I am a traveler, like my father before me. Around the world in F & J
Mar 16, 2019, 9:11 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: PHL
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Posts: 480
This wouldn’t happen to be the Top Gear episode where they “revealed” the Stig to be Michael Schumacher? My guess is Jeremy Clarkson interviewing The Stig/Michael Schumacher.
Mar 17, 2019, 1:43 pm
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
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Posts: 9,582
I make no secret of how closely I follow the late Anthony Bourdain's restaurant recommendations, and how much I enjoyed his shows. I quoted the guy at the start of my Shanghai trip report a few years ago and made an effort to walk in a few of his foot steps during this trip in both Singapore and Hong Kong. As I was up before the sun I started thinking that we should try to find Peanut Pancakes like the ones featured on the Singapore episode of the Layover, and found them just South of the hotel at Tanglin Halt [road] hawker center. Seeing that I was on a culinary research roll I decided start looking up lunch spots too and thought that even though it was a trek I could convince my dad to go to Changi Village hawker center for lunch later that day. THIS is how the day got off on the wrong foot...
After waking up my father, showering, getting ready and convincing him 1. not to fall back asleep and 2. to skip the hotel breakfast buffet I grabbed the wrong scrap of paper with the wrong notes and as we got into the taxi I confidently declared "Changi Village please." D'oh! If you've ever been to Singapore or either of these places I hope you just had a laugh. It's OK, have another...I earned it. Instead of a short six minute drive south we were in for a 40 minute ride North. Also, instead of arriving at a hawker center serving a well known breakfast item we arrived at a VERY authentic "locals only" spot serving what I can only imagine is amazing food, but not "breakfast." To say the least, the old man was red. Really red. While he was equal parts furious about my complete screw up, and his empty stomach I think he was most upset that I was fully prepared to eat fish ball soup for breakfast and embrace the mistake. My father is a legendary eater - more on that later - but he's not a big fan of surprises, and "surprise" we're having a South East Asian mad lib for breakfast was not his idea of a good time. After walking around every stall (half of which were closed), and looking at every restaurant across the street I pointed to a seat in the shade and said "I am going to get some soup. I will meet you there."
We found some fantastic fresh "butterfly" pastry
Full of food we decided to take a walk through Changi beach park along the coast track, and it was beautiful so bring on the serendipity. I would have recommended the hawker center to anyone for the food, but the walk along the water and the views of departing flights make this a must return to for my Singapore list.
Exploring the exercise equipment, and beach ball working on his fitness
@craigsnyc Rowers!!
Down by the water
Down by the water, we saw a whale!!
A350
Hey. It's Singapore!
Back across the pedestrian bridge and into Changi Village I was in need of a cold drink, and dad wanted to check out a local fishing store.
Apparently my uncle an accomplished mediocre golfer, has turned his interest towards fishing and my father thought there would be no better way to celebrate his brothers new hobby than to buy him a present in Singapore. Mind you, my dad was not looking for something exclusively South East Asian, or special; he was just looking for a gift for his brother. After a very long and confusing conversation between a man who doesn't know the square root of jack about fishing (my father), and a man who spoke very little English (the salesman) my father settled on a reel that "looked good to him." Now, I am not poo-pooing bringing gifts especially thoughtful and personalized ones home from travel for ones friends and family - my time in the barrel is coming on the gift buying...trust me - but if you're looking for a Yiddish lesson this my friends is the definition of schlep. Schlep: to carry an item from Singapore to the US, then mail it to Miami when said item could be purchased at Dick's Sporting Good and has no significance or relationship to the place from which it came.
All in all, this was quite entertaining for me as I didn't know the answers to the salesmen's questions either but watching my father try to understand [Line] Test, rod type, and water type was quite fun!
After park wondering, plane spotting and reel shopping it was time to think about lunch, and believe me it did not take much effort. It was chicken rice time! I will spare everyone the 'chicken rice is the one thing you must eat in Singapore' speech and skip right to the fact that I wasn't going to mess this one up, we were going back Chinatown, towards the Tooth Temple and to the Maxwell food center.
