Mid April - I go to Hanoi for Vietnamese Food

I will fly there for a holiday, May to Oct is rainy season, to see, hear, smell, touch and taste Vietnam.

I will go worship the body of Hanoi because he defeated two super powers - no easy feat particularly the last one. I have yet to find out if his body is in Hanoi.

Delicious spring rolls, dumplings, pho bo, etc come enter into my tunnel of love.

Speaking of which, I must loose some weigh or risk getting stuck in one of their tunnels. If given the chance I will go fire and strip their AK-47 to better understand how they work.

If you have info on where I must go and eat. Please drop me a line.

20 Mar 08 - Biz to close on Sat 22 Mar 08

My stall will close on Sat 22 mar 08. It's a week earlier then I had originally announced.

Eventhough the shutters are going down on my stall for the last time, I will still maintain my tansbeefnoodle blog.

So come back and check out what's the latest food I had, thing I am doing, and thoughts in my mind. Write your comments so I know what you're eating, doing and thinking also.

Thanks for liking my family's Taiwanese beef noodle.
It was a pleasure serving you.

Best wishes,

Alaster

19 Mar 08 - An article about my beef noodle to appear in Sunday Times 23 Mar 08, well almost

Ms Tan Hsueh Yen, a food critic from Straits Times, came to try my beef noodle and pickled side dish. Later on she told me that she will write an article about my beef noodle - gave her high praise for it - which will appear in this Sunday Times edition.

She asked me lots of question about: who taught me how to cook it? Why did I decide to sell it? How long I took to master cooking it right? How long to boil the bones? Customers' response?

I answered all her questions.

She was sad to learn that I will discontinue my biz.

Nonetheless she said to keep her posted if I do start my food biz again.

I most certainly will.

Thanks, Ms H, for giving me a moment of "glory".

Thanks for liking my family's food enough to want to write an article in praise of it.

Backdated to 3 -10 Feb 08: Food galore in Taiwan ROC

Hello I will update you on my delicious adventure during the Chinese New Year period in Taiwan.

Stay tuned....

Backdated to 28/01/08 - AWAS: Parking Meter or Parking Coupon?

I just remember something which I believe is worth mentioning to Singaporeans who are driving up Malaysia to have a jalan jalan-cum-makan tour.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the authorities in Melaka have decided to remove the parking meter – free parking at last! YES!!

I found out subsequently that they had actually replaced the parking meter with parking coupon – no free parking. That was a downer!

So be prepared, if you are driving in Malaysia, to use parking coupons if the parking meters aren’t around. Otherwise kenna fine, then you know.

Heng er, I didn't kenna fine!

FYI: In Seremban they still use the parking meter.

Backdated to 28/01/08 - Anti-skid Braking System saves my day and limbs too

We were on the N-S highway travelling south to Johore and Singapore. It was a rainny afternoon, a truck cut into my path last minute, just as I was stepping on the accelelator to speed up and overtake it. Immediately I had to floor the brakes hard. Thankfully the ABS kicked in automatically and prevented the car we were in from skidding when it braked suddenly. Incidentally that was what happened to the Ford Telstar - which skidded when I had to slam on the brakes (w/o ABS) on a rainny afternoon in 1994, and it did a 90-deg clockwise turn before coming to a stop - lousy car. Scared the living day lights out of me.

Ford cars have improved a lot nowadays.
Their Focus is a joy to drive.

ABS is God's gift to mankind and so is ESP also.

Backdated to 27/01/08 – Fatman Popiah, Melaka

This stainless steel pushcart is located next Madam King’s departmental store along Jalan Bunya Raya. The father (a portly man) used to sell popiah for over ten years before his son took over. He would fill the popiah up with the usual ingredients, just before wrapping them all up in the moist & chewy floured-skin, he would drench them with two tablespoon of fragrant pork lard and crispy fat! Shocking!! But that makes his popiah very tasty! When I first saw him doing this in 1998, my eyes almost rolled out of my sockets. But after eating it, all is forgotten except its lovely divine texture and taste.

FYI: I prefer the popiah made by the father because it tasted really sinfully good!!

