2012

it's the last day of 2012 and I am so eager today
I do not know how to begin nor sum up the last 366 days but below were the best that I can remember :)))))

Best tapas has to be *Catalunya* in Singapore, yup u don't have to go as far as Spain to enjoy it. And since we are in the topic of Spain, the best hotel I've stayed in was in Seville - Hotel Alfonso XIII. Yet to find time to upload pics and blog about this amazing hotel but if u have the time to bla bla...u can check out their website *here*

My best Xmas pressie so far which I got a month earlier from JS....is a BMW 528 M Sports :)))) Nope I have yet to find a name for him...it's a HIM not her...and I also bid farewell to Ms. Alpine. Since this lazy bum has yet to post about her new car nor my farewell to Ms. Alpine....u may *click here* to read about the first introduction to Ms. Alpine 3 years ago.

our best new appliance at home is JS's new Sous Vide Machine -_-" which he happens to be using tonite to prepare our New Year's Eve dinner. All about it *here*

year 2012 was also the time I realised I need to stay fit and healthy...engaged a personal fitness trainer...and when my trainer was injured *nope nothing to do with me, I didn't harm him*...JS replaced him and trained me his style, which was urghhhh *click here to read*. I also did hiking for the first time in KL at *Bukit Gasing*

I am not a breakfast person, but after discussion and talks with trainer, I need to learn to have breakfast...and my best breakfast was.....hold your breathe :))) *Meirerei* at Vienna

the most unconventional and creative museum I've visited was *MUMOK* in Vienna. Highly recommended :)))) while the most creative cuisine I had was prepared by none other than Chef Andre Chiang at *Andre*...swoooooonnn~~~~

My best Walk and Exploration was done in Budahills with JS *here* It is also in this beautiful city of Budapest that I had my most humblest visit to a *Synagogue* that made me cried in sorrow.

Best meal and dinner was at La Tour D'Argent in Paris where I happened to have the best wine ever....a bottle of Cros Parantoux 1987 by Henri Jayer :))))) yes yes yes I will blog about this soon.

and now that 2012 is ending soon and we are ALL still alive and kicking...u must have wondered wat's my resolution eh? Nope...no resolution this time around, coz I'll never stick to it and it changes over the months but if u are still craving for more to read...this was my *2012 resolution* which I did achieved at that moment but failed to maintain...I owned 48 pairs of extra shoes this year alone >.<

Thank you for all your support my dear readers
I wish you a great year ahead and toast to good health alwiz :)))
Happy New Year !!!!!

Away.......

Happy Holidays!!!!!! Monkey, JS and Hobbits are away till end of the year Thank you for dropping by and have a Merry Happy Christmas :)))))

End of the world

The big question...of the End of the World
What are you gonna do?
u can be rest assured I'll be drinking......coz I do that all the time
well not necessary the above bottle *that's a daily drink if my pocket permits*
could be something even more rare

or indulging my new found love - cheeses :)))))
of soft and hard aged cheese fr France, accompanied by all the yummy condiments

I guess to me the big question isn't about the end of the world and wat are u gonna do before/during/about it......it's about living your life with purpose and meaning each and everyday

even if you could live up to a thousand years being a useless bugger, serving no purpose to the society, mother nature etc except contributing to the pollution....then u are really equivalent to garbage(sssss)

okie Whatever God u believe in....just stay happy, be well, be kind, learn to care and make everyday counts
:))))))))))
I'm gonna seize my day n achieve my goals but now where's my coffee? hmmm...
dum dee dom~~~~

Cookout by the Men, Singapore

On a lazy Saturday.....actually it wasn't lazy...I remembered we were rushing from places to places, trying to do as much as we needed to, also stuffing our face with as much food as we could :P
crazy weekend shopping along Orchard Road and also groceries
then rushed off to Si Fu Lawrence's home to prepare

ok ok ok I lied...him bz doing groceries and prepping up for dinner
while me bz shopping and stuffing food into my face
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :P


and to reward ourselves JS was feeling rather generous and opened a bottle of KRUG 1989
WAHHHHHHH

I don't know why if it's a habit or a must-do thing for chefs...they HAVE to drink while they cook
that reminds me of the late Chef Keith Floyd, alwiz entertaining alwiz cooking with a glass of wine on the other hand.

