During our birthdays last week, we celebrated it with some good 'piggin-out' dinner sessions with Doris at "My Secret Garden" and friends from Melbourne at "Wiener Kaffeehaus". How did we celebrate each other's birthday?
HER BIRTHDAY
Photography by William Tan
Equipment: Nikon D200 with Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and Nikon SB-600
Fio's birthday was on a weekday and she had taken a day leave to unwind at a spa. Since I have always placed work before my own birthday, I had not taken leave to join her. We were not planning on anything big since we have other important dates in September to celebrate, such as the day when she received "Neko Neko"! We visited Peperoni Pizzeria to celebrate her birthday. Peperoni Pizzeria is one of the many F&B outlet operated by Les Amis Group. Since our first visit to Peperoni Pizzeria, it has always been a restaurant that we will visit during special occasions. Getting there is not exactly very convenient without a mode of transport. We will have to take a bus (usually 74 from my place or work) to Dunearn road or Bukit Timah Road (Hwa Chong JC side, cross the overhead bridge to Dunearn Road), then take a 7-8 minutes walk into Hillcrest Avenue and follow the road until we reach a triangle junction, where a row of shop houses sits along Greenwood Avenue.
At moment you step into Peperoni Pizzeria, you will be greeted by a fireplace where the pizzas are made. The tungsten lighting and pictures on the walls create a fun and yet cosy ambiance. If you like al fresco dining, there are seats in the courtyard as well. The pictures on the walls are mainly table mats. No, the pictures are not of artistic grease stains but oil pastel drawings made by diners. Fio could not resist picking up the sticks and start drawing her favourite "Garfield".
STARTERS
Portobello Mushroom
This is our favourite appetizer dish which we will always order every time we visit Peperoni Pizzeria. A huge piece of portobello mushroom fried in a tasty batter topped with chicken chunks, onion and Parmesan cheese. Though drowned in a rich brown sauce, the crust still retained its crispiness. You will need to cut the mushroom 'cutlet' like a steak, except that it is softer!
MAINS
Frutti de Mare
If you are expecting that this pizza is topped with fruits, you are wrong. The Frutti de Mare is a seafood pizza with fresh prawns, mussels, squid rings and succulent scallops. The toppings sits on top of a thin crispy crust base and covered with melted Parmesan cheese.
Squid Ink Sauce
This is the first time we tried squid ink pasta. We had ours with Linguine. The pasta comes with mussels, mixed Ravioli tossed in garlic and squid ink, topped with fresh tomato cubes. We had quite a bit of laughter when we saw each other's teeth and lips stained black.
DESSERTS
Chocolate Truffle
We did not order any desserts from Peperoni Pizzeria, but I have bought a Chocolate Truffle cake from Swissbake. The cake comes with a chocolate coated strawberry and white chocolate ring sitting on top of a soft chocolate truffle cake. Despite myself not being a chocolate lover, I really appreciated the cake as it was not too sweet.
Peperoni Pizzeria
6 Greenwood Avenue,
Hillcrest Park, Singapore 289192
Operating Hours:
Mondays to Sundays: All day dining - 12.00pm to 12.00am (Last seating at 10.30pm)
Public Holidays: Closed on certain Public Holidays. Please call to enquire.
Phone: (+65) 6465 6556
No dresscode necessary
Fio's birthday was on a weekday and she had taken a day leave to unwind at a spa. Since I have always placed work before my own birthday, I had not taken leave to join her. We were not planning on anything big since we have other important dates in September to celebrate, such as the day when she received "Neko Neko"! We visited Peperoni Pizzeria to celebrate her birthday. Peperoni Pizzeria is one of the many F&B outlet operated by Les Amis Group. Since our first visit to Peperoni Pizzeria, it has always been a restaurant that we will visit during special occasions. Getting there is not exactly very convenient without a mode of transport. We will have to take a bus (usually 74 from my place or work) to Dunearn road or Bukit Timah Road (Hwa Chong JC side, cross the overhead bridge to Dunearn Road), then take a 7-8 minutes walk into Hillcrest Avenue and follow the road until we reach a triangle junction, where a row of shop houses sits along Greenwood Avenue.
