Amelia’s HCC – Handcrafted Lo Bak Go [MEDIA DROP]

Amelia’s Homemade Carrot Cake

Amelia’s Homemade Carrot Cake (“AHCC”) is a home-based business owned by Amelia Teh offering homemade carrot cake and pumpkin cake. Each carrot cake and pumpkin cake are made daily, in limited batches and delivered on the day it was made to ensure the optimal freshness of the product. 

Amelia’s Homemade Carrot Cake

The carrot and pumpkin cake are packed in a simple plastic container with a AHCC sticker on it. AHCC contain No MSG, Gluten Free, No Preservative and No Artificial Colours. 

Carrot Cake & Pumpkin Cake

My first impression when I first received the carrot cake and pumpkin cake, WOW, that is a lot of “liao”. Loaded with a generous amount of ingredients such as lap cheong (Chinese sausage), dried shrimp and shiitake mushrooms. When I cut through the carrot cake, I feel the dense yet bouncy texture. 

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake Slices

Meanwhile, the pumpkin cake is less bouncy, yet the texture feels dense. It is also packed with ingredients. 

Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Cake Slices

For the 1st try, I simply pan-fried with oil. The result is a crispy exterior with a moist interior. I each bite of the carrot cake, I can taste the subtle sweetness of the radish, strong wine flavour from the Chinese sausage, the earthiness of the mushroom and the umami flavour and bouncy texture from the dried shrimp. Not only the carrot cake is moist, but there is also a “good bite” in its texture. 

Pan-Fried Carrot Cake & Pumpkin Cake with XO Sauce

Meanwhile, the pumpkin cake has that extra natural sweetness derived from the pumpkin. The natural fibre also helps to create rough texture in the pumpkin cake. 

Pan-Fried Pumpkin Cake with XO Sauce

Each piece of the carrot cake and pumpkin cake retain its shape during the cooking process. and it does not fall apart. This version of carrot cake looks like those serve in restaurant dim sum. Also do take care when pan-frying, as the Chinese sausage used here has a high content of Chinese wine, it can be a bit bitter if you over fried it. 

LD did the second version of cooking. This was done on the third day after we received the Media Drop. It is stir-fried with XO sauce and eggs. The carrot and pumpkin cake retain its shape, while the eggs and XO sauce enhances the flavour of the carrot and pumpkin cakes. We like this second version of cooking better. 

Fried Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Cake with Eggs and XO Sauce

Fried Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Cake with Eggs and XO Sauce

The verdict, Amelia’s Homemade Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Cake are delicious. We prefer the pumpkin cake more than the carrot cake due to the extra bite and natural sweetness of it. With all things homemade and handcrafted, the product come at a premium pricing. However, it is worth the money especially with the generous amount of the ingredients. 

Amelia’s Homemade Carrot Cake 

Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Cake 

Price: $10 each for 700g rectangular box. 

Free Delivery for order of 5 boxes or more. $5 delivery charge for order of 4 boxes and less. 

Order via WhatsApp: +65 9451 9040 

*Advance order of 3 days is recommended. 

F: https://www.facebook.com/ameliacarrotcake

IG: @Amelia_carrot_cake 

Thank you very much Amelia’s Homemade Carrot Cake for the media drop. 

[CLOSED] The Mast – Housemade Buffalo Milk Cheeses

Pomodoro E Proscuitto Crudo

The Mast’ is a homegrown Italian Restaurant in Singapore that offer fresh house-made buffalo milk cheese. In fact, The Mast’ is the only establishment in Singapore and Southeast Asia region that make fresh house-made buffalo milk cheese. The Mozzarella, Burrata and Stracciatella are made on-site daily using a small compact mozzarella machine and they are showcased throughout their menu. 

The MAST’ of Mozzarella & Co

The Cheese Making Room

Pomodoro E Proscuitto Crudo ($30). A perfectly handmade creamy burrata served with sweet Italian tomato and 24 months Parma Ham. Nothing beats the combination of creamy, savoury, sweet and the depth of saltiness in a Parma ham. In my book, this oozing creamy burrata tops oozing egg yolk anytime. We have ordered this every time we dine here and never get bored with this. 