JS was so keen into perfecting his Toro tartare and cold somen
it was his 2nd time making these based on pics he saw and ingredients list "guessed" by Si Fu Lawrence. How do u even make something without a recipe??? but based on pic and a tasting note from someone else???

He managed to get some good quality sashimi cut toro from Isetan, Shaw Parade
for those who didn't know, toro is the fattiest cut from the belly of a tuna

next he cooked and prepared the somen, mixed them with I dunno wat and lotsa konbu
somen is japanese wheat flour noodle with a delicate texture and taste
it's so delicate that somen aint' easy to prepare

anyway everything is rocket science to me in the kitchen
I've only mastered the art of eating
:)))))))))))))

Chef JS adding salt into the somen, the precision of how many specs of salt is important I guess, hahahahahahaha. The Men alwiz cooked with such intensity and passion.

Everynite, JS and Si Fu would be bz on whatsapp chatting on wines and cooking notes. a jealous partner would thought he's having an affair with another woman on the line. hahahahaha

Ta-DA!!!!
the final product with some chopped spring onions and toasted japanese sesame seeds
Somen was springy and meant to served cold, while the finely chopped toro was flavoured just right
so simple and yet it gives such pleasure on the palate
the cold noodles, fresh ingredients, umami taste~~~~~~

since the Theme was simple....so everything is home-cooked from scratch
really yummy ribs with bittergourd cooked in chinese miso
another classic by Si Fu Lawrence, comfort food and alwiz welcomed :)))))

JS popped another bottle of KRUG Clos du Mesnil
all eyes turned to me and asked: "What's the occasion?"
I was dumb founded and just said...."errr guess he's feeling rather generous today?"
it was my 3rd bottle of CDM :))))))))
very very very lucky :)))))))))))

some really sweet yummy strawberries to accompany the champagnes
huge fat sweet strawberries :))))))))


Si Fu Lawrence prepared really yummy fatty clams with glass noodles
everyone was complimenting how sweet it was until we found out he used Leclapart champagne to cook it.....
O.O all of us stared at him in horror~~~

u damn high standard lar mate....the winemaker will come and haunt u for cooking with such fine champagnes.....
in the end we licked the bowl dry :P


Si Fu Lawrence oso prepped up some beef!!!!
oh yumsssss just the right done-ness = medium
:)))))))))))))))

there were only 7 of us and all food gone in seconds
we were piranhas :D heeeeeeeee

since everyone needed some form of carbs, fried rice with Japanese Okinawa eggs came out of the kitchen. Think the portion too small....ain't enuff...
also gone in seconds :P mind u those were organic red rice for Baby K...since the adults didn't like tasteless red rice, it must be fried this way hahahahaha

not a bad lineup for 7 adults, only 6 were drinking
even the Hungarian Tokaji sweet wines was served at the end...showed not enuff to drink???
think there were also some whiskies at the end....can't remember

the more alcohol I had, the hungrier I get...so I was whining that "I am still HUNGRY!!!!"
Si Fu whipped up a spicy fried mee hoon in nano-seconds with some leftover meat and vegetables.
It was so good I had 3 bowls :P
I know...I'm a greedy bastard.

the aftermath~~~~~
not too bad for a Saturday evening
I still think ain't enuff to eat coz I saw Tim Tam on the table, plus Bagaholic Tracie brought out all her premium potato chips and junk food :P

and finally....after stuffing food onto my face for hours...I decided that it's enough~~~~
think I was drunk or something :P
but the couch was sure comfy

the next morning it was Baby K lazing on the couch....she has grown so much

I remembered her 1st month, her 1st birthday and her cries + screams which still haunts me till today. Monkey squealed in delight when she asked me to play with her that nite. :)))))

Great good, awesome wines and happy friends
if it is the end of the World...this would be how we gonna spend it
:)))))))))))

Tapas at Casa Lucas, Madrid

It's 8.00pm on a Saturday evening and the street is deserted
coz locals don't come out till it's 9.00pm for their pre-dinner and their actual dinner is around 10.30pm onwards.
I'll die of hunger by 10pm if I don't eat :P

