UOB Mighty FX versus YouTrip

I started travelling quite frequently to Hong Kong and China for business last year. Wanting to save on FX fees - or should I say, avoid being ripped off by credit card FX surcharges - I went to apply for two solutions, UOB Mighty FX and YouTrip. 

Over the past few months, I have used both and have become quite familiar with them. Here is a side by side comparison of the two.

Signing up - YouTrip > UOB

My experience with YouTrip was quite smooth. I downloaded the app, signed up with my personal particulars and mobile phone - and the card arrived in slightly more than a week. It was easy activating it as well.

For UOB, the experience was nowhere as pleasant. At their website, I was informed that I had to open a UOB One Account (a multi-currency account) first. I was supposedly promised that it will be an easy process as I could retrieve my personal information using MyInfo. As a new UOB customer, applications submitted before the cut-off time of 9pm were supposed to be opened instantly. 

My application was submitted after the cut-off time. It was supposed to be processed the next working day, but I heard nothing from them for two weeks. Here is a timeline of my application process:

19th Aug (Sun) - application sent

2nd Sep (Sun) - chaser email sent

6th Sep (Thu) - second chaser email sent

10th Sep (Mon) - UOB replied, saying that they are still looking into my application

12th Sep (Wed) - I asked what the standard turnaround time for account opening is, since it has been three weeks versus their promised one working day

20th Sep (Thu) - UOB replied, saying that they are still looking into my application

A few days later, UOB called me and asked me to visit the branch personally. I was quite irked, as I detested wasting time walking and waiting in bank branches. I demanded an explanation on why my account opening took so long, and they said during my application, I left one field blank. I retorted that if this field was so important, their system should have made it mandatory in the first place! And it didn't explain why this caused such a huge delay.

UOB, you liar.

Foreign Exchange rates - YouTrip > UOB

This should obviously be the most important consideration for most people. UOB Mighty initially promoted themselves as having zero FX fees. I scoffed at that and went to do a comparison myself. To my surprise, it was true - using 13th Aug rates, they basically had zero spreads (or perhaps just a couple of pips). That was what got me to sign up in the first place. I was even prepared to discard my YouTrip, given that their FX spreads were around 0.31% (that was during September 2018). 

Subsequently, UOB stopped saying that they had zero FX fees, and sneakily added in spreads. By that time, they should already have gotten quite a large customer base, hoping that most will still continue to use them. Their spreads are now slightly higher than YouTrip's, though the significance isn't too great if you are changing a few hundred dollars worth of foreign currencies.

Other fees - YouTrip > UOB

YouTrip's fee structure is quite simple. 0% transaction fees, no minimum account balance, and a S$5 admin fee for cash withdrawals overseas. A dormancy fee of S$5 per month will be charged per month if the card has not been used for 12 consecutive months. 

Similar to YouTrip, UOB also has 0% transaction fees and a $5 admin fee for overseas cash withdrawals. They have an annual fee of $18; this is waived for the first three years and subsequently waivable if a minimum of 12 Mastercard transactions are performed a year. While the fee is lower compared to YouTrip's dormancy fee (which translates to S$60 a year), it is much harder to satisfy. And from 2019, UOB announced that there will be a minimum balance fee charged on account balances below S$1,000. I am not sure how much the account fee is and whether the S$1,000 includes foreign currencies equivalent - I contacted them a few days but haven't received a response yet (unsurprisingly).

I can't say I like the way UOB does things (adding on FX spreads and implementing minimum account balances only after you have signed up). It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

User interface - YouTrip > UOB

I like YouTrip's user interface (which I suspect is modelled after GrabPay). It is clean, simple, and clear. Transactions are displayed in the app immediately, so you can have a very quick view of what you have just spent on. As it is essentially a debit card, your balances and historical transactions are obviously very important.

This is where UOB lags behind. The UOB app is very slow, and has a rather primitive design and user interface. Also, historical transactions take days to be reflected in the app, something which I do not understand. 

Account size - UOB > YouTrip

UOB Mighty FX, being linked to a bank account, has no limit to how much balance you can have. YouTrip, however, is not a bank and they have limits on how much "deposits" they can take in per customer. Currently, it is the equivalent of S$3,000. 

S$3,000 worth of foreign currencies should be sufficient for most trips, unless you plan to stock up on certain currencies when they look attractive. If not, you can always top up and convert on a need-to-use basis.

Number of currencies - YouTrip > UOB

UOB offers 10 foreign currencies = AUD, CAD, CHF, CNH, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, and USD.

