De one with Food (Part 1)

Warm night

With global food prices rising at alarming rates, it is difficult not to blog something about it!

Although it appears Jason's easy-going with dinning experiences, those who know me well would probably tap you on the shoulder and convey that I'm pretty particular with food in fact. The office knows I dislike unhealthy food, especially those looks give the impression you're here for an oil-buffet; My closest friends worry when they bring me to buffets because I go for variety and not quantity; My family knows my never-changing favorites; even my exes take note of my affairs with food.

Perhaps it is best to clarify further. Picky "taste" doesn't equal demanding preference over food cuisines. In any case, I'd like to add a disclaimer clause (*grins*), I'm not a food critic, therefore do pardon my humble knowledge of food. It's limited! Haha

This blog on food shall come in two installments. The first focuses on the core aspects of food which I love, like, dislike and hate. The second will dwell on the types of cuisines I'd prefer. So yep, potential dinning buddies, kindly put on your spectacles if required, turn on your eye power and under desperate measures, feel free to take notes with your pen and paper readied.

When it comes to food, there are certain factors which ultimately determine our personal taste and preferences about food. I'd have to apply what I've acquired of marketing knowledge, twist a little bit to present the following "pull" and "push" criterias:
 

Price and bane list

When it comes to food, I'm certainly not into exquisite stuff. I reckon you'd recognise some without having me mentioning. Exquisite "delicacies" refer to abalone, snow-crabs, lobsters, sea-urchins, shark fins, monkey brains, bear's paws. I suppose the only exorbitant food off the bane list would be bird's nest (it's my personal remedy for cough).

Price is not an issue but affordable. Considering I'm not a food fanatic / someone being paid to taste, I guess it doesn't make sense to spend excessively over food that's gona be.. you know what I mean. Usually, it triggers the economist-mind in me to consider if the food's worth it's price. For example, a fish and chip from a hawker can't possibly cost 25 bucks. If it is, there better be a good combination that justifies its obviously over-pricing.



Texture

Texture of edible food is very important. If it's squashy or slummy, please refrain from serving it on a plate before me. Why pay for a meal that taste like cooked rubble bands or scrap tyres? Haha. So yup, I guess mushrooms (except jin zhen gu since it's a steam-boat must-have!), jelly-fish, sotongs (apart from calamaris) are definitely no no's.

Does that mean I'd draw boundaries with Mediterranean or seafood? Not really. It depends how those are cooked. Just don't have me something that requires me to chew for 10 minutes, the longer it lingers in my mouth, erm, i'd take twice the time to deliver it into my Oesophagus.

Oh oh! Anything with bones, fish bones especially! I hate it. It has nothing to do with a bad experience with choking. Never had it before. Don't wish to tempt with it either. It puts me off. While others are enjoying curry fish head, I guess I spend more time, dissecting and QC-ing the piece of fish to detect any camouflaged tiny weeny bones in the flesh at the corner of my plate.


Dry noodles are hazards to my throats and absurd. This is relevant to pastas and noodles which are deprived of sauces. Total turnoff.


Taste

Oh boy, safe to say Jason's pretty easy with tastes. Just not too overly salty. I don't wanna be a beneficiary of NKF donations fund (no offense meant). Sourness are only for beverage and fruits, and specially for tom yum soup. For everything else, unless there's any lemon used in the dish, it'd probably raise my eyebrows and ponder if the ingredients had gone bad?

Bitterness are intolerable. I always say "life is bitter enough, why eat something to make your life more bitter than it already is?!". I recall ordering the wrong vegetable from a "cai fan" store during JC. It turned out to be bittergourd! Omg. The weird taste lingered in my memory for almost a week before I regained the confidence to order any vegetables. Yes, it was horrifying.


Presentation

Would you eat something that looks like garbage? I'd probably would. Personal belief, it's no harm trying. I mean, don't judge a dish by it's presentation. That being said, it doesn't necessary mean if it's presented on a plate that's unhygienic or bears some disgusting insect corpse lying its glory on a bed of food that you're about to consume. These create an enigma. Remember the alarming news of roche or curry sauce that have maggots in it. Yuck. Its pain inflicted on our psyche. =X

At the end of the day, alot might argue presentation does matter. This is of high regard when a celebrity chef or some japanese customer is present. If it does, it's a bonus and appetite whetting. If it doesn't, don't throw the dish aside just yet. Efforts are invested to every dish prepared I'd think.


Ambiance

If I were to rate all these criterias, ambiance would probably rank third. No point being in a place that's awesome with the wrong company, undesirable environment. Deep-felt, I don't really like overly-crowded places, being surrounded in a clatter depresses me. I prefer quieter, soft-lighted places. Not necessarily having a restaurant involved. Sitting in a park, chewing packet food could fare as well as one with velvet chairs or posh tables.

Friendly staff is desirable. Of course, we can't expect the same from hawker centres. But I'd think basic politeness between a customer and vendor is primarily important. If service is bad, I'd probably walk out even before ordering anything.

Last by not least, smell of eating places are crucial too. Sitting at oil-smelling places cause me to feel nausea. Especially when you sit near char kwey tiao stores where the mist of evaporated oil blankets and suffocates you. Pepper lunch never fail to make me think twice. Once the oil stench gets on your clothes, it's a tough battle getting it off for what remains of your day. Good luck!


A creation of heart

If you bake me a cake or even buy something for me, I'll probably comment alot but 10 out of 10 times, I'd be supportive/appreciative to try and finish my share. That doesn't make you can make a guinea pig out of me yea. Its a polite gesture. And of course, I dislike rejecting people who are nice, subject to those with ulterior motives, strangers and quashy of course!