Now, all we need to do is find a place to sit...
There are many chicken rice places in Singapore but Tian Tian Hainese Chicken Rice is apparently "the one" and comes highly recommended from, well......you know
The wait...and if you're going to comment that this place is touristy, and I should have gone to some list of better places I reply. See line (which tripled while I was on it)!
The master at work
While standing on line, I asked my dad "Have you had Singapore chicken rice??" "SURE" he gleefully replied.."I, am excited" I said "apparently this alone is worth the trip." "Oh yes, oh yes" he replied while patting me on the back..."So wonderful and crispy" *record scratch* "Crispy? Dad, we're waiting on line for cold boiled chicken and white rice!" *double record scratch* "Why am I on this line?? I'm not going to eat cold chicken. See you in there, I need to find some lunch"
*FACE PALM* INNER MONOLOGUE: Lord, give me strength.
Le piece de resistance....
Perfect pair
We grabbed seats with some locals, my father had found some type of hot/ fried chicken rice that still had the skin on it. He was happy but I will tell you he stole a bite of my lunch and immediately 180ed and declared that if he knew it was that good he would have waited on line, and I should have told him how good it would be
. The locals showed us how to keep beer cold Singapore style
While the chicken rice was not my favorite meal in Singapore, or of the trip it was by far one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life and while sitting on that stool drinking iced Tiger beer I declared "I can not live in a world where this exists and I never have it again. I must, and will return to Singapore." Also, next time I am ordering the large. Full of food it was time for a walk through the Ann Siang Hill area. The plan was to do a little walking then return to Maxwell for a second lunch.
Now it's hard not to think about the recent movie Crazy Rich Asians while walking around Singapore, and if you were giving me any credit for not mentioning it or making any joke this far into the trip report I am sorry. I'm about to Jump the shark....
After convincing my father to re-shoot "Aunty Eleanor walks into mahjong parlor with me we wondered back towards Chinatown and down food street.
Back across the street to Maxwell for hawken prawns
Absolutely stuffed we headed back to the hotel to rest. I sought reprieve from the heat, and rest for my feet in the hotel pool. The pool is located on the 5th floor and is flanked by pool suites, private cabanas and a restaurant which makes it less of a private than one may expect. While it felt comfortable being at a hotel pool surrounded by other pool goers there was something odd about being gazed upon by diners in the restaurant. Maybe because it wasn't a typically pool side bar or 'shack' but because it was a nice sit down dining experience, and if I was them I wouldn't want to see you in your trunks while I was having a nice meal with Mrs. Madone59. Know what I mean?
These photos are courtesy of the internet and not mine.
View from a pool suite patio
View from the restaurant
After our respective rest and refresh my father and I met in the lobby around 5:15, as his friend and former coworker was picking us up at 5:30 for dinner. I have seen my dad display a lot of different emotions over the years, but can not remember a time I ever saw him anxious. We were waiting out front of the hotel, standing in silence, waiting for a man he had not seen in nearly twenty years. Seeing a friend, someone you've spent countless hours and days working with two decades ago but have only E-mailed since is not like returning to a city or enjoying an old favorite food. It is emotional.
While I had my camera with me I kept it at bay in exchange for the opportunity to be a fly on the wall with two old friends. Both in their early 70's, both feeling their age, and both with their careers well behind them, they talked like they were together last week. Listening to these two - the accountant and the salesman - laugh and talk and reconnect was exactly why I pushed my dad to take this trip.
"He's the best salesman. This guy would take a client out spend twice as much as I told him two, and bring home three times the order I needed him to" my dad declared
"I never spent more than I should, just more than you thought I should" his friend replied in laughter
They rolled through old clients, coworkers, orders, and war stories one after another, and another; several of which were stories surrounding the meal we were about to eat. We were seated at the newest Muthu's Curry location in town (Depmsey Road location) waiting for my fathers favorite dish in all of Singapore, which makes it his favorite meal in the world, fish head curry.
"Do you know Daniel your father once ended a meeting for fish head curry?!"
