Zeitgeist - Spirit of the Times

Coronation of Ramses II Relief at a Temple in Karnak, Luxor 

I am reading an outstanding book called Ikigai by neuroscientist Ken Mogi. It tells of the respect for small things in the Japanese way of life and it has given me a massive paradigm shift on aspects and focus on life itself. I will analyse and discuss the 5 pillars of Ikigai at another post sometime.

The word zeitgeist was used with such eloquence in the book, literally from the the German phrase Zeit - time and Geist - ghost, it means the ghost with the times. Many of us view the world and history with the lens of the current zeitgeist. But what is the current zeitgeist ?

From what I read, experience and sense, the current zeitgeist is one of cultural decline, the surge of the ego and general unhappiness with one's lot in life unless one is travelling the world taking selfies and showing everyone what he ate of breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

I am partly guilty of that and will need to take a proper countercheck on that. 

In my opinion, the spirit of the current times feels like we are living in times of diverse income inequality and the general sense that only a lucky few who have money,status and connections have it good while the rest of us toil like minions like a cog in a gigantic machine.

Do we as a nation or people have collective vision for the greater good of our country and selves ? 

Carrying the weight of the World

Tiong Bahru Wonton Noodles Lee Hong Ji - My Review

At the far end of the Hawker Center on 2nd Floor to the left of the Lift Access 

This is my regular Wonton Noodles stall at Tiong Bahru. Run by a family of 3 - 4 men, their wanton noodles is actually a combination of dry Mee Kia (thin yellow) noodles which has been quick dipped in a boiler container of stock, and then dished out. There will be several slices of Char Siew (roast pork slices with the yellow Char Siew (sweet roast) sauce for a fantastic sweet and sour flavouring.

Accompanying the meal is the Wonton Dumpling Soup

Accompanying the noodles is some boiled chye sim vegetable, which is crunchy at first bite and a bowl of wonton (3 pieces) which is essentially pork minced with some turnip and water chestnut to give it that crunchy and slighty sweet taste. The noodles are prepared early in the morning to perfection and wrapped with dumpling wrap (rice flour I believe).

For $3.50, I am reminded of home and no place in the world serves the wonton noodles as good as this stall in my opinion. My wife and I normally share 1 plate (we eat less nowadays) and the taste is really out of this world.

My rating :

1. Food : 5.5 / 5  - well its too good, so I am biased ! 

2. Service : 3 / 5   - well hawkers are not Michelin restaurants, so service is more hi and buy

3. Ambience : 3.5/5  - the hawker centre is normally not crowded at the times I frequent.

Total : 4  / 5 

Singapore Tourist Promotion Board wants to induct the Hawker Culture as a National Heritage with the UNESCO approval, hence I would say our hawker foods are on par and sometimes better than the Michelin starred restaurants ( I am biased of course) at food taste and quality.

LEE HONG KEE HAWKER STALL (2ND FLOOR TIONG BAHRU HAWKER CENTRE)
#02 - 60 
30 Seng Poh Road (Tiong Bahru Market)
Singapore 168898 

Shek Kee - Bib Gourmand serving Hearty Cantonese Fare at Decent prices

One of their signature dishes. 

Shek Kee is a rather unobtrusive small eatery in the district of Tin Hao. I went there 2 years ago during the day time and tried one of their signature dishes, braised beef with tomoato puree and rice. It has made the list of Michelin Bib Gourmand but to be honest, its not a place where I would really make my way to eat.  

Tin Hao is the station next to Causeway Bay 

I guess it made the list of Bib Gourmand because in the evening, the place turns into something of a private kitchen and the chef then cooks whatever is in season to the lucky patrons, for a very reasonable price. Unfortunately for me, I came at the 'off peak' time and hence was not too impressed with the food. 

Perhaps if I am next time staying in the vicinity I may be tempted to visit it in the evening and try for myself what is so outstanding about this eatery. 

There are many Jiu Chow (Teochew) restaurants such as Pak Lok, and Lei Garden which will bowl over many a foodie as compared to Shek Kee. The standout dishes there are the cold crab, the oyster porridge (must try) and the braised goose which still leaves me with that warm and fuzzy feeling of an excellent meal. 

Lei Garden is located at Hutchison House on the 2nd Floor as I recall.  

The eatery is quite close to the Metropark Hotel just opposite the Tin Hao station.

Meeting Family in Melbourne April 4th 2019

Doris and Robert Saunders in Melbourne 4th April 2019

During my trip to Canberra Australia earlier this month, I seized upon the chance to do a short domestic trip down to Melbourne where my cousin Doris Abisheganaden and her lovely husband Robert Saunders live.

Doris and Robert have migrated to Melbourne Australia since the 70s and are Australian citizens living in the suburbs of Melbourne. I had a great time catching up with both Doris and Robert who were wonderful dinner hosts to this uptight Singaporean cousin.

