the garden slug

Dearest Mum,

I couldn’t decide on a card for you, so I picked all three from Scallop Inc. These cards are hand-stitched by dear friends of mine. I didn’t just get them because Sook & Fishe made them (okay that’s part of the reason. And don’t ask me why I have a friend named “Fishe”). I mean everything it says on them cards. I do love you. You are the best. And often I feel all the thankyous in the world could never suffice.. but thank you Mum, for everything.

I think you are the sort of mother everyone wishes they had, which constantly reminds me how lucky I am to have you. The other constant reminder is the fact that my friends May and Charlie have repeatedly told me they would like to hang out with you more, because they think you are really cool. Just you. Without me in the picture. :-/ They say I am super uncool. With friends like these who needs enemies, right?

You might like this week’s soup, because you like soup in general. Puréed vegetable soup w/ sage chilli brown butter. We can leave out the sage chilli thingy if you’re afraid it’s too spicy or oily, but it does add a nice little punch to the soup. Just a small, friendly, jab-in-the-shoulder type of punch, nothing too violent at all.

I asked Joe to make a chicken stew. (Okay, chicken stew was actually Sook‘s idea because she thought something “traditional” would go with the vintage-esque cards she’s hawking.) But Joe had other ideas. He always does. Paper-wrapped chicken baked in chardonnay & water chestnut consommé, served with antipasto pasta salad. A “consommé” is just a fancy name for clear soup. I think the chardonnay bit might excite you; after all Dad doesn’t call you a toper for nothing.

Dessert was also made with you in mind. I know you love lavender, judging by the bushels of dried lavender flowers you carted back from Grandaunt Mavis’ garden in Melbourne last year. And that you always only buy the lavender-scented Yardley’s talcum powder. Lavender panna cotta w/ summer berry compote, with chocolate Baileys truffle as an added delight. Compote is a fancy way of saying fruit that is stewed in a syrup.
And yes, the truffles have your favourite nightcap in them – Baileys Irish Cream.

I’ll be working most of this weekend, and I might forget to call or text. But I know you’ll see this because I know you often stalk our website. Often the things I want to say are never really said. Must be an Asian upbringing thing. Although, I think you and Dad both know you’ve done a really good job in bringing up rather decent, well-adjusted children.

I saw this video at the end of Scallop Inc’s blog post, thought you might like it. You know I can never really cry, but this one made me choke and tear at the end of it.

Thanks Mum, I love you.

.. for a long-awaited Slug outing!

Business as usual from Tuesday 8th May 2012, 6.00pm.

this week’s specials, available from today, all day, and possibly all week or while fresh ingredients last

But first, a video.

Ah, The Bee Gees. They were SO kool. So masculine and so feminine. We rike.

soup of the day: double mushroom potage
Rather ordinary, some might say. We are but ordinary people, leading ordinary lives.
And sometimes a little bit of ordinary solace is what we seek in this mad, greedy world full of mad, greedy people.

Anyhoo. Remember to check-in on Foursquare when you visit us and someday a cup of soup-o-the-day may just be yours, on the house.

special main: chargrilled tender chicken breast with spicy mojo sauce
What is in the mojo sauce? Why is it called a mojo sauce? One has to ask the Mo Joe himself:

Le mojo sauce contains le tangy orange, le toasted cumin, le crushed garlic, and le smoked paprika. This combinaison is guaranteed to put le mojo into anything you do ~ cooking, spring-cleaning, eating, drinking, not thinking..

With the wise words of The Mo Joe himself in mind, have the tender chargrilled chicken atop Real Mash™, OR with pasta aglio olio con funghi, OR gently clasped in a lightly-toasted sesame bun.

Photos only of spicy mojo chicken breast atop Real Mash™. We leave the rest to your imagina-syion.

dessert special: Black. Forest. Lava. Cake.
‘Nuff said.

Ask to have this with a generous scoop of vanilla gelato to complete the picture.

We’re running not just one but TWO loyalty specials on Foursquare. For every second check-in, an ice-cold refreshing glass of Lemongrass Tea awaits thee. For every third check-in, a warm, hearty Soup of the Day awaits thee.

So, on your first visit, diddly-doo twiddly-thumbs.. there’s nothing for you but hey whip out the phone and check-in anyway. ‘Coz that’ll get you somewhere on your next and next-next visits. Genius, right? Right.

