Duck Tales: Gold Mine

Everyone wants a piece of the famous Bayswater crispy roast duck. What most people don't realise is that there are two restaurants boasting the famous crispy roast duck in Bayswater, just a few doors away from each other. So, you say, famous crispy roast duck is famous crispy roast duck. When it comes to down to it, is there really a difference?

Gold Mine
102 Queensway, Bayswater, W2 3RR

When an old friend decided to pay us a visit recently, we thought that the "famous crispy roast duck" place would be a good dinner choice. Places like this make ordering simple - no fuss, no stress, just as long as roast duck is included in the selection of dishes.

The Cantonese roast duck is heavenly - and I do not kid. I'm not sure what exactly it is that makes it so good, the delicious roasted skin that's crispy on top and soft on the underside, the tender succulent duck, the sweet-salty gravy or even the soft Chinese cabbage that the duck rests on. There's a flavour like no other and it really does keep you reaching out for more. The duck was snapped up so quickly that we had to order a second duck.

Other note-worthy dishes include the dried chilli squid and the special tofu though both pale in comparison to the duck.


It's the sort of meal where you want to clean up every morsel of duck and every little piece of cabbage on the plate. With reasonable prices and duck that is second to none - it's also the sort of place that leaves you looking forward to your next visit.

Ready, set, go!

It was one of those crazy student-type ideas: "Hey, let's see if we can each finish 20 McNuggets!" I think this is what happens when all there is to life is work - people would do anything to have a laugh and the thought of going up to the counter at McDonald's and ordering 60 nuggets at one go was entertaining enough.

And so, the "Nugget Challenge" was born.


We set the scene up - boxes of nuggets open and packets of sauce ready to be dipped into. To be fair, it was not a race of any sort, just a little challenge to see if we could go through a box of 20 nuggets without getting tired of the chewing, or the taste.

It was no surprise at all that the boys went through the box like lightning, followed by yours truly. In all honesty, a box of 20 is far less filling than we thought it would be and the nuggets do have a somewhat addictive quality. Only Diana, the original challenger, had a moment of weakness at some point. Perhaps it was a case of underestimation on our part.

We were left pretty full, pretty contented and very much hoping that McDonald's wasn't lying when they said that the nuggets were made from 100% chicken breast.

When all you need is brunch

The thing about Saturday morning brunch is that you're always in good spirits - chances are you've had a good lie-in and there's the rest of the weekend to look forward to (as opposed to the slight melancholy you feel on Sunday mornings). The kitchen slowly comes to life as everyone emerges from their rooms still clad in pyjamas and soon, the smell of toast and fried eggs fills the air. There's happy, lighthearted chatter, punctuated by toast popping out of the toaster and sizzling from the pans.


Food ranges from the typical cereal and toast to the more offbeat choices of egg fried noodles with sambal and tomato soup. No matter what you've chosen to have on that particular Saturday morning, you always settle down, get much too comfortable and before you know it, it's past noon and you wonder where all the time has gone.

But see, that's the beauty of it - why rush when you've got the rest of the weekend ahead of you?

Uppuma

Having a mum around the house definitely has its perks - the practical advice, the warm, friendly conversations and of course, the good food. It's funny how they make cooking look so easy, so effortless. This was one of the recipes that Sapna's mum made her commit to memory (through periodic recitations at the dining table, no less) before she left for home after her three-week stay with us. It's one of those dishes that are best cooked in the largest wok in the house, perfect for sharing and ideal for a house of 9.

Ingredients:
2 cups coarse semolina
1 and a half big onions
Dried chilli
Cashew nuts
Potatoes, cubed
Broccoli
Peas
Cumin seeds
Mustard seeds
Ghee
Whole cloves
Ground turmeric
Ground coriander
Fennel seeds
Salt, to taste


Down to business:
1. Dry fry coarse semolina until a nice golden brown
2. Saute the other ingredients, using ghee instead of the usual butter or oil


5. Add the coarse semolina flour to the sauteed ingredients and mix well
6. Add water until it just about covers everything in the wok
7. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer until the water has reduced and the semolina takes on a fluffy texture



The best part about it is how colourful and versatile it is as the main ingredients are really a matter of personal preference (great for fridge-clear-out days). I personally like this dish with a bit of zing - some tomatoes and perhaps a squeeze of lemon or a dollop of yogurt on the side.