I should highlight something important about CNH transactions for UOB. A few months ago, I made a CNH transaction but was charged in SGD instead (with a hefty 3% FX fee). When I emailed to ask, I was told that CNH is unavailable for point-of-sale transactions, online transactions and overseas ATM cash withdrawals. (Doesn't this seem to cover everything?)

So I asked their customer service staff and was given this reply:

"We wish to share with you that CNH currency is offered only for investment purposes (buy/sell CNH)."

I practically rolled my eyes when I saw this reply. So unless you are some FX speculator or trader, just don't touch their CNH. 

YouTrip offers 9 foreign currencies = AUD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SEK, and USD. If you were to ignore UOB's CNH currency, this will make them equal. 

However, these are only the currencies that YouTrip allows you to convert anytime. They also support 140 other currencies. 

That's a lot of currencies.

I haven't tried any of the 140 before, but I assume that they will be converted at roughly the same margins.

I am not too sure about whether UOB will apply their preferential FX rates for unsupported currencies though. From my experience with their CNH, I strongly suspect that they will apply their normal rates (i.e daylight robbery rates). 

Interest - UOB > YouTrip

UOB actually offers some interest on certain currencies. The rates are published here. 

As of 6th Feb 2019, the interest rates for the following currencies are:

• CNH = 0.20%
• USD = 0.05%
• AUD = 0.05%
• NZD = 0.05%
• CAD = 0.05%
• GBP = 0.05%
• JPY = 0%
• EUR = 0%
• CHF = 0%
• HKD = 0%

YouTrip doesn't offer any interest at all. But the rates offered by UOB are not really that attractive anyway, so it doesn't make much of a difference. CNH may be higher but as mentioned in the previous point... there is no point.

Functionality - YouTrip > UOB

The main steps in using either card are 1) topping up your balance in SGD, and then 2) converting it into the foreign currency of your choice. 

YouTrip makes it extremely easy. You can top up your SGD balance via another credit card - once this is saved in the app, topping up can take as little as five seconds. Of course, YouTrip pays dearly for this convenience for customers - they most likely have to absorb the credit card charges for every top-up. My guess is that it is most likely a flat fee plus a percentage, so if people keep topping up small amounts, their transaction costs can balloon.

Because of the ability to top up via another credit card, YouTrip, which is supposed to be a debit card, can function essentially as a credit card. This is assuming you only top-up and convert it when you need to use it. And this is one of the biggest advantages in using YouTrip. Don't expect to get credit card points from the top-up though; YouTrip top-ups should fall under exclusions by most banks.

Converting your SGD (or any other currency) to another foreign currency is also very simple and honestly, dummy-proof. Again, you can probably do it in five seconds.

For UOB, there is a bigger hassle in the whole process, which is hampered further by how slow the app is. If you are using UOB Mighty only for foreign transactions (as I do), then chances are that you wouldn't deposit a lot of money with them. To top up, you will then need to login to your main internet banking account to do a FAST transfer before going back to UOB Mighty to do the conversion. At least the conversion process is also quite simple and straightforward.

Conclusion - get YouTrip

From the points above, it is quite clear that YouTrip is more competitive, more convenient, and more user-friendly compared to UOB. If you do not need to change large amounts of foreign currencies before the trip, YouTrip is definitely my preferred choice.

However, even if you were to use UOB Mighty, you will not be seriously disadvantaged given that their FX rates are only slightly higher than YouTrip. Just make sure that you do not touch their CNH, and do not use them for any foreign currency transactions that fall outside the scope of their supported currencies. Of course, you will need to make sure that you maintain the S$1,000 minimum account balance as well as 12 Mastercard transactions a year.

My Travel History

And... there goes 2018.

2018 - Australia (Gold Coast), Hong Kong, New Zealand, Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok)
2017 - Hong Kong, Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai), U.K (London, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol, Bibury, Cornwall), Australia (Melbourne, Tasmania), Japan (Osaka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Nagato, Hiroshima)

2016 - Hong Kong, Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Labuan), Norway (Oslo, Bergen, Tromso), Denmark (Copenhagen), Sweden (Stockholm, Gothernberg)

2015 - Hong Kong, Indonesia (Bali), Netherlands (Amsterdam, Leiden, The Hague), Belgium (Brussels, Bruges), China (Shenzhen), Japan (Tokyo, Kanazawa, Takayama)
2014 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Hanoi), Taiwan (Taipei), U.K (London, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh, Warwick, Blackpool, Windermere, Carlisle, York), Thailand (Hua Hin)
2013 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang), Thailand (Koh Samui), Indonesia (Bali),  Finland (Helsinki), Czech Republic (Prague, Cesky Krumlov), Austria (Vienna, Salzburg), Italy (Florence, Rome)
2012 - Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok), Indonesia (Batam), 