Eat already ah – triple steam!

Nonetheless credit must be given to his son because his popiah has improved since I ate the last one made by him several years ago.

Eat to believe.

Don’t take my word for it.

Backdated to 27/01/08 – I see red in Malacca

The Malaysian govt. has done much to spruce Melaka up in order to make it more tourist-friendly. They have added footpath, wherever possible, to Melaka quaint narrow streets in order to make it safer for tourists to walk around. They have also added lights – red-colored lights – to illuminate the historic buildings there in the night. That made Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock in Chinatown looks like a “red light district” in my own personal opinion without being disrespectful to the local authority's there.

Then again the light up might be to add to the ambience of this historic place for the Chinese New Year celebration.

FYI: I stayed at Hotel Puri, an award winning three-star boutique hotel, which is owned by Singaporeans. I find the place affordable, cozy and nice. Speaking of hotel, many are sprouting up in Melaka due to lots of tourists flocking into it.

07/01/08 – KF Seetoh of Makansutra ate my Taiwanese Beef Noodle

It was around 5.15pm when food guru K.F. Seetoh appeared and ordered a bowl of my beef noodle. I was delighted and honoured that he ate my beef noodle.

After he ate it, he said…

I shouldn’t disclose what he said since it was spoken in confidence besides I didn’t get his permission to divulge it. You’ll find out about what he thinks of my food eventually.

Many thanks for trying my beef noodle, Seetoh.

See you again.

BTW: I didn't wash the bowl and chopsticks that he ate with, and they are now (somewhat moldy) proudly displayed in my home's showcase. I plan to auction them off in e-bay to the highest bidder later after I have them DNA-certified that it is Seetoh’s saliva that’s on them. I am kidding here because I had washed them just like the other bowls. :o)

KF Seetoh pic is reproduced from www.makansutra.com.sg website

27/01/08 - Tangkak Beef Noodle, Melaka

I read on the web that the original one is found in Tangkak, the others are copycats.

Nonetheless I give the "copycat" below a try because the Malaccans seem to like it.

restoran sup lembu tangkak
37, Jalan Merdeka,
Tmn Melaka Raya, Melaka.

All the same I can’t wait to try it.

Come back for my comments of it and pics of this dish….

Update: 28/01/08 – Apology didn’t have the chance to eat it when we were up there. But will do it the next time we are there.

29.12.07 - Found! Good Pho Bo in Singapore, Lor 42 Geyland Rd

I believe I have found good Pho Bo in Singapore!

The beef slices are tender and flavorful. The broth is tasty and rich. Add fish sauce to it and it tastes even better. I like it.

After eating it I told one of the ladies "ang ong" which means "delicious" in Vietnamese and she smiled delightedly.

Price: $5.00 a bowl, I wish they gave me more noodles.
I will ask for it the next time round.

Com Tam Viet Nam
(Thai & Vietnamese Cuisine)
No 672, Lor 42 Geyland Road
Singapore 389599
Tel. 6748 0638
3.00pm – 3.00am

They got a Singapore Food Map Award for their fine culinary skill.

This Vietnamese food stall occupies the front corner of the coffeeshop. The Chinese-speaking Vietnamese ladies, who are married to local Singaporeans, run this joint. It is opposite the Rochor Soya Bean Curd stall.

P.S. I still think the Pho Bo I had in Salt Lake City cooked by a Vietnamese woman is the best that I have tried thus far but this one is still very good. Eat already your body feels good and I am doubtful if they added MSG, if any, into the soup.

Backdated to 24.12.07 – Lo Han Guo herbal drink, Melaka

This guy’s Lo Han Guo (herbal) drink with longan pulp is very good. He has been in biz for over twenty years. It is concentrated and tasty. Drink it ice-cold on a hot day, after a meal, or just to wash away your “heatiness”. Guarantee you will come back again for another shot either immediately or on another day.

His pushcart is located next to an alley, next to a watch shop, in the front of Mimosa Hotel at Bunya Raya.

Bowl RM 1.00

Disposable cup RM2.00