Canon-ieat Food Photography Workshop

Registration is closed!

Notice is hereby given that registration for the next Food Photography workshop is opened!

The workshop is targeted at anyone who wants to take photos of food which will make your friends drool. During the 45 minute talk, I will be covering aspects of basic photography as well as sharing tips on how to take photos of food at hawker centres and restaurants.


The talk will then be followed by a hands on workshop where we will practice talking photos of some Dim Sum. After taking photos of the food, we will all enjoy a nice Dim Sum high tea and enjoy the views from atop UOB Plaza.

This very special workshop will be covered by CNN.  So we will be having a special tea pouring demo as well. Since you might be featured on international TV, please make sure you dress nice nice ok?

Here are the details:
Date: 14 May 2011, Saturday
Time: 3pm to 6pm
Venue: Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant (UOB Plaza)
Fee: SGD 45 (includes talk and High Tea)

To register, please visit: http://digitallab.canon.com.sg/food.html

Note: This talk is opened to everyone regardless of camera brands. However, to get the most out of the workshop, you should have an advanced compact camera or DSLR. There will be various models of Canon compacts and DSLRs on site for you to use as well.

Click HERE to see the photos of our last session.

Soon Soon Teochew Porridge: Comfort food you can eat everyday

Peh Dou Her (Steamed Rabbit Fish)

I wonder how many families actually still cook Teochew porridge at home?  When I was a kid, a typical weekend lunch might consist of watery porridge, fried luncheon meat, steamed fish, lup cheong and chye poh omelette.  It's really very simple, peasant food and I never really thought much about it, preferring to have something like a hamburger instead.

But as I get older, the things that you are exposed to as a kid do come back to you.  I guess that is why a lot of Gen Xers are now re-introducing the type of food they used to enjoy as a kid to a new generation of Singaporeans. I am hoping that some enterprising individual would open a chain of Teochew Muay restaurants that serves up good, traditional Teochew Muay in a nice and comfortable environment.  There are of course some stalls claiming to serve Teochew Muay, but often, they are more like a buffet of Singapore favourites.  What we want is a modern place serving really good traditional Teochew dishes and not make it into another stall selling "Economical Rice".

World Gourmet Summit Guest Chef: Shinichiro Takagi at Inagiku

Shiro-Miso soup with prawn and tofu served in a special 70 year old lacquer bowl specially shipped from Japan for this occasion

It's the 15th Anniversary of the World Gourmet Summit and every year it just seems to get better and better.  This year's Summit brings in a bumper crop of top chefs from all round the world with a special focus on Korean Chefs. Now, all you fans of Korean drama out there, just feast your eyes on Korea's no. 1 celebrity Chef, Edward Kwon.  Doesn't he look more like a TV star trying to play the role of a Chef rather than a real Chef?  Anyway, this guy can cook!  Word has it that he once commanded US$3500 per head dinners at the only 7 star hotel in the world, the Burj Al Arab Hotel.  Well, I haven't tasted his food yet, but I got the chance to present him with my book, "The End of Char Kway Teow" as a resource for hawker food as he will be taking his camera crew around Singapore to film at all the best hawker food in town.  Hmmmm..... ladies, if you were bringing Chef Kwon around, where will you go?

Food from Japan is safe to eat

A lot of Singaporeans are worried about food coming from Japan, but some restaurants like Tatsuya continues to source their produce from Japan because using ingredients from elsewhere would seriously compromise the taste of the dish. In the clip, an oncologist also explains why she is confident that eating Japanese food is safe.

The clip first aired at 10pm on 22 April on Channel News Asia

The Polls: How much do you like Seafood?

Just posed this question on our facebook page and got a tremendous response. So I am posting this on the blog in order to gauge, more precisely, how much our foodies here love seafood.

So tell us, how much do you like Seafood?

Online Surveys & Market Research

Easter: God in the midst of Chaos

We all have to go through struggles in life and I have my share of troubles. But having been a Christian now for 30 years, I must say that my faith has helped me to pull through on many occasions. The fact that Jesus had to suffer on the cross is comforting as it shows me that God is not a faraway, impersonal entity that is unable to empathise with our suffering. The good news of Easter is the fact that it didn't end with his death on Good Friday but with his resurrection to life again on Sunday. 

