Gold Ecological Park @ Jin Gua Shi 金瓜石, Taiwan

Located within the mountains in the Rueifang District, and once a flourished gold and copper mining town, Jin Gua Shi was named a potential World Heritage site in 2002 for its rich historical, cultural and natural resources. It is opened to public since 2004.

Directions to Gold Ecological Park

1. From Taipei Main Station, take a train (eastward bound) to Rueifang Station. Take a bus heading towards Keelung directly opposite Rueifang Station (outside Wellcome Minimart with a notable long queue). Average rate of bus is approximately 15-20 minutes. The bus would passed by Jiufen as well.

2. From Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, take a bus heading towards Keelung at Exit 1 and alight at Jin Gua Shi station.

Known as Kinkaseki in Japanese, Jin Gua Shi is used as a prisoners-of-war (POWs) camp during the world war. Although the minerals have been depleted, this nostalgic old town still attracts vistors from all around the world to experience a journey back to its former glory. One can truly embrace the beauty of nature at Jin Gua Shi surrounded by peace and serenity to quiet your soul.

Places of interests in the Gold Ecological Park includes Environmental Building, Museum of Gold, Benshan Fifth Tunnel, Gold Refining Building etc. Most attractions are free-of-charge, but some might impose a small fee to enter.

To realize the eco-museum ideas and give visitors an experience of being in an actual tunnel and a better understanding of the working conditions underground, in cooperation with Taiwan Sugar Corp, the old Benshan Tunnel No 5 was renovated and partly re-opened to the public as the tunnel experience area. (Source: Gold Ecological Park main website)

Entrance fee is NT$50.

Visitors are required to don a safety helmet in case of falling debris and for safety precautions.

Looking all geared-up for the expedition!

Waxworks are used to show the process of ore extraction and how the miners worked in the old days. It also features sound effects triggered by movement sensors to enhance the experience.

The Museum of Gold (admission free) houses exhibitions which shows the journey of gold discovery, old mining equipments, mining transport systems and cultural artifact displays.

The second floor of the museum features gold-theme artwork and characteristics, such as this pair of grasshoppers with pretty impressive details.

And of course, the star attraction which we are here for:

220.3kg of unprecedented solid 999 pure gold ingot! There is a real-time counter on the worth of this block of high-grade gold. As of November 2012, it is more than a whopping amount of NT$358.6M (which is equivalent to S$15.33M)!

And yeah, go ahead and touch it. It indeed feels good to be rich for a few seconds.

If you are looking for some souvenirs, there is a gift shop just beside the Museum of Gold which sells gold-theme items, such as trinkets and jewellery. There is also a place where you could pan (and keep) your own gold (NT$100), but since it runs on a 30 minutes interval and we were rushing to Jiufen, we didn't get to participate.

If you are looking for a rest-stop, check out 山顶豆花. This dou-huey (bean curd) stall sells really good bean curd. Unlike the ones we have here which use sugar syrup, they use rock sugar there (along with ginger), giving it a super-refreshing flavour.

Besides the Gold Ecological Park in Jin Gua Shi, there are a few other attractions in that area as well - Jin Gua Shi Shinto Shrine, Gold Waterfall, Cyuanji Temple (just to name some). So why not spend some time to explore this old town, and perhaps bath in the richness of Jin Gua Shi's glory?

For more information, please do visit their main website at the link below:
http://www.gep-en.tpc.gov.tw/econtent/about/about.asp



Paradise Inn @ West Coast Plaza, Singapore

Besides having Soup Restaurant for our weekly family dinner, Paradise Inn is another one of the choices we frequent much. Under one of Singapore's largest restaurant chains - Paradise Group (which houses Paradise Dynasty, Canton Paradise, Kungfu Paradise etc.),  Paradise Inn is a casual dining concept with authentic, yet affordable Chinese cuisine served in a nostalgic teahouse setting.

 

Please kindly note that all prices listed below is based on the smallest size available for each individual dish without promotions or sets.

 

Paradise Inn serves the best Chinese Style Pan-Fried Beef Fillet (S$14.90). Succulent beef fillets cut into bite-size slices. Tender, juicy and pan-fried to just the right doneness, what else are you looking?

 

Stewed 'Dong Po' Pork (S$12.90 per portion) which consist a ratio of half-fat and half-lean meat pork belly stewed traditionally in Chinese condiments, including wine. This dish was oily but not greasy, however the lean part of the meat was a tad overcooked.

 

Supreme Seafood Rice (S$12.90) is a must-try - fragrant rice fried with a generous portion of shrimps and roes. We also had the Soup of the Day: Double-boiled Spare Ribs with Winter Melon and Dried Canpoy (S$17.90) which apparently "helps to lower blood pressure, nourishes 'yin' and improves functionalities of stomach and kidney.

