Foods of Asia - October, 2010

Food is always an integral part of travel. The trip to Asia in October, 2010 was, without exception, a chance to tickle our palettes. A few of our experiences are written here but otherwise, just check out the link to the photos for some mouth watering, and for the most part, delectable delights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisfick/sets/72157625693723212/

Shanghai

The city is so cosmopolitan that you can find every ethic food you are looking for. Since it was Collin’s first trip to China, I decided to stick with the local cuisine as much as possible. That being said, we ate at a Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant for our first meal as it is a favourite of mine – my comfort food for handling jet lag. As you can see, they don’t skimp on the lard. Yes our arteries probably hardened a bit with this meal but we offset it with all the garlic that is a staple at this restaurant.

And if you were wondering about staying healthy in Shanghai - there is an abundance of fresh fruit in the city, whether from a nearby market, your local street vendor or a shop selling delicious fruit drinks.

And while at the market – you can take home a variety of fresh foods, besides fruit and vegetables, to enhance your home cooking experience – such as some delicious frog. Remember – it tastes just like chicken!






Sometimes, you do have to wonder about the English translations at the restaurants and whether you even dare to give some of the foods a try. It’s easiest to accomplish when you eat the items first and ask questions later. A Szechuan Restaurant that is a must to visit for delicious hot and spicy food (and a ‘mask’ show) has some interesting choices such as: ‘Seahorse Bulls Penis Cup’ and ‘Rock Blasting a Small Cock’. If nothing else, it leads to some lively conversation.

Singapore

Little did I know that traveling with Collin, whose family is of Chinese descent, meant we would eat quite a bit of Chinese Cuisine. But I’m not complaining as the food is always delicious. Keeping that in mind, our first meal in Singapore was Hainanese Chicken and Roasted Chicken at a nearby local eatery. Not new dishes for me but tasty all the same.


My first breakfast, the next morning, was Fish Ball Soup. Certainly a far cry and quite the change from my usual bowl of granola cereal and milk that is my morning staple in Canada. Another option, for those in a hurry, is to stop into the local bakery and buy the decorative ‘house’ toast.

If you are ever missing some North American cooking, there is always a jar of Ragu at the super market – to satisfy your hankering for ‘home’ cooking’.



The 70th birthday feast for Collin’s mom was typical of a Chinese feast. Dishes just kept coming and coming, such as shark fin soup. Just when you think you’ve had enough, you find out there is still more to come. We topped off the meal with mango pudding although in China it is often watermelon if it is in season.

Bukit Timah Hawker Centre – these typical eateries are everywhere in Singapore (and Malaysia as well). Food is cheap and delicious. You either order and wait for your food or sometimes they will deliver it to your table. Depending on the centre, servers often come around for your drink order.

Speaking of drinks – a favourite drink for kids (and adults young at heart) is Milo – basically hot chocolate, without the marshmallows. For adults needing their morning caffeine hit they serve white coffee. This is quite sweet and sometimes can taste a bit chocolaty. Collin remembers these drinks being served in these particular cups from his childhood days.

And let’s not forget the junk food. ‘Twisties’ are similar to the North American ‘Cheezies’ that melt (fizz) in your mouth when you eat them. The difference – they come in all sorts of different flavours. I tried the chicken flavour and did find it edible. To wash it down there is the ‘Kick A Poo Joy Juice’ – some sugary, fizzy soda pop to give you a quick sugar buzz.



The Fish Head Steamboat Restaurant is a favorite of the Koo family. This is another instance of food that ‘keeps on coming’. The main meal is the fish head soup, hence the restaurant name. I also enjoyed the rat noodle dish – any type of pasta is my downfall and a way to my heart.

What we didn’t expect to find was ‘Canadian’ Pizza at the University where Collin attended when he was just a young lad (in his early 20’s). I had a look at the menu to see if there was anything that might tempt me for lunch. There were combo’s that I had never heard of or seen the likes of before, certainly not in Canada. I decided to pass on the opportunity since it was only fast food and not too appealing.

Here is a list of Singaporean dishes that are a ‘must taste’ since they are local specialties. I tried them all except the crab and could easily go back for ‘seconds’.



My favourite desserts are Egg Tarts and Ice Kacang.
The Ice Kacang is especially nice to combat the heat, although the ice melts quickly.



The Claypot Chicken is a delicious local specialty. I bought a pot from the cook for a ‘song’ so I could add it to my collection at home. I don’t think the cook could actually believe I wanted a used pot. That pot traveled from Singapore to Malaysia to Shanghai. But unfortunately, Collin dropped the pot and it smashed into tiny bits at the door to the apartment in Shanghai. Maybe it was an omen that I have to visit Malaysia again – just for one last taste of the delicious claypot chicken and, of course, to purchase another pot.

To see the 'claypot chef' in action, check out the following video:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisfick/5350419103/in/set-72157625693723212/


Then there is the experience eating durian. You know the fruit – it just stinks. It stinks at the store, it stinks in the car, it stinks in the kitchen when you cut it and it stinks when you eat it. Everyone says it tastes better than it smells. It would have to - otherwise no one would ever eat it. However, I think it tastes exactly as it smells so I am not a durian fan. Collin loves the fruit so I guess it must be an acquired taste which I have not and probably will not ever acquire.

To relish the experience of eating durin, check out the following videos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisfick/5350431599/in/set-72157625693723212/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisfick/5350425159/in/set-72157625693723212/


Ipoh

Our first restaurant we ate at in Ipoh was a Chinese one. Just check out the menu – it is all ‘French’ to me. A first - they bring your dishes to the table for you to wash yourself. The kitchen was hopping and ‘priceless’, churning out some delicious food.









Ipoh is infamous for its ‘Bean Sprout Chicken’. Although there are quite a few places that serve this meal, we went to one that the family remembers from years gone by and were not disappointed in the least bit.




Another dessert that is tasty and sweet is Rojak – a fruit salad covered in a sweet soy sauce and peanuts. I imagine this is a dish that originated in Indonesia as I have a similar recipe at home. I will have to make it now that I have had a chance to taste this interesting mixture.

Who doesn’t enjoy those tasty morsels at a Dim Sum restaurant. It is truly amazing how you can eat all these little bite-size snacks and still overeat. Maybe it was because we were eating 6 meals a day by this point so never feeling the least bit hungry.



One of the snacks we had in the car while driving was water chestnuts. I would have never thought to munch on these from time to time. Certainly, the fresh ones we had were much nicer than the ones we get canned at our local store.


Our first stop in Penang was a street vendor selling fried bananas (and yams and). We certainly didn’t need to eat having just filled up on Dim Sum about an hour earlier. But they were just too delicious to pass up.


I have discovered that one of my favourite sea foods is Stingray. We ordered this at the Gurney Hawker Centre in Penang – grilled to perfection.




Ever wonder what happens to the best part of the chicken – the skin? In Penang, you can order Deep Fried Chicken Skin – a crunchy seasoned snack. It may not be a health food but it ranks high as a junk food.

Our last meal before leaving Malaysia was Salted Chicken. We bought it in Ipoh and brought it back to KL for all of us to eat. It is a family favourite. To complement the chicken we had 3 different kinds of noodles and vegetables. A fitting way to end our travels.