All you have to do is flash any one of us… the “unlocked prize” screen on your smartphone.

We’re always open to feedback on how we can make things more exciting, Foursquare specials included. We love hearing from you and we try to make ourselves available a few hours a day on Facebook and Twitter. So come talk to us.

And. You’re welcome.

this week’s specials, available from today, all day, and possibly all week or while fresh ingredients last

soup of the day: onion & quinoa bisque, sprinkled with dill
Had to look this one up. Le Kitchen Slugs like to cook things which Le Drivel Writer no understand. Le dictionary says quinoa (pronounced kin-wa) is “a goosefoot found in the Andes, where it was widely cultivated for its edible starchy seeds before the introduction of Old World grains“.
Two questions:
1) Simi si ‘goosefoot’?
2) Simi si ‘Old World grains’ ?

With a tippy-tap of le keyboard, le dictionary then explained goosefoot is “a plant of temperate regions with divided leaves that are said to resemble the foot of a goose. Some kinds are edible and many are common weeds“.

So there. We’re feeding you weed seeds.

And speaking of dill, we thought this was knee-slapping guffaw-inducing HI-LA-RIOUS


© Threadless

This week, instead of having a thing to share-share, we are introducing you a new menu item.

Introducing: The ULTIMATE Bangers & Mash
Ultimately, if you’re a Bangers & Mash fan, this would be like, the ultimate fantasy. The B&M to rule all B&Ms.

Featuring three studly bangers: German pork bratwurst, chicken chipolata, and spicy Italian pork & beef sausages. Handsomely sat atop Real Mash™, with sautéed onions and wholegrain mustard for merry accompaniment.

special main: Seafoodura Tempura Singapura
Beer-battered seafood and beans tempura, with a zingy garlicky taucheo sauce.
Simi si ‘taucheo’? Taucheo si soybean paaaaaste. (you must say this in a very aunty-aunty tone okayyyy)

Use fingers and dip-dip like this for full enjoyment. But if you want to use fork, also can, we won’t judge you.

dessert special: brûlée all-butter cake, with plump red wine poached plums
And a generous scoop of vanilla gelato topped with almond tar to top it all off

This is what we call “The Titanic shot”

Thank you once again, for reading right till the very end. We are deeply, deeply heartened by your… patience. So here’s a little reward for those of us who prefer quiet days and quiet nights: Should our gentle reader choose to visit our humble li’l diner on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowd, here’s a little Happy Hour special you might enjoy.

See you this weekend, and see you one of these quiet nights too.

We’ve got a wee mention in this week’s 8 Days, page 69, as a “pet friendly restaurant” =^_^=

Thank you Hansel (yes, THE Hansel of Hansel’s Meatball Pasta), Ching and Nic for being somewhat complicit in this HEHE

On Mingle-Mingle Night this past 13th Feb, we planned to have a couple of games and events. However, it seemed like everyone was having such a good time getting to know each other and listening to the live performance, we decided to skip the games and let everyone kick back and have a mingling -good time.

Part of the ticket sales went to charity, as advertised. With your help, we donated $450 to the Cat Welfare Society.

We didn’t manage any photographic evidence of the mingling and jingling in action, but here’s a quick photo recap for the curious

Often we have requests for customised cakes for birthdays and events. Rather than put a huge design on one cake, which eventually gets “destroyed” and cut up into little pieces, we thought, Hey wouldn’t it feel a little more special if each little slice of cake could have its own complete design..?

Enter the party cake of all party cakes – The Garden Slug’s One-of-a-kind Customised Cakes.

What we do is print the design (with edible ink! made of vegetable dye! they’re edible!) on edible icing sheets (they’re edible too!). Be it a corporate event or a private birthday party, send us your design and we’ll give you a cake that’ll really, um, take the cake.

As for the cake itself – everyone knows you can’t go wrong with chocolate. The dark chocolate fudge squares are a big favourite across the board – multi-national companies, non-profits, Hello Kitty aficionados and let’s not forget, even Adam Lambert fans love chocolate. So yeah, ask for the dark chocolate fudge squares.

E-mail us your design and give us at least 5 working days to process your order.

E-mail: justask@thegardenslug.com

We want to congratulate Veron Ang for the most accurate translation, and Jasoh Koh for the most, well, for the most “WTF translation”. Also a huge thank you to everyone else who participated in our mini contest – dun be sad, we has more mini contests to come! Actually we already has another one here.

