August 11th, 2010 § § permalink
I love breakfast. Whether it be a Filipino breakfast with atsara, tapa/tocino/hotdog, sinangag, pritong itlog, at kape or a continental breakfast with eggs benedict, bacon, waffles, and sausages complete with marmalade and some orange juice, breakfast food is just awesome. Since I am in Singapore, I couldn’t pass up the chance to go try some authentic Singaporean breakfast. So last Sunday, I got up at 8 am and start strolling the streets for a quaint Kopi Tiam.
What is a Kopi Tiam?
A kopitiam or kopi tiam is a traditional breakfast and coffee shop found in Southeast Asia. The word is a portmanteau of the Malay word forcoffee (as borrowed and altered from the Portuguese) and the Hokkien dialect word for shop (店; POJ: tiàm). Menus typically feature simple offerings: a variety of foods based on egg, toast, and kaya, plus coffee, tea, and Milo, a malted chocolate drink which is extremely popular in Southeast Asia, particularly Singapore, Malaysia and Riau Islands.
Kopi tiams in Singapore are commonly found in almost all residential areas as well as some industrial and business districts in the country, numbering about 2,000 in total[1]. Although most are an aggregate of small stalls or shops, some may be more reminiscent of food courts, although each stall has similar appearance and the same style of signage.
In a typical kopi tiam, the drinks stall is usually run by the owner who sells coffee, tea, soft drinks, and other beverages as well as breakfast items like kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and snacks. The other stalls are leased by the owner to independent stallholders who prepare a variety of food dishes, often featuring the cuisine of Singapore. Traditional dishes from different ethnicities are usually available at kopitiams so that people from different ethnic backgrounds and having different dietary habits could dine in a common place and even at a common table.
Kopitiam is also the name of a food court chain in Singapore.
Some of the more common foods that can be seen in kopi tiams, besides the ever-popular eggs and toast, consist of char kway tiao (fried hor fun, sometimes cooked with eggs and cockles), Hokkien mee (mee noodles served with various seafoods as well as egg) and, possibly the most common, nasi lemak, or coconut rice (a Malay dish of coconut-flavoured rice, served with sambal chilli paste, egg, and ikan billis or anchovies).
source: htttp://www.wikipedia.com
It took no less than 5 minutes to chance upon a Kopi Tiam. I found it at the corner of Rocher Canal Rd and Short Street. I entered and quickly looked for the open stall. The Auntie who was there was very accommodating. Although initially she tried to speak to me in Chinese. Only 1/4 of which I understood. (Ok I really am going for Mandarin classes when I get back to Manila!) I ordered Set A which consisted of Kaya Toast, 2 Soft boiled eggs and a drink. I didn’t want coffee or tea since I can have those anytime, so I went with Milk Tea. The entire meal cost me about $5 I think.
I took my tray back to one of the many empty tables and sat. There was a light breeze and the sun shone brightly which just lifted my spirits. I love breakfast. I am the few who relish breakfast alone. It allows me to gather my thoughts and prepare for the day.
The eggs were perfectly done. I guess over time they have perfected the way to boil these eggs just right to get the perfect combination of firm whites with the yolk just runny. It was just the way I liked it. The kaya toast was also just right. The thin slice of bread not burnt but toasted just perfectly. It allowed the Kaya to just burst with flavor upon biting into the toast. For the uninitiated, Kaya is made of eggs, sugar and coconut milk and flavored with pandan. Don’t get me wrong. The place was nothing special nor was it fancy or a MUST-TRY. But it was on my list. I wanted to try a general Singaporean breakfast.
It was a truly a delight to take a break from the usual stuff that I eat. I enjoy variety. I enjoy a bit of excitement exploring the culinary world and adventure of Singapore.
June 26th, 2010 § § permalink
Its been a week since the initial taste test was conducted, and based on the comments I got last week, we have improved the recipe as well as variety of burgers. This time around I came prepared as well. With the right equipment as well as right lighting techniques. I knew I was going to be styling the food.
With each dish being prepped for my styling skills (or rather whatever I thought looked pretty and yummy!) I washed my hands and got down to it! It was raining burgers galore and at the end of the day was proud of how I did.
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Secret Taste Test Rd. 2
The Burgers looked plump and juicy and rightfully so because they were. The task for me was to capture the moment. I had my doubts on whether I did have the skills to do so. What do you think? Do you think I did the food justice?
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Burgers got bigger and bigger, and more complicated by the minute. The sauces, toppings, and variety just kept rolling off the grill and I had to pick up the styling as well as the shooting.
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
I am proud to say that every burger on this blog post is something I can come up with on my own as well. I promise to do this for my friends, (FAB 5 I mean you guys when you are free!) and my online friends as well. It does take some time to come up with each burger so better that I prepare ahead of time!
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
The Secret Taste Test Rd. 2
The Secret Taste Test Rd.2
Expect the resto to open within the year! And I just got word that YES I WILL BE GIVING AWAY GCs on this blog for this place. As to how much, that is yet to be discussed. Also, I am giving away a prize to the reader who can give me a creative name for each burger found on this blog. The person we choose with the best name that best describes that burger will get that burger specially made by me! How about that! Just leave your email underneath in the comments section and we will inform you if you won!
Cheers,
Carlos aka. The Chubbychef
June 20th, 2010 § § permalink
Every now and then blogging does have its perks. The other day a friend of mine invited me to be the official taste tester for his upcoming project. I took up the burden (yes the burden!) of having to go through the burgers, fries, buffalo wings, and a beers for his up-coming resto. Since I can’t really name who my friend is, where his resto will open up, when, what the concept is, and the different burgers and the toppings, I’ll just let the photos speak for itself.
The thing is, I came into this tasting with pre-conceived notions. (Yep just like we discussed in Philo Class) I knew what I wanted to taste, what I didn’t want to taste. Another positive side again is learning and relearning stuff I knew from way back. Ever hear about Brunoise? I learned how to do it! (despite almost chopping a finger off! My blade work needs polishing!) Without further ado, I give you, THE SECRET TASTE TEST.
The Secret Taste Test
The Secret Taste Test
The Secret Taste Test
I call it a secret taste test because the recipes for this one are all secret and will be essential to the success of an up and coming resto. Don’t worry I’ll be blogging where and when the resto opens. I might even give away some GCs. (working on it!) But the best part for me was the Buffalo Wings. They were exactly what I wanted in terms of what I expect from Buffalo Wings. The Taste, the texture, the exact amount of spicyness, the explosion on your tongue when you first make contact, the lingering hotness in your mouth, and the line it draws in your throat when you swallow. They all burn and yet some how very very tasty. It was soo good, I had to take more than 1 picture!
The Secret Taste Test
The Secret Taste Test
The Secret Taste Test
We made the dip. The dip we made was Bleu Cheese. Again we used and did something different to the sauce to perfectly compliment the taste. And it worked beautifully. It was like a little symphony of taste and hotness in my mouth. I was literally hearing angels with bells and trumpets singing “allelujah” with every bite. (Ok so I’m exaggerating! But they were damn good!)
The Secret Taste Test
It was a great afternoon. Filled with cooking, learning, shooting, and even styling. I wish I could spend more afternoons like these. Maybe I should open up sign-ups for some readers to come over and eat.
The Secret Taste Test
Whatcha guys think? Leave a comment please! I would love to hear from you guys!
