Siam Kitchen @ Bugis

Bugis Junction has changed so much! The last time I was there, Sony was still occupying a large part of the 2nd floor.

We were strolling around when PT decided that he wanted some Thai food. So we walked in Siam Kitchen, a bright and airy restaurant with cheerful and friendly staff.

First and foremost, the pre-requisite dish for JT - Chicken Soup. The clear and tasty soup came with strands of tang hoon and generous slices of chicken.

FT wanted her favourite Pineapple Rice. It was moist and the spices were well-blended, without the overpowering taste of pineapple. I gave a spoonful to JT and he attacked the rice like a hungry hawk. Needless to say, FT wasn't too pleased about the situation.

Whilst studying the menu, I was totally enticed by the mixed grill platter. I have a weakness for squid and the grilled slices looked delectable. The platter comprise beef slices, chicken, squid and prawns  and did not disappoint when it arrived. The meat retained their moistness and juiciness and went smashingly well with a tangy chilli sauce.

PT wanted more chicken and so ordered the mid-joint fried chicken wing. We were pleasantly surprised by the dish. The well-seasoned chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy and well-seasoned inside.

I felt rather guilty with all that meat and ordered the token vegetable - Sambal Asparagus. It was a zesty dish. The asparagus were cooked to a light crunch and the sambal carried a good kick.

We were in the mood for some authentic Thai dessert. PT ordered the Durain Sticky Rice. It was a rich concoction where the rice and durian were immersed in a warm, thick coconut gravy.

I wanted something cold and ordered the Red Ruby. The dish at the restaurant came with a nice fusion twist where the rubies and cempedak slices were scattered over 2 scoops of coconut ice-cream. FT was ecstatic and was alternating between the 2 desserts.

A refreshing and satisfying lunch.

Siam Kitchen
Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street
#02-46
Tel: 6337 3777

Batam Bagus - Fisherman

JT had been reminding us ceaselessly to go to Fisherman Restaurant. It's his favourite restaurant in the whole of Batam.

Even in a Chinese restaurant, the peanuts are spicy.

The first dish we ordered was JT's mantou. He's crazy about them and yes, they are as fluffy as they look.

I like duck and it's deep smokey flavour. The Kung Pao duck here is a nice change to the usual chicken version.

Crispy Skin Chicken is a must if PT's around. It's become a staple dish in all our chinese restaurant meals.

Another hot favourite - Cereal Prawns. There're crunchy and smell absolutely wonderful with the chilli padi and curry leaves.

Quite a light dinner as we were still too full from lunch (and the A&W root beer, fries and waffle ice-cream that I had just before dinner...)

Batam Bagus - Kelong Dinner

The kelong dinner was one meal that all of us were looking forward to. However, if you're a newbie to Batam taking a cab down to the restaurant, you'd think you had been kidnapped. The cab would suddenly turn off a bustling road into a dark and dingy dirt track lined by sporadic shanty huts. There're hardly any street lights and the road is illuminated mainly by the car's headlights reflecting off the luminous paint. Then suddenly, you emerge into a brightly lit carpark which flanks the kelong restarant.

As you enter, an efficient waitress leads you to the tanks by the side to select your seafood. 

After making our selection, we sat down and waited eagerly for the food to arrive.

First the mussles and dong dong. Don't know about you but I love prying the soft chewy flesh from the shells.

The best way to eat fresh prawns is to have them steamed in garlic and their own juices.

Ahhh...the highlight of the meal. Now this is what I call sambal crabs. Definitely not for the faint hearted.

There were more dishes, but by then I was too busy polishing off the crab.

Batam Bagus!

We’re back in Batam again! Woohoo! If you like fried, crispy food and tongue tingling sambal, then Batam is the place for you.

What did we do when we arrived in Batam? Eat, of course! Our first stop right after the ferry terminal was at a restaurant across the road. It’s a spacious, airy Kampong house located on a hill. Complimentary plates of tasty Thai coconut jelly and keropok are served as you mull over the menu.

In hot and dusty Batam, Ais Apucat or otherwise known as Iced Avocado Drink is the staple here. Nothing is Singapore comes close to what I've had in Batam.

Check out the belacan. Here in Batam, every restaurant is generous with the belacan.

One of my favourite vegetables – petai. The restaurant cooks it in a sweet, spicy sambal sauce that is sweetened even further by the prawns. Many people don’t like the taste of petai, finding it too strong and pungent. But it goes very well with sambal, and its slightly bitter flavour balances well with the bite of the chilli.

JT and FT wanted some soup, so we ordered a bowl of Soup Buntut or Oxtail Soup. This is a clear soup with fried onions and peppercorn, vastly different from the western tomato-based version.

Ikan Gurame is a must-have in this restaurant  (or anywhere in Batam for that matter). The fish is deep fried to the point where every part is transformed into a crunchy keropok, even the bones. When dipped in the sweet black sauce and belacan, the fish tastes like an out of this world cracker.

The waitress recommended the fried beancurd. Even though I’m not really a tofu person, I found the beancurd tasty and light. The Chilli Cuka (or chilli vinegar) that came with the dish was a great dipping sauce.

Ahhhh, the chicken. Don't they look like cute little coconut trees?

You know, there's so much interest about pairing the right wine with the right dish. Here in Batam, they have perfected the pairing between the sambal and the dish!

A good start to the holiday!