Pomodoro E Proscuitto Crudo

Pomodoro E Proscuitto Crudo

Crostini E Funghi ($20). The bread base is crisp and slightly chewy, topped with creamy Stracciatella and intense fungi flavour combo from the mushroom and truffle. Simply delicious and irresistible.  

Crostini E Funghi 

Crostini E Funghi 

Rigatoni Carbonara ($25). We like the use of mini cubed pancetta, as it delivers the delicious pork flavour without the excessive saltiness that comes from the bacon. The Italian answer to our favourite pork lard. The al-dente tube pasta gives the pasta extra chewiness and are easily coated with the eggs and shaved parmesan, which gives the pasta an extra oomph.  

Rigatoni Carbonara

Rigatoni Carbonara

300GR Grain-Fed Ribeye ($42). Perfectly cooked medium-rare ribeye steak. Don’t expect those melts in your mouth texture, instead it delivers tasty and tender #beefgasm experience. Elevating the flavour of the steak is the robust veal jus with balsamic vinegar to balance the fats nicely. The crunchy asparagus, earthy roasted potatoes and sweet roman tomato completed the dish nicely.

300GR Grain-Fed Ribeye

300GR Grain-Fed Ribeye

During our 2^nd visit with other foodies, we can’t get enough of the cheeses, so we ordered Pizza Funghi ($27 for Large). The toppings consist of Buffalo Mozzarella, Fresh Mushrooms, Pancetta, Tomato Sauce. Though the pizza is good and loaded with buffalo mozzarella, it was outshined by the intense combination of mushroom and truffle in the crostini we had earlier. I recommend that you order a different pizza if you already order the crostini.

Pizza Funghi

Pizza Funghi

Tiramisu ($12). This plated dessert feels more like a deconstructed tiramisu. It is soft, moist, slightly cream served with berries on top. While the coffee powder on top is generous, it is lacking the coffee liquor or the coffee that soaks into the mascarpone. 

Tiramisu

Sanpellegrino - Aranciata

Both times we went to The Mast’ on Saturday afternoon and only a few tables are occupied. It feels like we book most of the restaurant for ourselves. Service was friendly and attentive. We also noted that a number of customers bought the cheeses only for home consumptions or party.  

Part of Dining Area

Part of Dining Area

Overall, the house-made buffalo milk cheese at The Mast’ is one of the best in Singapore that we had tasted. The food here is delicious and our go-to place to satisfy our burrata and buffalo mozzarella cravings. Cheers!! 

The Food Menu

Food: 8.5/10
Value: 7.5/10
Service: 7.5/10
Ambience: 7.25/10
Budget per Person: $26 - $50
 

The MAST’ of Mozzarella & Co
182 Cecil Street
#01-05 Frasers Tower
Singapore 069547
 
T: +65 6513 8010
W: https://themast.com.sg/
F: https://www.facebook.com/themastsg/
IG: @Themastsg
OH:
Mon – Sat. 12.00 – 21.00
Closed on Sunday

Origin Mattress – Origin Superior Coolmax Latex Pillow [MEDIA DROP]

Origin Pillow from Origin Mattress

Quality Sleep is the best and most natural way for your body to heal. To achieve the most optimum quality sleep, the most suitable mattress and pillows are the utmost importance.

As there are so many different types of pillows in the market such as memory foam pillow, bamboo pillow, down pillows, down-alternative pillow, feather pillow, latex pillow and a lot more; it can be difficult to choose which one is the right one for you. Sometimes the best and only way to choose one is by trying it.

Origin Pillow

Recently, the folks from Origin Mattress send over their signature Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow. This pillow offers a responsive Latex foam support and comes with removable Tencel fabric pillow cover. Latex materials are extremely durable with hypoallergenic properties that have lesser dust, bacteria or mould issues.

Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow

The features of Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow (‘OSC’):

• Pillow Dimensions – 65cm x 40cm x 13cm
• Material: Natural Latex + Coolmax® Cooling Gel
• Removable Tencel Fabric Pillow Cover
• 7-Day Free Return (self-return to Origin’s warehouse)
• 2 Years Warranty
• A product of Germany 

Natural Latex and Pores for Air

OSC is packed in solid light blue colour box. I think that I notice when I received the pillow is the strong latex smell. The same smell that you get when wearing a surgical glove. After checking with the customer service of Origin Mattress, I was told to air the pillow to let the latex smell dissipate. I also washed the pillow cover as the latex smell sips into the cover.

Sleep Test by Chubby Botak Koala Team Member

After airing the pillow for a week, I did a sleep test on it. The texture is slightly dense, bouncy and feels light. I find the height of the pillow is suitable for me and I feel the OSC does not trap heat, which can be beneficial for people sleeping without aircon in Singapore weather. For firmness rating, I will rate it 5.5/10. It gave sufficient support to posture, but it feels soft comparing to my extra firm down-alternative pillow that I currently use.

Finally, when I remove my head from the pillow, the OSC immediately return to its original shape.

In summary, I find Origin Superior Coolmax® Latex Pillow is a good pillow and you should consider it when buying your next pillow. As the pillow is made from natural latex, a small reminder to follow the suggestions from the customer service of OSC to air the pillow for a few days. You can purchase this pillow from Origin Mattress

If you are looking for a different alternative, you can also check out this article of 8 best comfortable pillow to buy in Singapore by Best in Singapore.

Thank you, Best in Singapore and Origin Mattress for the Media Drop. Cheers!!

Origin Mattress

2 Kallang Pudding Road

#02-04, Mactech Building

Singapore 349307

T: +65 8247 0478

Facebook | Website

IG: @Originmattress

OH:

Mon – Fri, 11.00 – 17.00

Sat, 12.00 – 16.00

Closed on Sunday

Best in Singapore:

Facebook | Instagram | Website

Huay Kwang – Thai Wanton Mee and Fresh Prawn Dumpling

Wanton Mee - Large

I was introduced to Huay Kwang Wanton Mee (“Huay Kwang”) during the circuit breaker period by our friend C. At that time C was posting about the frozen wanton and prawn dumplings that he bought from Huay Kwang.

When Phase 2 started, LD and I decided to visit Huay Kwang and dabao the wanton noodles.

Huay Kwang Wanton Mee - The Stall

Huay Kwang served Thai style wanton mee with a signature twist on its own. There are two sizes of Thai Wanton Mee, $3.50 for small and $5 for large.

Wanton Mee - Large

Wanton Mee - Small

The egg noodle is thin, silky and al-dente. Each strand of the noodle is coated evenly with pork oil.  Patrick (the owner) cooked the noodle himself, then mixed the noodle with pork lard evenly using a scissor. Yes, instead of using chopsticks or tongs, he used a pair of scissors to mix the noodles and also to cut and distribute the noodles into individual bowl or container.

The Noodle

Toppings on each wanton mee include boiled wanton, char siew, pork lard, and boiled kai lan. The wanton is solid and well packed with minced pork. The char siew is sweet, with a crispy exterior and the meat is quite juicy, but it is definitely those fatty type of char siew. Through the pork oil enhance the flavour of the noodle, I find it is missing that extra umami flavour.

Boiled Wanton

For those who like it spicy, Huay Kwang offers their signature super spicy chilli flakes and pickled green chilli. According to LD, the spiciness rating is about 7.5/10.

The Char Siew

Not to be missed here is their Cantonese style Special Prawn Dumplings Soup ($5). Each of the prawn dumplings is filled with minced pork, a whole piece of fresh prawn and black fungus. It is crunchy, juicy and packs with flavours. The soup based is boiled with pork and radish, therefore the soup is naturally sweetened. If you ordered the dumpling soup, Huay Kwang will normally include a few slices of the radish as well.

