One Year Later

One year to the day, I’m back again. After what seems like a very long, overdue absence, I’ve decided to revisit Passport Confessional because I’ve realized one thing: my hunger for travel isn’t over just yet.

Exactly one year ago, as I wrote my last post, “Canadian Roots,” I was sitting in a hotel room in Calgary, Alberta, waiting out the blast of a massive, icy snowstorm to pass through the night. Today, I’m at home, back here in L.A., looking out onto a street that, already, bears no signs of the much more miniscule Pacific rainstorm that passed through here just hours ago.

I miss New York sometimes.

So much has happened in this past year that I don’t even know where to begin. I suppose I’ll keep things short and to the point.

I moved to New York and started a new job. I loved it there, even though it could be tough (Six-floor walk-up? No sweat for me these days!), even though I really dreaded traveling on the subway in the deadening humidity of summer, and even though I pretty much lived paycheck to paycheck (Oh, the high cost of living in NYC).

I traveled to Izmir, Turkey. 

Please don't try this at home.

Then I traveled to Disneyland for an assignment. 

Then I moved back to LA. 

I learned how to shoot guns in Montana (an experience I’m not so sure I will want to repeat). 

I traveled to Vancouver, B.C., for the first time and discovered the joy of bacon ice cream sandwiches (no joke, the proof is on its way in a future post).

When I had to leave my job in New York and move back to L.A., I wasn’t sure I’d still be able to call myself a travel writer, even though I continue to freelance for the NYC publications I had to leave. I struggled to define what I was without those editorial titles or frequent press trip requests. But, over time, I’ve realized that, title or not, sharing the travel experiences that I’ve had—and the ones I’ve yet to encounter—is what really defines me as a writer, as a travel writer.

So, without any further delay, I’m back and I hope to be writing about some of those trips right here again very soon. 

Favorites, 2010 (Part 3, Eats)

I already feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do two of the things I love most for a living: writing and traveling. And by far, the best added bonus of that would be eating—really good eating.

This year was no exception when it came to memorable meals that satisfied my insatiable hunger for new tastes or, in some cases, a yearning for the familiar. While narrowing down my list of favorite eats from 2010, I remembered all of those flavors and, even better, the friends—both and newfound and old—that I shared them with.

While traditional notions of afternoon tea often involve the following adjectives—stuffy, staid and proper—the two such afternoon teas that I had this past year were anything but.

The first took place at The Moana Surfrider in Waikiki. Afternoon tea has become a long-standing tradition at this historic hotel, which first opened in 1901. While I was there, I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to savor its famous afternoon tea and I’m so glad I did. My favorite part? Topping off the freshly baked raisin scone with Devonshire clotted cream and silky lemon curd. And for dessert? A soothing scoop of lime-accented green tea sorbet.

The other afternoon tea that I had was truly gluttonous—but so worth it. After a winding stroll through Melaka, Malaysia, my cousin, her boyfriend and I paid a quick visit to the Majestic Malacca hotel, a boutique property that my cousin had previously reviewed for TravelAge West. While the hotel itself was every bit as beautiful as she’d described, I was even more intrigued by its afternoon tea menu. So, of course, we decided to give into our hunger pangs. What I loved most about this afternoon tea was its nod to both Eastern and Western traditions, from the crisp spring rolls to the buttery, flaky-crusted chicken-pot pies.

Wherever your travels may take you, you should make it a point to visit the local farmers’ market. And, if you’re on Oahu, you should definitely stop by the Kapiolani Community College Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. Favorite eats included kimchee sausage (on a stick, no less, for easy portability), fried green tomatoes and kalua pork sliders. Just be sure to come hungry.

I’ll admit: I’m not much of a biscotti fan. I usually enjoy my coffee completely unadulterated—black, or topped off with just a little bit of steamed soy milk at the very most. However, the homemade, dark-chocolate dipped biscotti that I had during a stop at the Waialua Estate headquarters on the North Shore of Oahu had me seriously rethinking that assessment.

Who doesn’t love eating a tamale, especially in the morning? My first breakfast during my trip to Costa Rica this May involved this satisfying tamale which, on the outside, seemed totally unassuming. But, once opened, it revealed slightly sweet roasted plantains, masa (corn), a fried egg and gallo pinto (rice and beans). With a side of Salsa Lizano and a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice, what could be better?

