the garden slug

Our theme this year will be a Spring menu, as Valentine’s day falls on the same day as the lunar new year which happens to be symbolic for renewal and as the returning of spring.

Typically Spring menus are bright, zesty, light and colourful. Fruits and herbs are also used in abundance. The focus is on quality produce with minimal rich sauces.

This year we will have smooth & light entertainment with Nathan on vocals & guitar 8pm-8.45pm

The dining area will be kept private, lights romantically dimmed & you will dine with your loved one by candlelight.

Reservations:
Friday Night 12th February 2010
6pm/ 7pm/ 8pm/ 9pm
call 6346-0504 or e-mail justask@thegardenslug.com

Why no preservatives? Why no artificial colouring?

‘cuz that’s just how we roll… we roll the dough with our rolling, rolling pin.

And that’s how we roll… we roll the super-sticky hand-grated pineapples into little heart shapes, painstakingly & carefully sitting them atop the heart-shaped almond meal crusts.

Impress the significant other and the in-laws (and some out-laws) by being clever — with heart-shaped pineapple tarts.

Why not, right? This way you wouldn’t have to choose between Chinese New Year and Valentine’s.

The significant other will be pleased. The relos will be pleased. You will be hailed the Golden Child of the year. Hurrah!

One (heart) shape, two tub sizes, two exciting flavours.

Original Hearty Tarts: hand-grated pineapples, top-grade high protein flour, almond meal, sugar, butter, eggs, salt.
Small tub $28 / Large tub $39

Rum Hearty Tarts: same ingredients as Original, but with lots of rrrrrruummmmmm, for that little extra sumthin’ sumthin’ ya know wha’ I mean? *nudge nudge*
Small tub $39 / Large tub $49

We bake ‘em fresh just before you come collect them. So pre-order at least three days in advance, can?

Pre-orders:
By phone: 6346-0504
By phone/SMS: Sophia 8138-7539 | Joseph 9006-4163 | Sharon 9225-7913
By e-mail: justask@thegardenslug.com
By internets: Order Online at http://thegardenslug.com/heartytarts

OK here’s the deal. You order one tub of Hearty Tarts, we give you a pack of TGS custom-made can’t-find-it-anywhere-else Ang Pows. Deal?

OK lah, you know what, just come up to us and ask if you want some. (Ang Pows, I mean.)

Sans lucky draws & door gifts, this is how we celebrate our annual D&D (dinner & drink – no dance!)

Rule #1: A well-stocked fridge of alcohol thirst-quenching beverages is a must.

Jian Yun made a très chic starter of rock melon wrapped w/ parma ham

Wei Yang made an awesome egg-drop soup. You will be seeing this as a Soup of the Day soon (we put a gun to his head & demanded it!)

Sophia made butter raisin brown rice

…and chicken curry

Sharon made sambal prawns w/ french beans

Jian Yun made his version of a tofu & roasted vege piquant

Joe brought pizza

Shaun brought pie

Leo made some incredibly well-battered, crunchy chicken wings

Jian Yun made roasted potatoes in sweet garlic & rosemary olive oil

Joe’s super spicy pizza

And now, time for dessert! But before that, let’s cut to a short commercial break, brought to you by The Garden Slug LLP.

So there was this discussion about a shop selling very good popiah skin just down the road from Sophia’s place at Joo Chiat. Did I say discussion? I meant semi-drunk slug speak.
Leo: Ya I always buy from there. It’s very good, but very expensive, very expensive!
Joe: How much?
Leo: Very expensive, verrrry expensive…
Joe: How much?
Leo: It’s very good, I always buy from there. But I tell you, it’s very expensive! You can sit there & eat, very expensive!
Joe: How much?
…
and this goes on in a never-ending loop for about 2 minutes.

OK dessert time.

José made a delightful Graham Cake, topped w/ condensed milk & strawberries

Alex brought traditional Indonesian cakes

Kenny brought more cakes (our slugs really like having their cakes, and they eat them too!)

Michael brought donuts

And after we wiped out the alcohol thirst-quenching beverages…

… this is the kind of conversation that ensues

Sharon: Heard that Eng’s wonton mee at Dunman Food Centre is very good…
Joe: Oh, Eng Seng ah… Eng Seng is craB!
Sophia: No ah, Eng’s not craP! They are pretty good!
Joe: It’s craB! Eng Seng is craB…
Sophia: No ah, not craP! it’s good.
Joe: It’s craB.
…
This, too, goes on in a never-ending loop for another 2 minutes

Sharon: Guys, I’m talking about Eng’s, not Eng Seng. They sell wonton noodles…
Joe: Oh, Eng’s har.
Sophia: Yaaa, Eng’s wonton mee, at Dunman Food Centre.
Joe: Oh-khay. But Eng Seng is crab…

Aaaanyhoo.

At one point, all our boys fell silent & were watching TV macam so full of concentration. We thought, okay, is it football or perhaps a sizzling scene on James Bond or what. Sekali ah… they were watching Asian Food Channel.

Food nerdz r us.

