Celebrating 9 Years at SKIRT

October is a month of celebrations for us, as aside from Noey's birthday, we also celebrate our wedding anniversary.

It is 9 years this year for us, and it feels like time has just sped us by. The husband was in fact totally taken by surprise. "I thought it was our 8th anniversary!" he said when I greeted him in the morning. Well, it's been 9 years mister! I merrily informed him that I fully intended to collect on a holiday sans kids next year for the 10TH! Hee.

Well, this year, we kept it simple and just went out for a dinner date. When DD asked where I would like to go for dinner, I actually suggested going for a casual crab dinner at Crab in Da Bag until my husband reminded me that this is one of the very few occasions when I would be able to get a nice expensive dinner out of him. The man is right of course, so we decided on dinner at SKIRT (yes, all in CAPS, yo). The fact that they only welcome kids above 8 years of age sealed the deal. It's been on my list for a while and we didn't get a chance to dine at the restaurant during our last staycation at W so it seemed like a good opportunity to visit.

We were quite fascinated by the huge hunks of beef hanging in the drying cases up front.

Since we were there for a treat, we decided to go all out and order ourselves a meat fest. But first some appetisers to start. Our server thoughtfully asked us if we wanted to share the dishes and brought us little plates for eating off which I thought was rather nice. DD ordered the Crab Cakes with Cucumber and Spiced Foam. This was yummy and one of the better crab cakes I've had. The spiced foam that came with the crab cake had an interesting flavour and DD commented that the combination with the crab cake reminded him of chilli crab. The portion was so small though! Just one little crab CAKE (no plural). It was gone in a few bites. 

Complimentary freshly baked bread. Quite delicious, especially with the dips. I liked the hummus but the husband totally went for the chorizo lard, naturally!

Crab cakes, or really just crab cake.

I ordered the Yellowfin Tuna Tartar with Avocado and Wasabi. I realise I have a habit of ordering Tuna Tartar when it's on the menu, like during our anniversary two years ago! (While we're at it, DD also ordered crab cakes for our anniversary last year. What can I say, we are creatures of habit!) Raw tuna with avocado is a winning combination - you just can't go wrong with that. We were a bit puzzled by the wafer (?) pieces that came with it. DD wryly commented that they were like 'lao hong' crackers. That aside, I really enjoyed this dish.

Tuna Tartar with Avocado and Wasabi.

Before the mains were served, we were given a palate cleanser of apple bourbon and some BBQ sauce which arrived at the table in two cute little bottles, looking like shampoo and conditioner!

BBQ Sauce and Apple Bourbon

And then the pièce de résistance of our meal: our Tasting Plate of 5 Breeds. And the 5 different types of beef were (counting down from the least spectacular to the most):

5. Hereford Grass Fed, John Stone Longford, Republic of England

4. Black Angus Corn Fed, Creekstone Farms Arkansas City, Kansas, United States

3. Black Angus Grain Fed, Black Onyx MS3, Glen Innes, New South Wales, Australia

2. F1 Wagyu Grain Fed, Sher Wagyu 6-7, Ballan, Victoria, Australia

1. Full Blood Wagyu Grain Fed, Blackmore MS9+, Alexandra, Victoria, Australia

Was that Greek to you like it was to us?

My best photo of the plate, which alas, features the #5 and #3 on the list, leaving the best meat in a blur in the top corner. #foodbloggingfail

We might not have known the difference at the start but we sure could tell the difference as we worked our way up the list. As we went along, each grade up was more meltingly tender, and, as the husband remarked, tasted less and less like beef as we (plebeians) know it. The top grade full blood almost literally melted in my mouth. It was quite an experience! I don't know how better to describe this. You'll just have to taste it for yourself!

Close-up of the so-good-it-doesn't-taste-like-beef beef. This is full blood waygu. 

Our sides of Spinach Goat's Cheese Gratin and Portobello Mushroom.

Even though we were completely stuffed by the end of the meal, we still made space for some lovely dessert, a chai brûlée. I thought the sugar topping was a bit thick and hard but I otherwise thoroughly enjoyed this, so much so that there are no pictures because by the time we remembered to take any, our dessert was half gone! 

All in all, we thought it was a great meal, befitting of the occasion. And the service was just excellent too. My friend MummyWee recently celebrated a friend's birthday at Skirt too and ordered the restaurant signature Skirt steak and other dishes including the Caraberino Prawns which she highly recommends. Do check out her post to find out more.

9 years and I'm grateful for this man who indulges my whims, lets me be myself, and still finds the things I say funny. 

That said, this past 9th year hasn't really come easy. I think in the past year, we slipped a little into taking each other for granted, shown our claws a bit more, gotten annoyed with each other more frequently, and held back a bit less. I'm not proud of this, but I think stems from our long-standing familiarity with each other. We would do well to recognise this and guard our hearts and minds to see that it doesn't develop into contempt. That's something to work on in the coming year -- to give a little more, complain a little less, and spend more time connecting. I guess more good meals wouldn't hurt either, eh!

