Appam At Changi Airport T3, Singapore

Changi Airport is a destination of its own and never fails to impress its visitors with fascinating amenities; from the outdoor gardens (my favourite is the sunflower garden) to the wide ranges of shops. Terminal 3 is home to Kopitiam, which is basically a food court selling local food at affordable prices. One of the stalls that is busy during the peak hours is the Local Snacks stall, and their stand-out snacks are their appams.

Appams are native to South Asia and is usually consumed as a meal. To me they are milk pancakes, since milk is one of the core ingredients. The middle of the appam is fluffy, and it is crispy on its surroundings. Many foodies enjoy this humble yet delicious delicacy. Appams can be elevated by adding modern twists to the flavours. My favourite version of appam is the one with chocolate drizzled, and nuts and sugar sprinkled all over it. This appam is the perfect treat, and what’s more is that it is served with grated coconut and more sugar as sides.

The chocolate and nuts appam looks like a dream come true for appam and chocolate fans, and it catches many patrons’ eyes whenever it is served. Whenever you are at Changi Airport, head down to the Local Snacks stall located at Kopitiam in Terminal 3 at the 2nd basement level (public area). The stall is next to a bakery. Do note, however, that the Kopitiam is not accessible upon clearing immigration, therefore you should visit it before entering the immigration hall.

Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore

It’s that time of the year to light up the lanterns at night and savour delicious mooncakes. The yearly Mid-Autumn Festival is a harvest festival. Although this festival is celebrated by ethnic Chinese in Singapore, other ethnicities join the festivities, thus celebrating as a community.

The first attribute to the Mid-Autumn Festival are lanterns. Children love choosing and admiring the colourful lanterns and carrying them around at night. The traditional lanterns are made from paper and tend to be in simple block colours. Now, there are more modern paper lanterns with cartoon characters either printed on them or the lanterns themselves are shaped as the characters. Another version of the lantern is multi-coloured and made from cellophane. These lanterns are shaped as animals, and look cool at night when lighted up. These lanterns are brought outside at night and are lighted by a candle inside each lantern. Another trend that has emerged is the battery-operated lanterns. Not only can these lanterns light up, they have music too when turned on!

Lanterns sold at a local supermarket - NTUC Fairprice

The second (and delicious) attribute to the festival are the mooncakes. Mooncakes are round and have patterns on the pastries’ shells. The traditional mooncakes are baked with pastes inside them. Some of these mooncakes have egg yolks in the middle of the cakes, but there are plenty of non-egg yolk options. Common pastes include red bean and lotus pastes. Modern twists to the mooncake include ice cream mooncakes, and new pastes such as chocolate and durian pastes are becoming popular.

Mooncake with Lotus Paste

Bazaars during the Mid-Autumn Festival season are common, and the mooncakes look scrumptious. It is always interesting to discover new innovations with mooncakes and lanterns.

The bazaar at Sun Plaza’s atrium has been decorated to set the festival’s scenes. There are many mooncake stalls from hotels and other suppliers. The lanterns that are levitating above the atrium add colour, and are pretty.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is on 27^th September 2015.

HOW TO GET THERE

Bazaar Location: Sun Plaza - Atrium

30 Sembawang Drive

Nearest MRT Station: Sembawang

Sun Plaza is a grey and yellow building opposite the MRT Station. Walk straight after tapping your Ez-Link Card and turn right. Walk down the ramp and cross the road. Viola! You've reached Sun Plaza.

My McDonald's Breakfast in Singapore's Heartland

Welcome to my blog! Today's location is McDonald's in Sembawang, Singapore. Although Sembawang is located in Singapore's heartland, there are many enjoyable aspects to this area, beginning with McDonald's at Sun Plaza.

McDonald’s outlets differ around the world, from the menu items to the décor. In Singapore, McDonald’s is one of the most popular breakfast spots for students and working adults. The various breakfast options on the menu (including yummy pancakes) and free coffee and tea refills makes it a great place to meet friends over breakfast. McDonald's breakfast menu is served till 11 a.m. Some of the McDonald's outlets exude positive vibes with catchy music and energetic staff, such as the outlet at Sun Plaza in Sembawang.

One of my favourite McDonald’s breakfast items is the Sausage McMuffin set, consisting of the burger, a hash brown and a drink (ice lemon tea and Milo are favourites in Asia). The McMuffin bun
is soft, and the chicken patty with cheese is simply divine.

McDonald’s at Sun Plaza was revamped when the shopping centre underwent massive renovations, and it is a bright and upbeat place to have a cup of coffee, with the use of motifs and bright yellow all around the outlet. It is now easier and convenient to place orders by simply using the kiosks in the restaurant. The great thing is you can choose and customise your order. The outlet at Sun Plaza has a few of these kiosks. Basically you can place your order and pay for your food. If you want to pay with cash, you need to print the order receipt and make your payment at the counters. Both your order and payment receipts will have numbers printed on them, and those numbers will appear on the screen when your order is ready for collection.

Location:
McDonald's Sun Plaza
30 Sembawang Drive, #01-19
Nearest MRT Station: Sembawang