Comfort food, at its best.

Away from the hustle and bustle

A weekend spent in Nottingham, catching up with friends, running into primary schoolmates and playing my favourite sport - yes, it was another one of those good, good weekends. The Malaysian student community descends upon Nottingham once a year for the annual Nottingham Games and for most of us, the sports bit is just a bonus. It's a picturesque place - rolling hills, calm lakes and leaves turning colour. I can't imagine a prettier setting for one of the biggest Malaysian student events.

After a day spent at the tennis courts, to say that we were hungry would be quite the understatement. We headed to the city in search of food and went into the first pub that didn't look like zombie-central (It was Halloween). The thing about pubs is that they're the cheaper option when it comes to food and one is almost always guaranteed a hearty meal.

I was told, when I first arrived in London, that fish pie (along with Sunday roasts and a variety of other pies) was one of those traditional British meals. For some reason, I'd never seen fish pie on a menu until this particular weekend. Smoked haddock, salmon and king prawns cooked in a creamy sauce and baked in a gruyere crust served with minted vegetables - it was a warm, melty, smokey comfort of a meal.

As always, the boys were immediately attracted to the barbecued ribs, and for good reason. The ribs were meaty - soft, succulent and cooked in a delicious marinade. Let's just say that the contented faces were worth more than words.

There's really nothing like capping off a long day with a good meal. No matter where you are.

Photos courtesy of Wei Juin

More of that American feel

Keeping with the all-American theme, we picked a diner aptly called The Diner for lunch after our visit to Central Perk. It was a matter of convenience more than anything as it was one of the first eateries that we spotted as we hurried out of Central Perk and into the rain.
We were definitely pleasantly surprised with this one, and not just because it was a warm, inviting change to the miserable outdoors.

The Diner
18 Ganton Street
Soho
London
W1F 7BU


In the style of days gone by, the place had a kind of charm to it with cosy booths, an old-fashioned bar and waiters that dressed the part. I could almost imagine a 1950's Archie, Betty and Veronica sipping milkshakes by the counter.

There was a pretty good selection of typical diner fare on the menu - burgers, sandwiches, omelettes and of course, milk shakes.

The Monte Cristo Sandwich - chicken, ham and cheese sandwiched between two slices of French toast, served with bananas and blueberries in syrup. As always, I went with what I thought was the most interesting combination. It proved to be quite a good choice - a bit like having breakfast and lunch at the same time.

Qiu Jhin's Calamity Jane Omelette - the never-fail sausage, pepper and cheese combo with a side of toast.

Prices are slightly higher than what we're used to but for a once-in-awhile treat after a day of shopping, it's well worth a visit.

'Cause you were there for me, too

I love relaxing to an episode of Friends after a long day, reclining on the sofa and letting the characters put a smile on my face. Perhaps it's because to some extent, we all know a Rachel or a Ross, have met a Chandler or two, gone to school with a Phoebe, or are good friends with a Monica or a Joey. I know I find myself chuckling at the situations they get themselves into simply because they remind me so much of the crazy things we've gotten ourselves into.

Central Perk
67 Broadwick Street

While it's not really a real eatery, I just had to write about the fictional coffee shop that became such an icon. When Central Perk opened for two weeks in London to celebrate the series' 15th anniversary, we decided that we had to pay it a visit. Of course, we had to pick the absolute last day to do so, when the queue was so long that it had to be separated into three sections. There was a sort of childish excitement in the air despite the queue and the miserable weather.

This was one coffee shop in which no one was actually interested in the coffee. In fact, the free coffee was a bit of a bonus, a doorgift to enjoy while you snap your photos and reminisce about your favourite scenes.

The coffee shop looked very much like the one our favourite friends frequented, with the addition of television screens playing episodes of the series and a display of props used on the set.

Who doesn't love a good parody?

The coveted Geller cup

Phoebe's masterpiece

It's pretty amazing how everything still seems so fresh and everyone so excited despite Friends having ended its run 5 years ago. I suppose quite like real friends, it's never going to go out of fashion.