Bits & Pieces - The World & Me: October 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Chili Padi Nonya Buffet @ Heng Mui Keng Terrace

We are going to try this buffet as my mum has been craving for nonya food and dessert for so long.

The Chili Padi Nonya buffet restaurant has 2 outlets, 1 in Bugis and the other one in Heng Mui Keng Terrace. We went to Heng Mui Keng branch for our 1st visit. The location is kinda tricky if you don't know the way (however, it really depends on which route you take). For us, we managed to find the parking area but took some time on locating the restaurant. After a few phone calls, we are finally here.

The restaurant design was cosy and very peranakan. We like it at first sight. Ohh..... it is big enough to cater big group.

Chilli Padi Peranakan Restaurant

Peranakan tables

The buffet spread was not a lot but enough to fulfill our nonya food crave. There are varieties of dishes and desserts ranging from Nonya laksa, gado gado, kong ba bao (扣肉包), chwee kueh (水粿), steamed pumpkin cakes, chee cheong fan (猪肠粉), pig's intestine soup (猪肚汤) and many more.

Nonya Laksa

Gado gado

扣肉包

水粿, steamed pumpkin cakes, 猪肠粉

猪肚汤

Many more

As for the desserts, frankly speaking, I am not familiar with the name. So I can only show you the photo I took and you tell me their names. Ohh........ I know one of them - 九层糕.

Assorted desserts

Overall rating, this is a nice and lovely place to enjoy a cheap and delicious nonya dinner buffet.

Address:
Padi Nonya Cafe
29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace
#06-21 (Ground Level)
Singapore 119620

Tel : 6872 2982

For more information, please visit Chilli Padi Peranakan Restaurant.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Macau & Hong Kong 2012 - Day 4

27th October 2012

We woke up to the horror of toilet with no water to flush. Fortunately, the shower is still running. So, whoever needs a longer business will have to tolerate until a working toilet is in view.

After washing up, we are on the road in search of our breakfast (for a few of them, it's searching for the "ahem" ....). Decision made and we are back at 稻香 for dim sum. Comparing 稻香 and 美心, we prefer 稻香 and our breakfast costs almost half of what we paid for lunch yesterday at 美心.

皮蛋粥

猪肠粉

菠萝包

叉烧酥

虾饺

叉烧包

奶黄包

春卷

咸水角

佛油抽手

烧卖

鼓汁排骨

芋头糕

芝麻角

Feeling satisfied, we set off to Tung Chung Station to catch our cable car ride to Lantau Island (大屿山).

**Tip: If you plan to take the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, do book in advance online. This will save you a lot of queuing time and there is also discount. We were shocked to see the long queue when we arrived at the cable car station.

Choosing the crystal cabin was a perfect choice. Well, maybe not for some with acrophobia.

"Feel the magic of the boundless sea and the rolling grassland slopes right underneath your feet. The new perspective allows you to look at an extraordinary uncluttered scenery, as if you were flying." - Ngong Ping 360

We are finally going to 大屿山 after hearing and talking so much about it.

Normal Cable Car

Crystal Cable Car

See through *Legs shaking*

View from Cable Car

When the cable car arrives at Lantau Island, you will first see the Ngong Ping Village. It is very commercialized and obviously it is built specially for tourists. A few attractions are available for sightseeing but we only focused on one - The Big Buddha. We can now check off another MUST VISIT spot on our To-Visit list.

Ngong Ping 360

Tea House

Various shophouses

Wishing Shrine

Wishing tree

The story of Bodhi Wishing Shrine

Fortune cat (まねきねこ) - Please give me some wealth luck!!

Giant Buddha from afar

Looking up at the Big Buddha from the foot of stairs, one can easily think of giving up and not climb the flight of 268 steps for a closer look. Encouraged by my brother and sister, we set foot on the first step and off we go to the top. Conclusion, the view from the top is definitely worth the climb.

The Great Buddha

Descending *PANTING*

To compensate for the energy used, we tried the famous 山水豆腐花. To be honest, I prefer the 豆花 back home.

“喂呀！时间唔早啦。我要去shopping in Citygate Tung Chung呀!” - Kathleen

A good 2 hours were spent in Citygate Outlets Mall before our stomach starts growling again. Dinner is at 翠华餐厅 in Hong Kong. Oh my goodness, the restaurant is so small and we need to squeeze ourselves through the whole meal. Although with a full stomach, we are all out to try the Milk Pudding from Milk Top as desserts from SOGO. It is really good!