December 2025

Little Yum (Albany, North Shore City, New Zealand)

Little Yum in Albany serves a wide range of dumplings, but our lunch visit showed mixed results across several dishes. A quiet Albany dumpling spot with plenty of promise, but our lunchtime visit revealed a mixed bag of flavours, textures, and execution. Albany’s Corinthian Drive has become one of the...

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Bacon

Crisp green beans sautéed in bacon fat with mushrooms, garlic, and just enough broth to make everything glossy and savoury. A simple side that never feels simple.  Green beans sautéed with bacon, mushrooms, and garlic for a tender-crisp, flavour-packed side dish. Green beans often get overlooked, which is a shame...

Perdis

A forgotten Cebuano stew that drew me in with its sweet aromatic profile, old-world charm, and a mystery that practically begged to be cooked again.  A Cebuano chicken stew scented with star anise, Mallorca liqueur, aromatics, and light soy, recreating a lost Spanish influenced Visayan recipe. Every now and then,...

Hanok BBQ Korean Grill House (Hội An, Vietnam)

A Korean grill feast right in the heart of Hội An, where great meats, quick service and proper charcoal grilling make every bite unforgettable.  Korean BBQ buffet in Hoi An with great meats, charcoal grills, and excellent value. Whenever I travel, I make it a point to indulge in things...

Gingerbread House Tradition at Work

A playful look into our yearly workplace gingerbread challenge, our out-of-the-box creations, and a short history of the gingerbread house.  Every year the office turns into a sugary battleground, and thinking beyond the usual house has become our secret weapon. Turns out gingerbread can tell quite a story. There’s something...

Beer Plaza (Da Nang, Vietnam)

A lively mountain-top beer hall with endless food, live performances and craft brews made at Vietnam’s highest brewery. A fun, unexpected highlight of Ba Na Hills. Beer Plaza in Ba Na Hills serves a large international buffet and craft beer brewed onsite, with live entertainment and mountain views. Ba Na...

Strawberry Matcha Sago with Nata and Almond Jelly

Creamy, chewy, and refreshingly light. This chilled dessert brings together earthy tea notes, fresh fruit, and bouncy textures in one festive bowl. A chilled dessert made with matcha milk, sago pearls, strawberries, nata de coco, almond jelly, and condensed milk. Every summer and festive season seems to bring its own...

Adobo Dulce

A northern Filipino pork dish simmered with pineapple juice, peanut butter, condensed milk, vegetables, and aromatics for a rich sweet savoury stew. A northern heirloom stew that surprised me from the very first bite, blending savoury depth with gentle sweetness in a way that felt both new and nostalgic. This...

Chè Bà Thọ (Hội An, Vietnam)

A cosy streetside chè stop in Hội An serving warm, comforting Vietnamese desserts prepared by a friendly local aunty.  Local chè stall in Hoi An serving sweet corn pudding, bean desserts, and tofu jelly. A couple of weeks ago, I shared my experience with a small chè shop along the...