Inako Scenic View Cafe Restaurant 清境伊拿谷景觀咖啡餐廳 (Taiwan, Nantou Country)

Roasted Chicken (Earthen Jar Chicken) 現烤甕缸雞 560 TWD (S$24.50)

Inako Scenic View Cafe Restaurant is an alfresco dining restaurant perched over a mountainous deep valley in Cingjing. 

This restaurant is well-known among Taiwanese for its food and scenery. It has been featured by their local magazines and visited by Taiwanese celebrities.  

This is the magnificent view from the dining area. It is beautiful and the air is so fresh. Coupled with the cooling weather, it is a perfect place to enjoy our food during the afternoon.

Set Menu

We ordered the Set Menu for 5 persons at 1200 TWD (S$52.40). It consisted of Steamed Live Trout 清蒸中段活鱒魚, Stirred Fried Mountain Vegetables with Mountain Pork Meat 山菜炒山豬肉, Crystal Shrimp 碧湖水晶蝦, Stirred Fried Chicken Soup Bamboo Shoot 雞湯滷桂竹筍, Highland Cabbage 高山高麗菜, Live Trout Head and Tail Soup 活鱒魚頭尾湯 and Steamed Rice.

We also ordered their signature Roasted Chicken (Earthen Jar Chicken) 現烤甕缸雞560 TWD (S$24.50). This is dish and the Steamed Live Trout 清蒸中段活鱒魚 are their signature dishes \.

Do note that, I have literally translated the Chinese characters to English Language. Hence, the dishes may sound weird in English Language.

The signature Roasted Chicken (Earthen Jar Chicken) 現烤甕缸雞 is a very famous dish here and this is a must try at the restaurant. The chickens are marinated and then cooked in huge earthen jar placed outside the restaurant. The chickens are hooked up-right and cooked (roasted).  The essence and fats from the chicken is then collected at the bottom. Each earthen jar can cook four chickens at any point in time. Every now and then, a staff will take out each chicken from the jar and spray them with a layer of oil before putting back to roast, resulting in the crisp skin and tender meat.  

Roasted Chicken (Earthen Jar Chicken) 現烤甕缸雞 560 TWD (S$24.50)

The signature Roasted Chicken (Earthen Jar Chicken) 現烤甕缸雞 560 TWD (S$24.50) was served with dipping sauce (i.e. chilli and salt) and interesting a pair of cotton knitted work gloves and plastic gloves! Just like what you see in the above photo.

The chicken was so tender that it was easily torn into smaller pieces by hand. Hence, gloves were provided. The chicken skin was crispy and there were no fats in between as the fats had all been roasted. The interior meat was juicy and tender, not dry at all. Taste wise, it was just nice and there was no need for me to use the dipping sauce. A must try! 

Highland Cabbage 高山高麗菜

These cabbage from the Highland Cabbage 高山高麗菜 dish were grown and harvested from the mountains. Although it was well cooked and the cabbage was sweet and crunchy, it was just an ordinary dish. 

Stirred Fried Chicken Soup Bamboo Shoot  雞湯滷桂竹筍

The Stirred Fried Chicken Soup Bamboo Shoot 雞湯滷桂竹筍 is another must try.This dish was well executed. They were so fresh and crunchy with a sweet taste. Not hard at all and taste so different from the ones you eat or can buy in Singapore. 

Crystal Shrimp 碧湖水晶蝦

The Crystal Shrimp 碧湖水晶蝦 was a very addictive dish. The shrimps were deep fried with their shells still intact and were lightly seasoned with pepper, salt and chilli. They were so well deep fried that the shells were so crisp and crunchy which the interior meat was soft and sweet. Perfect with plain rice (white steamed rice).

Stirred Fried Mountain Vegetables with Mountain Pork Meat 山菜炒山豬肉

The vegetables and pig used in this dish (i.e. Stirred Fried Mountain Vegetables with Mountain Pork Meat 山菜炒山豬肉) were grown from the mountains. They were very generous with the pork meat.

Steamed Live Trout 清蒸中段活鱒魚

This is another signature dish - Steamed Live Trout 清蒸中段活鱒魚. The trout fish was taken freshly from the fish tank. Its head and tail were removed leaving just the body. The fish was then cooked with shredded ginger, chili and garlic mixed with little soy sauce till it was 50% cooked. It would then be served to customers.  The staff would then advise the customers to wait 10 minutes as the fish would continue cooking. By then the fish would be perfectly cooked. 

Steamed Live Trout 清蒸中段活鱒魚

The trout fish had a lot of bones in it. Even for someone like me who is used to eating fish, I was extremely careful when eating this dish. I did not find this fantastic. 

