Monday, January 28, 2008

Head East to Seek Good Fortune and Good Food - Weekend Snapshot #8


The crowd stretching their hands out for a sprinkling of good fortune!

My foreign guests were treated to an unusual itinerary of seeing how Singaporeans live in the heartlands and a sampling of gastronomic delights at where I live - the east side of Singapore.









We have the famous Katong Laksa, yummy custard puffs and half-boiled eggs with kaya toast for breakfast. My guests come from Seoul, they like their food spicy and boy... they can really eat! After breakfast we have a leisurely stroll along Katong, where they were introduced to the Peranakan heritage.

For lunch we drove to Geylang, the famous red-light district in Singapore to look for chicken and duck. hahaha........ We had roast duck, roast chicken and crispy pork at Garren Duck. Boss Boon Cheng is a jovial young man who is famous for his roast meats in Geylang.

I chance upon his eatery one day while bringing Jaymes on a tour of Geylang last December. I hesitated at first to enter the eatery as it looked dirty and cramped. When I had the first taste of his crispy roast pork, I was won over. The roast pork was savoury and the crispy skin was crunchy like biscuits. I then bought some for my hubby because he loves roast pork. As he was busy with many appointments, he had his roast pork after 5pm. The roast pork was still crunchy despite being wrapped and left in the air-con office for 3 hours!

Delicious roast duck and crispy roast pork in Geylang!

Since then, we have been regulars at this stall, buying this sinful roast pork almost every weekend. Boon Cheng is taking orders for Chinese New Year Eve dinner, I ordered a roast duck (S$20) and 1kg of roast pork (S$20). His roast chicken sells for S$15 each. He also sells roast suckling pigs but as the prices of piglets have been soaring, he's not selling them this year.

Garren Duck 旺嘉仁烧鸭
56 Lorong 25A Geylang
(Aljunied MRT station)

Owner : Ng Boon Cheng
HP 9389 3832

In the evening, we brought our friends to a carnival near Eunos MRT station. There is this huge statue of God of Fortune. Every half an hour, he would sprinkle some sparkling confetti along with some lottery numbers. There was a huge crowd of people waiting to catch the good fortune and lucky numbers.

Several residents mentioned that earlier in the day, someone won a lottery and had hired a lion dance troupe to perform to express his gratitude to the God of Fortune. This person must have struck it big because it is not cheap to hire a lion dance troupe! This made the onlookers went crazy and started waiting beneath the statue for 4D numbers!

My hubby and friends joined in the fun. It was amusing to see the crowd rushing to grabbed a lucky number. As it was a windy evening, the confetti was blown one moment to the left and one moment to the right. The crowd was running left and right. Some even bought plastic bags to catch the falling confetti. And a resourceful lady came with a huge umbrella!

Chris was lucky, he caught a lucky number!





Weekend Snapshot

71 comments:

  1. Gong Xi Fa Chai!

    I love Singapore's curry laksa. They're the best.

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  2. ECL, the one about getting the confetti made me laugh. The food you describe seem good.

    Have a great week! Burp! :)

    My WS photos:

    TeacherJulie

    GreenBucks

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  3. ECL, the 'Cai Shen' at Eunos huh? Drove past last nite thought it was pasar malam :P
    Shiok hor, eat so much nice things yesterday :P

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  4. Those poor old ducks! What a sumptuous visual display here!

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  5. i wonder the lucky number will bring Chris money or not?! Haha..

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  6. katong laksa? don't think I've had that before, can show?

    the roast pork and duck looks more enticing than the "choy sun yeh" up there... kekekeke

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  7. Can I have a food tour too?? :)

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  8. Teacher Julie,
    Yes... it was so comical watching the people run left and right just to catch the confetti! hahaha....

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  9. napaboaniya,
    Yes, the Cai Shen is at Eunos. Bring the kids there to get a fun sprinkling and there are kiddy rides and performances.

    Go watch the crowd doing silly things just to catch the 4D! hehe...

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  10. huisia,
    The 4D missed one number on Sunday! aiyahhhhh......

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  11. May,
    Post the pics of Katong Laksa and popular set breakfast at Katong! When you come to Singapore, I'll bring you for these.

    In the meantime, drool! hehehe....

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  12. blurmommy,
    No problem. When you come to Singapore, I will bring you around if I'm in town. ^-^

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  13. Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. Happy Monday.

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  14. hahha, chin mee chin? people buy tubs of his kaya everyday.
    lucky number quick give! lol!

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  15. Wow, that sounds like a fabulous weekend. Very interesting post for me never having been to Singapore. I feel almost like I have when I read your descriptive posts and look at the photographs on your blog. Hope you have a good week.

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  16. misti,
    Yes, Chin Mee Chin Confectionery. I can walk there for breakfast.... if you are coming. hehe.....

    You go grab a 4D number lah. Share already no magic..... plus if strike can keep quiet. muahahaha.....

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  17. crispy roast pork sounds so good right now! yummmmmy!

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  18. maybe i should try to catch some 4D from the cai sheng ye and a big fat CNY!

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  19. Good fortune and good food that's just perfect. What a great event!

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  20. Oh gosh, if there's no lormaikai, there had better be Roast Duck and Siew Yoke!!! Oh yes, no play play ah?!! Waaa... *drooling already!* *slaps hands away*

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  21. hmm yummy..and I wanna go there.

    Mine is up here

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  22. I love Laksa! I've tried that one when I visited Singapore a few years ago:) Happy Chinese New Year:D

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  23. would love to visit Singapore someday; a bro-in-law and his family currently live there.
    ... all the yummy treats!

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  24. nice shots! When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.... Happy WS!