Visiting a farm gives you a greater appreciation for what you consume. After visiting a dairy farm just south of San Gerardo de Dota in Costa Rica, I definitely had a much greater appreciation for all of the hard work that goes into making cheese, especially when it’s as tasty as the ones I sampled there.

This giant tostada-like shell, floating on a bed of guacamole, contained some of the most delicious ceviche I’ve had in a really long time.

If I had to pick my single most-favorite meal from Costa Rica it would be this: chorreadas (corn pancakes) topped with a dollop of sweetened sour cream and gallos (tacos) filled with a hearty helping of fried potatoes.

My nominee for best use of bacon: Nickel Diner’s Maple Bacon Donut.

My nominee for best use of avocados: the stuffed avocado salad, also from Nickel Diner.

When I wasn’t sightseeing in Singapore, I was usually eating, and eating really well, as demonstrated by some of my previous blog posts. One of my favorite meals involved Singaporean chili crab and pepper crab.

Nonya, or Peranakan-style cuisine was also a highlight, from delicate kueh pie tee and spicy otak-otak to saucy giant prawns and savory beef rendang.

Speaking of beef rendang … here’s a snapshot of my cousin, a true beef rendang connoisseur, enjoying her first Burger King beef rendang burger. She opted for the double.

The Indonesian-style beef rendang at Rumah Makan Minang was also delicious—and filling.

A standard-bearer for all future hotel welcome gifts, from the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore: I especially loved the kueh lapis (nine-layer cake), made with alternating layers of butter, eggs and sugar.

My nominee for best way to enjoy a beer: from the luxury of a rooftop infinity pool.

My nominee for best lamb chops ever: the ones I had at Pearl River Palace at the Suntec Singapore Convention Centre, glazed with a wine reduction sauce.

My nominee for best use of chicken: chicken rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice in Singapore.

If I could alternate between eating kaya toast and roti canai/prata, or maybe even xialongbao, for breakfast every day, I’d be a really happy—and most likely overweight—travel writer.

My nominee for best noodle dish this year: the char kway teow from Tang Fong food court in Melaka.

Lots of laksa: Nonya-style laksa from Donald & Lily’s in Melaka and asam-style laksa from the Chinatown Night Market in Melaka.

And last, but not least, the roast duck rice from Mei Wua, also in Melaka, made an ideal last dinner during my stay.

I can only hope for more amazing meals in the year to come. Until then, it might be time for me to hit the gym, just to prepare.

Next up, my favorite photos with friends …

In Excess, Part 2

A follow up to my last post … with even more reasons for packing a pair—or two—of eating pants …

Laksa
Noodle soup is a pretty universal comfort food but, if I had to pick my all-time favorite kind, I think it might have to be laksa. I love how it combines all the characteristics of my most-loved noodle soups—warmth, plenty of noodles and an assortment of garnishes—with a kick of spice.

Curry laksa from StraitsKitchen

Of the three times I consumed laksa during my trip (I wish it could’ve been more), I was able to try two of the three main varieties: Nonya-style and Asam-style (I missed out on trying Sarawak-style laksa, unfortunately).

Which was my favorite? That’s just too close to tell. Nonya-style laksa is creamy, thanks to a base made with copious amounts of coconut milk and curry. Asam-style laksa, on the other hand, is hot and sour, made from a base of mackerel and lit from within with the addition of spices such as tamarind, lemongrass and chilli. My take on both varieties? If you want something that’s wholly comforting and a little more soothing (meaning not as spicy), go with the Nonya-style laksa. If you want something that’s a little sour and really spicy, go with Asam-style laksa.

I had Nonya-style laksa twice—once in Singapore and once in Melaka, Malaysia. In Singapore, I had it as part of a huge buffet dinner at StraitsKitchen at the Grand Hyatt Singapore, which is located just a block or two from Orchard Road, the main shopping thoroughfare. StraitsKitchen is ideal for diners who want to try a variety of local specialties from all different cuisine styles—Chinese, Indonesian, Indian and Malaysian, to name a few—all in one convenient—and highly air-conditioned—place.

