Have you ever experienced a moment where all the factors come together to make your dining experience special?It’s not just the food that has to be good. Although that helps. Sometimes, it’s the balmy weather. And on other times, it can be the incomparable company.
For me, it was a combination of attentive service (with a smile, if I may add) on a lazy Saturday afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of busy Singapore’s Orchard Road. I had a table by the huge glass window overlooking the world going by and only my company to enjoy. In a setting like this, food is only ancillary.
I had picked the quietest restaurant in Wheelock Place. With a name like The Simple Life (think Paris and Nicole), an unlikely tagline “Authentic Asian Cuisine”, and a set menu priced at S$14.90 for a starter, main course and dessert/drink, I was immediately attracted. I normally don’t visit half empty restaurants, but I wasn’t in the mood to hear loud chatter from neighbouring tables. So the stage was set.
My starter was a fruit rojak. Cubed fruits like pineapples, jicama, cucumbers and mangoes were tossed with bean sprouts, fried firm beancurd and sliced yau char kuay in a sauce made of thick prawn paste. What made the dish exceptional was the generous topping of coarsely ground peanuts. The sauce, because it was quite undiluted, was on the salty side, but I forgave them because it is rare that one can taste the prawn paste so distinctively.
My prawn mee was a sight to behold. Huge prawns presented seductively on a bed of noodles with succulent pieces of sliced pork…very tender, I might add…in a rather clear broth boiled with prawn heads, prawn shells and pork bones. Slices of fish cake completed the picture. I approached it with hesitance. Partly because the broth was too clear and quite unlike what I am familiar with, which is usually a murkier soup. I’m not quite sure if I like the soup though because the flavour was rather faint. But the prawns were fresh and delicious as were the huge pieces of pork.
Instead of a dessert, I chose a refreshing calamansi drink. I needed it after all that walking during the Great Singapore Sale. I’ve never seen people queuing up to enter an LV shop before. 🙂
Also check out Chubby Hubby.
The Simple Life
Wheelock Place #02-18
Singapore.
Tel: 6738 3212
the clear broth is most probably frm the ‘keuy teow broth’ since there wr not many patrons.lol.
calamansi is refreshing…i like it too…lotsa vitamins…lol.
why would anyone queue when there is never a sale in LV outlets. in Paris, there is always a long q bcoz it’s more ‘glam’ to purchase something from the main outlet. lol. so, what did u get yrself apart from those sex toys…? lol.
Oooh yummy … a clearer broth usually means the cooks have been more vigilant about skimming off scum and impurities during the simmering of ingredients; how was the flavour? I’ve had (and made!) brothy soups that were really clear but sooooo strong and meaty, yum. Murky doesn’t always equal strong flavours. The prawns and pork look delish … that pic is driving me crazy! More, please!
that’s some huge prawns!! *drools*
hahah looks like you are clearly having fun in sg eh? i m so broke..dont start me with all this brands that my weak heart n “chest” cant take haha
ohh those are huge!!! the prawns!
aiyoo… huge prawn!! I saw ppl Q up for LV in Singapore too and i wonder why?? If im one of them, i will use the LV amount of money to spend all on good food!!
Waliao! Such a lovely bowl of prawn noodle. How much per bowl? Much be expensive…. is it equal to our San Har Mein?
k.t.x: The food was actually good. Just different. U can tell that a lot of care went into the preparation and presentation. ^5. Calamansi is one of my favourite juices. I’m still puzzled about the queue at LV. Singaporeans must be quite affluent. What sex toys? I told u meh? hahaha.
jules: U’ve got a point about the clear soup. The word I was trying to find earlier is “pure”. A feeling of purity about the soup. Unadulterated by other flavour enhancers. More? Ur wish is my command! 😛
the expedited writer: Yah, I jumped off my seat when I saw the size of my prawns and checked the price again! 😛
joe: good discounts for branded items in Singapore, dude! Faster save up and visit!
teckiee: yeps…and fresh too!
jackson: LOL. Well, I guess there’s a loyal following for LV in Singapore. U’re right…I took one look and figured out that I’d do better at the nearest restaurant. So I walked across the road to Din Tai Fung. hehe.
big boys oven: an individual order of the prawn noodles costs S$11.90. It’s more value for money when u order the set lunch at S$14.90. The taste is more mee yoke rather than sang har meen, with the exception of the supersize prawns, of course!
u just might turn out to be …. da … long …
wait is over one… finally
all instinctive pure feels , as it was always… meant to … be
for that price and location, they better give you big prawns or they would have been chased out of there long ago.
