Tea & Toast

I love going out to lunch with my Singaporean co-workers. They always open my eyes and palate to new local dishes that I end up loving and adding to the lunch rotation. South Beach diet?? What South Beach diet? Anyway today was a co-worker lunch day and although I love it was a little disappointed to hear that we were going for sushi. We go to this really great place near work but I always order the same sashimi dish which is quite unadventurous. So heading back to the office, Rachael was like I want to get a coffee before heading back…hey Jenn have you ever had local coffee?? I had yet to taste it but my curiosity was not getting the best of me for this one. We headed to a tea & toast joint, now my interest was piqued. These little “cafes” are all over the city and most simply called tea and toast. How can an establishment survive simply serving tea & toast?? Interestingly enough they are always packed at all hours. Given the name, breakfast I could understand but tea and toast all day??

Rachel went ahead and ordered coffee for me and I sensed something else (she was ordering in Mandarin and unless she uttered XieXie I was not getting any of it). Coffee arrives and so does a grease soaked bag which she shoved in my hand and was like “you have to taste this.” “Sure I am up for anything on co-worker lunch day.” First the coffee… it is made with condensed milk and it so sweet it was out of control…not a fan! Now to the bag filled with kaya toast. Ok I’ll break it down…two slices of toasted white bread (yes,…unhealthy, no nutritional value white bread) made into two sandwiches. Spread in the middle was kaya (short for serikaya a coconut jam) and a big slab of butter. I have to admit although I am up for anything on these days this stuff is really bad for you! So I took a bite and thankfully I did not love it. Again, just like the coffee the jam is so sweet I felt like I was chewing on sugarcane. I did manage to eat one sandwich and finish my coffee since I did not want to be rude but I am sorry to say that this was not a successful co-worker lunch day.

One positive has come out of the experience though….I now know why the tea & toast places are always packed….everyone is so hopped up on sugar that they can just sit and talk for hours!!

3 days ‘til 10K and counting…..