Veron wins a $55 “barbecue platter for three” and Jason wins a $95 “greek salad salmon platter”. Check your inboxes, you’ll be hearing from us soon

Veron‘s “accurate translation”

Since it was established in 2006, The Garden Slug has amassed a group of loyal followers. With its location near animal hospitals and pet stores, fans include members of the Cat Welfare Society which holds its gatherings here. During the Chinese New Year period from 25 to 29 January, the restaurant is introducing a special menu. Dishes include an original Greek salmon sashimi ($95) and a lunar barbecue platter that serves three ($55). An advance order of 2 days is required.

Jason‘s “WTF translation”

Godly Mouser Year Save 2006Ns, The ship reached and broke into half,dyed to a piece of paper,Standing between the One Round belly Hollow ghost and Sticking out many hairs Hollow Ghost ,The killer fly closes the door for the Garden Slug who is covered in “one” oil,happily put on his clock and SXXX.The SXXX Stand holder man,Tan Zhong,who is hairy hates “fool balls and slides.He said can yay sink zai means that it ate lift half weights.Over at Chan Pavilion,Zai Road one moon 25 right to 29 right farm, new wash N chicken, Zen ,pushes out the turtle bird vegetable soup,to Qi zhong but Qi Zhong only thinks he wants to wear the little candle that forms three words “Meeting one Life” Over at cold lift morning 2 eggs Pavilion ,3 men sleeping at the farm later went ouch and rolled like a pig but most weird are their names “thin”,”happy” and “gold”

“Tomatoes are red, they never turn blue
Chilli is hot, and so are you.”

Yours truly penned this original poem and recited it to a very pretty girl some time last year. Said pretty girl rolled her eyes and pushed yours truly away.

If you’re just as witty in crafting food-related pseudo-romantic poetry, well, good for you.

If you’re nowhere near this sort of eyeroll-inducing talent, may we gently suggest you invite your hot date/ best friend(s)/ spouse/ family member(s) to a non-discriminatory Valentine’s dining experience at our humble li’l diner?

At The Garden Slug, we believe Valentine’s Day is for celebrating all kinds of love. Out of benevolence and consideration for all of mankind, we have created two special events: Mingle-Mingle Night on 13 Feb 2012, and Lovey-Dovey Dinner on 14 Feb 2012.

Free-flow Menu for Mingle-Mingle Night, 13 Feb 2012
• Pumpkin, feta & cranberry salad tossed in a strawberry vinaigrette
• Assorted mushroom tart triangles w/ bacon & cilantro pesto
• Sweet potato, red pepper & edamame croquettes served w/ a sesame dressing
• Ginger, honey & cayenne chicken drumlets
• Fusilli in a tomato-cream sauce w/ spinach and Italian (pork) meatballs
• Country Chicken Stew w/ hearty vegetables
• Cilantro & chilli dory (fish) atop tri-coloured roasted potatoes
• Red velvet white chocolate raspberry brownie
• French crepes topped w/ refreshing fruits in a lemon-orange rum glaze
  Book online: Mingle-Mingle Night, 13 Feb 2012

Four-Course Menu for Lovey-Dovey Dinner, 14 Feb 2012
• Heartfelt Soup: Roast pumpkin & apple w/ a light marjoram cream drizzle
• Passionate Starter: Fresh prawns w/ chilled avocado, cucumber mousse & a tabasco aioli

  Palette Cleanser: Orange & sweet cilantro shooter in a ginger-salt-rimmed shot glass

• Choice of “The One” Main each:
  – Australian Ribeye Wine Stroganoff (beef) w/ balsamic onions + sweet potato mash
  – Pan-seared Salmon w/ a tangy strawberry shallot sauce + sweet potato mash
  – Slow-baked Saffron Chicken Ratatouille + warm crusty bread
  – Braised Forest Mushroom Pasta, w/ a light drizzle of basil & truffle cream

• Make Sweet Sweet Love Dessert: Red Wine Chocolate Cake w/ a light Earl Grey Cream
  Cheese custard, lovingly paired with port-reduced berries & mint cream
  Book online: Lovey-Dovey Dinner, 14 Feb 2012

And if you’re curious about the story between the pretty girl and yours truly, a year later yours truly receives this in reply:

“Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
I do love the fact
That you are uncool.”

This brings us to only one conclusion: yours truly is clearly the better poet.