*off topic*
Steamboat dinner with friends at Kota Damansara scheduled at 6pm
another friend who just got back fr out-of-town quickly showered, got changed and hurried the Indian husband to do the same. The husband asked who has dinner at 6pm??? must be chinese, he added. Yes he's right...hahahaha I'm chinese and I need my dinner latest by 8pm


so when we arrived at 7.45pm, Casa Lucas wasn't ready for business, so we waited for a bit, chit-chatting and did some ppl watch around the street :))))

initially when we arrived, Monkey barged in, opened the door herself and said demanded a table for Quattro...the waiter's eyes almost popped open and told me in spanish that they only open by 8pm earliest :P


Soon when the doors were officially opened by the staffs, the windows were drawn....we were allowed in :P

Yes we WERE hungry customers...hahahahaha esp in late autumn chill like this. They do not accept reservation and the place is tiny with atmosphere, something that we really really liked. Only one staff speaks broken english while the menu is entirely in spanish.

well u must be wondering, for such a quaint place....it must be recommended by friends huh? heheheh yup it was highly recommended by Dr. Epicurean, so we went there with really high expectations.


clock that projected unto the wall

every table was served these :))))))
just now to down with a good glass of vino while goin thru the menu
not like we understand the menu -_-"
the entire table entrusted JS to order vino and Monkey the food...

When u are in Spain, u must do it their way
so we had a bottle of excellent...really excellent local white wines
Casa Lucas doesn't have a fantastic wine list but I must say they stocked pretty good local drinks from beers to sherry.




really yummy Croquettes of potatoes and Jamon serrano served with shoe string fries
the outer crumb was crispy and I suspected they fried it with lard? either way it has to be good quality oil...once u bite it in...the potato were mashed and soft with generous bites of jamon ham :))))

Pork chop with caramelized onions at the bottom
can't really see here...
it looked so normal but so so juicy and moist
how can something so simple be this good????


Dinos the Great, JS, Monkey and Saint Veeny
it was only our 2nd course and we were already happy bunnies
hahahhahahahha

Salad of scallop with crispy ham bits, dressed with aged balsamic vinegar
well u are in Ham country....everything revolves around it
leg of hams, jamon, salami, iberico~~~~~

Seared tuna with sweet apple puree and japanese soy
this was something fusion :))))))


soon the tiny place was packed with human beings :P
there's about 7 tables only....and a bar

Bar was also packed to the brim with ppl waiting by its main entrance
so it's totally worth it to come early :))))

next was the calamares

it's not ur usual calamari but of a bigger squid from the deep sea coz it's fat and juicy. Wrapped in thin bacon, dusted with some flour, fried to yummy goodness

but that's not all..notice the 2 dollop of black greenish stuffs?
it's a mousse of squid ink
interesting eh?

the waiter proceeded with his slice cut mix actions in swift movements that he's so familiar with. This was actually the star dish of this place.

Looked pretty unappetizing? but it has got such sweet juiciness fr the sea, saltiness from the bacon, the mayonaise was used to bind everything together from the squid ink mousse and extra virgin olive oil.

it was so good we had to ask the kitchen how did they do it.
the chef just came back with one answer.....fresh ingrediets
-_-"

we mopped everything clean....and were fighting for the last few pieces.
this is a must try...so good that we came back another day just for this :))))

our last and final dish was caparccio of Octopus served with more ham bits, with a sauce so orange bcoz it was infused with so much of saffron
*saffrons from spain are one of the best in the world*

in the middle were more yummy mashed potatoes.
I can't believe this is wat they eat for Pre-dinner...
after this yummy meal, I literally had to roll myself outta this place

When we left, finally someone came out to claim his Vespa :)))
it's been parked outside for a few hours

the street was soon packed with people, doin tapas-hopping with a sherry/wine glass with one hand and a ciggie with the other. This is their way of life...tapas-hopping around before dinner. I think it's such an excellent idea, bcoz each tapas place has their star dish, so u just need to have that dish and hop on to the next place with something else that u wanna eat. Good eh?

Till the wee hours in the morning, shops were not closed,
restaurants and bars were doin bustling business
and ppl were everywhere as though it's 7pm

If u are in Madrid, be sure to drop by this place. It's situated on a small road with 2 rows of a kilometre long of tapas bars.

Casa Lucas
28, Calle Cava Baja,
28005 Madrid,
Spain.
www.casalucas.es