Thats a whole lotta prawns. It definitely looks very ching and wholesome. On a separate note, I’m a little miffed that I didn’t go to Singapore this weekend for the sale. Especially since my sister just returned with 7 pairs of shoes. What a cow!
Wonder if you will come back with 7 pairs of shoes LOL. You don need sex toyslah, alredy married to one, right?
Actually I have some Singapore postings which I have yet to put up. What I was about to say in that article .. I think I’ll put it here… first … for you.
Singapore is not exactly popular for good food, but if you know how to find … with a good guide, you can find incredibly good food ! Do wait for my posting to find out a few…
Aww, those prawns look so good, too bad abt the broth. Didn’t know abt this place at all as this time round in Spore we didn’t do Orchard Road much but explored the outer regions including food courts instead.
That’s not noodles with prawns but prawns WITH noodles! :o)
Your pictures are truly a beautiful sight to behold, oso now kenot stop my saliva from dripping all over my computer, sigh.
again, i think the best prawn noodle is from my hometown…lol. but penang has some nice prawn noodles too, but since they call it HOKKEIN MEE instead of ‘prawn noodle’, penang has one less nice chow.
oh, the sex toy was juz rubbish, bcoz everyone was hoohaaing over the availability of sextoys in sing.
What! You mean can’t buy them in Malaysia? Typical!
You were in Singapore? For the GSS?
Yes, the Singapore prawn mee is usually of a “clear” broth. When I tasted Malaysian/Penang prawn mee in the US, I went the other way – why is the broth more “cloudy” – like a bisque? But I like both versions – they are unique in their own way.
Dear Lyrical Lemongrass,
Did you buy a L.V.?
p/s I agree a good service (especially a server with a genuine smile) compliments a good meal.
Big succulent prawns…looks good! Enjoy yourself sista and have a safe journey home.
So, this is a lazy Saturday b’fast/lunch ? What happens on Sunday ? muahaha..all geared up in line for the next LV bag ? I always prefer salt water prawns, tasty with good texture. Anyway, are those fresh water prawns muddy & soft ?
team bsg: lol. not sure how u arrived at that conclusion. 😛
henry: lol. You’re probably right.
paprika: still got time to go! But shopping on a weekend is quite daunting. So many ppl out there. Then again, not very different from KL.
msiagirl: Got shoes, but not that many shoes! hahaha. Ei..how u know i married a sex toy? U tried oso ar? 😛
timothy: I can’t wait for your posting lar…leaving on Tuesday already. Nm..so far, my discoveries hv been great. I’ve been checking out the singapore food bloggers’ blogs. 🙂
boo: the prawn mee wasn’t bad. It was just different. But such a pleasure to eat the prawns and the pork!
wmw: ya lor…my eyes terbeliak when i saw the prawns.
firehorse: thanks. next time keep a box of kleenex beside the computer. Can use for anything one.
k.t.x: first u say CKT best in ur hometown, then u say prawn mee. What else u gonna lay claim on ar? hehe. I think time to do a day trip there. U hafta be the guide to show us where all da best food is. If cannot find, i hantam you. 🙂
msiagirl: At first, i was wondering wat u were referring to. Then I realised it was k.t.x’s comment! hehe. U’ve been away for far too long, girl!
tigerfish: I am still in Singapore. But for work, not for GSS. But still got time to shop. haha. Ur observation abt the prawn mee is spot on. Both versions are different, but good in their own way. Too bad can’t get in touch with any of the Singapore food bloggers. I didn’t get enough notice abt coming here. 🙁
lee ping: Nope, didn’t want to join the queue. Then again, there’s always today, right? hehe.