2011 - Taiwan (Taipei), Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu), Indonesia (Batam)

2010 - Taiwan (Taipei, Taidong), Australia (Melbourne), U.K (London)

2009 - Malaysia (Johor Bahru), Hong Kong

2008 - Russia (Moscow), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Hong Kong, Macau, China (Zhuhai)

2007 - Australia (Gold Coast), Thailand (Phuket), Thailand (Krabi)

2006 - Taiwan (Taipei)

2005 - Australia (Perth), Cruise

2004 - Cruise, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia (Redang Island)

2002 - Malaysia (Tioman), U.S (Chicago)

Considering the following places to visit next year:

Japan (Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo) - trip booked
U.S (San Francisco) - trip booked

Together with another family cruise probably around July, my leave for 2019 will be wiped out totally. 

Stir-fried Chinese Spinach

Stir-fried Chinese Spinach (serves 2)

This recipe can actually be used on other vegetables as well.

Ingredients:

300g of Chinese spinach
1 teaspoon of cooking oil
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of mirin


Instructions:

1) Wash and chop the spinach into smaller pieces.

2) Heat up the wok with the cooking oil, then fry the garlic until it starts to turn brown.

3) Add the spinach, mirin and soy sauce, then saute the spinach until it wilts. It should take around 3 minutes.

4) Add the sesame oil, mix it well, then serve.

Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce

Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (serves 2)

If you are all right with using store-bought black bean sauce, this dish can require less than 5 minutes of preparation. I use the Lee Kum Kee black bean garlic sauce, and find that it tastes pretty good. For the pork ribs, try to get Indonesian pork ribs instead of Malaysian or Australian - they really taste better. They cost more quite a bit more, though.

Ingredients:

500g of pork ribs
3 tablespoons of black bean sauce
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine


Instructions:

1) Marinate the pork ribs with the black bean sauce, minced garlic, and Chinese cooking wine. Leave it overnight or for at least 4 hours.

2) Steam it for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on large the pork ribs are.

Baked Chicken with Carrots

Baked Chicken with Carrots

Ingredients:

3 whole chicken drumsticks, cut into 2 pieces each
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
1 whole carrot, chopped into roughly 1 cm slices


Instructions:

1) Dry the chicken as much as possible, then season it with salt and pepper. More salt can be added on the skin to absorb the moisture - this will help in making the skin crispy. It will also help if you use a toothpick to poke some holes all over the chicken - this will let excess moisture out of the chicken, helping to ensure that the skin will be crispier.

2) Drizzle some olive oil on an oven tray, then place the chicken (skin up) and carrots on it.

3) Preheat the oven at 200 degrees, put the tray in for 20 to 25 minutes, then serve.

Happy Birthday, Not

The thing about being in group chats is when someone wishes you happy birthday.

So I was hoping that no one from my JC group chat will remember my birthday last week. However, at 716pm, someone triggered it. Damn, I even removed my birth date from all my social media accounts, hoping that no one will remember it. Oh well, these are my JC friends who have known me for two decades, so I can't expect none of them to remember.

I groaned, and waited for the wishes to come from the rest... sporadically. Am I supposed to thank them one by one? Can I just thank all of them - those who have replied (so far)? What if more wish me after I have thanked them? Do I have to thank the rest too?

In the end, I waited till it was almost midnight, and just sent a simple message to thank them all. I hope I didn't sound too patronising.

Oven-Baked Salmon Fillet

Oven-Baked Salmon Fillet (serves 2)

This is so easy that anyone can do it. It requires little preparation, little ingredients, and little skill.

Ingredients:

1 salmon fillet, approximately 400g
Salt


Instructions:

1) Clean the salmon fillet (especially the skin) and remove any bones. Use the knife to scrape across the skin to remove as much moisture as possible. You can make some slits (length-wise) on the skin as well.

2) Dry the salmon with a kitchen towel, then add some salt to the skin. Be generous - the salt helps to extract even more moisture from the skin. Place the salmon on some kitchen towels, skin-side down, and leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

3) Pat off any excess salt, and season the bottom of the salmon lightly with some salt.

4) Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius on grill mode.

5) Put the salmon in, skin-side up, for 8 to 10 minutes. The skin should be wonderfully crispy.

Lotus Root Soup with Pork Ribs

Lotus Root Soup with Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

300g of pork spare ribs, preferably from Indonesia
Extra pork bones (optional)
300g of lotus roots
40g peanuts
A few strips of dried cuttlefish
6 to 8 red dates (optional)
Salt


Instructions:

1) Wash the lotus roots, then cut them into thick slices.

2) Add the pork spare ribs to around 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil, then remove the foam from the surface.

