"Almost Orgasmic"

It all started with an innocent question.

Me: So tell me, during those few days you were back home, what did you have for your meals?
Madboy: OH... You don't wanna know.
Me: Say lah.
Madboy: Lontong for breakfast. Nasi padang, mee siam, fried chicken, nasi goreng, sambal sotong...

I went deaf, and into a subconscious frenzy from there.


The next day, I received a dinner invitation for Saturday night.

A sweet young couple from Singers as well, whom I got to know through Madboy, asked if I would like to have dinner at their place. And I never ever turn down a house dinner invitation. Because I know I would be so crushed if I were the host and someone said, "No, I don't want to come to your place for dinner."

I was an awful guest, though. Dinner was half-past-seven. But by the time I crawled home from the courts, picked up a bottle of wine on the way, rested my aching legs, took a shower, dried my hair and finally found the energy to climb onto a cab, it was already ten when I rang the doorbell.

It was a small party. The hosting couple, another Singaporean-Swiss couple and then Madboy. I was pleasantly surprised to find a very DINK-ily yet cosily designed apartment, though perched just one level above the roaring traffic along Caine Road. I was even more surprised to find out the couple had actually bought the apartment. The kitchen was built outside at the balcony - a very thoughtful design for a small apartment. And the balcony was also where we sat around a huge dining table, enjoying the reds and homemade mohitos and fags, the cool night breeze and the revving engines of the buses below us.

The iPod provided the in-house trance for the night. Madboy and gang provided the intellectual company for the night - mostly about ghosts and movies.

But it was the food.

The home-cooked food that remained in my mind after I left the apartment, and even while I was watching the rugby game in a boisterous pub.

Curry chicken. Beef rendang. Sambal goreng (with tempeh, sweet potatoes and okra!). Dhal.

Being the last guest to arrive, I'd like to think I did the couple a favor by finishing up most of the food, and sparing them from any leftovers.


So I woke up today with only one die-die-must-do mission in mind.

The target? That Malaysian eatery, just five minutes away, someone told me was rather authentic and actually pretty good.

Well, that someone sure wasn't lying.