precious pea: thanks, precious sista. We’ll get together for porridge when I get back to KL. 😉
meltingwok: that was a lazy saturday lunch. Sunday brunch will probably be the next post. 🙂 The prawns were nice..didn’t hv a muddy taste.
i was in Spore for the big sale too! but i thot the sale was not as good as previous years though. the prawns looks real yummy, love to sink my teeth into one….
prawn noodles with pork… just like da one @ o & s restaurant, paramount garden! then again… da one you’ve here so much different, huge prawns!!!!!! envy.. envy..
no money d lar..want to buy hand phone la..camera la..clothes la..holiday la..i wish i got a printing money machine la
Wah! The prawns!! Singapore does seem to have some pretty good and reasonably priced food from what I’ve been reading.
Btw, a tip pls…is LV and Gucci in Spore on sale?! 😉
I don’t fren you!!! Why didn’t you go there a few weeks earlier then we could have met?!?! 🙂
another omakase post up already…… wonder how you would look at it.
Ah… love those tauhu bakar. Are they? 😛
awesome pictures..the prawns are huge by itself or its some angle problem?
hmm … prawn mee … if only I can get a bowl of prawn mee or even laksa in France, I would be in heaven. Prawns are so expensive in France. Looking at the photo of a kuey Pie Ti makes hungry for my mom’s kuey pie ti – haven’t had that for 6 years!
Hey dear… You back in Kay-El yet? Miss your snarky emails lah… Heh heh heh. Wah, things are so much BIGGER in Singapura… Overcompensating for some things, are they? 😉
sc: surprisingly, i didn’t buy much during the sale either. Must think of the opportunity cost.
meiyen: at the price I paid, I guess it would be inappropriate to put small prawns. hehe.
joe: but but but…think what a new ferragamo tie would do for you!!!
pink elle: I went to LV yesterday…no sale…Gucci…some items on sale. 🙂
shilpa: harlow, u never come n visit me in KL oso. 😛 never mind, there will be other opportunities to meet up…am sure of it. 🙂
henry: okies, will go and visit ur blog!!
jason: where where? 😛 u mean in da rojak ar?
kampungboycitygal: prawns HUGE.
the cooking ninja: hey, i like your name. 🙂 It must be tough living in a foreign country and craving for local food. There are a number of Malaysian/Singaporean bloggers who live abroad who seem to be surviving pretty well by cooking local food..I never cease to be impressed!
Kenny: Yup, am back!! Nice to see that u’re visiting blogs again. 🙂 Hey, how come u know Singaporeans not dat big one? U’ve seen before ar? 😛
Thanks. Yes I’m very deprived off Singaporean food. hehehe… good thing comes out of it – it drove me to the kitchen and start cooking and trying my hardest to recall how my mom cook it. So now at least I can cook something decent.
Heh, I didn’t say I know. Just suspect ma. Then again we Malaysians also macam overcompensating onli what with tower this, towers that. All tinggi-tinggi, sharp-sharp for what, huh? LOL
P.S. Thanks for joining me for dinner yesterday, dear. You’re such a gem! 😀
the cooking ninja: that’s how I felt when I left home many years back. Not that I’m a great cook now, but at least I don’t set the kitchen on fire anymore (I did, u know!). Shall check out some of your recipes. 🙂
kenny: Ya lor..it’s a sense of insecurity that makes us constantly reassure ourselves that we’re the biggest, the tallest, the bestest. 😛 And I always enjoy having dinner with u, babe. You’re like a bag of surprises.
Gosh! Stunning picture you taken. I forgot to read your writting liao.
Eye candy… I mean the food picture laa… 🙂
mark: thanks, dude! the food was good too…next time, read the review too, k. hehe.
Wow! I heard a lot about singapore. I never thought their food would be that good as well. Maybe it pays to visit Singapore, I’ll make my plans for next summer. Can anyone suggest an itenerary for us? I don’t want to go to tours, me and my wife would like to travel and have an adventure on our own. Do you think it would be safe? Thanks