L-R: Michael, Shaun, Alex, Joseph, Wei Yang, Jian Yun, Sophia, Kenny, Leo, José Mari, Sharon

Wait, did I say we wiped out the drinks? Actually Leo single-handedly wiped out most of the booze thirst-quenching beverages. Amazingly, he was still very lucid till the very end. LEO YOU THE CHAMPION!

Some of us are having yesterday’s leftovers for lunch today (curry always tastes better the next day). And people who run restaurants have really small home fridges. It’s a fact. Yep.

We’re a humble li’l diner made up of a hardworking li’l team. We’re not a large corporate type of place. I think we kinda like it that way.

Finally! The slugs get to hang up their aprons and get together for their annual Dinner & Dance. This is incredibly belated as we were toooo busy with Turkey TV in Decemeber. So, all the slugs will trot to Sophia slug’s humble new abode for a pot luck session and meet her food-named pets. (Pancat the feline superstar and Peanut the Samseng cocker)

We will keep you posted on what each slug brought. Let’s hope we don’t end up with 12 tubs of agar-agar. Or 12 bags of nacho chips! ha… ** To Joe slug- you are not allowed to bring Pineapple tarts **

So, see you on 2 Feb Tuesday 6pm back at the shop. Rest of the week : sluggin’ it out as usual! See ye~

12th Feb Fri – 9am till late ~ Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu reservations **  menu announcements coming up soon!

13th Feb Sat & 14th Feb Sun - closed for Lunar New Year

15th Feb Mon – 6pm till late ~ Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu reservations** menu announcements coming up soon!

16th Feb Tues – 6pm till 10pm

17th Feb Wed onwards – back to normal !

Bright and early last weekend, Joe & I packed a bunch of smartly-uniformed slugs in the slug-mobile and drove to a huge private art warehouse . A client of ours was hosting a cocktail and sit-down lunch for some potential art buyers. We planned a fusion menu for her, as requested. Enjoy the food pr0n!

Champagne & Hors D’oeuvres

Trio of Colourful Fruit kebabs, Japanese Achar cucumber with Toasted sesame seeds, Feta and Stuffed Olives

Champagne on ice

Petite Starter: Lemongrass grilled Shrimps over coral leaves. Dressed in lemon citrus oil and topped with sweet basil leaves

Main #1: Grilled Chicken Breast atop Saffron Tomyam linguine, glazed with Marsala oil. White-wine grilled Asparagus completes the ensemble

Main #2: Slow-baked Vegetable Ratatouille topped with seared vegetable rings

Main #3: Braised Lamb Loin with chunky root vegetables in a red wine sauce, spiced with Szechuan pepper and rosemary

Dessert: Chilled Kahlua Vanilla custard topped with Gula Melaka and candied Pumpkin

Big thanks to Michael, Alex, Jian Yun, Wei Yang & Dexter for doing a great job and looking glamorous while doing it too!

A shout out goes out to Sharon Slug too, who was holding the fort and taking care of Mark and Adeline’s event at The Garden Slug on the same day ** and not forgetting Jose, Kenny, Leo and Sam of course!**

Last night at The Garden Slug… Shaun slug walks into the kitchen with a box of Krispy Kreme donuts.  Seeing the familiar polka-dotted box, Joe and Sophia let out a collective 100 decibel , ” WAHHHHHHHHH!!! ” In response to that, Shaun said, ” Nicholina left this for Sharon, I’ll keep it in the chiller for her..”  Joe and Sophia then let out a collective sigh, ” Ohhhhhhhhhh…” But we’re meeting Sharon Slug this afternoon to do the R&D for the new Hearty Pineapple Tarts..  Hehe, will convince Sharon Slug to share her donut stash. :-0  Thank You Nicholina for lugging these precious babies all the way from K.L. !

Gosh, this blog post is oh-so-belated….  Remember our Xmas Kits 2009? ( I know, I know..that was sooo last year.. haha) The kitchen slugs were working close to 20 hours per day watching Turkey TV and stirring stew pots…So, imagine how touched we were when 4 slug fans friends actually came with gifts of love to thank us for our effort. We’re truly floored!

First, Nicholinabrought her dad’s famous roast pork! And gave us Royce Champagne chocolates on Boxing Day… She obviously found our weak spot(s)!

And then, Yvonne came with MANY Xmas stockings of Yuletide sweets [thanks for the pics, Kenny!]

As if that isn”t enough big love, Good ol’ Nicholas and Clare came to cook us Wagyu steaks for dinner!!! Those steaks were delish! I’m sure Sharon slug will second that opinion. Sorry Nick & Clare, that I was running all over the store with steak in my mouth.. Haha.. :-0

Thank You everybody for making us feel like we have made a teeny tiny difference to your holidays. You sure did make a difference to OURS ! May 2010 be a fabulous year for everybody

Introducing, the Twenty Ten Trio!

L-R:
Peach Tea Spice FIZZzz
Cranberry Ginger Schnapps
Rum Raisin Smoothie

Available only on 31 Dec 2009 and 1 Jan 2010