9 years and I know that there is still no place I'd rather be.

Le Noir: Slick, Sensual, Sexy and Spectacular!

Slick, sensual, sexy and spectacular. That is Le Noir.

We caught the show when it first rolled into town last year and were blown away by the experience. Le Noir is back in Singapore for a second run this June and when the opportunity arose for us to catch Le Noir again, my husband jumped at the chance. I, on the other hand, wasn't so sure I wanted to watch it again. I mean, I had really enjoyed it the first time but without that element of novelty, would it be as good the second time round?

The answer: A resounding YES.

If you are unfamiliar with Le Noir, it is a performance built around a series of different acrobatic and other speciality acts. Colours are used to depict the different themes and mood. The show starts out with performances in pure, ethereal white, then progresses to a raunchy red before ending off in dangerous black. These are linked together by short dance sequences, and a comedic host who ropes poor unsuspecting audience members into his act and is a barrel of laughs.

Watching Le Noir this second time, we found many of the performances familiar though the sequence was somewhat different. My husband and I were constantly nudging each other throughout the show as each performer took to the stage and remembering what we enjoyed about their performances the first time round. Watching them again, they were as good as we remembered, with some new twists and tricks for greater entertainment value.

My husband's favourites were largely unchanged. His picks are still the the opening act on the Aerial Lyra and the Hand Balance Contortion act, both featuring performances that were beautiful, graceful and strong.

I found myself loving the Rollerskaters (for the lack of a better name) and the Trapeze Duo, both intricate acts requiring careful co-ordination between the performers.

But the showstopper was the aptly named Wheel of Death. This was a new act involved two performers who perform tricks inside and outside a pair of spinning wheels. I thought it was exciting when they were inside the wheels, but when one of them climbed outside the wheel and starting jumping around, my heart was in my mouth and my hands turned clammy. There were collective screams from the audience at points when it looked like he might fall but of course he never did. And when they finished, everyone round us, including ourselves, spontaneously stood up to give them a standing ovation. It was that good.

One thing that definitely made a difference this time round was also the fact that we had great stage-side seats. Last year, we bought B Reserve seats and honestly had no complaints. You get a good view of the performers, and thanks to the intimate stage set up, still feel like part of the action. But. This year we got seats just behind a couple of rows behind the VIP seats and… Wow. There's nothing like being up-close and personal with the action. We could see every moment and every muscle flexed. And when the performers literally flew over heads, it was the most amazing experience. So I would recommend that you try to get seats as close to the stage as possible. Plump for the best seats -- you won't regret it! Well, except that your neck might feel a little strained by the end of the show from all the looking up!

Le Noir is a visually spectacular treat that will surely have you at the edge of your seat. Don't miss it!

(Parents who are keen to bring kids, be warned that the show is rather raunchy at times and the cast are very skimpily dressed. Do exercise your own discretion in this regard.)

Le Noir will be playing from 7 June to 29 June 2014 at the Mastercard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands. Performances are at 7.30pm on Tuesdays to Fridays, 3pm and 7.30pm on Saturdays and 1pm and 5.30pm on Sundays. Tickets are priced at $395 (VIP, for 2 seats), $145 (A Reserve), $100 (B Reserve) and $70 (C Reserve) and are available through Sistic or in person at the Marina Bay Sands Box Offices.

*We received a media invite to review this show, and all production photographs used in this post are courtesy of Le Noir. All opinions are my own.

Saveur: French Food at Affordable Prices

Dinner dates with the husband are few and far between. While we often have the best intentions, in recent months, we just haven't managed to fix anything up. And then recently, the stars aligned. I had a dinner appointment that was cancelled at the last minute and the husband unexpectedly got off work early. Since I had the night off, we decided it was as good an opportunity for a date as any. 

We had headed to Purvis Street to eat at Yingthai Palace, only to be turned away at the door as they had a full house for the night. I was really disappointed but we had no choice but to find an alternative. We walked over to Saveur across the road, a place I'd been meaning to try for a while, and half-heartedly asked if they had a table. I'd fully expected them to tell me they were full but to my surprise, they had a table for two available! I perked up immediately.

On entering, I was struck by the… noise. Haha. The restaurant was pretty packed so you can imagine the din. Not exactly somewhere for a quiet tête-à-tête. 

But when we got the menu, we got excited. The prices were, as promised, very reasonable. "That means we can order a lot!" said my husband gleefully. 

Well, we certainly did! 

The specials of the day.

For starters, we got their signature Saveur's Pasta, Duck Salad, Velouté (Pea Soup), and Summer Crab. The Saveur's Pasta looked like a popular order - I was seated facing the open kitchen and I saw the chef dishing up lots of orders of this throughout our time there. A coil of pasta with a minced meat sauce and topped with "Japanese konbu and sakura ebi" (which looked a lot like scallions and hae bee to me), this dish was refreshingly fusion, and pretty tasty. I didn't really taste the chilli oil despite it being described in the menu. Both DD and I gave this one the thumbs up.