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  25. Roast pork! Roast duck! Emm......*drools*

    Don't know what to comment anymore, all I could think of now is roast pork, roast pork, roast pork.......

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  26. leonard,
    Go grab a 4D and may the God of Fortune bless you kaw kaw!

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  27. lb,
    Awfully Delicious lormaikai is in Chinatown, there is a good one near Parkway Parade though.

    I will bring you to Geylang to 'call' chicken, 'call' duck and 'call' siew yoke. hahaha....

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  28. Yen,
    This Katong Laksa is one of the best in Singapore. Ask for it next time you're in Singapore.

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  29. It seems that singaporian and filipinos are the same when it comes to entertaining guest....nice food I also like roasted pork just like hubby..hmmmm

    you have an award...visit my site to find out!

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  30. snippets,
    Since you have your brother-in-law in Singapore, it's easier to come visit Singapore. There are lots of yummy food. Didn't your bro-in-law tell you that?

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  31. Doreen,
    *counting the days...*

    You will get to eat this delicacy in a few weeks' time! ^-^

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  32. ellen,
    Filipinos are hospitable. Whenever I am in Manila, many of my Filipino friends would rush to bring me for sightseeing and food.

    They are so proud of their culture and country. Thanks to them, I enjoy every visit to the Philippines!

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  33. Wow food... Hope to see Singapore one day.

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  34. you're so hospitable to all your guests. a wonderful ambassador.

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  35. genny,
    Hope you can visit Singapore some day... and feast on our yummy food!

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  36. Sure you didn't get any 4D number meh?

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  37. misti,
    Thank you. Thank you. That is half of my business.... entertain my potential clients, business partners and friends.

    You want to kiew yarp from Geylang?

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  38. giddy tigress,
    I didn't go for the numbers because it was so crowded, I don't want to be squeezed in the mostly men crowd!

    I have never bought 4D.

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  39. Of course I want siew yoke, siew arp, siew anything!

    *drools first*

    Ei wait... the siew arp, eat with what ah? O.o Will give us Multiple O's wan ah? Kakaka...

    *so not shy*

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  40. Laksa's one of my most favorite Singaporean dish...how I wish I'm living there again...and the roasted ducks, oh my I miss them!

    mouth watering entry (^0^)
    Happy WS!

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  41. My angel,
    Can spread melted chocolate on the siew arp and add sliced strawberries, then lick..... oh, not that type of arp!? hehehe....

    There's a delicious black sauce to scoop over the siew arp and steamed white rice. You can wrap with crepe also.

    So many ways to eat a roast duck. Come here, I show you!

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  42. Oh, those ducks sure look good (and the rest of those featured in Katong as well). Okay, I am going to tell Cynthia that your site inspired me to venture in Geylang during her out-of-town trips and look for the best chicken in town ... crap, I mean duck!

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  43. eastcoastlife,
    You brought Jaymes to Geylang for a tour? Also looking for chicken and duck ah? hahaha!

    Wow, I bet the roast pork must be real good. I hardly tasted any nice roast pork till now. Hope I can find one which is real good.

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  44. poor man's nicole richie,
    kung hei fatt choi!! ^-^

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  45. Wilfrid,
    Call me if you are going to 'call duck'!! hahaha....

    It's the crispy roast pork that's extremely delicious, I find the duck ok only.

    You come to Katong lah, I bring you and Cynthia on a food hunt.

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  46. Kok,
    I brought Jaymes to recce the place because we want to bring our foreign visitors to Geylang for a unique experience. Not only to ogle at the hookers but to taste the wonderful food there and have a different experience in a red light district.

    I'll bring you there too if you come to Singapore. kiew kai and arp! hahaha....

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  47. Thats a cool shot! Happy WS! Visit mine too, if you can!

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  48. I went to Eunos this evening. Maybe I was there too early, Mr Cai Shen not on duty yet :P

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  49. napaboaniya,
    You went too early. It starts giving out good fortune around 7pm, when the residents have taken their dinner and come out for a stroll.

    The sprinkling happens every half an hour. Good luck.

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  50. That bowl of curry laksa looks so tasty....enough coconut milk in it! :)

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  51. Judy,
    The stall owner doesn't add a lot of coconut milk, it's evaporated milk. Healthy version of laksa. Anyway it is still too rich for me. I eat only once in a blue moon. ^-^

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  52. i'll remember where to get good food the next time i visit Singapore

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  53. wow roast duck! I had my first roast duck in taiwan and it was so delectable. =)

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  54. eastcoast you always have a wonderful celebration going on with good food and good friends...you're lucky! :)
    Thanks for commenting at my WS post. The bridge spans the East River in NYC.

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  55. Aiyoh..!! torture.. torture leh.. ECL..!

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  56. I missed that curry laksa...look like you had fun...

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  57. The pictures of laksa and roast ducks are sheer torture... but keep that coming!

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  58. Hi! Pls. Check my reply to your query about digital scrapbooking in my blog.Thanks and Goodluck!!!!

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  59. I see you're busy making preparations for the coming Chinese New Year.

    I lion dance is wonderful to watch. Hope that lucky number will work wonders.

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  60. How to order the duck and roast pork?

    i mean..is there a number to call? or just go down in person?

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  61. cj
    The address :

    Garren Duck 旺嘉仁烧鸭
    56 Lorong 25A Geylang
    (Aljunied MRT station)

    Owner : Ng Boon Cheng
    HP 9389 3832

    Collection of the meats on Chinese New Year Eve is before 1pm. Better to go down and order because his roasts are very popular! You can order a plate and try before buying.

    Happy Chinese New Year!

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