Live Trout Head and Tail Soup 活鱒魚頭尾湯

As for the head and tail of the trout fish, they were not wasted. They were used to cook the Live Trout Head and Tail Soup 活鱒魚頭尾湯 together with ingredients such as mushroom and carrot.

Live Trout Head and Tail Soup 活鱒魚頭尾湯

The soup was lightly flavoured.

高山鱒魚

Look at the number of Trout Fish in the fish tank. Interestingly, they were all perceptually swimming in a particular direction. 

Inako Scenic View Cafe Restaurant 清境伊拿谷景觀咖啡餐廳(Taiwan, Nantou Country)

546南投縣仁愛鄉大同村仁和路信義巷36之1附1號

No. 25-1, Rénhé Rd, Renai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 546

Tel: 049 280 3710

Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 9pm

Website

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New Ubin Seafood (Sin Ming Road)

Soft Boiled Egg Special $9

New Ubin Seafood is a restaurant which first established in 1986 on Pulau Ubin before to mainland; Singapore. The restaurant has relocated to several locations before settling itself down at a quiet corner of Sin Ming Industrial Estate where several car workshops are located. With its location, parking at New Ubin Seafood was a breeze as there was lots of carpark lots with free parking. 

New Ubin Seafood as its name suggests, specialises in seafood and zi char. In additon, it also offer several localise international cuisines such as the US Black Angus Ribeye Steak, Soft Boiled Egg Special (with truffle salt and foie gras) and German Pork Knuckle.

We made reservations and visited on a Sunday. There was a air-conditioned room with around 5 tables. The rest of the tables were located in the restaurant or at its facade without air-conditioner. 

3 different types of chilli for the meal. 

Soft Boiled Egg Special $9

We ordered the Soft Boiled Egg Special $9 (per portion) which consisted of soft boiled egg (60 minute slow cooked egg) with truffle salt and foie gras. The mixture of the 3 ingredients caused a harmony of flavours when it was all mixed up - runny egg yolk with foie gras. A unique experience. But being a typical Singaporean, I still prefer my soft boiled eggs mixed with pepper and soy sauce (aka the Ya Kun style). This was the second most expensive dish if you calculate the orders by per person. 

Har Cheong Kai $18

The Har Cheong Kai (Prawn Paste Chicken Wings) was the best dish of the night. It was well marinated with prawn paste and well fried. Great flavour and tender and juicy. 

Hot Plate Beancurd $16

This was the Hot Plate Beancurd $16. 

Oyster Sauce Baby Kai Lan $12

The Oyster Sauce Baby Kai Lan $12 was a too oily. 

Angus Ribeye Steak served with Potato Wedges, Caramelised Onions and Fried Rice $72 for 600g

This was their signature US Angus Ribeye Steak served with Potato Wedges, Caramelised Onions and Fried Rice $72 for 600g at $12 per 100 gram.

Angus Ribeye Steak served with Potato Wedges, Caramelised Onions and Fried Rice (600g) $72

The Potato Wedges were average. Personally, I preferred the Caramelised Onions. 

 Angus Ribeye Steak served with Potato Wedges, Caramelised Onions and Fried Rice (600g) $72

We requested for the US Angus Ribeye Steak to be well-done as some in our group may not like it if it was medium-rare or medium-well. The beef was cooked with just salt and pepper. We all thought that this was just average and not fantastic. 

Black Angus Ribeye Steak served with Potato Wedges, Caramelised Onions and Fried Rice (600g) $72

The Fried Rice; rice fried with charred fat and burnt ends from the steak which was highly raved about was a disappointed. Such a waste of calories. The fried rice was oily, hard and not fragrant.

Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle $24

As we were still hungry and not satisfied, we ordered a plate of Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle $24 (the biggest size). The fried hokkien mee was served with prawns, baby squids, clams, pork belly and lots and lots of pork lard. It came with a lots of soup stock rich in seafood and lard flavour. It may not be the best, but it was one of the better dishes at New Ubin Seafood.

If you are interested in crabs, New Ubin Seafood (Sin Ming Road) is having a promotion where you can order two crabs and get the 3rd crab free.

Overall, we were not particularly impressed with our dinner at New Ubin Seafood. The service could be improved. On both occasions when we were ordering our food, we had to repeat it twice. One to the staff taking the order and next to another more experience staff who came over with clarifications. In addition, when we had queries on certain dishes or for recommendations, we had to wait for a more experience staff to come over. Food wise, we were disappointed with some of them. The better ones were the Har Cheong Kai Chicken Wings and Soft Boiled Egg Special.