Saveur's Pasta

A signature of Saveur's, pasta tossed with chilli oil, fine-chopped Japanese konbu & sakura ebi with minced pork sauce

$4.90

The Duck Salad was my order. No way DD was going to waste time and stomach space on a salad! Tossed with a light lemon vinaigrette, this was good but not particularly memorable. We both agreed that the duck probably came from the duck confit. I did like the quails eggs, which were soft with runny centres. That was a nice touch.

Duck Salad

Shredded duck confit mesclun tossed with homemade lemon vinaigrette, quail egg, orange segments & cherry tomatoes

$4.90

The Velouté was a Pea Soup so there's not much for me to say about it since I detest peas. I took a spoonful and yup, it tasted of peas. I didn't have any more of it but the husband quite enjoyed it. 

Velouté

Pea soup with parma ham croquette

$6.90

The best starter I unfortunately didn't photograph, and that was the Summer Crab. We were served with a leek roll tightly packed with cold shredded crab on a small piece of toast, and some citrus salsa on the said. The husband and I are crab fans and it was really delicious. I hope they put it on the menu as a regular item!

The Duck Confit was DD's choice of main. This was recommended and we could see why: it really was a a good duck confit, with tender meat you could tear with a fork and crispy skin. The mashed potato that it was served deserves a mention as it was really good too.

Duck

Duck leg confit, homemade mashed potato, sauteed shitake mushroom, orange segments & orange infused natural jus

$12.90

I ordered the pan-seared sea bass. It was good -- as good as any I've had at fancy restaurants -- with juicy meat under a crisp skin. But as you can see, the portion size wasn't large. It was enough for me (especially since we had so many starters!) but maybe not for someone with a bigger appetite.

Fish

Pan-seared sea bass, saute potato with crabmeat, french beans & caper vinagrette

$14.90

Desserts! We don't always have dessert, but this time, I thought we ought to go the whole hog. I got the chocolate mousse, which I enjoyed. I especially loved the little as berry bits which were sprinkled over the mousse. They added that nice sour punch to balance off the sweetness of the chocolate. The rice puffs also added a nice unexpected crunch to bites. Really yummy. Probably my favourite dish after the Summer Crab. 

Chocolate and Hazelnut

Chocolate mousse with crushed hazelnuts, broken raspberries, roasted rice puffs, chocolate tuile & praline

$7.90

DD ordered the cookies and milk and was served a rather unappetising looking plate of white foam. It turned out to be frothed milk with a cookie submerged inside. Cookies and milk is a winning combination, if any, though I did think that the cookie was a bit overly salty. The husband pronounced it good nonetheless.

Cookies & Milk

Cookie dough ice cream, milk soil, honey cloud, cherries kirsch & peanut butter

$9.90

The only hiccup in our meal was the fact that due to a mix-up in our orders, our mains came before our appetisers. When this was pointed out to our server, they quickly rushed out our appetisers for us too. Which meant that our tiny table was laden with food, and our gluttony was out there for all to see. Oops. But otherwise, we had a great meal, made even better when the bill came and we realised that all that food plus two drinks came up to under $100 for the two of us. Wow. We'll definitely be back!

I was actually a bit grouchy when we didn't manage to get that table at Yingthai Palace, but I was very grateful to have gotten a table unexpectedly at relative ease at Saveur instead. Maybe God knew I needed a treat. It was a lovely night with the husband, just being me, and not Mummy. Here's to more dates, impromptu or otherwise.

Saveur
5 Purvis Street,
Talib Court #01-04,
Singapore 188584
Tel: 6333 3121 (No reservations)

Serving Up Love on a (New) Plate

This dish is one of our family favourites. It's honey roasted chicken and it's super yummy as the chicken cooks in a pan in its own juices with honey, lemon, garlic and oregano. I serve this with chicken rice and the kids just hoover it up. It is one of the easiest dishes to feed them.

However, this post is not about the food, good as it is.

(Incidentally, if you're keen to try this recipe, my friend Pam has shared her version of this dish on A Dollop Of Me as part of the Kitchen Exploits Family Favourites series. You might want to check it out at this link: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.)

This post is about that plate, which my dinner is sitting pretty on. Plates that my dear husband lugged back from Australia when he had to make a quick business trip over a weekend a couple of weeks ago. My husband knows I love pretty crockery as much as he thinks it is completely pointless. So I was really touched that he bothered to go shop for a dining set and lug it home for me as a gift. I've got to admit that the design is more his taste than mine, but hey, the man carried home a heavy and bulky gift that he actually thinks is rather pointless because he thought I would like it, so love it, I do.