In Melaka, my cousin Chris and her boyfriend Coco took me to Donald & Lily’s, located in Chinatown. We had originally headed to Donald & Lily’s for the sole purpose of trying their often sold-out Friday special: chicken rendang nasi lemak.

Throughout our entire trip, Chris and Coco had implored me with tales of the deliciousness of this particular dish and how they could literally eat it every day, for every meal, for the rest of their lives. But, as my luck would have it, because of the Deepavali holiday, Donald & Lily’s didn’t make any chicken rendang nasi lemak that day. Oh well. The laksa was really good, which makes up for it (I hope).

Nonya-style laksa from Donald & Lily's in Melaka

Later, that same day, we went to the Chinatown Night Market where I got to try Asam-style laska which I also loved. It was so much spicier—and sour—than the Nonya-style laksa I had already eaten earlier that day, but totally satisfying. We each had it with a side of oyster omelet, otak-otak and, for dessert, cendol.

Asam-style laksa from the Chinatown Night Market in Melaka

Where to Get It
Chinatown Night Market in Melaka
Donald & Lily’s
StraitsKitchen

Mangosteen
If durian is the “King of Fruits,” mangosteen is his queen, and often eaten right after consuming the aforementioned durian. Unlike durian, mangosteen is sweet and a little tart, and not at all reminiscent of rotting garbage in its scent. I picked up some mangosteen during a long walk through Melaka and loved it.

Mangosteen

Nasi Lemak
I love food that comes in packages and nasi lemak is no exception. While it isn’t always served in a neatly-wrapped package, this rice dish is often wrapped in banana leaves or paper and eaten as a quick bite—an ideal meal on the go, especially for breakfast. It’s a fairly simple—but rich—dish, made with rice cooked in coconut cream, dried anchovies and sambal (hot spices), in addition to other various garnishes.

Nasi lemak, wrapped in brown paper

And inside...coconut rice, a hard-boiled egg, sambal and dried anchovies

Otak-Otak
Growing up, I used to love it when my mom made fish cake/paste for dinner. If you’re not used to it, you might find the texture a little rubbery—or just plain strange—but if, like me, you’ve grown up with it, you’ll most likely love otak-otak, too. Otak-otak is made up of fish paste and various spices and, like nasi lemak, it’s almost always wrapped up in a banana or pandan leaf and then steamed or grilled.

Otak-otak from The Blue Ginger in Singapore

Where to Get It
The Blue Ginger

Oyster Omelet
In college, my go-to dinner usually consisted of an omelet, meaning eggs and basically whatever I could find in my fridge and pantry at the time. Now, having had oyster omelet, I regret not keeping some oysters in stock at the time. Oh well … it’s not like my rendition would ever be as good as the ones I had during my trip—first at the Maxwell Hawker Centre in Singapore and then at the Chinatown Night Market in Melaka.

Oyster Omelet from Maxwell Hawker Centre

The master oyster omelet chef from the Chinatown Night Market in Melaka

Just a hint of lime and chili sauce made it taste even better.


Popiah
When we think of spring rolls in the U.S., we often think of those tiny, deep-fried egg rolls that come in a waxed paper package whenever we order Chinese takeout. That, or Vietnamese-style spring rolls that are translucent and filled to the brim with rice noodles, shrimp and basil and topped off with peanut sauce.

Popiah from the Maxwell Hawker Centre

Popiah, on the other hand, isn’t usually deep-fried, and it’s not see-through in its appearance. The spring roll skin is more like a crepe or pancake and inside, there are tons of veggies, including jicama, turnip, bean sprouts, carrots and the like. Emphatic salad enthusiast that my cousin Chris is, she described it as one of the closest things she could find to a salad in Southeast Asia, since most places prefer to serve cooked vegetables as opposed to raw ones. Knowing that made me feel just a little bit better whenever I ate some—not by a lot, but just ever so slightly.

Pineapple Tarts
Melaka is famous for this sweet treat and I can definitely understand why—these Nonya pineapple tarts possess a near-perfect balance of rich, decadent butter and sweetness. While you can buy them as rolls or little tarts, I preferred the tarts simply because I thought they looked cuter. Either way, they’re delicious.

