First of all I’d like thank everyone that voted for me for the Well Fed Awards. I was nominated for Best Food Blog-City and Best Food Blog-Post for my Freeganism story. I didn’t win either (check out Well Fed’s announcement of the winners here) but congratulations to the winners and thankyou to Well Fed for creating the awards!
I can genuinely say that it was truly an honour to be nominated -for I didn’t realise that I would get nominated in a single category let alone two. I was too scared to see if anyone would nominate me (I’m a chicken that way) but my husband would read out the lovely comments where readers suggested my site never thinking that I would even make the final cut when compared to the other sites discussed, nor did I ever think I would get 2 out of 4 Australian nominations (unfortunately no Aussies picked up an award this year). Perhaps I am destined to be the Kate Winslet of the food blog award world 
I joke!
But seriosuly, again I’d like to thank everyone that nominated and voted for me. Your support means a great deal to me and motivates me to make this even bigger, better and more creative every day. This blog is a testament to how much I value you.
Lots of love,
Lorraine
xxx
And now onto the story…
As I’ve mentioned there was a bit of clash this year with Chinese New Year and Australia Day. So because of this, we were celebrating Chinese New Year on Tuesday the 27th of January instead of the 26th. No matter, more meals and more spread out. It was a win win! We chose Ginger & Spice because we wanted to have some Singaporean and Malaysian food without trekking out too far (my father and uncle dislike traveling for their food, in fact getting them to cross the Harbour Bridge was far enough as far as they were concerned). It’s freezing inside with the air conditioning being turned up to Singapore shopping mall levels.
Ginger & Spice is also interestingly a favourite place of uber chef Tetsuya Wakuda, his image on the wall.
Yusheng Raw Fish Prosperity Salad $78
We’ve ordered this dish ahead as it’s a special Chinese NY dish that A told us about at the Multicultural Australia Day party the day before. They had told my mum about it when she booked but she dismissed it as it was a Raw Fish Salad. However after a bit of convincing she was interested again. We ordered the small as my parents and my uncle dislike raw fish.
Its’ brought to the table on a large platter and consists of shredded radish, sweet potato, carrot, sashimi salmon, ginger, chili, coriander and spring onions. They scatter a peanut sesame mix over it, then a sweet plum sauce and then finally some crackers (deep fried dumpling wrappers).
Flurry of salad tossing!
The whole idea is that you grab your chopsticks and toss the salad together digging your chopsticks deep and getting salad from the bottom. The higher you toss the better and more luck. And despite their initial fear, my parents and my uncle enjoy this salad.
Whole Hainanese Chicken $34.80
I adore Hainanese chicken and rice and we’ve ordered a whole one, mostly deboned and cut into pieces. It’s expertly cooked here and served with a choice of kecap manis, ginger sauce (my favourite) and a chili ginger sauce. The chicken is so soft, probably the softest chicken I’ve had and slippery and melts in the mouth when combined with the chicken rice.
Squid in Kecap Manis $19.80
Having had this dish before, I don’t mind it but it’s a little too verging on a burnt taste to me but others enjoy this. The squid rings are chewy whereas the tentacles are tender.
Ngoh Hiang $16.80
The dried tofu skin (yuba) wrapped rolls are deep fried and stuffed with pork mince, prawns and water chestnuts which give it a crunchy texture. It’s not bad at all and reminiscent of what you might get at yum Cha.
Belachan Kang King $14.80
We’ve order the Kangkung (water spinach) with Belachan, an aromatic shrimp paste. I adore Kangkung and I try some and it’s beautifully soft and perfectly spiced. My mother’s Kangkung is more stringy and hard to chew on but my cousin says that this is the younger Kangkung which is more tender. I want a plate of this to myself.
Pig’s trotter $38.80
I enjoyed the pig’s trotter last Chinese New Year at Kensington Peking but this one isn’t quite as good. The pig’s trotter is just a bit too fatty and gelatinous which sounds silly as that is what pig’s trotter is I suppose but I recall falling apart soft meat and not so much fat to it. As it turns out it doesn’t matter as the boys hungrily devour it.