Our marriage, like all marriages, isn't perfect. There are many many days where we take each other for granted or get annoyed with each other (reasonably or otherwise). For me, there are many instances where I ignore my husband's needs in favour of meeting the kids'. It's not something I'm proud of, and lately, I've been thinking up and putting into practice ways in which to shift the balance. Like cooking his favourite food more regularly, or making the time to be together, or simply not begrudging him his need to rest.

I think on the question of whether my husband or my children should come first in my life (after God, that is), the answer is clear: it should be my husband. We chose to be together and it is on the foundation of our marriage that our family has been built. But I can also tell you that it can be very difficult to do so, especially when the kids are young and demand a lot of attention, and practically suck the life out of you. One of the reasons I found the first year after birth difficult was because it is so consuming that my relationship with my husband had to take a backseat. No, make that a very-last-row-on-the-bus seat. Which is bad, because on top of being tired, I was also lonely. Now that the kids are a bit older, it's still too easy to get stuck in the daily grind of their needs, especially when I'm home with them nearly 24/7. But I realise that I must make the time and consciously choose my priorities.

This plate serves as a reminder to me of the need to think about my husband, and on its part, reminds me that my husband is thinking of me too.

The 8th

On Tuesday, the husband and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.

That we were able to celebrate at all is a testament to our relationship, I think, since we got unhappy with each other that very afternoon over the very same issue of celebrating our wedding anniversary. It was all a bit trivial, and yet, it was also not. In a way I guess it was really one of those underlying things that needs just the tiniest sparks to come rushing to the surface.

What I've learnt from years of marriage, however, is that:

- If I'm going to say something hurtful, I don't say it.

- If what I'm going to say will probably be construed as nagging, I don't say it.

- If I have nothing positive to say, I keep quiet.

- Holding on to unhappy feelings only makes me unhappier.

- By giving in a little, I always get more back.

- Despite everything, I still love my husband very much.

I'm sure the husband has his own rules, and I dare say they aren't very different.

That was how we sorted it through and ended up going out to dinner at The Pelican. It was DD's choice and it turned out really well. You know what I'm going to say anyway: The food was good but the company was better.

Me and our feast of starters. The crab cakes were superb and DD loved the candied bacon, which was really interesting. I thought it'd turn out like bak kwa, but no.

Our wood-grilled Barramundi, which was really good, though it looks a bit sad on a plate all by itself.

Coming back to find the kids already asleep was the icing on the cake.

It's been a good 8 years, though like any married couple will tell you, it's not always been easy, even when you love each other and are fully committed to the relationship. It is by God's grace that two really different people can come together and stay together despite their differences, and still find it fulfilling. I'm glad we started out our marriage with an understanding of our God-appointed roles as husband and wife as I can tell you that it has made things that much smoother.

In this regard, I was also very distressed to learn that a website that encourages extra-marital affairs is planning to launch in Singapore. I have no words for someone who seeks to profit from something as morally reprehensible as ruining marriages. Especially if that someone is married with kids. Yes, there are people who cheat and who will cheat whether or not such a website exists. But that should not be a reason for allowing a platform which promotes and facilitates this, and worse, make it seem acceptable. I found it incredulous that the founder of Ashely Madison said he would be "devastated" if he found his wife on the site, and yet he still runs this business. I guess money is more important to him than moral values, feelings or relationships. (See also the views shared by A Juggling Mom and Missus Tay on this topic.)

For DD and I, our marriage is obviously not perfect, but it is something we treasure. I know that as a busy Mum, I am in danger of neglecting my husband while trying to tend to the many needs of the children. It is a balance that I'm trying to shift in the year ahead so that my husband knows that he matters to me too. Because he does. A marriage takes work, it takes prayer, but get it right and it will be worth the effort. When you honour God with your marriage, know that He will definitely honour you right back.

8 years young.

Experiencing Le Noir

Over the weekend, the husband and I went on one of the most spur-of-the-moment dates ever. (Or at least, as spur-of-the-moment as we can get, as parents!)

DD mentions on Fri night that we could ask his Dad, who is in town, to help babysit the kids on Sat evening. I told him it sounded like a good idea. On Sat afternoon, DD mentions that his Dad is available, I hop on my computer, and the next thing I know, we've got tickets to go catch Le Noir that very night. 

I was super excited! I'd been thinking about catching the show and was so tempted to go when there was a Groupon offer on the seats but the dates were not ideal. So when this opportunity dropped on us out of the blue, I grabbed it with both hands.

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the circus -- DD is. And I was none too interested in Cirque du Soleil till we caught "O" in Vegas some 4 years ago and it was so out-of-this-world amazing that it totally changed my opinion of Cirque forever. With Le Noir, I wasn't expecting anything of the grand scale of of "O". Instead, I was most intrigued by the stage set-up, which featured a circular stage with the audience sitting all round, and even behind the stage. Billed as "the intimate side of cirque", the show promised to let the audience enjoy the performance from inches away and get up close and personal with the action.

