Waku Ghin, Singapore, or Credit Karma Brings Chow Crashing Down

"Dear Detective Chow," writes Sally from Enmore. "I noticed that you haven't written in your weblog for a while. Is everything alright? Did you get food poisoning or something? Also, I was wondering, what is the most expensive meal you have ever eaten?" -- Sally, Enmore, aged 11.

Well, Sally, thanks for writing.

First things first. Yes, everything is alright. No, I didn't get food poisoning. Just a severe reprimand following something the bureaucrats call "an audit of expenses." As punishment I have been relegated to eating at the F.S.I. canteen and investigating the lack of hot taps and hand sanitiser in restaurant kitchens. Not, I assure you, something worth blogging about.

I know what you're thinking. The answer to your third question also answers the question I'm sure you're dying to ask next: what is "an audit of expenses" and why did I get into such trouble?

Well, Sally, the thing you hopefully haven't learned yet in your short, innocent life, is that sometimes we do something we're not proud of. And we get away with it. So we do it again. And again. Bigger and bolder. And before you know it you're in Singapore throwing around fifties and slapping down your corporate credit card at the end of the evening.

Singapore. It's hot. But that's not the worst of it. It's the humidity, Sally. Thick wet air that hangs off your body like one of those sleeping bag blankets with arms. I'm not making excuses, Sally, but people do stupid things in this heat. Like visit the world's 68th best restaurant (11th in Asia), where you sit in a private dining room with your own chef manning the grill, without paying attention to the cost. (There is always a cost, Sally. See the exercise at the end of this post.)

"We'd like to introduce you to your dishes."

Black Star pastry workshop at Real Food pop-up shop, Enmore

A quick photo essay by Detective Chow.

Where we are: Real Food pop-up shop, Enmore

Why we're here: Pastry class, Black Star style

#nofilter

Postcards from Vietnam part 4: Hoi An part 2

Day 3: Animals / exploring

In the way into town from Da Nang we finally saw the iconic Vietnam scenery we'd been hanging for: rice padis being worked by locals in straw pointy hats. Although bicycles were available to us, you have to be braver and surer than I on two wheels in traffic to actually try to transport yourself by this method. (Okay, it was far safer here than in Hanoi, especially once you got out of the old town. It could actually have been pleasant, and we could have seen far more. But then there's the idea of cycling on a full stomach -- and in Vietnam my stomach was never wanting.) A decent stroll out of town led us back to this idyllic scene. And water buffalo, carp, frogs, rats, birds, chatty locals, and plants that shrivel up when you touch them. It was awesome. Unfortunately, it was not the nicest day for it -- hence the grey skies and raincoats.

South Coast Portraits: Berry and beyond

The Bureau is going through some corporate re-jig. I don't know what's going on, Molly. Don't know how much you know.

This ground was recently trodden by the extremely capable Not Quite Nigella, and other places in the region by the reasonably capable me. But this time I've been sent down to Berry to 'get some perspective'.

 

Postcards from Vietnam part 3: Hoi An (street food and Morning Glory)

I once again followed in the distinguished footsteps of He Needs Food, whose beautiful photos of Hoi An scenery, people and food are to be envied.

Hoi An: Street food
Armed as I was with knowledge and confidence from the Hanoi tour, approaching the ladies squatting by the smoky barbecue and asking for a plate of whatever they had was easy. And boy am I glad. A big tray of greens, noodles, and rice papers plus barbecued pork (squished between a split skewer) and a hot, tick, slightly sweet dipping sauce with peanuts, chilli, sesame seeds, sesame oil, vinegar and oyster sauce. And, probably, fish sauce. So smokey and rich.