FOOD FOR THOUGHT AT THE GARDEN SLUG

This post was originally intended to be a foodie diary entry for The Garden Slug. However, the more I look at it, it's just not. There's a lot of notes to self and "lessons" to be found here. Wait, what!? It sounds crazy so instead of explaining the idea behind it, I'll just let you read through and see how this became a thought piece instead. Okay, let's start off...

All-natural Basil Strawberry-ade with Sea-salt //  Sometimes it's the "weird" things that make the most sense.  

I would've passed up on this yummy drink had I not tasted the rock melon with lime and basil sorbet from Artichoke before. Most people would be turned off by the sight of the word "basil" as it's normally reserved for savoury dishes, but you'd be surprised at how good it is with fruits. Try it and I bet you'd wonder how come you've never had it sooner. 

Portobello Mushrooms Grilled with herb-infused olive oil & vinegar // Too much is never good!

Mmmm, portobello mushrooms! It's easy to over order delicious food, we even have this Filipino term called "takaw mata" which describes instances when your eyes are hungrier than your tummy. Aside from food going to waste when you take more than you can, you're actually hurting your entire meal experience. When you're already stuffed but you still force yourself to eat coz there's still so much on your plate, you wouldn't enjoy it as much as if you didn't feel obligated to. Originally considered the bigger serving of these mushrooms, good thing we didn't! As yummy as these mushrooms were, there's only as much that you can consume until you get jalat or umay. 

TGS Mixed Grill Platter Platter of ribeye steak strips, lamb loin chops, bratwurst sausages, Real Mash & salad // Perspective is everything. 

So, wait, Reg... were you taking a picture of the side salad or the meat?! The mixed grill platter looked more like greens with a side of protein. Angling makes a whole lot of difference. You can be viewing the same thing but understanding it differently because of the way the individual has framed it. No 2 people can have the same exact view at the exact same time - even if you're side by side, the centimetre distance from each persons' eye differentiates your field of vision to a degree, diba? Plus, we're all shaped by our personal histories and world views, that finding someone whose brain works EXACTLY like ours is quite impossible and definitely freaky.  It's also a reminder that sometimes, our perspective distorts how we regard the whole and that we have to consciously strive for objectivity. On that note, I urge you to read this article regarding the latest terrorist attacks.

Fall-off-the-bone Babyback Pork Ribs Baked with slow-simmered Hickory BBQ sauce // If you're gonna do it, do it well!

Reeeeg, second time already! Salad again, huh?! These haphazard pictures are a reminder that when you do something, you might as well do it properly. I took these photos in haze because I was paiseh that I'm delaying everyone's meal. Well, FYI Regina, you've already delayed everyone. Now you've delayed the meal and wasted everyone's time - including yours - because these pictures don't do the dish any justice. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. You have to own your actions 100% if you want to get more out of life.

Hunky Village Tiramisu //  You can always make room for a sweeter ending. 

This article states that sugar stimulates the stomach's relaxation reflex allowing your tummy to expand and create more space. That's why even if we're stuffed to death, we can always make room for dessert. Apparently, a bite will even do you more good than harm as the expansion will lessen the sensation of being full. Same goes with everyday life, no matter how uncomfortable or even satiated we are, we can always strive for a sweet ending because guess what, we're built for that.

And that's how this more or less failed foodie photo diary turned into a Thoughts entry - I sprinkled sugar in the piece and bounced back.

The Garden Slug is located at 55 Lorong L Telok Kurau, Singapore 425500

 xx