One to prove that we really were there!

It wasn't inches away for us -- we were only willing to plump for B Reserve tickets -- but it was good enough.

The show was a real visual treat. While essentially a string of different acrobatic and other specialty acts, these were interspersed with short contemporary dance sequences and linked together by the use of the colours white, red and black. The performers start in pure white, transiting into raunchy red and ending in the darkness of black which is intended to depict "Le Noir". There is also the comedic host who appears several times to link the different segments. Each time, some members of the audience were invited on stage to be part of the act, mostly with hilarious results.

There were many impressive performances and we each had our personal favourites. Aside from the spots of comedy, which we both enjoyed, DD liked the first act, which featured a performer performing acrobatic stunts with a ring that was suspended from the ground, the contortion hand balance artist, and another act with a guy performing acrobatics with just a pair of straps hanging from the metal frame on the ceiling. My favourite was the act with two chaps performing acts of balance and strength using only each other for support. I also really enjoyed the performance with one guy spinning metal frames. While it didn't seem as difficult as some of the other performances, with the use of different coloured lights reflecting off the metal frames, it was visually arresting.

We both agreed that the scariest act was the Rolla Bolla. I totally had my heart in my mouth when the performer stood up on top of his board, balanced on seven free-moving cylinders, and then proceeded to turn himself on the board 360 degrees. Eeks. There were several points when I felt he was just going to roll off one of the cylinders! But of course he didn't.   

It was a great night and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I don't usually enjoy shows without a storyline that I can follow but this was pure entertainment.

Le Noir is on now till 7 April at the MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands. Tickets are priced at $35, $55, $95, $135 and $185 ($370 for a pair for the top tier tickets). Our tickets were from the $95 category and we thought the view and the experience was still really good. 

This is the last weekend so if you can, don't miss it!  

Lunch for Two at Trattoria Bonissima

A couple of weeks ago, DD and I sneaked out for a special treat -- a lunch, just the two of us! 

I bade a firm goodbye to the kids, telling them that I was going for an "adults-only" lunch, and whizzed down to pick the husband from the business district. From there we took a short drive over to Tanjong Katong Road where we were welcomed at Trattoria Bonissima.

I'd been there once before with a friend and just knew that it would be the kind of place that DD would like -- hearty food in generous portions at reasonable prices. And I was right.

We started off with the Stracciata, because this was one dish that really stood out for me during my first visit. It is thinly sliced beef, lightly seared, served on a bed of rocket and cherry tomatoes, dressed with truffle oil, balsamic and parmesan cheese. I know what you're thinking: "Rare beef salad? Really?" But trust me, if you like meat, you're going to like this one. That marriage between the beef and the tanginess of balsamic, rounded out by the flavour of the truffle oil is really just perfect. Add to that the bitterness of the rocket, the sweetness of the tomato and the saltiness of the cheese… 

Definitely still good the second time round. I'd go back just for this!

Stracciata ($19)

DD's choice of a starter was the Zuppa Di Mare, the mixed seafood in tomato soup. This is always a favourite of ours and the version here was really very good. I've been disappointed by some versions where the soup base is too thin or sour, but this one certainly met the mark -- full of flavour and with lots of fresh seafood.

As an added plus, the restaurant helpfully spilt the soup into two portions for us when we indicated that we would like to share it. Always a nice touch in my book. 

Zuppa Di Mare ($16)
Pictured here is a half-portion.

Since it was lunch, we both opted for pasta as we didn't want too heavy a meal. But even after narrowing it down to pasta, we still took a long time to choose what we wanted because there were just so many choices! And plenty of seafood options too, which are favourites in our book. DD plumped for an old favourite, Capellini Al Granchio, which is a crabmeat aglio olio capellini with chopped tomato. He was very pleased with the generous portion when it arrived! And it tasted really good too. The pasta done perfectly al dente, and aglio olio sauce was tasty with the flavour of the crab really coming through. His only complaint was that the crabmeat was shredded. Having chunks of juicy crabmeat to bite into would have made it perfect. 

Capellini Al Granchio ($23)

I defied all expectations (including my own!) and opted for something out of my comfort zone: Orecchiette Salsicia Broccoli. While I would usually automatically pick a seafood dish, I made the more unconventional choice of picking this: pasta with sausage, broccoli and chopped tomato in a spicy aglio olio sauce, topped with pecorino cheese. I must admit that the fact that it was orechiette played a part in influencing my decision. I think the buttons are such a fun shape to eat!

I was not disappointed. The dish was great, especially as the pecorino cheese melted in and combined with the aglio olio to make a silky sauce that just clung to the pasta. And the sausage meat was really tasty too. So I wasn't surprised when I was later told by the manager that the sausages are made in-house. Yum. Even DD agreed it was very good!  

Orecchiette Salsicia Broccoli ($20)

After all that food, we were rather stuffed, so opted to share a small dessert. DD wasn't in the mood for warm chocolate cake (shucks) so we decided to take the Profitorel. A plate of four of these sweet little babies arrived. 

