The Garden Slug

Since last year when i was casually surfing one of my favourite site, i chanced upon this tiny restaurant in the east and i have always wanted to pay a visit.
The Garden Slug is a cosy and humble little restaurant located amongst a row of pet shops and pet clinics at Telok Kurau.
It's completely separated from "civilization" and i'm trying my best to not describe its location as secluded.
But that's exactly what i heart about this place.
We were famished to the ultimate and didn't take too long to order some starters.

Grape and Feta - seedless grapes with feta, herbed olive oil and olives. [Cup $5.90/Bowl $8.90]
It's an acquired taste.
Just imagine - sweet grape + cheese + olive oil.
Weird hor? I tried stuffing all of the above in one mouthful and it's quite interesting i must say. Notz bad!
What impressed me was when we ordered a bowl but the staff made a mistake by giving us a cup which we really thought it was a bowl.
But shortly she came with another cup and apologised for making a mistake in our order.
Therefore, we got two cups for the price of one bowl!
I like honest people. =)

Wasuga Chicken Wings - as the name suggests, wings of chicken. [$9.00]
Maybe with the exception that they were marinated for 48 hours as mentioned on the menu.
Seriously i thought they tasted like any other chicken wings.
But no doubt that the flavour was quite rich.
Ok passed!

The Steak - my main. Err...i don't think i need to explain what was that. [$18.90]
The middle-well ribeye was pan fried to its perfection, arriving at its best tenderness and succulence.
The special sauce added as a compliment without covering the original freshness of the red meat.
The side whipped potato was a surprised. One of the best whipped potato i've tried. It has a taste of home. Definitely worth mentioning!
As for the vege, i didn't quite bother about it. =p

Orange-glazed Pan-seared Buttermilk Chicken - JM's main. Boneless chicken glazed with a light citrusy wine sauce. [$15.90]
The citrusy sauce added a refreshing flavour to the plain chicken which i thought was rather unique.
I don't quite fancy fruity-flavour in savoury food but this was quite alright.
However, the piece of meat seemed to be too tiny to fill JM. Heh.

Pasta in Buttery Garlic Glaze topped with grilled chicken strips - Persi's main. [$13.90]
The name of the this dish explained everything you might expect from this dish.
It was spicy which made it very appetising and every mouth was filfilling.
Won't get sick of it.

We decided to complete the meal with a sweet Nutella Banana Mush. [$8.00]
Basically nutella on warm banana with vanilla gelato and nut.
Frankly speaking, i was a tad disappointed when it was served.
Felt that it was too simple and plain. Merely piling ingredients over ingredients.
Perhaps i hold too high an expectation for desserts and i prefer something more elaborated.
The other girls seemed to love it though.

Actually the dinner was meant to be a celebration.
Celebrating what???? Ahem....*clear throat*. Are you ready???
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, after one thousand ninety-five days of academic hardship and thirty-six chilly hours in that icy mega hall at Singapore Expo, i'm pleased to announce...

BONNY HAS FINALLY GRADUATED!!!
Woohoo!!!!

I remembered the day when i retrieved my results from the student portal, i couldn't control my tears and kept murmuring "finally finally".
The memories of the journey that brought me here kept flooding in and i was just elated to know that it's over.
It was a moment that i didn't wish i was in office with all the girls crowding around my cube, including my boss, Li Li.
I just couldn't contain excitement.

Thankfully, JM, who fought the same war as me, gained the victory too!
So we decided to celebrate for each other. =)

Persi apparently wanted to share the joy with us too! =)
Happy garden sluggers!!! =)

God, save the Children!

It has been a long while since i've had encounters with people who are so close to God.
The message came so divine.
Just when i needed to hear from God.

Just when i thought the family, including myself was giving up on SB, God reminded me the conviction He laid in me.
He reminded me the time in secondary school when i delivered my oratorical speech on Juvenile Delinquency with so much conviction that awarded me the first runner-up.
He reminded me the time during my career switch, when i very much wanted to join the MCYS to help families.
He reminded me of why i was so determined to join the Prison and SPF so that i can help the nation.
He reminded me that He left so many of the above options to me, not for nothing.
Every single burden and agony that have been laid in my heard for the longest time, were verbalized within the hour.

Despite having strong conviction and great inspiration to help the society, i wasn't prepared to take a step of faith forward to actualize any of the options.
Fearing that i am inadequate and unequipped.
I could easily recite the various causes that result in juvenile delinquency but looking back to what i've done, i didn't seem to do what i preach.
To the two young ones in my family, i didn't do a good job at all.
In fact i blamed myself a little for what has happened to SB.
Regret for not doing the things that i should have done which might prevent the worse from happening today.
I'm ashamed that i failed to exercise my beliefs in my own family and i even contemplated to give up on my own brother!

God loves the children. Indeed.
They are the ones who will continue to further the Kingdom in the next generation.
Thus they should not be tarnished by the works of devil!

Jason Wong delivered the message without much effort and preparation.
He was merely relating his encounters with God but the impact was enormous. At least to me.
I couldn't stop my tears throughout the hour-long.
It has been a while since i've heard a non-self-centred message.
I thank God for raising a man like Jason who holds the 'legal key'.
We NEED a man like him to lead the nation away from destruction.
I yearn to be like him. Really.
And i hope God will use me like this too.

I'll miss you, Celyn Dearie!

Another confidante has left the board. =(

With my terrible craftsmanship, i did this to my best ability.
I hope she likes it.

I'm gonna miss her big time.

Sob. =(

Return of the International Friends

Thailand

As her husband joined the mission-trippers to India, Grace could also return to reunite with her family and friends.
It was her third time back this year but i couldn't remember that we spent the time like this.
Crazy shopping spree at Bugis Street.
(Sidetrack, i think Bugis Street Development should introduce more air ventilation in this crampy and congested street mall. The shopping experience wasn't pleasureable at all, except for the company. But i guess that's the fun of it. Just not fun for Bonny! )
Dinner at Soup Spoon where Bonny made the wrong order the second time!
I wanted a soup crust but ordered a soup bowl. I is sad.
And the English Boo-Boo crash course at The Ice Cream Gallery, Eastwood Centre.
I almost died laughing.

It was a good catch-up and we seemed to have endless topic to talk about.
Looking forward to the next session in November.
My turn to go over this time! Woohoo!

Korea

He lost some weight and his hair was almost completely white. He thinks too much.
After the buzz of the long-awaited Beijing Olympics Games, he finally could get home for a break. It was exactly a year since we parted at the coach terminal in Seoul.

We had dinner at Tonkichi, Ngee Ann City.
My take - an expensive set of fried pork meal.
Don't get me wrong. It's tasty. Just a lil overpriced i say.
However, i realised there were quite a handful of single diners and some were Japanese.
Hence i believed the tonkatsu must have a certain level of authenticity as compared to the ones in Japan.

Both Grace and Jer left on Saturday.
It'll not be too long that we'll meet again.
Hopefully. =)