Nearing Completion

Here's a sneak preview of the jacuzzi bath on our roof top. The house is 95% completed, and the remaining 5% (representing the nitty gritty) is driving me crazy. From lighting to switches, locks, door handles, and other finishings, these issues can really wear one down. And especially so for a near-perfectionist like me. I am so used to seeing things executed with precision and accordingly to plan and timeline, the construction industry just isn't like that. Always expect the unexpected, and one will make peace with oneself.

Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) is expected to be received by end of February. This is one month away, and there are dozens of things on my tasklist yet to be ticked off. I am exhausted, but the show must go on, as they say.

The French Stall

Never mind the unexpected setting. Fret not the heat and casual dining atmosphere. Expats throng this place, and keep coming back. It's not that strange a notion once one has tried the food here. Getting the price right is key to everything, especially in the credit cycle we're in today. The French Stall does just that, and does it really well too! Situated at 544 Serangoon Road (Little India), it's indeed a queer and the most unlikely place to find good and authentic french cuisine. 

At YS' suggestion, we celebrated Yan's birthday today at the French Stall. It was a surprised treat from YS, and we're grateful for the introduction to this restaurant. For appetizers, we ordered a bunch of things from the menu - rocket salad served with parmesan cheese, escargot, garlic bread, mussels cooked in white wine sauce and carrot soup. They were all very tasty, but of course, one can't expect michelin-star standard. My only slight regret is the presentation style for the escargots. Although at S$9.20 per half dozen, they're probably the cheapest escargots one could find in Singapore, the dish could have been better presented. 

The minced herb garlic bread was very tasty, but then again, it's a no-brainer. So were the mussels cooked in white wine, for it really is hard to get it wrong.

The carrot soup was light - more for diet-conscious people, I would say. I prefer it creamier and thicker, like how I would have made it.

As for the main courses, the most value-for-money choice on the menu for meat eaters would be the rack of lamb, as it comes in huge serving. 

However, the steak failed to impress. It was very average, and tasted rather like Han's cheap steak.

The birthday boy ordered something healthy for once - baked dory fillet served with spinach. As long as the fish is fresh, it's hard to get this wrong as well.

For a vegetarian like Yan's mom, it's not easy to eat out with a group of meat eaters like us. She had to order the only vegetarian dish on the main course menu - spaghetti in creamy mushroom and tomato sauce. This is a relatively safe dish to order, and it didn't disappoint.

For a gourmet like me (ehhmm), one of course will have to go for more refined and sophisticated choice - grilled duck breast served over a bed of risotto, and topped with orange peel. At S$21, this isn't exactly inexpensive, but overall I was rather pleased with the taste and the presentation. I consider this dish satisfactory. 

And the verdict? If you're looking for value-for-money and no-frills french food, this is the place!

Delay, Delay, Delay

It has been more than 2 months since my last entry on this topic, and there's a reason for this. Construction has hit a snag, and nothing much has moved since. I was hoping that our vacation abroad will take us away long enough to give the workers a break from my constant scrutiny, and therefore they'll be able to work more efficiently. This has proven to be totally unfounded. Contractors do need to be pressured, and constantly monitored, or they'll think you're a softy and a pushover. The last 20% is taking forever to finish. From engineer's erroneous governmental application submission to sheer project management lapses, manageable problems had snowballed into one big delay. We now have to reschedule CNY celebration because the venue cannot be ready in time. Talk about patience and expectation management, there's much to be learned. Take these cantilevered staircase for instance, they have remained unfinished for months, and the safety glass panels have yet to be installed. 

The only bright spot at this stage is the mosaic tiles that we have selected for the pool. Fortunately, they turned out to be modern-looking, just like what we have always wanted.