New Ubin Seafood (Sin Ming Road)
#01-174 Block 27 Sin Ming Road
Sin Ming Industrial Estate Sector A 
Singapore 575680
Tel: 6466 9558
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 11am – 2pm, 530pm – 1030pm 
                         Sat & Sun 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Website 

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Cuc Gach Quan (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

Cuc Gach Quan (Cục Gạch Quán) is a "country side" restaurant which specialises in serving traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The owner aims to bring back to the modern city a slice of the old countryside with his motto “eat green, live healthy” where the emphasis is on fresh ingredients and Vietnamese flavours with no preservatives or MSG added.

The restaurant is tucked away at the quiet street of Dang Tat; a private residential area at Ward Tan Dinh in District 1. The three storey air-conditioned restaurant is easy to miss as it looks like a typical house from the exterior with a security guard seated in front of the restaurant. Despite its (remote) location, this restaurant is very popular. It ranks number 14 in tripadvisor and was visited by Brad and Angelina in 2010. After reading all the reviews on it, I had high expectations of this restaurant and decided to visit during my trip to Ho Chi Minh.

Menu cover (English)

They had a English only menu with wide product offering. It was easier researching the items to eat and to ask the so friendly staff for recommendations. A quick observation, most of the customers in the restaurant seems to be tourists.

Mixed Fruit Juice 80,000 VND (S$4.80)

Sugar free Mixed Fruit Juice which cost 80,000 VND (S$4.80). What was unique was that instead of a conventional straw, the straw was actually the stem of a morning glory! In additional, the stopper of the bottle was also made of pandan leaf. 

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm Thịt (Fresh Spring Roll with Shrimp) 20,000 VND (S$1.20)

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm Thịt (Fresh Spring Roll with Shrimp) 20,000 VND (S$1.20) was average. Can skip.

Cải Bẹ Xanh Cuốn Bò (Lettuce Roll with Beef) 20,000 VND (S$1.20)

The Cải Bẹ Xanh Cuốn Bò (Lettuce Roll with Beef) 20,000 VND (S$1.20) was also average. Can skip.

Bông Bí (Pumpkin Flowers)

This is the first time I am trying Bông Bí (Pumpkin Flowers). It was stirred fried with garlic. This seemly simple dish was wonderfully cooked and tasty. It was not too oily and not too salty, very well executed. 

Đậu Hũ Trứng Chiên Xả Ớt (Deep Fried Home Made Tofu with Lemongrass and Chilli) 90,000 VND (S$5.40)

Đậu Hũ Trứng Chiên Xả Ớt (Deep Fried Home Made Tofu with Lemongrass and Chilli) 90,000 VND (S$5.40) as its name suggested was home made with no preservatives added. Each cube of tofu was coated in a thin, crunchy crisp batter while the interior was silk soft. The bits of fried lemongrass and chilli paired off very well with the tofu, providing an appetising aroma and tantalising flavour. These bits also went well with rice.

Unique dish, but not fantastic or a die die must try. 

Cá Chẻm Chiên Giòn Sốt Chanh Dây (Crispy Sea Bass with Passion fruit Sauce) 90,000 VND (S$5.40)

Cá Chẻm Chiên Giòn Sốt Chanh Dây (Crispy Sea Bass with Passion fruit Sauce) 90,000 VND (S$5.40) was unique. The addition of the passion fruit added a distinctive flavour to the crispy sea bass. 

 Steamed Rice and Brown Rice 60,000 VND (S$3.60)

We shared a pot of Steamed Rice and Brown Rice 60,000 VND (S$3.60). The brown rice tasted different from the ones I had in Singapore. It tasted exactly the same as the steamed rice.

We had high expectations for Cuc Gach Quan and were disappointed with the food. The food was not bad, but not fantastic. I should have heeded the advice of my Vietnamese friend who told me that locals seldom visit this restaurant as the food was average yet expensive. The positive aspect was that the restaurant ambience was warm cozy and homely, and the staff were friendly, attentive and extremely helpful.

Cục Gạch Quán (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh)

10 Dang Tat, Ward Tan Dinh 

District 1, Saigon 

Tel: +84 (08) 3848 0144
Opening Hours: Daily 1030am to 1030pm

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Rocking Doll at Asiatique (Thailand, Bangkok)

We went to Asiatique to catch the Calypso Cabaret Show (show by lady boys) and were looking for a place for dinner. A quick observation was that the food at Asiatique was generally more expensive which was expected as it was a tourist attraction. 