Nonya pineapple tarts, fresh out of the oven

Roast Duck
I never pass up an opportunity to have roast duck and when Chris and Coco told me they wanted me to have roast duck rice as my final dinner in Melaka, I did not raise any objections. What sold me even further on the idea was that the restaurant was literally next door to the Old Town Guesthouse where we were staying. Apparently, the exact recipe for the roast duck is so secret that not even the owner’s wife knows what it is. After trying it, I can see why.

Roast duck rice, with bean sprouts and hard-boiled eggs as accompaniments 

Where to Get It
The restaurant next to Old Town Guesthouse

Roti Canai/Roti Prata
Fat-infused (ghee-filled, to be exact) flatbread that’s grilled in oil and served with curry? Umm, yes, please. Needless to say, I really loved eating roti canai (as it’s known in Malaysia) and roti prata (as it’s known in Singapore), especially for breakfast. You can get roti canai/roti prata most anywhere, especially in hawker centers.

Roti canai from Madras Cafe in Melaka

Twice, my cousin and I had it at the Madras Cafe in Old Town Melaka and, each time, my eyes were transfixed on the chefs making it on the grill—I couldn’t believe how they could just pick up the roti canai with their bare hands, off a steaming-hot grill slathered in oil. Guess it’s true what they say about real cooks not having working nerve endings in their fingertips.

These dudes have no fear when it comes to their roti canai grilling.

Where to Get It
Madras Cafe in Old Town Melaka

Singapore Sling
Okay, I’ll be honest: I don’t really enjoy cocktails and I didn’t really love the Singapore Sling, either, mostly because it was a little too sweet for my taste. Nevertheless, it’s worth trying one, especially when you’re in Singapore and even more so when you’re sitting at the bar where it was invented, seated next to the Raffles Hotel Singapore’s resident historian who’s literally worked there for longer than you’ve been alive.


The Singapore Sling


At the Long Bar, we even saw a demonstration on how the Singapore Sling is made, which also gave me a greater appreciation for it. Why? Because it involved a lot of ingredients—gin, brandy, pineapple juice and tons of other liquors—too many for me to even recall.


Making a Singapore Sling involves a lot of ingredients--and arm strength.


What I enjoyed even more than the Singapore Sling, however, was the ability to snack on roasted peanuts and toss the shells on the floor while at the bar. At first, our group was a little hesitant to do so in such a venerable and historic setting, but as soon as we saw that Mr. Leslie Danker, the historian, discard his peanut shells on the floor without any qualms, our fears subsided and we followed suit.

Where to Get It
Long Bar, Raffles Hotel Singapore

Tiger Beer
One alcoholic beverage I did very much enjoy during my trip was beer, especially Tiger Beer since it was so ubiquitous wherever we went. It was especially nice to have when lounging by the infinity-edge rooftop pool at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore.


At the rooftop pool at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore

... Or with friends and family. 

Coco and our round of Tiger Beers

Xialongbao
Xialongbao (soup dumplings) are one of my favorite kinds of dumplings (although I have yet to find a dumpling that I don’t like) and Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese proprietor of xialongbao, is probably one of the best places to try it. While there’s a Din Tai Fung in Los Angeles, the one that I went to in Singapore was better—not sure exactly why, but it just was. I shared some during a late-afternoon lunch with my fellow press trip writers, along with a side of deep-fried vegetable wontons.

Fried wontons (left) and xialongbao (right) from Din Tai Fung

Where to Get It
Din Tai Fung

Memorable Meals
While all of the many meals that I had during my trip could easily qualify as a favorite, one of the most memorable would have to be the special five-course banquet that my cousin, Coco and I enjoyed at the Pearl River Palace Restaurant in, of all places, the Suntec Singapore Convention Centre. Most convention centers serve some of the most awful—and sad—food I’ve ever had but that is definitely, definitely not the case here.

And for anyone who is likewise skeptical about the existence of “fancy” or elevated Chinese cuisine, I would also suggest they take a look at the following pics, even though they don’t really do justice to the amazing meal that we had.

To start: jellyfish, spring rolls, shumai and shrimp

Followed by soup

The best lamp chops. Ever.

A giant prawn with noodles and black truffles

And lastly, dessert

Here’s to many more such memorable meals—and trips—in the future … let me know what some of your favorites have been, too.