 

Their vege-superstar Poached Chinese Spinach with Egg Trio and Minced Pork in Superior Stock (S$14.90) was awesome. In case, if you're wondering what is Egg Trio, it is Creamy Egg White, Century Egg and Salted Egg Yolk. They complemented the spinach really well. We always cleaned up this dish in a matter of minutes.

Braised Home-made Tofu (S$10.90) served with Golden Mushroom and Minced Pork was good, but nothing much to rave about.

 A small portion of desserts is included if you ordered their set meal. In our case, we had the Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Lemonade (S$3.50). Minty, refreshing and thirst-quenching. It probably summarized up what one would like for a hot and humid day.

 

Paradise Inn is usually crowded with diners who are looking for a place to have their family dinner or for discussing business over a good pot of tea or desserts. Therefore, placing reservations is highly recommended if you were to visit during dinner hours at weekends.

 

 

 

 

Paradise Inn

 

Tel: 67779950

 

Opening Hours

Daily: 11:30 - 22:00
Last Order at 21:30.

 

154 West Coast Road

#B1-48

West Coast Plaza

Recipe: Choco-Strawberry Meringue Cupcakes

An adaptation to a recipe I chanced upon, these lovely-looking chocolate cupcakes topped with strawberry meringue are not only pleasing to the eyes, but are as equally delicious too. Great for children's parties.

 

Difficulty: Easy

Makes 12 regular-sized cupcakes

Ingredients

125g self-raising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
125g unsalted Butter
125g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg whites, pasteurized
2 tbsp lemon juice
100g fine sugar
12 fresh strawberries, halved

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line muffin tray with cupcake liner.

2. Sift flour and cocoa powder together twice. Set aside.

3. Cream butter in an electric mixer for a few minutes. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined.

4. Add eggs and beat until mixture is well blended. The texture should be light and fluffy.

5. Add vanilla extract and mix well.

6. Add flour mixture prepared in step 2 and continue to beat until well-mixed. Do not over-mix.

7. Spoon batter into cupcake liners until ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

8. Remove cupcakes from the oven and let cupcakes sit in the muffin tray for 5 minutes.

9. Remove cupcakes from tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

10. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and lemon juice at high speed.

11. Add the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. Allow each tablespoon to dissolve before adding the next. Beat until stiff peaks form.

12. Pipe or scoop spoonfuls of meringue mixture onto the cupcakes. Top with a half-strawberry each.

Tips

1. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before using. Therefore, remove the eggs from the refridgerator 20-30 minutes beforehand.

2. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before adding any frosting.

Notes

Uncooked meringue made with raw eggs may contain salmonella bacteria, which might cause diarrhea, cramps and fever. Although the bacteria is mostly found in the egg yolk, egg whites are not considered safe to consume raw. Hence, please use eggs that are pasteurized. Another alternative is to buy ready-made meringue at local baking stores or supermakets.

Manna Story @ Jcube, Singapore

Located at the top floor of Jcube (previously - Jurong Entertainment Centre), a newly built mall which housed the second IMAX theatres locally and highly acclaimed olympic-sized ice skating rink that opened their doors earlier this year, Manna Story has made another of its nest there in the midst of cool air. Like most Korean restaurants, it boasts authentic Korean cuisine served in a homely environment. Bromance ZR, Tim and yours truly decided to have our virgin experiences (okay, that sounds pretty gay) right there.

 

On a typical Saturday night at approximately 7pm, we expected to see restaurants filled with diners, but it was barely half-filled when we got there. Upon ordering, one of the service staff served us an impressive platter of assorted appetizers, which usually in other restaurants - the most you can get is probably a maximum of 4. For the benefits of all kiasu Singaporeans, this is refillable but please do not waste.

 

My favourite was the peanuts (2nd row, most right) if you want to know. It is slightly different than the ones you would have in Chinese restaurants, this is harder and a tad more chewer. It was like popping sweets and trust me, it is addictive.

 

 

For me, I had their sizzling plate of BBQ Beef (S$13.80) with  bowl of white rice, salad and soup. Quantity-wise, it exceeded my expectations, however quality-wise, it was a little dry and hard. There is a small 20% chance you could find a piece that is juicy and tender. Other than that? Keep digging.

 

 

We ordered their promo item - Kimchi Pizza Bab (S$8.80) for sharing. Although not exactly pizza, the name simply means Kimchi rice topped with melted cheddar cheese, tomatoes and capsicum. This is good, I love how well the cheese complemented the kimchi rice. I just wished that there was more kimchi in the rice.

 

 

Curry Pork Cutlet (S$14.00) tasted like their Japanese counterpart. Thick, juicy, curry-drenched pork katsu topped with carrot and potato cubes. Do you know what I wanted to say? OM NOM NOM NOM.

