Heng Hwa is a minority dialect group in Singapore. Unlike popular cantonese cuisine, one can count Heng Hwa restaurants in one hand. There are two such restaurants well known in Singapore - Pu Tien at Kitchener Road (which is frequented by businessmen, artists and politicians and is therefore more up-market) and Ming Chung at 67 Maude Street. Housed in an old shop lot along Maude Road, Ming Chung retains the charm of old Singapore. Its an old-styled restaurant, with traditional open-fire kitchen. There is no pretense, no gimmick. People come here just for the food. A short queue is seen on the evenings on Fridays and weekends, but fortunately turnaround time is fast and customers are encouraged to share tables.
A must-try on its menu is stir-fried fresh clams. For me, this dish goes very well with beer. Other popular dishes include deep-fried batter prawns and Heng Hwa Lor Mee as shown below. These are the three most common dishes seen at every table. Food is overall good if one does not mind the old Asian management style and is willing to trade comfort with real Asian eating-out experience.
Second, the pasta alle vongole - it didn't taste as good as it looked. The taste of white wine and fresh clam, being the key flavors, was just too light for my liking. I like a sharp tangy wine taste which was not present in the dish.
Just opened in the last year or so, its reputation had already reached far and deep into the expatriate community in Singapore. I remembered visiting this place just some 6 months ago, there was little traffic then. But now, it's a bustling all-in-one bakery, delicatessen, restaurant and grocery. Its rustic decor lends a natural and fresh ambience to the place that's perfect for the theme. 
Almost everything cooked or served here can be purchased from the store. The store's layout is inviting, with vast open spaces and high ceiling. 
A cafe station is located at the centre of the store, allowing easy traffic flow. A variety of Australian treats (fudges, nougats, muffins, scones, brownies, cupcakes) lined the glass display counter around the cafe station. 
To add to the impromptu atmosphere, a chef was seen conducting a live cooking demonstration at one corner of the store. Dressed in a "Jones the Grocer" apron, he looked every part a celebrity chef (that reminds one of Jamie Oliver's or Curtis Stone's program). A small crowd had gathered around him as I nudged my way in to snap some pictures. 
Chef Chapman was offering a free lesson on cooking risotto with fresh wild mushroom and French Summer Truffles. Looked easy enough. Clearly, he had a mission - to sell the fresh truffles available in the store as well as all the accompanying condiments for the dish. 
It was only about 10.45 a.m., but almost every seat in the restaurant had already been taken. All three of us ordered something different from the breakfast menu. Yan went for a meaty breakfast with Australian sausage, bacon and eggs. Conscious of my weight, I opted for a plain breakfast of banana and pecan bread, served with cream spread. Yan's mum, being a vegetarian, had little choice but to go for the only vegetarian dish on the menu - focaccia served with grilled portobello mushroom and rocket leaves. The breakfast menu was decidedly Australian, just like the ambience, and almost every product sold here. Many Australians living in Singapore will find this place close to home. Some will keep coming back for nostalgic reason.
My first attempt at making cupcakes. Admittedly, I have been somewhat late in the cupcakes craze. Inspired by photos posted by friends on facebook recently, I started doing some research on the internet about cupcakes creation, and stumbled upon a website www.ilovecuppacakes.com with truly creative and inspiring designs. 
Just like doughnuts, cupcakes can be a versatile base for many wonderful designs and toppings. I decided to ask for a tried-and-tested recipe from a homemaker friend in KL, who has been baking cupcakes for sale from home. The recipe was simply marvelous and easy to make. It took less than an hour from start to finish. I created my own toppings using dark chocolate mixed with butter, and melted them in a pan over simmering water. I adjusted the consistency of the chocolate mixture by slowly adding corn flour and constantly stirring it. 
Once the cupcakes are cooled, one can pour the chocolate mixture over the cupcakes. It will glide easily over the surface, and takes a mere few minutes to cool and set. Thereafter, one can garnish the cupcakes in a variety of ways. Here, I added grated white chocolates over the chocolate toppings for color and texture. 
There was a white minimalist collection on display, branded "Verdi", which must have been intended for export to Europe. There were also those with painted designs which looked like designer stuff. Prices ranged from as low as S$1 (for designer breakfast bowl or mug) to S$12 (for large pasta plate), which would have easily cost 5 times more in a retail store. 
What a steal! This is why this place is very popular with home makers and bargain hunters in Singapore. Many expatriates have come to know this place, religiously returning for more goods, and even introducing it to many of their visiting friends from abroad. This warehouse has been around for many years, and yet it remains one of Singapore shoppers' best kept secret! Definitively worth a visit if you are looking to fill up your kitchen with reasonably priced but good-looking crockery and you are thinking of Ikea as an option.
