metamorphosis

A tribute to the childhood, sitting-in-grandmother's-kitchen favorite, the Chinese dumpling.  Like pasta is to the Italians, the texture and elasticity of dumpling skin to me is a non-negotiable.  The best is when it is finished al-dente, springy enough to feel like a loving chef shaped it effortlessly between his experienced palms amongst the familiar steam emanating from bamboo baskets. 

The best part is, however, a concept as simple as wrapping something organic and shapeless in a crepe-like skin, can be so versatile, delicious and comforting.

Trash bags full of dry leaves masquerading as dumplings nestled on sprawling beautiful greens.

[ju ming museum. taiwan]

A dumpling's shape hides no secrets; it comes from an honest process. 

This beijing chive dumpling is the best I have had; the filling not dense and the chives aplenty, adding that aroma we love.

[nan bei chinese cuisine. ngee ann city. singapore]

Delicately worked window into a beautiful garden of scallop and spinach; fresh, high-quality, michelin-worthy.

[lung king heen. four seaons hotel. hong kong]

Not the most ideal, but the color derived from pumpkins is a head-turner.

[taipei 101 food court. taiwan]

Speaking of flavored skin, these xiao long bao are made from spinach.  Just like good vanilla ice cream shows traces of black vanilla beans, this skin contains specks of bright green spinach.

[national palace museum tea house restaurant. taipei. taiwan]

Hot. Silky. Smooth.

[nan bei. singapore]

Dumplings, 'jiao zi,' evoke sensations and memories.  A blank canvas for flavors, colors, and textures.

monsoon season

I enjoy the fact colors appear more saturated after rain, highlighted by the unforgiving rays of the Singapore sun; the most opportune time to travel to your local outdoor flower market.  Bring your sunglasses; the tint of your shades also add an element of surprise when you take photographs.  You wouldn't know how the colors turn out until you see them back home.

resto on a patio

After finally crossing the mental barrier of that excuse we all like to give, "it looks like a cute place but it's so out of the way," I overcame my love of sloth and visited the sleeper hit casual-dining restaurant, Hosted on the Patio.

Hosted is a charming place that seats about 60pax comfortably, with bar couches and rattan chairs crowding the exterior lounge space preceding the formal entrance.  The main color is white, making its no-frills approach to decor feel airy and spacious, reinforced by the combination of light beechwood and large tinted mirrors lining the upper halves of walls.

I was delighted by the fact that an unassuming, warm, inviting place exists in the midst of office spaces, populated by the likes of Deustche Bank and LG.

The food reads somewhat like an Italian version of PS Cafe, so expect familiar tastes wtih a twist. The three-course lunch set is a steal at 20++ SGD, but if one were to order a la carte, expect to spend anywhere from 30 to 50 SGD a person.  I mean, it's got to earn its keep somehow to prevent another bank or large conglomerate from stealing its space, right?

A little tart when the balsamic gathers at the bottom, but mushrooms are sauteed to perfection and lends itself to a smokey, teppanyaki-type sensation when paired with the garlic.

[appetizer. warm mushroom salad with crispy garlic and balsamic]

A mouthful of southern Italy; the grassy, fresh herbs adorning the top takes the dish in an exciting direction.

[main. red snapper with tomato reduction]

I admit, I was suspect when I first met him.  But after we became acquainted, his alternate preparation and presentation warmed my heart; the oats embedded in the crusty top sealing the deal beautifully.

[dessert. warm apple crumble with vanilla]

To sum up, this place deserves a place in anyone's heart and stomach.  A worthwhile trip to enjoy lunch in what seems to be your own home.  If you are up for some excitement, they also offer a belly dancing show on Thursdays and live music on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Belly dancing, a Thursday night thing.

Time for a breather...

Who doesn't love a berry?

After reading that enlightening article from last week's Bloomberg Businessweek periodical, there seems to be some sort of MLE activity for every type of food out there. However, the berry has yet to be considered, a fact I take comfort in. In any case, a berry-eating contest could go into the hundreds of thousands and would cost a small country.

The berry, like any other fruit, can be inconsistent in its taste. Sometimes tart, sometimes sweet, but always beautiful and highly versatile in application. Berries are the chocolate chips of the fruit world.