I was initially a bit disappointed that there wasn't any ice-cream! But the little profiteroles were cold and filled with a delicious chocolate cream. I had no trouble finishing my two and it made for a sweet ending to the afternoon.

Profitorel ($9)

After all that food, we felt the coffee was a must to help us stay awake!

It was, altogether, a very satisfying meal. It was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the menu and the ingredients were all of a high quality. We understood from the Chef Andrea Badiali (previously of Borgata at Clarke Quay and Borgo at Bukit Timah) that a lot of the ingredients were imported directly from Italy. For that, I thought that the prices were really reasonable! 

DD and I had a very enjoyable and relaxing lunch, savouring the food and enjoying uninterrupted adult conversation. He'd been having a really busy period at work at that time so I really appreciated the opportunity for us to just get away and catch up. 

We left promising ourselves that we would be back. Aside from more yummy pasta, I've heard rave reviews of the steak and lamb chops, which I really want to try! Maybe another lunch, another day. Being a short 10 min drive from the business district, I think it is pretty ideal for anyone who just has a bit of time and wants to get away from the Raffles Place lunch time madness. To sweeten the deal, they are currently offering 30% off all ala carte items at lunch time which I think is really a steal! There is also an Amex promotion where you get a complimentary dessert with every $50 spent. 

We'll definitely be back!

Trattoria Bonissima
308 Tanjong Katong Road
Tel: 63465845

* This review is written based on a invited food tasting session. All opinions, however, are strictly my own.

We are 7!

Yesterday marked the 7th year that DD and I have been married.

To celebrate, we decided to slip out, just the two of us, for a good dinner. I got the kids fed, then kissed them goodbye and firmly shut the door behind me. DD felt bad for leaving the kids behind, but not me. I think we both need a bit more time to to spend with each other, and with it being our wedding anniversary, I think we deserved it!

We plumped for Luke's Oyster Bar & Chop House -- yet another on my must-try list -- and I must say it turned out to be an excellent choice. The food was superb.

We were hungry, so after asking for additional corn bread -- only 2 tiny, delectable morsels were served initially -- we ordered three starters to share.

The Tuna Tartare we loved. After being converted to this dish while in Hawaii on our honeymoon, I've since almost always ordered tuna tartar as long as its on the menu. Being a fan of this same dish at Spruce, I knew what to expect. And when the dish arrived at the table, I was not disappointed. It was perfect with the toasted bread and avocado. We slurped this down in minutes.

Next up, half a Chilled Maine Lobster. I thought this was a bit extravagant of us since it was $45 (!!!) for only half a lobster but well, this was a celebratory dinner after all. At least the lobster that was served up was pretty large, with a big juicy claw. And it was really sweet and fresh. Mmmm. This one we savoured, almost in silence. Two dips were provided, but with lobster of this quality, it was just perfect with some squeezes of lemon.

We also ordered Luke's Clam Chowder, which they conveniently split into two bowls for us since we were sharing. This was certainly good clam chowder, though it made less of an impression on me. DD did appreciate the big pieces of whole clam-meat that came in the chowder.

For the mains, DD had the Colorado Lamb Chops and I had the Luke's Bone-In Tenderloin Au Poivre. Both were outstanding.

"I never knew lamb could taste so good," said DD, as he cut into one of his four (yes, four!) chops. "I mean, I guess I knew, but I've never tasted it."

I don't like lamb, but I would have happily finished this dish too. The meat wasn't too gamey, and in fact, that hint of it was just perfect for the dish. It was perfectly cooked and juicy, even when done medium as requested by DD. Really, really good.

As was my tenderloin. It was huge too! It said 300grammes on the menu, but because it was a bone-in chop, I had assumed that there wouldn't be that much meat. Oops, wrong assumption. There was a short, U-shaped bone on one side, but there was still a lot of meat forming the rest of the steak! Thankfully I have a hearty appetite. It would have been a tragedy letting such good meat go to waste. Juicy and done medium-rare, just the way I like it. I did think the pepper crust on the top was a bit over-powering and salty, and so scrapped off some of it. But the meat was so yummy. I'm feeling hungry just thinking about it!

We were so stuffed we skipped dessert and got ourselves some tea instead, before we called it a night. Of course, I choose to google reviews of the restaurant after going there instead of before, only to find out that their desserts are unmissable. Ah well. We saw the servings of desserts on the tables around us and looking at how big they were, we were pretty sure we couldn't pack one away. Hey, it just means we will have to go back again, doesn't it?