We just had our Good Friday gathering yesterday where I delivered a talk on earthquake and tsunamis.  I won't go through all the things that I said.  But essentially, in preparing for the talk, I found myself thinking once again about the issue of suffering and life.  I shared some first hand stories from some of our friends who have gone to Japan to assist in the relief effort.  One story was told by a Japanese Christian lady who had just lost her brother:

Nam Wah Chong (Ah Chew) Fishhead Steamboat Corner: Serving Steamboat Since 1927!

Pomfret Steamboat

In my last post on Fish Head Steamboat, I alluded to the fact that Nam Wah Chong is probably the earliest Fishhead Steamboat that is still in operation.  The boss here tells me that it was his paternal grandfather who started selling Fish Head Steamboat way back in 1927 in merchant road.  I asked him if it was his grandfather who invented this particular dish as some have postulated.  But he said that he suspects that the dish was something that his grandfather brought over from Swatow.  However, he did mention that fish soup that is served in a steamboat was not widely available the last time he visited Swatow, although fish soup certainly is.  So the question of whether Fishhead Steamboat is a uniquely Singaporean dish is still debatable.

Tian Shui Chicken Rice: These feet are made for walkin'

Actually Singaporeans are pretty tame when it comes to food.  I was asked about what type of food would be most interesting to feature on Andrew Zimmerman's Bizarre foods when he came to Singapore and could only suggest things like Soup Tulang, Frog Porridge and chicken feet.  It is nothing compared to the wierd and wonderful things that people eat around the world.  Things like live monkey brains and tarantulas and live cobra hearts.

But I guess if you wanted to pick a dish that would gross your Ang Moh friends out in Singapore, chicken feet might be a good bet.  Although nowadays, I know many Ang Mohs who have already been exposed to this, so it isn't really a fear factor anymore.

Good Friday Makan Session: Earthquake and Tsunami, when is the next big one?

Each year, a few families in the ieat committee will organize a special makan session on Good Friday to celebrate the life and death of Jesus. This is the most special day for Christians, even more significant than Christmas.  Personally, it is a time for me to reflect on life, the universe and how events happening around the world fits into the big scheme of things.

Whampoa Keng Makan Session: A night of Singing, Entertainment and Great Food!

The Whampoa Keng Makan Session will go down in ieatishootipost history as one of the most fun makan session of all time.  The best part is that it wasn't even planned!  All I requested of Sharon was that she come up to sing one or two songs for us but it ended up like we were all in a music lounge enjoying evergreen Canontese songs!

Delicious Duck Noodles: Deliciousness since the year Man landed on the Moon

Ah Tanglin Halt.  The name conjures up memories of dark alleyways, bare concrete and the 1 room flat where my maternal Ah Gong and Ah Mah used to live.  Actually, it was quite scary.  I did not have fond memories of visiting Ah Gong.  But I was very young then, maybe 5 years old so I don't remember the details.  But they used to live in one of those ten storey flats which were one of the first HDB flats built.

It took me almost five years of blogging before I decided to explore Tanglin Halt.  I am sure that is a mistake.  This old estate must surely harbour some hawker gems just waiting to be discovered!  One of them would be this Duck Noodle stall which has a history stretching back to 1969 when Tanglin Halt was Duxton Hill of the day.  For people who lived in kampungs, living in flats that have lifts must have been quite something.

Tatsuya: Sushi that's Simply Sublime: Safety of Food from Japan Part II

Appetizer Course: Sea Bream Roe shown

Ask any serious Sushi enthusiast where you can find the most exquisite Sushi in Singapore and invariably, the name Tatsuya will prop up.  It took me too long to visit Tatsuya, and when I eventually did, it had to happen during a time when the Japanese restaurants are experiencing the aftermath of the Tsunami. 

