was a day full of laughter and memorable moments where we bonded as a team.

THE RAW INGREDIENTS

We bought most of our stuff from the nearby supermarket and prepared them on-site.

THE PREPARATION & COOKING

When creatives are let loose in a kitchen, the results can be ohhh soooo surprising!

THE RESULT

Alright… not everything was home-made but most of us fulfilled the challenge and the food was amazingly good!

CHOW TIME

It was fun cooking and eating together! We have to do it again!

PLAYTIME

Right. Loads of Nerf gun play. These pics show the true colours of my interesting colleagues!

BEHIND THE SCENES
Photographer hard at work