As we walked around, we noticed that there was an eatery called "Rocking Doll" which exceptionally crowded compared to the rest. In fact, it was full. Naturally, our instinct was to join in and give this a try.

Rocking Doll was a small eatery with limited seating capacity. The seats and tables were cramped side by side. To get to the seats in the centre, you would need to 'jostle' your way through with numerous "excuse me". In addition, if you have a shopping bags, you would need to either put them down on the floor or carry it on your lap while eating. Despite all these, this was easily the most crowded eatery with the most people queuing.

Rocking Doll serves Thai cuisine. It's menu came with both Thai and English languages with pictures of the item and prices clearly stated. After deciding what to order, you would need to approach the very young lady (but capable) at the counter (in the picture above) to place your order and make payment. Surprisingly, the young  lady was the most important person. She was the one who ensured that you receive the right change and the right order. She was like a lady boss. She stood at that position with the cash register behind her and did not move away from it. Even when she spotted customers requiring assistance, she would direct someone else to that particular group of customers. 

The seafood and meat were all displayed clearly displayed on a bed of ice.

Tom Yum Shrimps 180 Baht (S$7.50)

As the eatery was packed, we had to wait a fair bit before our food was served. The Tom Yum (Yam) Shrimps 180 Baht (S$7.50) was average with a good balance in flavour.

Sauteed Chinese Watercress with Crispy Pork 100 Baht (S$4.20)

The Sauteed Chinese Watercress with Crispy Pork 100 Baht (S$4.20) was surprisingly good. The vegetables were well fried and very tasty with a hint of spiciness. Although the pork was not crispy as its name suggested and the dish could have been less oily, it was well-worth the calories. Sinful but delicious.

Phad Thai with Shrimps 75 Baht (S$3.10)

We thought that the Phad Thai with Shrimps 75 Baht (S$3.10) would be the best dish. But well, we were wrong. The Phad Thai did not leave an impression and was mediocre.

Stir Fried Noodle with Seafood 75 Baht (S$3.10)

The Stir Fried Noodle with Seafood 75 Baht (S$3.10) fared better. It was very well fried with smoky wok-hei infused in it. In addition, preserved radish (chye poh) was added in it such each mouthful was flavourful and addictive. It was would have been perfect if it was a tad less oily.

Fried Rice with Seafood 75 Baht (S$3.10)

The Fried Rice with Seafood 75 Baht (S$3.10) was delicious. We ordered another plate after tasting it. The rice grains were soft and each rain was well coated with immense wok hei flavour with smoky aroma.

You may have noticed that there were prawns and squids in four out of the five dishes we ordered. The prawns and squids were fresh and nicely cooked. But there was just too much prawns and squids such that we had difficulty finishing them (like that also complain... hard to please! =P ).

Overall, the food served at Rocking Doll was not bad. Price wise, it was cheap compared to the other stalls. As for whether this is the best eatery in Asiatique? That I do not know. Service wise, there was no service lah, after all there's no service tax and this is not a restaurant. Do note the environment and ambience was not exactly ideal. Squeezy, crowded, narrow walking space and noisy would be the right description. With this, you can make a better informed choice based on your own preferences on whether to eat here or not.

Beverage Stall

While dining at Rocking Doll, we bought a few cups of Thai Traditional Ice Milk Tea from the Beverage Stall nearby. The Beverage Stall was actually located just 1 unit away from Rocking Doll. You can see Rocking Doll in the background of the above photo.

Thai Traditional Ice Milk Tea 30 Baht (S$1.25)

The Thai Traditional Ice Milk Tea 30 Baht (S$1.25) was one of the better ones we drank. It was fragrant and aromatic.

Rocking Doll at Asiatique (Thailand, Bangkok)
Asiatique The Riverfront (Warehouse 6)
2194 Charoen Krung Road, Wat Phraya Krai
Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand

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T&K Seafood at Chinatown (Thailand, Bangkok)

A trip to Bangkok is not complete without a stopover at Chinatown (also known as Yaowarat) for a meal. The best time to visit Chinatown is at night; between evening to midnight. This is the period where the area comes alive with many eateries setting up shop along the side of the road, and tourist and locals start flocking into the area to savour the delicious delicacies such as bird nest, sharkfins and seafood.

T&K Seafood (highlighted in red)

The most highly raved about eatery at Chinatown is T&K Seafood, a roadside eatery renowned for the cheap and good seafood. T&K Seafood is located at along the main road (Yaowarat Road) that cuts across the chinatown. There are two such eateries located opposite each other. One of the ways to differentiate them is through the colour of the polo tee the staff are wearing. Staff at T&K Seafood wear green polo tee while their competitor wear red polo tee.