3) Add the lotus roots into the pot, together with the peanuts, some salt, red dates and dried cuttlefish. Bring it to a boil.

4) Cover and cook over low heat for around 2 hours, then taste and add more salt if necessary. Alternatively, transfer the contents into a slow cooker and put it on low power for 8 hours or high power for 4 hours.

My Travel History

And here's the yearly update:

2017 - Hong Kong, Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai), U.K (London, Salisbury, Bath, Bristol, Bibury, Cornwall), Australia (Melbourne, Tasmania), Japan (Osaka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Nagato, Hiroshima)

2016 - Hong Kong, Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Labuan), Norway (Oslo, Bergen, Tromso), Denmark (Copenhagen), Sweden (Stockholm, Gothernberg)

2015 - Hong Kong, Indonesia (Bali), Netherlands (Amsterdam, Leiden, The Hague), Belgium (Brussels, Bruges), China (Shenzhen), Japan (Tokyo, Kanazawa, Takayama)
2014 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Hanoi), Taiwan (Taipei), U.K (London, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh, Warwick, Blackpool, Windermere, Carlisle, York), Thailand (Hua Hin)
2013 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang), Thailand (Koh Samui), Indonesia (Bali),  Finland (Helsinki), Czech Republic (Prague, Cesky Krumlov), Austria (Vienna, Salzburg), Italy (Florence, Rome)
2012 - Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok), Indonesia (Batam), 

2011 - Taiwan (Taipei), Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu), Indonesia (Batam)

2010 - Taiwan (Taipei, Taidong), Australia (Melbourne), U.K (London)

2009 - Malaysia (Johor Bahru), Hong Kong

2008 - Russia (Moscow), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Hong Kong, Macau, China (Zhuhai)

2007 - Australia (Gold Coast), Thailand (Phuket), Thailand (Krabi)

2006 - Taiwan (Taipei)

2005 - Australia (Perth), Cruise

2004 - Cruise, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia (Redang Island)

2002 - Malaysia (Tioman), U.S (Chicago)

Considering the following places to visit next year:

Taiwan (trip booked)
New Zealand

Japan

Steamed Chicken Legs with Mushrooms and Black Fungus

Steamed Chicken Legs with Mushrooms and Black Fungus

Recipe passed down from my mother.

Ingredients:

3 chicken legs, cut into pieces
1.5 tablespoon light soy sauce
1.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger juice
1 stalk spring onion
1 tablespoon corn flour
A few slices of lup cheong (optional)
A handful of fresh mushrooms
A handful of black fungus
Salt


Instructions:

1) Immerse the black fungus in water first to let it expand.

2) Marinate the chicken with the soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, ginger juice, 0.5 teaspoon of salt, spring onion, and corn flour. Leave it for 30 minutes.

3) Add the mushrooms and black fungus, and steam for 25 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

I took this recipe from here and modified it slightly.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
⅓ white onion
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 cup of chicken broth
1.5 cup water
200g pasta shells
200g broccoli, chopped into chunks
0.5 teaspoon of cayenne powder
0.25 teaspoon of nutmeg
0.5 cup milk
150g shredded cheddar cheese
Salt
Pepper


Instructions:

1) Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a pot. Add the chicken breasts, then season with salt and pepper.

2) Flip the chicken breasts once it is slightly brown, then flip them over and add the onions and garlic.

3) Once both sides of the chicken breasts are browned, add the chicken broth, water, and pasta.

4) Mix the pot well, then cover it with a lid and let the contents boil. Once it boils, stir the pot again.

5) Bring the heat to low, cover the pot again and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

6) By now most of the liquid should have evaporated. Stir the contents again, then add the broccoli and let it steam for another 5 minutes.

7) Add the milk and cheddar cheese and stir until everything is well-mixed.

8) Add the cayenne powder, nutmeg, and some salt and pepper. Stir and serve.

Butter-roasted chicken with herbs

Butter-roasted chicken with herbs

Made this for New Year's Eve dinner. Quite a few of the ingredients were added haphazardly, but the chicken turned out to be quite good!

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
2 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
0.5 teaspoon of paprika
0.5 teaspoon of thyme
0.5 teaspoon of sunflower oil
Salt
Pepper


Instructions:

1) Mix the butter, minced garlic, paprika, thyme, salt (0.5 teaspoon) and pepper (0.5 teaspoon) together.

2) Rub the mixture under the skin of the chicken (breast and legs).

3) Mix 0.5 teaspoon of salt with 0.5 teaspoon of sunflower oil, and rub it over the top and sides of the chicken.

4) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, then put the chicken in, with its breast facing up.