It was a really good meal but as always, the company was better. I never fail to enjoy conversation with the husband, and this was more of the same. Sometimes I don't know how we still manage to find things to talk about after more than 12 years together and 7 years of marriage, but we do. On our nights out, I usually ask that we don't spend all our time talking about our kids and he doesn't want to talk too much about his work. Both these topics do,  of course, creep into the conversation, but mostly we stick to this principle. I update him on some of our friends, we discuss some of the articles/news we've been reading, I tell him what I've been learning at bible study and he gives me his views, we talk about parenting in the context of how we were brought up and how we want to approach things, I bounce ideas off him about things I want to do at home. We have always been able to talk for hours, and now, we still do.

7 years has taught me that a good marriage and a good relationship is hard work. It requires plenty of patience, and there are plenty of times when you almost have to bite your tongue just to stop yourself from saying that extra unnecessary remark or from picking that fight that would send things over the edge. But when you both seek to honour God with your lives and relationship, it is just that much easier. In this regard, I know I have been blessed.

Love, Love, Love… How We Came To Be

DD and I met practically on the first day of Uni and were good friends for 3 years before we got together. I always tease him that our story starts a little earlier for me than for him -- I have this distinct memory of being at our Uni orientation camp and my camp roommate Jo pointing out DD to me over breakfast one morning and saying “XX (referring to the word emblazoned across DD’s T-shirt) is quite cute.” I remember agreeing with her…

For most of 1st year, we hung out in the same group and became pretty good friends, bonding in particular over desperate last-minute mugging in the library before the 1st year exams… I guess I always did have a thing for him cos we clicked so well – we both have an innate ability to keep ourselves entertained talking about nothing in particular! But he clearly had other “interests”, whom he happily told me about, so I never said/did anything and just remained a friend.

We drifted a little in 2nd year when we started seeing other people, but as fate would have it, we both ended up in UK on exchange in 3rd year, albeit attending different Universities. He was in Nottingham and I was in Bristol. But while in UK, my calling card company gave me 30 mins worth of free calls to a local UK number every time I topped up my card. And since DD was the only close-ish friend I had in UK, he was the one I called with my free airtime, and we ended up having 30 min conversations every month. Ironically it was during this time in UK that I came to realise how different we are, even as our regular conversations drew us closer to each other. Still, he remained my connection with my “regular life” back in Singapore even as I adapted to life in UK, something I was grateful for. What I didn't realise was that at the same time I was getting these "we are probably not compatible" feelings, he was getting the opposite feelings and starting to think of me as more than just a friend.

The great thing about being on exchange (as all exchange students would know) is the luxury of being able to take cheap holidays to parts of UK and Europe. And having limited time, we all made the most of it. In spring in 2000, DD persuaded me to go on a backpacking trip to Italy with him. And it was on this trip which we took together that stuff happened. It was kinda like this:

Day 1 – DD cues and nudges me across the road
Day 2 – Holding hands to cross the road
Day 3 – Holding hands to cross the road and for a while longer
Day 4 – Holding hands to cross the road and intermittently
Day 5 – Holding hands

Oops!

A word in my defence – the traffic in Rome is, or at least was, at that time - really treacherous because the cars don’t stop for you to cross at all! You just have to step bravely in front of traffic and hope that they stop. Definitely not for the faint-hearted. So you see, having a hand to hold helped.

Till now, Italy remains one of my favourite countries because nothing is more magical than falling in love.

But that’s not the date we celebrate.

22 June 2000 is the day in Paris when, on the 2nd level of the Eiffel Tower (the top level was tragically closed for maintenance), DD asked and I agreed to be his girlfriend. And he did this by giving me the hook that he used to wear around his neck which, to him, signified his independence. We’ve been together ever since.

******

It's been 12 years since we got together, 7 years since our wedding, and we've gone on the write a whole long other story together.

And yet, when I reached for his hand today, I know I did right to hold on tight when he reached for my hand all those years ago in Rome.

12 Years Together

On 22 June 2012, DD and I marked 12 years together as a couple. Even as I write this, I can't believe it's been that long!

DD and I were friends for 2, nearly 3 years before we got together and I like to think that that friendship still underscores our relationship, even now as husband and wife. Life is very different now from the days when we were carefree students in University, where we first met. And as parents, I think that our own relationship has taken a backseat as family time takes precedence in those precious moments of free time. We are also both guilty of zoning out on our own in front of our computers after the kids have finally gone down for the night - me catching up on social media, reading blogs and blogging, and him, reading Liverpool news or buying little plastic toys off the internet. But on nights when we do manage to sneak out for for couple time, or during those moments when we are in the right frame of mind to just talk, our easy banter, free-flowing conversation and deep understanding always remind me of how much I enjoy his company. He really is the person I can truly say anything to, no matter how ridiculous, irreverent, and inappropriate. 

This anniversary would have slipped us by, except that we were chatting the day before and realized that hey, our anniversary was the very next day! We didn't go out to celebrate, but because I had scheduled a family photoshoot with KC from Tinydot Photography the day after, on 23 June, I asked for some couple shots to be taken. I thought it was a nice way to commemorate the start of our 13th year together.