"No no no I did not" my father replied laughing
Putting one hand on my fathers chest to silence him and pointing the other at me "Yes he did!" "We were Malaysia"
*dad starts cracking up*
"We were in Malaysia, and the meeting was dragging on when your father looked at the clock and said 'that's enough for today we will pick this up tomorrow.' When we got in the car I asked him why he ended the meeting at 4pm and he replied 'I don't want Muthu's to run out of fish head'"
Eventually the star of the hour arrived and I was face to face with my first fish head curry. Every bit was better than the last....even the eyes!
Chomp chomp!
Stomach full of sides aching from laughter I was in need of a post dinner walk. This being our second to last night in Singapore I figured it would be the best time to stay up a little later and see some more of the city so I left my dad in his curry coma and headed out towards Marina Bay Sands hotel and gardens by the bay.
From the pedestrian bridge looking up Bayfront and Sheares Avenues
The great MBS
The flyer
City reflections
Shady wood
Commercial rainbow
Art
The gardens illuminated by a full moon was quite the sight to behold, and I am sorry i'm not a good enough photographer to share it with you but this is the best I got
Tall
Leaving the gardens and looking for a taxi I saw some of the most beautiful ladies I had yet to see out in Singapore
What a day, and to think it started by going to the wrong hawker center...which felt like 20 hours ago...it was time for bed.
Next: Part 4 Little India
After waking up my father, showering, getting ready and convincing him 1. not to fall back asleep and 2. to skip the hotel breakfast buffet I grabbed the wrong scrap of paper with the wrong notes and as we got into the taxi I confidently declared "Changi Village please." D'oh! If you've ever been to Singapore or either of these places I hope you just had a laugh. It's OK, have another...I earned it. Instead of a short six minute drive south we were in for a 40 minute ride North. Also, instead of arriving at a hawker center serving a well known breakfast item we arrived at a VERY authentic "locals only" spot serving what I can only imagine is amazing food, but not "breakfast." To say the least, the old man was red. Really red. While he was equal parts furious about my complete screw up, and his empty stomach I think he was most upset that I was fully prepared to eat fish ball soup for breakfast and embrace the mistake. My father is a legendary eater - more on that later - but he's not a big fan of surprises, and "surprise" we're having a South East Asian mad lib for breakfast was not his idea of a good time. After walking around every stall (half of which were closed), and looking at every restaurant across the street I pointed to a seat in the shade and said "I am going to get some soup. I will meet you there."
We found some fantastic fresh "butterfly" pastry
Full of food we decided to take a walk through Changi beach park along the coast track, and it was beautiful so bring on the serendipity. I would have recommended the hawker center to anyone for the food, but the walk along the water and the views of departing flights make this a must return to for my Singapore list.
Exploring the exercise equipment, and beach ball working on his fitness
@craigsnyc Rowers!!
Down by the water
Down by the water, we saw a whale!!
A350
Hey. It's Singapore!
Back across the pedestrian bridge and into Changi Village I was in need of a cold drink, and dad wanted to check out a local fishing store.
Apparently my uncle an accomplished mediocre golfer, has turned his interest towards fishing and my father thought there would be no better way to celebrate his brothers new hobby than to buy him a present in Singapore. Mind you, my dad was not looking for something exclusively South East Asian, or special; he was just looking for a gift for his brother. After a very long and confusing conversation between a man who doesn't know the square root of jack about fishing (my father), and a man who spoke very little English (the salesman) my father settled on a reel that "looked good to him." Now, I am not poo-pooing bringing gifts especially thoughtful and personalized ones home from travel for ones friends and family - my time in the barrel is coming on the gift buying...trust me - but if you're looking for a Yiddish lesson this my friends is the definition of schlep. Schlep: to carry an item from Singapore to the US, then mail it to Miami when said item could be purchased at Dick's Sporting Good and has no significance or relationship to the place from which it came.
All in all, this was quite entertaining for me as I didn't know the answers to the salesmen's questions either but watching my father try to understand [Line] Test, rod type, and water type was quite fun!