5) Leave it inside for 50 minutes, rotating it occasionally just to make sure the chicken is cooked uniformly.

6) Change the oven mode to 'fan' mode. Monitor it closely for around 1 to 2 minutes - it can get burned very easily in this mode.

7) Serve.

My Travel History

Just realised that I didn't update my travel history last year, so this entry will include 2015's as well.

2016 - Hong Kong, Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Labuan), Norway (Oslo, Bergen, Tromso), Denmark (Copenhagen), Sweden (Stockholm, Gothernberg)

2015 - Hong Kong, Indonesia (Bali), Netherlands (Amsterdam, Leiden, The Hague), Belgium (Brussels, Bruges), China (Shenzhen), Japan (Tokyo, Kanazawa, Takayama)
2014 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Hanoi), Taiwan (Taipei), U.K (London, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh, Warwick, Blackpool, Windermere, Carlisle, York), Thailand (Hua Hin)
2013 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang), Thailand (Koh Samui), Indonesia (Bali),  Finland (Helsinki), Czech Republic (Prague, Cesky Krumlov), Austria (Vienna, Salzburg), Italy (Florence, Rome)
2012 - Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok), Indonesia (Batam), 

2011 - Taiwan (Taipei), Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu), Indonesia (Batam)

2010 - Taiwan (Taipei, Taidong), Australia (Melbourne), U.K (London)

2009 - Malaysia (Johor Bahru), Hong Kong

2008 - Russia (Moscow), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Hong Kong, Macau, China (Zhuhai)

2007 - Australia (Gold Coast), Thailand (Phuket), Thailand (Krabi)

2006 - Taiwan (Taipei)

2005 - Australia (Perth), Cruise

2004 - Cruise, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia (Redang Island)

2002 - Malaysia (Tioman), U.S (Chicago)

Considering the following places to visit next year:

Hong Kong (trip booked)

Bangkok, Chiangmai (trip booked)

U.K (England, Wales)

Australia (Melbourne, Tasmania)

Japan

A lesson for you, honey

For dinner last Saturday, I planned to make honey-roasted chicken. I dug through the larder to look for honey, and found a bottle... which had expired eight months ago. 

It's my mother again, I thought. Sometimes she just refuses to throw away expired stuff. Since she was overseas, I thought this was a good chance for me to discard it and buy a new bottle of honey.

This morning, I chanced across this video by AOL, titled "Don't listen to expiration dates on food labels". And near the end of the video...

"For honey? No need to toss this item. This natural sweetener can last you a lifetime."

I gulped. 

A short while later, my mother opened the larder to look for honey, and saw the new bottle. 

"You bought a new bottle of honey? You finished the older bottle?"

"Uhh yes. I was having a sore throat last week so I drank quite a bit of honey, and finished it," I said with a straight face.

Something I will probably remember for a lifetime. Honey never expires.

Gasp; could I have been UNDERcharged by a bank?

Since 2004, I have been tracking my expenses fastidiously. When one of my credit card bills came this month, I went to match it off with my expenses - and found one entry missing. It was at a coffee joint, for $19.30, paid using Apple Pay.

This was surprising - banks seldom make such mistakes. Banks will only "accidentally" charge extra, after all. I thought, maybe I didn't use this credit card, and went to check all my other credit card bills. Nothing came up.

So I went to dig out the actual receipt which I fortunately haven't discarded - and discovered that the credit card number (the last four digits) didn't belong to any of my cards.

I was astonished. How could this have happened? I was very sure that I used Apple Pay for this, so how did another credit card number appear on the receipt instead? The items I ordered were also correct, so the possibility of me taking someone else's receipt by mistake is out. 

Hmm, doesn't this mean that it is entirely possible that we will get charged for someone else's expenses by accident too?

Milk-Braised Chicken

Another dish I prepared for Mother's Day, sourced from here.




Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons of butter
10 fresh sage leaves
1/4 lemon, rind
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 cups of whole milk


Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

2) Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.

3) Heat the butter in a pot, then brown the chicken all over.

4) Add the sage, lemon, garlic and milk.

5) Put in the oven for 1.5 hours, then serve.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Prepared this dish for Mother's Day. Got it from Tasty's Facebook page; details are at this link. I modified the amounts slightly though.

Ingredients:

8 large shrimps
1 lime
Salt
Pepper
1 romaine lettuce
1 avocado
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of chilli powder
0.5 cup of cherry tomatoes


Instructions:

1) Cut off the shrimp heads and put aside. Deshell the shrimps.

2) Chop the romaine lettuce into pieces, cut the cherry tomatoes into half, and cut the avocado into pieces (around thumbnail sizes).