Tip: There are several zebra crossings located along the main road. If you are going to cross the road, it is advisable to use these zebra crossings. Kudos to the Thai Authorities, I remember several years back, there were no such zebra crossings. 

We arrived just after 6pm (on a weekday); their opening time as we did not want to queue. As it was raining before that, the staff were still setting up chairs and tables when we arrived. And surprisingly, it was already three quarter full.

The setup included placing placing fans above the makeshift shelter to ensure that it was well ventilated.

ps: They have an air-condition restaurant just beside this makeshift setup. We choose alfresco dining (outdoors - next to the road side).

Menu Cover

The menu was well categorized, in English and prices were stated clearly.

The biggest mistake we made were ordering these bottled drinks. Way too sweet, tasted like syrup drinks.

Condiments 

Steamed White snapper in Spicy Garlic Lime Juice Soup

The Steamed White snapper in Spicy Garlic Lime Juice Soup (Baht 300, S$12.50) is a Thai-style steamed fish. This was a tasty dish rich with different flavours such as spicy, sweet yet sour. The fish was fresh and cooked just right such that its meat was so soft. A must order! 

Tom Yum Soup

Tom Yum Soup

The Tom Yum Soup - seafood lemongrass soup with milk (150 Baht, S$6.25) did not disappoint. It had the right balance in taste with none of them overwhelming the other. Although it was spicy, it was addictive - you would be digging for more after each mouthful. The ingredients in it include squid, prawns, fish slices and button mushrooms. 

Stir Fried Water Cress 

Stir Fried Water Cress (80 Baht, S$3.33) was average with nothing much to shout about. We had to order some greens to make this a more balanced meal. 

Fried Stuff Crab with Crab Meat and Glass Noodle

Fried Stuff Crab with Crab Meat and Glass Noodle

Fried Stuff Crab with Crab Meat and Glass Noodle (50 Baht, S$2.08 per piece) consisted of a mixture of crab meat, chicken meat and vermicelli. It was unique but in terms of taste was average. I felt that the flavours of the ingredients were not brought out. Not really a must order, but worth a try if you have not eaten such an item before.

Stir Fried Squid with Yellow Curry Powder

Stir Fried Squid with Yellow Curry Powder

Stir Fried Squid with Yellow Curry Powder (150 Baht, S$6.25) is another Thai-style curry dish. They have a similar variation with crab. However, as we had ordered too many crab dishes, we decided to order squid instead. 

This was superbly executed - utterly delicious. The squids were cooked in curry pasta mixed with egg. The key to this dish was not the squid, instead it was the curry pasta with the egg. It was rich in flavour (due to the blend of curry powder), fragrant and not overly spicy. The sauce was irresistible and complement perfectly with rice. This was so good that it stole the show from the squid which to its credit was fresh and cooked to perfection (not overcooked). I am sure this dish would taste great with crabs or any other ingredients as long as the sauce is executed correctly. A must order!

Steamed Meat Crab with Glass Noodle in Claypot

Steamed Meat Crab with Glass Noodle in Claypot

Steamed Meat Crab with Glass Noodle in Claypot (350 Baht, S$14.58) was out of the world! Easily one of the better ones I have eaten. The glass noodle (vermicelli) was moist and incredibly flavourful with a slight spicy kick due to the peppercorns. The essence of all the juices (including the sweetness from the crab) in this dish was all captured in the glass noodle. It was so good that it stole the limelight from the crab. Yummy! Another must order!

The Steamed Meat Crab with Glass Noodle in Claypot reminded me of The Cheers Beer commercial which my Marketing lecturer showed us (watch from 1.05 onwards) when I was still studying. The execution, exaggeration, expression, humor and a simple tagline made this one of the most highly rated and popular beer commercials of all times. And just like the feelings shown on the video, this was what I felt after eating the Steamed Meat Crab with Glass Noodle in Claypot! So.. to every little good things in life... CHEERS! 

As we were leaving, we noticed a large crowd standing outside waiting for their turn to be seated. The crowd had literally spilled out to the road. It is advisable to come early.

What a sumptuous meal! Cheap and good! Well worth the trip down to Chinatown. If only we can get such food at such prices back home in Singapore.

T&K Seafood at Chinatown (Thailand, Bangkok)

49-51 Soi Phadung Dao, Yaowarat Road

Chinatown, Bangkok 10100, Thailand

Tel: +66 2 223 4519

Opening Hours: Daily 6pm to 2am

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