Dumpling Soup

Fresh Prawn Dumpling

The Fillings

On my last visit, they run out of the prawn dumpling, so I ordered the fried wanton instead. It is very enjoyable, as the wanton skin is crispy and the fillings packs more punch compare to the boiled version. In the boiled wanton, the fillings are very dense. Meanwhile, the deep-frying process seems to loosen up the dense fillings and allowing the juiciness of the meat to shine. Yummy

The Menu
Image Credit: Huay Kwang Wanton Mee

One of the best things about Huay Kwang is their minimum usage of MSG. I tasted a few Thai Wanton Mee in Singapore usually I get MSG attack after the meal and need to neutralise it with coke zero. With Huay Kwang, LD and I did not encounter this. Kudos to them.

Overall, Huay Kwang served a delicious Thai wanton mee. On top of that, I highly recommend their dumpling soup and fried wanton, which is also available in the uncooked version. Cheers!!

The Wanton and Dumpling uncooked
Image Credit: Huay Kwang Wanton Mee

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: N/A (Coffee shop)

Budget per Person: $0 -$10

Huay Kwang Wanton Mee

Blk 3021 Ubi Avenue 2

#01-159

Singapore 408897

T: +65 9383 1597

F: https://www.facebook.com/huaykwang.wantonmee

OH: Mon – Sat, 07.30 – 15.00

Closed on Sunday

Gaston Luga – A Backpack for Any Occasion [PRODUCT REVIEW]

Gaston Luga - PRÅPER - BLACK

The Gaston Luga backpacks are known to combine functionality with a stylish exterior. This Sweden brand drew inspirations from a traveller who customised his backpack to combine functionality with a stylish exterior.

For this Media Drop, I choose PRÅPER - BLACK model, it is a very neutral design suitable for both Men and Women.

Koko & Lala (from Team Chubbybotakkoala.com) Probing Gaston Luga delivery

Once I place the order online at www.gastonluga.com , the bag arrived within 1 week from the initial order. Gaston Luga office is located in Stockholm, Sweden. It does not have any physical retail outlet in Singapore; therefore, all transactions are done through their website. Each order will be dispatch through their regional warehouses. Gaston Luga offers Free Home Delivery & 30-day return on all items.

The Inner Packaging

My PRÅPER - BLACK in packed in a classy black outer box and place inside a black polyester pouch. There are also some mini touches such as paper wrapping on the strap and thick paper to maintain the shape of the bag. The packaging delivers the same feeling that you get when purchasing luxury products.

PRÅPER - BLACK - Backview

PRÅPER - BLACK model is made from PU leather and strong durable canvas. For the inner part of the back is lined with a red colour cloth with Gaston Luga prints. It fits my 15” laptop nicely, my 10-inch Kindle Fire, Nikon DSLR camera, extra lens, LED light and a powerbank. Check out what I fit in the bag during this test.

The Stuff

All In The Bag

Ok, I probably get a bit too carried away in stuffing this bag as the final weight is more than 7kg. This just to show how much space inside this PRÅPER. Don’t forget about the Gaston Luga Signature Passport Pocket at the back. Of course, you can put other important stuff inside if you are not putting your passport.

Gaston Luga Signature Passport Pocket

Gaston Luga Signature Passport Pocket

As I have broad shoulders and thick arms, I normally stretch my backpack straps to the limit, with PRÅPER, I still have a few holes to extend. Plus, the design of PRÅPER allows the bag to stand on its own nicely.

Taking my Gaston Luga for "Kai Kai"

While the backpack has many functional aspects, there are a few more functions that I hope that can be added. Such as extra compartments or pockets inside the bag. Plus, the canvas material allows white dust or dirt to easily stick to the bag.

Gaston Luga - PRÅPER - BLACK

Overall, I like the Gaston Luga PRÅPER - BLACK model. It is well built, well design, lots of space and comfortable. A nice travel companion to have. Cheers!!

How to buy your own Gaston Luga Backpack:

Where: Visit www.gastonluga.com

Promo Code: <CBKOALA15> - 15% Off Coupon Code storewide.

Others:

- From now till 17 August, you will get one free tote bag with every purchase of a backpack.

- Free Delivery and 30 days return.

Thank you very much Gaston Luga for arranging the Media Drop.