3) Mix olive oil, some lime juice (around ⅔), honey, chilli powder, salt and pepper. It's not easy to mix the oil and honey uniformly, so you may need to mix the salad more later.

4) Marinate the shrimps with salt, pepper and the remaining lime juice.

5) Pan-fry the shrimp heads and shrimps, around 1 to 2 minutes each side. Press the shrimp heads more while frying to extract more of its essence. When done, remove the shrimps and toss the heads aside.

6) Mix the salad well with the dressing, then place the shrimps on top. Serve.

Heng ah!

So Lim Swee Say recently made headlines with his infamous "Heng ah!" comments on him not being a Malaysian or Mainland Chinese. Not surprisingly, China and Malaysia were both rather pissed and fired back at him.

It's true that he shouldn't have said that - such comments should obviously be kept to oneself. But there is a big element of truth in what he said. For one, I know that personally, I am very glad that I am born a Singaporean and not any other nationality. This of course includes China and Malaysia.

God of War II

When I first started playing GOW II, it was in March 2014. Then due to my hectic work schedule (and inefficiency), I stopped. The next time I picked it up again was March... 2015. I fiddled with it until April 2015, then stopped again.

This weekend, ironically, I was able to play it again because my office laptop was under repair. And I managed to complete the rest of the game in one day. So basically, from start to end, GOW II took me  17 months to finish.

Next on the pipeline is Final Fantasy VI on the iPad. Targeting to finish it by 3Q2015!

Cooking steaks

I just found the best way (so far) to prepare steaks! It was from a video by FudeHouse, which can be found below.

Summarising the steps here:

1) Season both sides of the steak generously with sea salt and pepper.
2) Place the steak on a grill over a baking dish.
3) Preheat the oven to 140 degrees, then put the steak in for 30 to 35 minutes.
4) Take the steak out and let it rest for 15 minutes.
5) Heat up the skillet until it is very hot, then fry the steak for one minute on each side.
6) Serve immediately.

The steak turned out perfect - evenly cooked inside, and well-seared outside with a balanced tinge of smokiness. That's it - I am going to use this method to cook all my steaks from now on.

Teppei Syokudo @ Millennia Walk

Another Teppei outlet, this time in Millennia Walk.

Kaisendon, $16

Looks like Teppei still has the best barachirashi don (it's basically the same thing despite the different name. Kaisendon means seafood rice, by the way.). No other place comes close. The sashimi were all fresh and mixed perfectly with their own sauce, and when taken with a dab of fresh wasabi and some salmon roe (which bursts with flavour when bitten) it was so heavenly. The rice was also sweet and of good quality, and I finished every grain of it.

$16 for this is really a steal. To make things better, it doesn't come with service charge or GST. 

Horoscopes

In the past, whenever my classmates discuss excitedly over their horoscopes, I would look on in disdain and can hardly contain my disgust. How can the alignment of a bunch of stars and planets determine our fate and life? It's utter crap! One classmate in particular brought this to an extreme, loudly proclaiming that she detests all Virgos because they are all "<fill in the negative characteristics associated with Virgos>".

Today, I saw this on Facebook.

The most accurate horoscope ever.

Wow. This gotta be the most accurate horoscope ever.

Chikuwa Tei @ Mohammed Sultan

After slightly more than a year and a half, this was my second visit to Chikuwa Tei.

Chikuwa Sushi, $25

I must say that their menu is quite poorly designed.  It was purely text and very wordy, so it wasn't easy browsing through to find what you want to order. Despite having come here before, it took me a while before I could find their well-known Chikuwa Sushi set, which I ordered during my previous visit in 2013. It was still priced at $25 now.

The set still consists of four different types of sashimi - salmon, tuna, sea bream, and swordfish. But this time I felt that the standards seemed to have deteriorated slightly. The sea bream and swordfish were still as good as before, but the salmon and tuna weren't. The salmon didn't seem as fresh as before, while the tuna was a bit soggy - as if it was left outside for a while before serving. The rice also didn't appear to be those higher-quality rice used for sushi or other Japanese dishes.

In the end, I wasn't as satisfied with this as I was during my past visit. But at $25, it is still value-for-money.

Salmon Skin, $5

I am a fan of fish skin, and I always order it at restaurants. It is usually prepared very differently across restaurants - for example, Sushi Tei serves them in smaller strips but with more of the salmon meat attached. Tunglok Tea House does skin-only but with salted egg, while Ichiban Boshi's is more like Sushi Tei's but more crispy (I think it is also fried with a bit of flour as well).