Durian Chendol $8.80
Half of us are full and the other half (the boys) are hungry for dessert and there’s no other dessert for them except for Durian Chendol. Yes Durian, the super stinky fruit that I run screaming from is on the menu although I am assured that it is the frozen version which is less potent and scarring to the olfactory senses (I can’t imagine the mostly Caucasian clientele here reacting well to the smell of fresh Durian). Chendol are the wriggly green worm-like starch noodles and it’s served with shaved ice, coconut milk, palm sugar and Durian.
Ice Kacang $4.50
My favourite dessert is the Ice Kacang. It’s a bowl of shaved ice with palm syrup, sweetened condensed milk and a treasure trove of goodies underneath. There is Nata de Coco (clear chewy jelly), sweetened red beans and cubed grass jelly.
Bubor Chacha $4.50
I always like Bubor Chacha as I like the sweet coconut flavour. It’s a very simple dessert made up of sweet coconut milk and cubes of boiled taro and sweet potato. Tonight it’s good but the taro is a bit too firm.
Cheng Teng $6.80
The Cheng Teng, my husband’s choice is a bowl of sweet, cold soup with shards of shaved ice, slightly herbal in flavour with gingko nuts, longan and sago. It’s refreshing and good although I am always loyal to my Ice Kacang. Gung Hei Fat Choy everyone (and a late one at that!)>
Ginger and Spice
240 Military Road, Neutral Bay, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9908 2552
Open 7 days: Tuesday to Sunday 12:00 – 15:00, 17:30 – 22:00
Monday: 17:30 – 22:00
Cash Only, no credit card of EFTPOS
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26 Comments | Add your own
Pity you didn’t win you surely deserved it. Your photos are always so so nice . Like these above
You surely are a winner for me.
yum yum yum yum yum!!!
really feel like a hainanese chicken rice now though!
Happy Chinese New Year to you! _Everything_ except that durian chendol, looks delicious! ;P
Durian chendol! That’s something I’ve never had before. But I bet I’ll love it, since I love each on it’s own. I eat durian with warm rice, it sounds strange, but it’s really yummy!
I had yusheng and kangkung belacan for CNY too! You can always try making the yusheng, it’s not too difficult, I just subbed fresh salmon for smoked salmon.
Your post makes me miss home… or more specifically, the food.
Lorraine, marvelous photos and in the meantime Happy Chinese New Year and Australian Day as well
Here is a multicultural nation plenty of different festivities too…better to celebrate!
I choose from the menu raw fish prosperity salad with ice kacang as dessert, for sure both awesome!:)
All the best!
Gera
The fish salad looks interesting – shame to serve the components in cheap plastic tubs though.
I love waking up to discover whatever it is you’ve got to share with us each day – such interesting places you visit, makes me wish I lived in Sydney instead of Japan!
What a terrific looking feast! I’d love to try the fish salad and the trotter!
I know what you mean about the Singapore shopping centre freeze. My friend from Singapore has an antarctic car.
Food looks great! I used to live near this place, but never went in.
That’s too bad
there’s always next time though! The Yee Sang looks good! I did it twice this year despite never having done it before…and I’m part chinese too…lol! The best part is tossing it around messily!
Wow… that’s absolutely yummy food
You’re a winner in my eyes babe!
Love the raw fish salad spectacle! xx
Hi snookydoodle-Thankyou so much!
I try and make the photos as good as possible so thankyou for noticing! 
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-This one was the best I’ve had, if you’re ever in Sydney and i the mood, I’d definitely go here for it
Hi Y-Happy Chinese New Year to you too! And I agree that Durian Chendol offended my nose
Hi Su-yin-my problem with durian is that I can’t get over the smell. Yes I agree, the yusheng seemed quite simple when you broke down all the parts. Awww sorry!
Hi Gera-Thankyou, and the same to you too!
