单身的幸福晚餐

Yesterday I read an article in LianHeZaoBao (联合早报周利zbW) about eating alone. Sometimes, I do think it is a bliss to eat alone - at times when I need the space to think (e.g. lunch time when I need to get away from anything related to the office), at times when I am out alone (e.g. meals after running an errand).

The subhead struck a cord and I wanted to blog about it before it slipped my mind for some reasons. It went like this '无论早餐，午餐或晚餐，唯有懂得享受孤独的人，才会知道：一个人的餐饭里，有最大的自由和最深的寂寞'. Whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, only those who know how to enjoy solitude can understand that eating alone gives the most freedom and the deepest loneliness.

The first part is very true for me. I really felt this way when I was travelling alone in Scandinavia last year. It was carefree to eat alone because I could eat whatever I felt like, at any time, at any place without having to discuss with anyone. As for the second part, it can get lonely because you have only yourself for company, especially with couples or friends or families around you, which made me wonder if they find me a weirdo :P

At times, having meals alone in a foreign land can be the most beautiful moments too. For one, you can focus on the food and think about how delicious (or not), observe the people around you, appreciate the scenery if you are lucky to get a good seat... Well, the article reminded me that I captured some of these moments with my smart phone in Scandinavia and I wanted to share them with you. Enjoy :)

Breakfast on board cruise to Helsinki, Finland. Lovely view of the waking day :) A day cannot start more beautiful than this!

I love Karelian rice pastry found at breakfast in Helsinki. It is stuffed with rice with egg butter spread on top. Very special. One of  my favourite memories of Helsinki!

Lamb pasta in a restaurant I passed by in a shopping mall near the hotel I stayed. Glad lamb was the meat of the season. I really enjoyed my meals in Helsinki (although I was alone). Thanks to so much good food!  

Enjoying breakfast in hotel in Helsinki. Long glass window that revealed a lovely view. How to be lonely with so many beings and beauty surrounding me? :)

Love how the Scandinavians have their yogurt mixed with cranberry, nuts, cereals and whatever you can find on the table! What a healthy start to a day in Helsinki. I enjoyed every spoon of it!

 

An exotic dinner in Helsinki - top is reindeer wrap and bottom is a type of fish with risotto. The first time I had reindeer - tasted like tuna, I thought. Interesting!

Had brunch in the oldest café in Helsinki. Café Ekberg has a lovely European décor.

And the loveliest cake! My combination of cappuccino and napoleon cake was delicious.

Another yummy pastry I discovered in Helsinki. At the Old Market Hall near the South Harbour where one can find so much food!

Took a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia. Lunch from top clockwise: Estonia soft drink (tasted like fizzy herbal tea); Pork knuckle (there is a German past in the country's history); meat loaf (lovely bread with meat mince in it).
 

 

Cannot recall the name of the lunch I had in Stockholm. Top is rice + salad + shrimp. Great window seat where I watched the world go by...

Brunch of Quiche and hot mocha in Cafe Soderberg at Jacobs Square. The chicken quiche + salad with vinegar dressing was so good! A quiet and quaint café.

Chai latte and brownie at the café next to the Uppsala Cathedral. I recall: Quiet. Whispers. Shy smiles. :) I think I fell in love with Chai latte here...

At a cosy café in Gamla Stan, old town in Stockholm...glad I could find a seat at this popular café...

...and had a most delicious hot chocolate in winter...

High tea in Copenhagen... nicely done-up café hidden in an alley along Stroget...

Danish pastries for breakfast in Copenhagen at Andersen's Denmark next to Tivoli.

Window seat lunch at Denmark’s National Art Museum (Statens Museum for Kunst). It was like having lunch in front of an impressionist painting! Blessed I am.

My first ice cream in winter! :P while strolling down the shopping street of Stroget :)

Last Fika (means coffee break) in Stockholm. I am glad to have picked up the art of Fika in Stockholm :) It has inspired me to visit so many cafes after I returned to Singapore... And we do have so many nice Fika places at home now!

There were many more lunch-alone experiences I did not take down with my phone, hence could not share them with you. If you want to read more about my Scandinavia trip, you can visit my wordpress blog ilovelongvacation :)

The Daily Scoop

GT was telling me about this very nice ice cream place in Holland Village so we decided to walk there after Lee's Taiwanese (see Lee's Taiwanese) at the Star Vista. And I discovered Chip Bee Gardens that seems to be another nice place to chill on days off... Before that, here goes The Daily Scoop :P



Amazed that the place was really crowded! It seems that besides ice latte and ice cappuccino, Singaporeans indulge in their ice-cream too! Quite a cosy place in spite of the chatters around us ;-)

 

Many flavours to choose from... My choice: Cherry Brandy! GT's choice: Avocado!



GT told me that the Beer flavour is good but it was not available that day. So I thought I will try something infused with alcohol. Cherry Brandy was ok - a nice balance of cherry and brandy :) Imagine bitter-sweet!



Cute name card. There's a branch at Sunset Way too.

If you are in Holland Village, you can check out Chip Bee Gardens. It's opposite the building where Cold Storage is and you just need to cross the road and walk right in where the landed estate is. Saw a few Italian restaurants too, so I might be going back to check them out.

 

Come to think of it, I have been visiting Holland Village more frequently since last year - because my previous job located was on the Circle Line and I found it a chore to travel to Orchard after work. Many thanks to my understanding friends who are always willing to meet up with me at Holland Village :) Chip Bee Gardens is definitely another reason to return. For an idea of what is there, you can read this guide by Lady Iron Chef Chip.

Lee's Taiwanese

I  have been to the Star Vista a few times since it opened, and have always enjoyed its quiet ambiance and food galore. With the Circle Line, this is a nice place to hang out and you can venture out to One-North or Rochester Mall if you prefer more hidden outlets like Jimmy Monkey at the former and Starbucks next to the latter.

Was there again in mid March to meet GT for dinner and we decided to try the Taiwanese food at Lee's Taiwanese as we heard some good reviews about it. Glad we did!

A peek at Lee's Taiwanese - a lot of orange lights so I blame them for making the food look less delicious than they really are! Must compliment the service staff who  gave us some great recommendations.  



Pan-fried dumplings. Nice in a healthy way. My friend  love the vinegar with ginger which brought the  overall experience of eating this dish to a new level :) Sometimes, we cannot deny that condiments are important!



Pork Belly Bun. This is really yummy, I thought. Quite special as it has peanut and pickled vegetables  that went very well with the pork belly which was also lean. Must try!

And we washed everything down with the red milk tea which was on promotion at SGD 2 that day.  We usually drink green milk tea so the stronger red tea was a refreshing change. 

Our dinner cost about SGD25 - reasonable considering the aircon restaurant setting and that we were really full at the end of it. If you are craving for Taiwanese food and happen to be at the Star Vista, do try Lee's Taiwanese :) If you want to find out more, blogs like Miss Tham Chiak and Great New Places have also shared their thoughts about the restaurant. Heh.

It's surreal - I am blogging about my Taiwan trips in 2008 and 2012 in my wordpress blog ilovelongvacation so do check them out if you would like!