original sin takes a lot more than apples...

i had a friend visiting from hong kong, and she (like me) is a veggo.. so i took the opportunity to head to my favourite vegetarian restaurant in singapore - original sin.  i first went there with graham.. and thought it was ok.  but when i went back with my hong kong friend, i have upgraded my opinion.  it was fantastic.  we had such a good time.  yes, the conversation was great.  but even more great was that i could order ANYTHING from the menu!  i had selection!  do you know how awesome it felt not to have to 'make up' something from the sides?  i could order the appetizer or the entree or dessert, whatever i wanted.  and so i did.

we ordered the mezze platter to start.  really how can you go wrong with hummus and pita bread?  so good!  i ordered the beetroot salad.. cause for some reason, i was craving healthy food. and it was delcious.  a strange choice, quite tart.. but a lovely companion to my not so healthy second choice..
the fritters; eggplant and parsnip fritters deep fried. hello!  (actually not so awesome..but not bad...)  kind of wished i had of went for the vegetable tandoori, or the risotto ( i had the risotto my first time... and it was sooo gooooddddd), or the pesto... or the moussaka.. or oh!  the choices!

my friend went for one of the special's which was a veggie pasta with an steamed artichoke.  it was bizarre.  i've only ever seen artichoke hearts, peeled and ready to eat on my pizza.  but my friend was served with a full artichoke, in which she had to peel and try to figure out how to eat it.  fascinating.  she did report, that after having figured it out, it was delicious. as was her pasta.

we didn't have dessert.. because we were actually quite full and satisfied by our mains.  i had the masala tea while we sat and chatted. i wish i had more friends here in singapore. actually, i just wish i had more friends who were vegetarian so i could for dinner or lunch or anything, anytime at original sin.  it was truly divine.

original sin is hidden away up at the top of chip bee gardens across the road from holland village.. but it also just down the lane from gastronomia..  which helps to snab something after for lunch or treats the next day.. (not saying i did... ok i did...).

not that it wasn't awesome, it was.  but i am giving original sin 4.5 stars because they should deliver.  and they should be located closer to my house.

Original Sin
Blk 43 #01-62 Jalan Merah Saga
Holland Village: Chip Bee Gardens
Tel : 6475 5605

check out their menu online originalsin.com.sg

hatched too late

i saw this place as i was wandering around holland village one day looking for a foot reflexology place.  i didn't find one.  but decided to give this place a try.

i googled the menu (super cool website.. its all about face here in singapore = a marketing agencies dream)  and noticed it was voted one of the 'best brunch' places by singaporeans.  and there was a vegetarian option.  so we decided to give our beloved boomerang a rest and try this new place. just like we have all decided to give men a rest...cause they are all annoying.......and ugh........and seriously doing my head in....

i think the theme is everything to do with eggs.. hatching eggs to make breakfast... yeah.. that's kinda cute... no? ...the front has this colourful facade of stretched yellow bungee cords.  and the inside has these small child like round tables surrounded by stools with no backs. like a hawker centre made by ikea.  odd.  we decided to sit outside in the regular outside chairs.  the menu was pretty cool  but not what i saw online.  but i had just returned from a short jaunt (4 days) to thailand.. and after a crazy kamikaze taxi ride from pattaya to the airport my adrenaline was pumped.  so i was up for anything.  i ordered the mushroom burger with the vegetable option of grilled eggplant and a soy cappuccino. the quite, shall i say, interesting, mushroom burger is singaporean's vegetarian option du jour i think.  that is the 3rd restaurant that has offered that. and i've never had/heard of it anywhere else.  huh.  at least its better than beijing.  their vegetarian option was a plate of steamed bok choy.  

lizzie ordered sausage and scrambled eggs, laura ordered french toast, frankie ordered the full fry up (sausage, bacon, eggs, toast). we all ordered water.  

water was the last to come.  the first was frankie's, then lizzie's, then laura's, then mine.  then my cappuccino and laura's coffee. what the?  i will never get used to the random food service of singapore.  how and why does it take an hour to make a cappuccino?

actually not withstanding the wait (or maybe because of the wait increasing my hunger) my food was awesome.  awesome like once in a very long while. because it was so soo greasy. dripping grease.  i drizzled it with ketchup and just enjoyed being 16 and hung over again........and then i popped a few extra digestive enzyme tablets for good measure.

all in all it was an ok experience.  annoying mostly because of the service.  the food was good, but i doubt we would go back. cause it has nothing on boomerang.  but afterwards we were in holland village!  so we went for a manicure and shopping which was delightful.  so that could be considered better than walking down the river at robertson quay.......and its closer to where i stay (yes.. 'stay'.. not 'live'... that's singlish to you).. so cheaper cab.

huh.  2.5 stars. if i was 10 i'd probably give it more because i'd enjoy sitting in the bright cheery restaurant on tiny stools.   if i was 16 and hungover, i'd probably give it more, because it was the perfect hangover cure food.  greasy fries.  greasy sandwich.  it would also have been awesome with a cold coca cola.  but i was terrified to change my order. god knows how long i'd have to wait for someone to put ice in a glass. yup.

Hatched
Holland Village (just up the alley from Starbucks)
26 Evans Road
Tel: 6735 0012