After park wondering, plane spotting and reel shopping it was time to think about lunch, and believe me it did not take much effort. It was chicken rice time! I will spare everyone the 'chicken rice is the one thing you must eat in Singapore' speech and skip right to the fact that I wasn't going to mess this one up, we were going back Chinatown, towards the Tooth Temple and to the Maxwell food center.
Now, all we need to do is find a place to sit...
There are many chicken rice places in Singapore but Tian Tian Hainese Chicken Rice is apparently "the one" and comes highly recommended from, well......you know
The wait...and if you're going to comment that this place is touristy, and I should have gone to some list of better places I reply. See line (which tripled while I was on it)!
The master at work
While standing on line, I asked my dad "Have you had Singapore chicken rice??" "SURE" he gleefully replied.."I, am excited" I said "apparently this alone is worth the trip." "Oh yes, oh yes" he replied while patting me on the back..."So wonderful and crispy" *record scratch* "Crispy? Dad, we're waiting on line for cold boiled chicken and white rice!" *double record scratch* "Why am I on this line?? I'm not going to eat cold chicken. See you in there, I need to find some lunch"
*FACE PALM* INNER MONOLOGUE: Lord, give me strength.
Le piece de resistance....
Perfect pair
We grabbed seats with some locals, my father had found some type of hot/ fried chicken rice that still had the skin on it. He was happy but I will tell you he stole a bite of my lunch and immediately 180ed and declared that if he knew it was that good he would have waited on line, and I should have told him how good it would be
. The locals showed us how to keep beer cold Singapore styleWhile the chicken rice was not my favorite meal in Singapore, or of the trip it was by far one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life and while sitting on that stool drinking iced Tiger beer I declared "I can not live in a world where this exists and I never have it again. I must, and will return to Singapore." Also, next time I am ordering the large
. Full of food it was time for a walk through the Ann Siang Hill area. The plan was to do a little walking then return to Maxwell for a second lunch.Now it's hard not to think about the recent movie Crazy Rich Asians while walking around Singapore, and if you were giving me any credit for not mentioning it or making any joke this far into the trip report I am sorry. I'm about to Jump the shark....
After convincing my father to re-shoot "Aunty Eleanor walks into mahjong parlor with me we wondered back towards Chinatown and down food street.
Back across the street to Maxwell for hawken prawns
Absolutely stuffed we headed back to the hotel to rest. I sought reprieve from the heat, and rest for my feet in the hotel pool. The pool is located on the 5th floor and is flanked by pool suites, private cabanas and a restaurant which makes it less of a private than one may expect. While it felt comfortable being at a hotel pool surrounded by other pool goers there was something odd about being gazed upon by diners in the restaurant. Maybe because it wasn't a typically pool side bar or 'shack' but because it was a nice sit down dining experience, and if I was them I wouldn't want to see you in your trunks while I was having a nice meal with Mrs. Madone59. Know what I mean?
These photos are courtesy of the internet and not mine.
View from a pool suite patio
View from the restaurant
After our respective rest and refresh my father and I met in the lobby around 5:15, as his friend and former coworker was picking us up at 5:30 for dinner. I have seen my dad display a lot of different emotions over the years, but can not remember a time I ever saw him anxious. We were waiting out front of the hotel, standing in silence, waiting for a man he had not seen in nearly twenty years. Seeing a friend, someone you've spent countless hours and days working with two decades ago but have only E-mailed since is not like returning to a city or enjoying an old favorite food. It is emotional.
While I had my camera with me I kept it at bay in exchange for the opportunity to be a fly on the wall with two old friends. Both in their early 70's, both feeling their age, and both with their careers well behind them, they talked like they were together last week. Listening to these two - the accountant and the salesman - laugh and talk and reconnect was exactly why I pushed my dad to take this trip.
"He's the best salesman. This guy would take a client out spend twice as much as I told him two, and bring home three times the order I needed him to" my dad declared
"I never spent more than I should, just more than you thought I should" his friend replied in laughter
They rolled through old clients, coworkers, orders, and war stories one after another, and another; several of which were stories surrounding the meal we were about to eat. We were seated at the newest Muthu's Curry location in town (Depmsey Road location) waiting for my fathers favorite dish in all of Singapore, which makes it his favorite meal in the world, fish head curry.