Chikuwa Tei's was purely skin with no meat at all. Delightfully crispy, the teriyaki sauce drizzled on it also goes quite well with it. It also comes with some mayonnaise and fish roe on it, which serves as a equally good accompaniment to the skin compared to the teriyaki sauce.

Grilled Ika with Teriyaki Sauce, $15

Taste-wise this was all right, but the texture was a bit too tough and rubbery. A dish which you can skip unless you are a huge fan of squid and must order it to try.

Past visit:
5th September 2013

Teppei @ Orchid Hotel

Considering how difficult it was to get a dinner reservation here (waiting list is around three months), I immediately took up the offer when my colleague said she had an available slot.

For dinner, Teppei does it 'Omakase', which means "I will leave it to you". So diners typically just tell the chef what they do not want to eat, and leave the rest to the chef.

A rather traditional Japanese setting

The layout of the restaurant was quite traditional, where diners sit at the counter surrounding the chef. The chef will then serve the dishes on the counter. 

We all took the $80 set (most expensive one). If I recall correctly, we had three choices - $60, $70 or $80. To be honest, there were so many dishes that I couldn't really keep track of all of them. The employee serving us was also quite inexperienced and couldn't answer most of our queries.

A cold platter consisting of six dishes. Nothing really stood out.

Sashimi platter

Their sashimi were all reasonably fresh. But the ootoro (fatty tuna belly) definitely lost to the one I had at Hashi Restaurant.

Minced tuna hand roll

This was one giant minced tuna hand roll. Ladies were served first. Men were served later but get an extra large portion instead. 

A very simple dish, but I found this to be one of the best. Since it was freshly served, the seaweed was still wonderfully crispy, and the minced tuna was also refreshing.

Fugu (Puffer fish)

Coincidentally, I just read on the news that in Japan, several people just died from fugu (puffer fish) poisoning. This was the best puffer fish I have ever tasted. Okay to be honest, this was only my second attempt. The fish was well-grilled and lightly seasoned - this was also one of the highlights for the dinner.

By the way, 'fugu' comes from the Japanese word 'fuku', which means to swell. Very apt term given how the puffer fish puffs up when feeling threatened.

This tasted like some sort of corn, which had been grilled. It tasted a bit like popcorn.

Mackerel sushi

Soup with bamboo

The taste of bamboo was very strong in the soup, so if you are not a fan of bamboo, this is definitely not for you. My colleague gave this a miss.

While this didn't fare too well in the taste department, it scored some points in terms of uniqueness. I still do not know what fish this is, but its transparent body was certainly intriguing - just look at its skeleton!

Wagyu beef

When we asked our waiter what insect this was, he just smiled shyly and shrugged.

Crab soup

The soup was deliciously sweet and well infused with the taste of crab.

Eaten raw, this unknown vegetable tasted extremely fresh and refreshing.

Assorted sushi

The conclusion? $80 for an omakase dinner was very worth it. In the value aspect, Teppei scores quite high, as well as in the uniqueness category. But for taste, I would rather pay more to get better quality elsewhere. For Teppei, I will still stick to their famous bara-chirashi don during lunchtime instead.

Cornerstone @ Bishan Park

There was an adoption drive being held by HOPE Dog Rescue at Cornerstone today, and since Canopy was still undergoing renovations, we decided to have brunch here.

Benny, $12

Their version of Eggs Benedict. The egg yolks were runny, so that's a plus - but probably the only plus. The texture of the egg whites felt wrong, as if they were a little too raw. The hollandaise sauce pretty much faded into the background, and the ham was definitely cheap and of lower quality. Only the hash browns were good, being delightfully crispy and yet not too dry.

At least the egg yolks were still runny.

Queen Royale, $14

This was almost exactly the same as the previous Benny dish, but simply with the ham replaced with smoked salmon. The smoked salmon was quite terrible, to be frank - it was tough, dry, and ridiculously salty.

Luncheon fries, $12

Luncheon meat cut into the shape of fries and deep fried. This was done quite well; the meat still maintained some of its juiciness and yet wasn't too oily.

Summing up 2014

Summing up 2014:

I used the elliptical 49 times, spending a total of 1,925 minutes and burning 24,894 calories. 

I climbed the stairs at my place 42 times - that's 4,566 storeys in total. 

I started intermittent fasting this year, during March. Basically, I limit my food intake to 600 calories on the days that I fast (usually twice a week). For the whole of 2014, I fasted 56 times. Out of this, I exceeded 600 calories on nine occasions. 

Countries/places visited include Hong Kong, Hanoi, Taipei, U.K, and Hua Hin. 

I spent around S$6,000 on toys... and 35% of that was spent in December alone. 

My working week consists of around 75 hours on average. 

I don't think 2015 will differ by much.