It was a quick handful of shots, but I'm glad we got some nice ones. I would like to remember that way before the children, it was just us two. And after the kids are grown and gone, I hope it'll still be just us two, enjoying each other's company, just the way it was when we first started out.

Marking the 6th

Our 6th Wedding Anniversary kind of just crept up on us.

In fact, when 22nd Oct first came up in our conversation, it was in the context of it being my new helper's pay day. "That's easy to remember!" quipped DD, referring to the fact that we remember the 22nd of each month as a monthly anniversary. After he said this, there was a slight pause and I could practically hear him totting up the numbers before he turned to me in surprise and proclaimed this particular 22nd would be our 6th Wedding Anniversary. And so it was.

We didn't have anything planned -- clearly this happens when you're no longer newly-weds and have 2 young kids who have taken over your lives -- but we managed to enlist the help of DDMum to babysit for the evening while we slipped out for dinner together. After tossing around some ideas, we decided to eschew the conventional and opted to go pig out and satisfy our seafood cravings instead. All DD had to say was "I know! CRABS..." and I was sold. That was how we landed up at Long Beach at Dempsey for the night, eating our way through Chilli Crab, Drunken Prawns, Bamboo Clams with Mince Garlic and Vermicelli, Scallops with Veggies and Ee-fu Mee. We also had dessert to round it off.

Ah, shiok-ness.

No pictures after the first couple of dishes because it got dark, and yes, we were kind of busy eating our way through the lot.

Dinner provided some valuable child-free time for us to sit back, chat, and certainly eat in peace. And remember what it is that makes us tick. It is hard sometimes when you add a newborn into the mix, and this has been a bit of that kind of crazy year. It hasn't been as crazy as it was when we first had Noey because we have learnt from those days and have tried harder to factor in more couple time this time around. We have promised ourselves -- or at least, DD has promised me -- that we will go on a holiday, just the two of us, once my breastfeeding gig is up. I'm looking forward to that.

I look at myself, at DD and at our two babies and I think: "Has it really only been 6 years?" Because it certainly feels like it's been forever. By God's grace, it will be. In the meantime, at least I know I can say that I am - still - seriously enjoying the ride.

Osia

Just before we left for Sydney, DD and I went to Osia as a little treat in celebration of our 5th wedding anniversary.

(Yes, we went for modern Australian food just before leaving for Australia. We're funny like that.)

I had my eye on this restaurant for a while but never got round to trying it. Our anniversary seemed as good a reason as any to ditch Noey and enjoy some good food on our own, so off we went!

Despite being labelled a fine-dining establishment, the restaurant had a pleasantly casual vibe, with the open kitchen adding to the general buzz. There was a good crowd, and while we didn't bring Noey with us, we did notice a number of other families dining with children so we took it as a good sign that it wasn't too chi-chi a place.

I'm not good at writing food reviews but suffice to say, we enjoyed our dinner a lot.

We started with an order of their special stonehearth flat breads. We got half a portion of black olive rosemary bread and half a portion of some red spice (I think) bread on our waiter's recommendation. Both were good. Maybe I just like fluffy warm bread! The bread also interestingly came with a little tube of the spread of the day. I think ours was pistachio cream cheese. DD spread this on all his slices and thought that both flavours of bread tasted the same till I pointed out that it was probably the dip!

For our starters, DD got their Polenta Crumbed Foie Gras, which he thoroughly enjoyed. It was paired with poached daikon, which I found interesting and it went together surprisingly well. I couldn't resist ordering their highly recommended Seafood Ice Experience and really enjoyed this dish. (Can you tell?) It was essentially different types of sashimi paired with different fruit/vegetable granitas. My favourite one was the oyster with lychee martini ice. Mmmmm, nice. Especially considering how I save all sashimi eating for special occasions now, being pregnant and all, it was an extra special treat.

Then it was time for the mains.

DD picked the grilled tenderloin, which was served on a bed of blueberry risotto. It sounds weird but it was actually pretty good -- the tangy-sweet bits of the risotto coming together with the savoury taste of the beef.

I had the Chilean Sea Bass. When DD's beef came I regretted not picking that, but once I had a piece of the sea bass, I didn't regret my choice. It was prepared with carmelised miso on the top -- a taste I particularly love so this was a winner in my books. And the fish was undoubtedly fresh. What a treat.

We also got a side order of roasted potatoes with chorizo which I didn't fancy so much. No matter which we were both full enough that we passed on dessert. I guess I will have to go back again to try the Valrhona Hot Chocolate Soup to see if it is as good as they claim.

We both agreed that this is a place we could come back again to, which is rare for us (DD in particular) so it is a testament to how much we enjoyed our meal. The company played a part too of course. We had fun being silly kidding about feeling self-conscious of being seen on the premises of the CASINO and pretending to tell anyone and everyone that we were just there for the food. Generally we were being ourselves, which always makes for a good evening.

I look forward to returning -- yes, only for the food!