"Do you know Daniel your father once ended a meeting for fish head curry?!"
"No no no I did not" my father replied laughing
Putting one hand on my fathers chest to silence him and pointing the other at me "Yes he did!" "We were Malaysia"
*dad starts cracking up*
"We were in Malaysia, and the meeting was dragging on when your father looked at the clock and said 'that's enough for today we will pick this up tomorrow.' When we got in the car I asked him why he ended the meeting at 4pm and he replied 'I don't want Muthu's to run out of fish head'"
Eventually the star of the hour arrived and I was face to face with my first fish head curry. Every bit was better than the last....even the eyes!
Chomp chomp!
Stomach full of sides aching from laughter I was in need of a post dinner walk. This being our second to last night in Singapore I figured it would be the best time to stay up a little later and see some more of the city so I left my dad in his curry coma and headed out towards Marina Bay Sands hotel and gardens by the bay.
From the pedestrian bridge looking up Bayfront and Sheares Avenues
The great MBS
The flyer
City reflections
Shady wood
Commercial rainbow
Art
The gardens illuminated by a full moon was quite the sight to behold, and I am sorry i'm not a good enough photographer to share it with you but this is the best I got
Tall
Leaving the gardens and looking for a taxi I saw some of the most beautiful ladies I had yet to see out in Singapore
What a day, and to think it started by going to the wrong hawker center...which felt like 20 hours ago...it was time for bed.
Next: Part 4 Little India
Last edited by Madone59; Mar 22, 2021 at 8:18 pm Reason: tpyos
Mar 17, 2019, 3:56 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,588
Tian Tian Chicken Rice is to die for. Done this once and am so looking forward to going back in July with batmandds, on the same day we are flying to Bangkok and doing the 27 course tasting menu at Gaggan.
LOL. I'm most impressed that you were able to find the exact spot. Sorry, but I think Auntie Eleanor wins this one.
OMG.
OMG.
Mar 17, 2019, 6:05 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: New York
Programs: AA, CX, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,484
Thank you OP for the great mixture of trip report and awesome journey with emotions with your Dad; reminds me of the chicken rice at Singapore couple years ago.
PS: you learn something new everyday: Shimano also produces fishing gears (as a cyclist I use their components on my bike, but fishing??)
PS: you learn something new everyday: Shimano also produces fishing gears (as a cyclist I use their components on my bike, but fishing??
)
Last edited by andersonCooper; Mar 17, 2019 at 6:14 pm
Mar 17, 2019, 8:06 pm
#36
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: SNA; LAX; KUL
Posts: 432
@Madone59,
If you're ever back in the OC area, there's actually a Vietnamese guy that does a pretty good Chicken rice. He used to go to Singapore for work back in the day and loved the chicken rice, so after retiring, he set up his shop selling chicken rice.
As a Malaysian living in SoCal, his chicken rice has my stamp of approval.
If you're ever back in the OC area, there's actually a Vietnamese guy that does a pretty good Chicken rice. He used to go to Singapore for work back in the day and loved the chicken rice, so after retiring, he set up his shop selling chicken rice.
As a Malaysian living in SoCal, his chicken rice has my stamp of approval.
Mar 17, 2019, 8:10 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,588
@Madone59, If you're ever back in the OC area, there's actually a Vietnamese guy that does a pretty good Chicken rice. He used to go to Singapore for work back in the day and loved the chicken rice, so after retiring, he set up his shop selling chicken rice. As a Malaysian living in SoCal, his chicken rice has my stamp of approval.
Mar 18, 2019, 6:57 am
#39
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
ISo there I am in my nest of thin pillows, finally dozing off, and about to fall asleep when I see a flash of light from the row in front of me. Another flash, and another so I sat up. I realized the light is coming from my dad's seat, and I stand up and find him wielding a flashlight.....where did he get a flashlight?? We're a few hours into a 10 day trip and I am wishing I had read that bible instead of just blocking my clock with it - lord give me strength - he was looking for the power outlet....but where did he get a flashlight!?