My Travel History

Once again, it's time to update my travel history.

2014 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Hanoi), Taiwan (Taipei), U.K (London, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh, Warwick, Blackpool, Windermere, Carlisle, York), Thailand (Hua Hin)
2013 - Hong Kong, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Da Nang), Thailand (Koh Samui), Indonesia (Bali),  Finland (Helsinki), Czech Republic (Prague, Cesky Krumlov), Austria (Vienna, Salzburg), Italy (Florence, Rome)
2012 - Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok), Indonesia (Batam), 

2011 - Taiwan (Taipei), Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu), Indonesia (Batam)

2010 - Taiwan (Taipei, Taidong), Australia (Melbourne), U.K (London)

2009 - Malaysia (Johor Bahru), Hong Kong

2008 - Russia (Moscow), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Hong Kong, Macau, China (Zhuhai)

2007 - Australia (Gold Coast), Thailand (Phuket), Thailand (Krabi)

2006 - Taiwan (Taipei)

2005 - Australia (Perth), Cruise

2004 - Cruise, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia (Redang Island)

2002 - Malaysia (Tioman), U.S (Chicago)

Considering the following places to visit next year:
Hong Kong (trip booked)
Bali (trip booked)
Japan

Luke's Oyster Bar and Chop House @ The Heeren

This was an indulgence among indulgences, and I was here due to the generosity of my uncle. The first outlet of Luke's Oyster Bar and Chop House was actually at Gemmill Lane, which supposedly required at least two weeks advance reservation. This was their newly opened second outlet at Heeren, and on a Sunday night, it was already almost full. 

Located inconspicuously in a corner of Robinsons, my advice is just to ask someone for directions once you reach the third floor of Heeren.

Colorado Lamb Chops, $78

This came with yogurt, mint, and spring radish. The lamb was unbelievably tender, and there was almost no trace of the "strong lamb smell" that some people detest. Its flavour was extremely delicate, and it had some overtones of a nice smoky flavour. Gosh. This was fantastic.

Full dozen oysters, $90

We chose two types of oysters here - Katama Bay (the bigger ones on the right) and Marion Point (smaller ones on the left). Both were good, but I personally prefer Marion Point. Its taste was more delicate and sweet.

Whole chilled Maine Lobster, $95

When seafood is this fresh, you don't even need the seasoning. I ate this without any of the dips, and it was wonderfully sweet. The flesh was also firm and came out in whole chunks.

Kale salad

I couldn't find this on their website, and I forgot how much it costs. But this was very unique - it was kale, for one thing - something not very commonly available in Singapore. And it was mixed with some sort of peanut sauce and a bit of lemon, which complemented each other perfectly. 

My uncle is someone who doesn't eat salad, but proclaimed that if he was served this daily, he will be willing to eat it everyday.

Lobster & Corn Chowder, $22

This came served with Ritz crackers. The soup was wonderfully rich and delicious! The picture above is just half a portion, by the way - they thoughtfully separated it into two bowls when they knew I was sharing it with my cousin. And we were glad we did, as half a bowl was just right. If someone were to drink one whole bowl they will probably end up feeling quite full.

Luke's Bone-in Tenderloin Au Poivre (300g) with grilled foie gras, $74 + $25

The tenderloin was marinated with peppercorn, and came with a generous serving of mustard cognac jus. While the tenderloin was really good and tender, I thought the sauce was a bit too overpowering. I would suggest going for the ribeye instead.

Lobster Mac & Cheese, $26

Out of all the dishes we had here, this was the most disappointing. It was very plain and uninteresting, and the lobster taste didn't stand out either. Give this a miss.

USDA Prime Ribeye (400g) "Naked" Style, $88

Despite how the picture looks, this is a huge portion. And it was so damn good. The outside of the beef was wonderfully seasoned, the beef was juicy and tender, and the sides of the ribeye - the best part - was so heavenly. I think it can even win Morton's, that's how good it was.

Luke's Oyster Bar and Chop House is certainly one of the best restaurants I have ever gone to. But as the prices above show, it wasn't cheap - the four of us spent $892 in total here, inclusive of three glasses of wine and a glass of whiskey. For special events, for two pax, I would suggest ordering the ribeye and lamb as the main courses and a bowl of lobster soup to share.

Beef burger

Just a different way of preparing a beef burger. Instead of frying the egg and adding it on top of the beef patty, dig out a hole from the centre of the patty. When frying the patty, add the egg in, such that the egg is nicely in the patty.

It will be better to use smaller eggs. Either that, or dig a bigger hole from the patty. Or simply don't use up all the egg whites. When I added the egg, quite a bit of the egg whites overflowed and covered the patty.