At moment you step into Peperoni Pizzeria, you will be greeted by a fireplace where the pizzas are made. The tungsten lighting and pictures on the walls create a fun and yet cosy ambiance. If you like al fresco dining, there are seats in the courtyard as well. The pictures on the walls are mainly table mats. No, the pictures are not of artistic grease stains but oil pastel drawings made by diners. Fio could not resist picking up the sticks and start drawing her favourite "Garfield".
STARTERS
Portobello Mushroom
This is our favourite appetizer dish which we will always order every time we visit Peperoni Pizzeria. A huge piece of portobello mushroom fried in a tasty batter topped with chicken chunks, onion and Parmesan cheese. Though drowned in a rich brown sauce, the crust still retained its crispiness. You will need to cut the mushroom 'cutlet' like a steak, except that it is softer!
MAINS
Frutti de Mare
If you are expecting that this pizza is topped with fruits, you are wrong. The Frutti de Mare is a seafood pizza with fresh prawns, mussels, squid rings and succulent scallops. The toppings sits on top of a thin crispy crust base and covered with melted Parmesan cheese.
Squid Ink Sauce
This is the first time we tried squid ink pasta. We had ours with Linguine. The pasta comes with mussels, mixed Ravioli tossed in garlic and squid ink, topped with fresh tomato cubes. We had quite a bit of laughter when we saw each other's teeth and lips stained black.
DESSERTS
Chocolate Truffle
We did not order any desserts from Peperoni Pizzeria, but I have bought a Chocolate Truffle cake from Swissbake. The cake comes with a chocolate coated strawberry and white chocolate ring sitting on top of a soft chocolate truffle cake. Despite myself not being a chocolate lover, I really appreciated the cake as it was not too sweet.
Peperoni Pizzeria
6 Greenwood Avenue,
Hillcrest Park, Singapore 289192
Operating Hours:
Mondays to Sundays: All day dining - 12.00pm to 12.00am (Last seating at 10.30pm)
Public Holidays: Closed on certain Public Holidays. Please call to enquire.
Phone: (+65) 6465 6556
No dresscode necessary
MY BIRTHDAY
On my birthday, Fio got me the most unique gift that I have never ever expected! She had adopted the VAIROCANA (大日如来) statue in my name, at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Musuem. This S$88 adoption allows me to contribute to the eventual VAIROCANA state which is in the process of making. VAIROCANA (大日如来) is the guardian protector of those born in the Year of the Monkey and Goat. Learn more about Vairocana. On my actual birthday (of the modern calender), we visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and made my offering of light and sent my wish of well-being to all beings, while the shi fu (monks) chant prayers for me, witnessed by the Maitreya Buddha. I was immersed in a peaceful state of mind at that very moment. It is not about getting anything material with this effort, but an act of sacrificing something so mundane and trivial as money. I do not expect anything in return as well, but I know that the prayers made to the VAIROCANA will be good for me and every being.
I really appreciate this gift from my dear!
Most importantly, this offering is for a very good course!
After sending my offering to the VAIROCANA, we headed to the top floor of the temple where the VAIROCANA wheel is. Surrounding the wheel, are the thousands of Buddha Lights. We have earlier put our names together in a committed union to adopt a Buddha Light. The day we adopted the Buddha Light is a significant day to the both of us and most importantly, with all the prayers that is sent in this temple, it will also be a form of blessing for the both of us.
Have you noticed that I have not done anything to spectacular on my birthday? I never liked to make my birthday to too big a deal. But I have definitely done something very meaningful on my birthday!
Fio has also done a cross-stitch for me. She took 'quite a long time' from start to finish! So I must really appreciate her efforts for this. I have not posted the pictures for this gift because I wanted to do so after framing it. But she has questioned me about the cross-stitch missing from my blog!!!
technorati tags
Singapore Food Peperoni Pizzeria Italian cuisine Portobello Mushroom Frutti de Mare pizza Squid Ink pasta Dunearn Road Bukit Timah Road Greenwood Avenue Hillcrest Park Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum Vairocana Buddha
Comments
Eh? Birthday last week? Happy belated birthday!
thanks dude!