Me "Dad, what are you doing? Is everything OK?"
Dad "It's OK, go back to bed. I need to plug in my lap top"
*shines flashlight in my face as he looks up at me*
Me: "Who's flash light is that? Turn it off! Here, I'll turn on your seat light and plug in your computer"
Dad "It's my flashlight!"
Me "WHAT? Why did you bring a flashlight? That's no key chain light"
Dad "In case I needed it...like right now!"
Me "Get some sleep man, we've got a lot of flying left" and I walked back to 2A to suffocate my self with one of the pillows.
Me "Dad, what are you doing? Is everything OK?"
Dad "It's OK, go back to bed. I need to plug in my lap top"
*shines flashlight in my face as he looks up at me*
Me: "Who's flash light is that? Turn it off! Here, I'll turn on your seat light and plug in your computer"
Dad "It's my flashlight!"
Me "WHAT? Why did you bring a flashlight? That's no key chain light"
Dad "In case I needed it...like right now!"
Me "Get some sleep man, we've got a lot of flying left" and I walked back to 2A to suffocate my self with one of the pillows.
Mar 18, 2019, 11:26 am
#40
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 4,026
As someone who has just got back from a trip to Austin with my own father (Not sure I took enough photos to warrant doing a TR myself), this report has tugged at exactly the same heart strings and had me rolling my eyes at some of the exact same ‘dad behaviour’ - I don’t think I’ve ever said “What are you doing now?” so many times in 4 days as I did on that trip
Great stuff, looking forward to more
Great stuff, looking forward to more
Mar 18, 2019, 5:42 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: Free agent!
Posts: 1,426
I'm enjoying to TR greatly and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Mar 19, 2019, 9:25 am
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
It really was great! I'd try to fly it again before an inevitable change AS's redemption's if I could and recommend you do too.
Awesome AhogZ. Glad you're following along and hope you're enjoying.
Sounds like you had a great trip with your Mom Clay Clayton. Thank's for following along, and I hope you're enjoying!
chongl I'm glad I waited unto after the AUS GP to reply. Together we can congratulate Lewis on his 6th world championship , because it looks like this season is going to be the same boring parade.
Thank you RTW4! Did you write a TR about your trip? If not I encourage you to!
Awesome AhogZ. Glad you're following along and hope you're enjoying.
Like many others, truly enjoying your report and remembering my own Dad. While I didn’t get to do a trip like this with him, I did get to blow some USAirways points and take dear old Mom to Italy in Envoy class long before anyone had heard of lie flat seats. She still thought she had died and gone to heaven.
Looking forward to the rest of your report especially your father’s impressions on the differences from his flying days.
Thanks for including us!
Looking forward to the rest of your report especially your father’s impressions on the differences from his flying days.
Thanks for including us!
Love it LH44 coming for WDC #6 , although this season seems like things will be closer than ever
LH44 coming for WDC #6 , although this season seems like things will be closer than ever, because it looks like this season is going to be the same boring parade. Thank you RTW4! Did you write a TR about your trip? If not I encourage you to!
Mar 19, 2019, 9:48 am
#44
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: United Silver, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 988
Indeed...I saw the qualy times and said...well I guess that's a wrap for the season. Your report is holding me over while I count down for my own trip!
Mar 19, 2019, 10:55 am
#45
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan Airmiles AMEX-MR Alaska Airlines
Posts: 692
wonderful pics of singapore that i never got to see or do in my previous trips but have now added to the list.
did you happen to try Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice which is 3 or 4 stalls down from Tian Tian? The owner used to work at TT and its similar to TT - created a mild war of who's chicken rice is better.
also, spot on with the humour.
did you happen to try Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice which is 3 or 4 stalls down from Tian Tian? The owner used to work at TT and its similar to TT - created a mild war of who's chicken rice is better.
also, spot on with the humour.