I agree the more holidays the better and the more eating opportunities too 
Hi Angela-The last time I went to Singapore they gave me a drink in a plastic bag so I think they don’t see plastic containers as so bad
Thankyou, that’s really lovely of you to say. In Sydney you can really eat all over the world without leaving the city 
Move to Sydney!
Hi Dana-I was definitely loving the food this CNY!
Hi Arwen-Yeah I was freezing during dinner as it was hot and I didn’t bring a jacket!
Hi Cakelaw-We drive past here all the time but this is only our second visit
Hi Alexandra-Yes onwards and upwards!
The tossing is a lot of fun isn’t it 
Hi Selba-Thanks, I am craving some of it right now
Hi Christie-Aww thanks so much sweetie! Haha yes time to play Swedish Chef xxx
I think Su Yin mean that eating durian with warm glutinous rice. It is Indonesian dessert. Micing cendol with durian is what Indonesian hawker selling on street.
Hey, you should try the durian, it is actually not as scary as you think when you taste the flavour.
When I came to Australia, trying raw fish in Japanese restaurant was actually the scariest thing as I had been educated that raw fish may contain worm eggs (in developing country like Indonesia, yes it is). Imagine when I ate that then years later watching Dr. House first episode where a woman got worm in her brain ‘cos of eating ham? Where did Dr. House been educated till he forgetting blood-brain barrier?
What cool photos!
You’re making me want to share what I eat on my blog too
that’s a whole lot of pretty colors on one plate and in one meal. lovely food. just lovely.
Lol. No actually I meant eating it with normal rice – I know it sounds really strange but people in Penang seem to do it quite a bit. Not many other Malaysians do it though so I tend to get strange looks when I bring this up.
And I agree with Lilia, I think it’s a matter of getting used to it. Maybe it’s like Marmite, where you either love it or hate it..
Don’t worry about making me miss home, it’s worth it!
x
I love NQN! Why? This blog inspires my creativity. From your fabulous adventures in baking, to various restaurant food photos, I always find something to push me a little further in the kitchen. So thank YOU!
To Su Yin: Yeah, I was thinking that was strange with warm rice? I though you mean warm glutinous rice. I love warm glutinous rice ‘cos it’s hard when it is cold. I’m used to eat my rice with savoury food, so yeah it is strange for me to read that, beside it durian is best when cold, not frozen. Frozen food tend to be watery on defrosting.
I guess we Penangites just have strange habits.
Did I type frozen durian? I meant I eat it right after it’s opened, or from the fridge. I think I love it because of the hot/cold combination, I always find that there’s something addictive about that combination. It’s right up there with roasted bananas/ice cream. Ahhh bliss.
Hi Lilia-I just can’t, I’ve tried and can’t get over the smell but I can appreciate some people just love the stuff. But then again I’m very bothered by smells, probably more than others and they really affect me. Yes I would never eat non sashimi grade fish. That would be rather foolish!
Hi Melanie-Thanks, you should!
Hi grace-Thanks so much, yes foods always looks so much better when it’s colourful doesn’t it!
Hi Su-yin-Haha noooo I’ve tried, and I just can’t. And no-one can persuade me otherwise about Durian
Hi Sandie-Thankyou so much! That’s one of the sweetest compliments ever!
Hi Lilia and Su-yin-Haha I love your conversation here. Keep going!
Ha ha, I think we can have another chat topic in your newer blog entry *wink to Su-Yin*
Sorry, I though I read frozen durian, but it is in the blog entry, not the comment box.
Yumm that is a great CNY feast! I am drooling over all of the dishes except the durian chendol (smelllyyy!) but *drooolllss* everything else looks so gooooddd! Hunngrryy mmm
Hi Lilia-Ahh ok, well chat away!
Hi Ffichiban-Yep I’m with you on the Durian thing. I loved everything else though!
I can never take such wonderful photos at a restaurant! Everything looks so fresh.
Hi maris-Thanks! My husband is the man with the steady hand at restaurants
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