 

 

Mul Naengmyeon (S$11.80) was a disappointment according to ZR. This bowl of Korean cold noodles in plain broth (or water as some might call it) is better appreciated in smaller portions, and when not consumed in chilly weathers. For me, I definitely prefer the Bibim Naengmyeon (which they don't serve here) - cold noodles with broth made from beef.

 

 

The whole dinner costed us S$59.70, including service charge and prevailing government taxes. Is it worth visiting again? Well, maybe I might.. if I ran out of food to try.




Manna Story

Opening hours
10am - 9pm

2 Jurong East Central 1

#04-19

JCube

Pique Nique @ Ngee Ann City, Singapore

God is good. Thousands of centuries ago, he gave homo-sapiens the wisdom, as well as the ability to make the most satisfying desserts for royal events, ceremonies or festive seasons. Nowadays, due to increasing demands and the gastronomic needs for humans, desserts have become the staple for most of us after meals.

 

It's no different for another human like me. Once upon a time, after lunch at newly-opened Japanese Restaurant at Liang Court - Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru, we decided to head down to Ngee Ann City (also known as Takashimaya) for some desserts. With consideration of atas bakery and patisserie "Paul" in mind as well, we decided to go for Pique Nique (pronouced "picnic") as it provides adequate space for the two children to move about.

 

Opened by the former renowned pastry chef of Les Amis Group's Canele, Chef Pang Kok Keong currently helms two restaurants - Antoinette and Pique Nique, under his newly-formed Sugar Daddy Group. With the latter specializing in American cuisine, such as hotdogs, burgers and bacons, this Western bistro also serves freshly-made desserts and an impressive array of pastries, and which we are obviously here for.

 

Eliza had the Hot Iron Waffle (S$11.80) served with whipped cream and a scoop of home-made vanilla ice cream, and finally drizzled with either maple syrup or salty caramel. We had the former, and it was absolutely delicious. The waffle was crispy on the edges and it had a fine balance between eggy and floury texture. It was amazing, and the best thing is the serving size of the waffle. I didn't expected it to be this huge, but yes, here it is.

 

Sticky Dates Pudding (S$12.00) with butterscotch and vanilla ice cream was good also. However, the pudding was warm, but not warm enough to give that "shiok" (ecstatic) feeling when eaten in one mouthful with the cold counterpart. It was a tad too sweet as well, but other than, I finished this whole plate in less than a few minutes.

Chococheese Cupcake (S$5.15) was a nice combination of rich chocolate and creamy cheese filling. It is topped with frosted cheese cream and dark chocolate shavings, and it had just the right sweetness.

Mark has a small appetite with a picky mouth for good food. I could easily tell that this Blueberry Cheesecake (S$8.35) is good when he wolfed down this slice. But again, I do expect no less for that pricing though.

The only disappointment was the Chamomile Tea (S$6.80 for 1 regular-sized pot). It was the least warm and tasteless. Period.

Like stated in the introduction, Pique Nique serves decent American meals at affordable pricing as well. I will definitely visit again when nature calls for a light snack in between meals, not to even mention I have not tried their Whoopie Pies!

Pique Nique

Tel: 62386705

Opening Hours
Daily: 10:00 - 22:00

391A Orchard Road

#B1-01/02

Ngee Ann City

Rasa Sayang Western Food @ Ang Mo Kio, Singapore

Ask any Ang Mo Kio residents on where to find a place which serves good western food, and the answer is simply "Rasa Sayang" (no, it's not a folk song) at the central's S-11. Nestled within a short 5 minutes walk away from AMK station, Rasa Sayang is a choice for many students and diners who are looking for a quality, yet affordable western meal. Look at what the people are eating at this particular S-11 branch, I dare say that at any time when Rasa Sayang is open for business, at least 60% are having their food.

Recommended by Girlfriend Peiyi, we were there on a certain weekday, a little later than 7pm and the seats were over-occupied already. Therefore, please do expect long waiting times if you come during peak hours on weekends.

One of their bestsellers, Chicken Chop w/ Black Pepper Sauce (S$5.60) is also a favourite of mine. More often or not, chicken chops topped with either black pepper sauce or mushroom sauce are my choices when I visited Rasa Sayang (although the latter is my favourite.) Marinated, succulent chicken steaks paired with fries, baked beans, coleslaw and garlic bread.

Another speciality of theirs, Fish & Chips (S$5.00) which is Peiyi's favourite, was nicely crisp with a nice golden colour on the exterior, yet soft and juicy inside. This dish is served with the same sides as above.

Although slightly pricier than the usual hawker fare, Rasa Sayang is well worth it as it serves not only quality, but also of good quantity as well.




Rasa Sayang Western Food

Opening Hours
Daily: 11:30 - 12:30

711 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8

#01-07

S-11 Food Centre