My late father Geoffrey and her father Felix were 2nd and 3rd brothers in the family where there were 5 boys and 2 girls growing up. 

Doris gave me a wonderful insight about my Papa before he met my Mum and the things he did with the other Uncles when they were all living under one massive bungalow house off Sophia Road way back in the 50s and early 60s before my brother and I were even born !

The wonder of rekindling blood relationship made my trip Down Under all the more precious.

Thank you Doris and Robert !    

KARMA comes sooner or later ; in this case to the Watford Captain Deeny

Barely 2 weeks ago Wolves lost out to Watford at the FA Cup Semifinals ; and Troy Deeney had his say about Raul Jiminez putting a mask and calling him a 'loser'. Wolves dropped out at the death in extra time by 3 : 2 and many people were just sad that the team who played the attractive football lost. 

Well yesterday, Deeney was sent off for an elbow in the face of the Arsenal player earning him 3 matches to sit on the bench due to dangerous play. He surely must be kicking himself in the backside for mouthing off needlessly as football is a team game with rivalries and with referees who manage the state of play ; sometimes breaking a team's spirit in Watford's case.

Too bad Deeney ; when Karma comes to you just be a man not a belligerant teenager. 

Ben Foster also suffered a red face when an attempt at clearing his goal ended up with Obamayang deflecting in the poor kickout and Foster had the ignominy of picking up the ball from his own net ; the ultimate red face action of a mistake which was punished. 

So Deeney, there is an attitude called graciousness which you need to learn in life. 

Argyle Sweater - Scott Hilburn

The genuis of the 1 panel cartoon makes the reader think and apply the double entendre

to the situation.

The Argyle Sweater is one panel comic 'strip' if there ever was one. The punchline must be hit with just a few balloons or with comic timing of a maestro and someone who is into black humour. 

No slapstick, just weirdly funny. It takes some getting used to the 'frequency' but once it hits you it may be the funniest thing or not. 

Kyubey Sushi Shinjuku Japan - My Review.

Kyubey Shinjuku is located on 6th Floor of Keio Plaza 

Its preferable to book in advance.

Japan is the home of sushi, make no mistake. Above average sushi bars are plentiful in Tokyo and all the major cities across the Land of the Rising Sun, so it was a minor coup that I managed to snag a table for 2 in 2014 - yes the memory was so vivid all those years ago- for Kyubey, which is rated as one of the TOP 5 Sushi Restaurants in Japan !

Sukiyabashi Jiro is the NO. 1 in Japan and helmed by sushi craftsman Jiro Ono who even has a film after his perfection to his craft. At 93, he is still working tirelessly creating works of art and the waiting list runs into the years. 

 A meal to lift the senses and spirits. My beaming smile made me look 15 years younger !

Mere mortals like us have to accept the next best ones, hence Kyubey is the BEST SUSHI I have eaten in my life. When we arrived at 8.30 pm on a drizzly weekday evening, I was expecting to be turned away from such an esteemed place. However, the serving manager must have seen our tired and hungry foreign faces and must have taken pity on these 2 tourists. We snagged a small table near the door, and my wife and I were giddy with delight at this Anthony Bourdainish "No Reservation" success !

Much more pleasant surprises were to follow, we had the first course of sushi set of 10 pieces. The sushi was warm to the lips and the flavour was just bursting out from the fish and the sticky rice. 

The sushi was a mixture of cooked and raw delights, each one hitting all the right notes. Never had I tasted such refined creations from ALL of the sushi bars and restaurants in Singapore. The standouts were the tuna belly (toro), the squid and the sea urchin roe (Uni).

The timing of the placing of the sushi plates MUST be precisely calculated, as must the temperature of the fish meat,in order to optimise the flavour of the sushi. Truth be told, there was a burst of flavour upon putting the first piece of art-food work into my mouth. I kid you not.

The sea urchin roe probably upped my cholesterol level by 25 basis points, but what the hell, I live once and the chance to eat awesome food is to experience one of life's greatest experiences.  

Sashimi of Tuna Belly, Sardines and Threadfin 

May had the sashimi set and it went together with some chawamushi (poached egg Japanese style in a ceramic cup).

To top off a perfect evening, we had the grilled cod, which was so succulent and flavourful.

Less is indeed more.

Our wallets (mine actually) was lighter by some US$ 300 (US$ 150 per pax) but this experience will last a lifetime.

My Review 

Food :      5 / 5

Service :  4.5 /5

Ambience : 4.0 / 5

Price     : US$ 150 per pax with some sake each.

The famous cousin of Kyubey is the one in Ginza but there is a reservation fee of Yen 7000 so perhaps for tourists, we can try our luck at this 2nd outlet at :

6th floor Keio Plaza

2 Chome 2 - 1 

Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City

Tokyo

16830

Japan. 

Sushi Lovers, this is the PLACE