The perfect portion of tart frozen-yogurt garnished with blackberries, strawberries and homemade jam.

[sweetspot. marina bay sands. singapore]

Their endearing, small, spherical, color-saturated existence brings joy. I venture to say that it is indeed my most beloved fruit.

This summer berry pudding with a duo of cream is moist, packed with wild blueberries, and a colorful feast for the eyes.

[ps cafe. dempsey. singapore]

Blueberries, a component of my...

Blueberry & violet-cocoa homemade cake, a people-pleaser.

Raspberries garnish a delighful plate of dessert samplings of mini tiramisu and Italian apple cake at brunch.

[garibaldi. raffles. singapore]

42 Cupcakes in 8 Minutes? BRING IT ON.

We now take a break from beautiful things and focus on the enrapturingly grotesque: the world of Major League Eating. Both repulsive yet fascinating, bearing the qualities of postmodern, Damien Hirst-type art.

This is yet another reason why we should all start reading Bloomberg Businessweek, people.

We can frown upon it, judging these contestants and event organizers who waste exorbitant amounts of food each year in what seems to be childish fantasies come true, but truth of the matter is, MLE has become a significant business...

"ESPN pays the MLE an undisclosed amount for hte exclusive rights to broadcast the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Deating Contest live. Last year the event drew 1.7mil viewers, with advertising equivalency estimated by the MLE at $300mil."

(Personal respect for ESPN: -5 , Rep amongst the bros: ~ +100)

"Last July, P&G's Pepto-Bismol paid Joey Chestnut, the LeBron James of hot dog eating, more than $100,000 to endorse its product...that month Pepto say double-digit increases in sales, and the brand's Facebook page ended up acquiring 40,000 new fans."

(Glad more people have soothed bowels now; thank you, Joey!)

-Also of note...
--Jim Reeves, a high school math teacher from upstate New York, participated in the Ohio Harrod Pork Rind Heritage Festival eating contest. He won by consuming 11.32oz of fried pork skin.

I am sure this will give him leverage in his next job app.
Likely scenario:
"So you have good references from your last station teaching AP Calculus, but this acronym, 'PRECW,' what does this mean?"
"Oh it's nothing, other than the fact that I am the Pork Rind Eating Champion of the World."

So is MLE more of a sport than golf?

highlights from the sun

Urban forests

Petit Fours with mini pistachio macarons, a good size relative to its sweetness.

[l'atelier de joel robuchon. the landmark. hong kong]

Layering and negative spaces in nature are unbeatable.

No space on the streets, so Hong Kong compensates by adding foliage indoors. [the landmark. hk]

It's a rich, colorful circle kind of day...

Absolutely the best homemade sorbet I have tried; beautifully blended, artfully presented, a delightful marriage of raspberry tartness and the sweet aromas of vanilla.

[db bistro. marina bay sands. singapore]

It's not a NY cheesecake, and bears no similarity to the fluffy texture of a Japanese baked cheesecake, it is something else. The soft cylindrical mini-cheesecake with hints of ricotta and layers of homemade jam-jelly, finished with a coating of strawberry extracts shows great things come in small packages.

[l'atelier de joel robuchon (fine dining). resorts world. singapore]

Plated perfection.

An explosion of dehydrated raspberry shards completes this mini molten chocolate cake, providing an interesting textural sensation paired with an awakening, tart kick to offset the richness of chocolate. Believe me when I say this is the best molten chocolate cake in Hong Kong.

[zuma. the landmark. hong kong]

If you'd rather have something to keep, why not this wall decal? [club 21 interior. singapore]

Revitalized

HEY THERE, 2011 After an unexcusable hiatus, I have decided to renew my vows with The Empty Plate. Expanding on the once restaurant-focused entries, I will be adding images of things that inspire me; art, street scenes, objects, quotations. There are so many food blogs out there it has become a tough trek flipping through all of them, constantly overwhelmed by the multitude of items and places to try. We can only gurgitate so much in a lifetime.

That being said, this will be space where I can add images of sensory indulgences, things which make me feel full in all aspects of life.