Some Japanese restaurants have completely removed all Japanese sourced produce from their menu in a bid to lure customers back into the restaurants.  But not Chef Ronnie Chia, the two time World Gourmet Summit Asian Ethic chef of the year.  To Chef Ronnie, removing Japanese ingredients from the menu will essentially rob the cuisine of its true character.  And he would rather close the restaurant then to sell something to his customers that he knows in his heart to be less than perfect.

Radiation and Food Safety: Is Food from Japan safe to eat?

We remember Japan on the one month Anniversary of the great Japan Quake and Tsunami

A lot of people have been avoiding Japanese food because of the fear of radiation in the food.   As a result, restaurants have been reporting sales dropping by as much as 50% to 60%.  Not only are the local restaurants affected, the suppliers are similarly affected.  As consumers, food safety is of paramount concern of course.  But we need to make informed decisions rather than to rely on hearsay.

I feel that part of the reason for the fear of eating Japanese food is the lack of clarity on the subject matter.   So I hope that this concise article will give you a birdseye view of what is happening so that you can make an informed decision to eat or not to eat at your favourite Japanese restaurant.

Realtime radiation map of Japan

Types of Radiation

As you know, there has been radiation leakage following the damage at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, but exactly what kind of radiation are we dealing with?

April Makan Session: Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat

Registration is closed!
Notice is hereby given that registration for our next makan session is open!

This time we will be visiting Whampoa Keng Fishhead Steamboat! Here's the menu:

1.  Pomfret Steamboat
2.  Deep fried prawn rolls
3.  Deep fried prawn paste chicken
4.  Salad Dou Fu
5.  Salted Fish Pork in Claypot
6.  Broccoli and mushroom
7.  Sambal Soton
8.  Cereal Prawn
9.  Hong Kong Noodles
10.Dessert

Venue:  Whampoa Keng Fish head Steamboat
            556 Balestier Road (Parking at Ah Hood Road)
Price: $25
Date: 15 April (Fri)
Time: 7.30pm

To register, please write to:  ieatishootipost@gmail.com.  In the Title write Whampoa Keng Makan Session, in the body write:  Name, Nick, Hp no.,No. of pax.  Limit to 4 pax per registrant.  Pls keep email short, no salutations required.

You can read the review on Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat here:

Pls note: Since the makan session is next week, once you receive confirmation from us, you are obligated to come.  In our last session, we had 4 no shows which is not very good for us organizers.  If we order for you and you don't show up, we might still need to pay for you.  So please do the right thing.

Santi Restaurant: Joselito Iberic Ham: First time in Singapore

In memory of Chef Santi Santamaria 1957-2011

Life is so unpredictable.  Sometimes, you are presented with an opportunity and if you don't take it, you lose it forever.  I was invited to attend a culinary demonstration  by Chef Santi on13th Feb this year but I had turned it down because I was having a sore throat.  So I rescheduled my meeting with him on the next weekend which was 20th Feb.  On the morning of 17th Feb, my colleague informed me that Chef Santi had passed away.  This time round, when the opportunity to dine at Santi came about again, I made sure I went and I am sure glad I did.  Dinner at Santi was a culinary experience par excellence and I can't wait to tell you about it.


Joselito Iberic Ham with "Pa amb tomaquet" and "Ajo Bianco" with grapes

Jamon Iberico is to Spain what Foie Gras is to France and Beluga Caviar to Russia.  It is considered a national treasure of Spain.  Jamon Iberico started making its appearance in Singapore a few years ago and I have had several opportunities to taste it.  But like all things, there are many grades of Jamon Iberico and if you want the best Jamon Iberico, then you have to look for Jamon Iberico de Bellota which are made from Iberian pigs who are fed exclusively on acorns before the slaughter.   Even if you manage to lay you hands on the leg of a Jamon Iberico de Bellota,  it doesn't mean that you've got the best of the best. Here's why.

ieat on Vasantham Express!

Appeared on the first episode of Season IV of Vasantham Express. The hosts Guna and Gayatri are actually really fun and I enjoyed filming the episode. It's too bad so much of it was cut. We went to the back to show the Seng Kee Bak Chor Mee uncle throwing bowls and all and I even showed them my Roti Prata prowess!

