Jones The Grocer

Post-processed, lomo-type pictures courtesy of the Apple iPhone application Hipstamatic. I've been toying around with this app with the colleagues during lunch, but as you can probably tell from the blurry pictures more practice is definitely needed haha. Just as well for this post on Jones the Grocer at Dempsey actually, since the food here seems to have left...

Nha Trang, Vietnam: Diamond Bay

Two years on, Diamond Bay Resort in Nha Trang is still clinging on to its famed history of hosting the 2008 Miss Universe pageant, so much so that dinner halls still carry portraits of the contestants and kitchenware like cups and plates continue to bear the hotel's 2008 logo. For sure, I had Miss Italy and Miss Australia smiling down at me every morning during...

HCMC, Vietnam: Prima Taste

Fancy an 8USD Hainanese Chicken Rice? Head on then to the Singaporean-owned Prima Taste Restaurant at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport, where you can enjoy a variety of Singaporean fare at well, inflated prices. The rice is flavourful and oily enough, but it would be better if they were a little more generous with the tender slices of steamed...

HCMC, Vietnam: Halal @ Saigon

Flight delays are no laughing matter, especially when it means another five hours in transit in an almost godforsaken Nha Trang airport with little food, air-conditioning and wi-fi. It's an even more "interesting" experience when you can see the aviation engineers attempting to hammer the plane door, use masking tapes, squeeze paper into gaps etc., and then...

HCMC, Vietnam: Rose CIP Lounge

The Rose CIP Lounge at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport is one of the few lounges in the airport and is specifically for Star Alliance travellers. It is fairly comfortable with natural light filling the area, and there's also a tiny buffet spread (mostly finger-food) laid out in the middle. Vietnamese Beef Noodles I think I may have mentioned...

Da Lat, Vietnam: La Sapinette Hotel

Some of my friends have wondered if I am eating in too much on my work trips, but I must assure you that this isn't the case. It just isn't appropriate to be snapping away at food during my working lunches and gala dinners, so what you see on this blog is just a small part of my meals overseas. Don't worry, I'm fed well, and for those who have seen me around...

Hanoi, Vietnam: Ming Palace

Ming Palace is a Chinese restaurant located in Sofitel Plaza Hotel, and this offered some respite from the host of "regional-cuisine" buffets (think a mix of Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai and Vietnamese) and Western fare (steak and burgers) that I'd been having. It's an upmarket restaurant with upmarket prices for sure, a far cry from the prices that you would...

Hanoi, Vietnam: Sofitel Plaza Hotel

Sofitel Plaza Hotel did feel somewhat like a second home to me when I was there for almost two whole weeks in July. It definitely has the two basic things that you could possibly ask for after a long stretch of meetings for the day - a very comfortable bed, and of course, good, hot food. Simple needs, simple desires, all easily satisfied. If I may add, one of...

Flying with SQ: SIN-HCM, HCM-SIN

As I'm typing this post I'm already looking forward to my next trip... next week! Maybe I'm just trying to psyche myself up because the work has been going on no-end, but well, enjoy myself while I am at it right. Being in the driver's seat can be exciting stuff, even more so when you're sitting behind the flag with the crescent and stars and knowing what you...

Flying with SQ: HAN-SIN

The one thing I love about this job is that I get to travel a lot. While it's been all work and rarely any play, I've found it to be really interesting and meaningful and I've been looking forward to every single trip each month. In the course of the next few weeks you will be entertained with food posts from Vietnam, as well as the long over-due posts from...