Anyway, I watched the rest of Vasantham Express and I thought it was quite interesting. The hosts are really cheeky!

Many thanks to Sen for the video upload!

Hokkaido Sushi: The Sake lovin' Chef is Back!

Appetizer Course

My Japanese friend Yukari has some relatives living in Sendai. Thankfully they have survived the Tsunami although a large part of Sendai had been destroyed. She told me that the Japanese people are grateful for the support that the international community is rendering to Japan and while they are trying to rebuild the country, they want us to continue to support their economy by continuing to buy their seafood and produce. Her husband, Shinji who imports seafood from Tsukiji tells me that some of his suppliers have indeed lost contact with some of the fishermen. However, the people at Tsukiji are trying their best to continue to supply seafood. They are refusing to give up at a time like this and they need our support.  

I am sure that we all are concerned about radiation contamination of the seafood and produce. Shinji tells me that each shipment of fish that he imports now has to undergo special inspection for radiation contamination. Apart from that, Chef Thomas also told me that he is also importing seafood from other parts of Japan that are not affected by radiation. So with all the safeguards in place, I am quite confident that the food at the Japanese restaurants are safe.

The ieatishootipost Polls: The Best Bak Chor Mee in Singapore is.....

We were supposed to nominate the top ten Bak Chor Mee in order to start voting.  But we received 30 nominees from both our blog and facebook page and most of them were mentioned only once.  There were a few that were mentioned twice but there was one runaway favourite with 12 nominations which was Hill Street Tai Hua Bak Chor Mee at Crawford Lane, the next nominee with 4 nominations was 132 Mee Poh Tah.  So there really isn't any need to vote as we have a very clear winner.   I think it also goes to show that there are quite a lot of popular Bak Chor Mee stalls in Singapore and they are all more or less the same standard such that aside from Tai Hua, no other stalls really stood out.

So without further ado, we declare that the Best Bak Chor Mee crown belongs to Hill Street Tai Hua Bak Chor Mee!

Durian Degustation VIII: Durians for Japan

Photos by Cactuskit

Many thanks to everyone who came to support the Durian Degustation and for your generous donations! We managed to raise a total of $4630 for the Red Cross Quake relief fund! The Red Cross was there to receive our contribution at the end of the session.

Thanks very much to Ah Loon and Ah Teck for their contribution to the event and also to Jimmy, lovejade, Denniz for helping with the organization. Thanks also to Cactuskit for the photos.

Ah Loon tells me that the season will end by the end of April so the next degustation will be in June.   Mao Shan Wan season will peak next weekend, so do head down to Ah Loon Ah Teck at East Coast Road, just next to the Mobil station if you need to feed that durian craving.  Ah Loon's HP is 97514828.  Just tell him you are from ieatishootipost and he will look after you.

Kumo Japanese Kaiseki Restaurant: Omakase!

This post is dedicated to the people of Japan. 

Let us continue to help them rebuild their economy by continuing to enjoy Japanese food.  Currently restaurant sales have dipped by 40% across the board and this is affecting the Japanese producers.  I have spoken with the seafood suppliers and restauranteurs and am assured that every shipment of fish now has to undergo radiation testing. This does delay the shipment by a few hours and there are some fish that are more difficult to procure, but we can be confident that it is safe for consumption.

So if you are looking for an opportunity to help, here is a suggestion. For the month of April, all dinner proceeds from Kumo will be donated to the Red Cross to help the quake victims. So when you eat you are directly donating to the people in Japan!

Ice Fish (Shirauo) with canola sprout and ponzu jelly with grated white radish and plum paste

As I progress along my path to Kaiseki enlightenment, I come up to a signboard that says, "Omakase!".  Sounds like one of these words that just rolls off your tongue with reckless abandonment doesn't it?  Well, reckless abandonment might not be too far off the mark because when you go to a Japanese restaurant and utter the words "Omakase!" to the chef, you are in effect telling him "Feed me well Chef and don't worry about the cost!"