It's not often that we get to be up close to nature and animals in the urban cities we live in. Mother's Day already passed two weeks ago but I'm still fondly remembering the family brunch we had at Rider's Cafe. The cafe is located in a unique spot, removed from the urban city area and amidst lush greenery. Located right next to the Bukit Timah Saddle Club, Rider's Cafe is a fantastic place to have a weekend brunch while overlooking the green slopes and open spaces. I also love coming here because there's something to keep kids entertained. They can get free pony rides, walk around the stables and feed the horses standing lazily about. The horses have the cutest names too, like Muffin, Soldier, and Frosty!

Dress from India | Purse from Calvin Klein | Earrings from Lovisa | Sunglasses from Ralph Lauren

Smiling away as he enjoys his ride on Lily the Pony

All smiles after his delicious brunch and pony ride!

Let's face it, whoever came up with the idea of "brunch" was a genius. A weekend brunch where you can lazily start your day and merge two meals, brekkie and lunch, into one mega-meal is pretty awesome. Weekend brunches were a big thing when I lived in NYC, and I can see the brunch culture picking up here in Singapore as well. Each restaurant offers a different type of brunching experience and navigating through the dizzying array of brunch spots is overwhelming! To avoid the potential pitfalls, I've got some basic tips to help you narrow down on the number of options available and to ensure a pleasant brunch experience. Whether it's in Singapore or anywhere you are, allow me to enlighten you with this action plan: 

1. Identify what kind of brunch you're looking for. This is a crucial first step. You might say, "What? I thought brunch is brunch!". You're mistaken, my friend. There's a boozy brunch, "let's catch up" girlfriends brunch, a date brunch, brunch with a huge group of friends, and a kid-friendly brunch for those who really want to torture themselves and bring their kids out with them for a meal. 

The selection criteria for brunch spots is entirely different depending on the type of brunch identified. Why? Because the focus points are different. For example, for kid-friendly brunches, you want a place which will cater to keeping kids entertained. This can be in the form of some outdoor garden or playarea with slides and perhaps provision of crayons and coloring sheets at the dining table. If it's a boozy brunch, you'll seek restaurants which offer deals on drinks, such as bottomless champagne or "2 for 1", etc. If it's a big group of friends meeting up, then you have to find a place that can take reservations in advance otherwise be prepared for long waiting times. And if it's a date or close girlfriends catching up over brunch, then a pretty ambience, a unique location, or stylish decor makes the experience more enjoyable. This isn't rocket science. I'm not stating something you haven't considered before. But so many people ruin what could have been a great brunching experience by not even isolating their needs and requirements at the outset. 

2. Do your research. Assess the menu online in advance if possible. Does it have coffee? Does it have cocktails like mimosas? Does it have pancakes? If yes, you don't really need anything else. (Note: This could be a problem if you don't like coffee, mimosas, or pancakes, in which case you really shouldn't be brunching at all). 

3. Go for a "test drive". When it comes to brunch, only three factors really matter - how great the food is, how well the servers treat you and your party, and how badly you want to go there. Essentially, taste, service, and location. If you find a place that pleases you sufficiently across all 3 fronts, then you're set. Voila, you've found the brunch spot that's right for you! 

Here's me at Dempsey Hill, which used to be old army barracks converted into what is now an area teeming with amazing restaurants. Some of my favorite restaurants in Singapore are located here (Open Farm Community, Blu Kouzina, Chop Suey). Recently, I had brunch at House at Dempsey and just loved the funky interior decor against a lush green backdrop. Food was great too! Definitely recommend it as a kid-friendly, big group, or girlfriend brunch spot - how versatile, no? 

Top, jeans, and pumps from Zara | Earrings from MegaFash | Rebecca Minkoff cross body | Sunglasses from 

It feels good to be back in the city! The first few days after coming back were tough with baby K having a horrible case of jet lag. Poor kid was still on Bangkok time, sleeping most of the day and then waking up at an ungodly hour at night. At 3 am, he'd be wide awake, wanting to play while all we wanted to do was sleep! Anyway, he has now adjusted to the time difference and we've been able to go out and enjoy the lovely summer that is emerging in NYC. This weekend, Shruti was visiting and we decided to trek over to Brooklyn for the famous Smorgasburg. Known as a food flea market, it literally comprises of a "smorgasboard" of different food stalls. You see all sorts of cuisines (Indian, Ethiopian, Burmese, Mexican, Filipino, Thai, American, etc) and fusion foods. My favorite stall was Masala Tacos. The paneer tikka masala tacos and channa masala tacos were just amazing! What a brilliant idea to blend Indian and Mexican foods together. Overall, we had a great time noshing on different types of foods against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline on an incredibly beautiful, sunny day.

Tip: Smorgasburg is held every weekend in the summers with two different locations on Saturday and Sunday. Highly recommend checking it out!

If you’ve ever been to a Thai restaurant, chances are you ordered the ever popular pad thai or a red curry dish. While these menu items are all well and good, there is a whole array of Thai dishes that you probably haven’t heard of. For the Urban Mantra sisters, coming home to Thailand is like entering a glutton fest. It’s all about feasting on dishes that are truly authentic in taste and go beyond the typical fare that one finds in Thai restaurants in the U.S. Here are five Thai dishes you have probably never tried…and should.

1.       Thai Noodle Soup (Kway Tiew)

Kway Tiew noodle soup is a popular street food in Thailand. While it might be reminiscent of Vietnamese pho, Kway Toew is spicy and tangy, available in a variety of soup flavors and meats, perfect as a light lunch that opens your nasal passageways. Our favorite is tom yum-flavored kway tiew with fish (vegetarian are options also available). Unfortunately, we’ve never seen this dish offered in restaurants abroad and making it at home never quite cuts it.

2.       Fried Papaya Salad (Som Tam Thod)

You may have tried som tam, the spicy and lemony shredded papaya salad. But have you ever had fried papaya salad? It’s definitely the less healthy cousin, but oh-so-good! The papaya is fried like a tempura and mixed with chili, minced garlic, lime juice, and shrimp (vegetarians can order this without the shrimp). It’s the perfect appetizer to enjoy while you wait for your entrée.

3.       Chicken Wrapped in Pandan Leaf (Gai Haw Bai Toey)

We had completely forgotten about this dish until we saw the folks on the table next to us eating it at a recent dinner out! Seasoned chicken pieces are wrapped and slowly cooked in pandan leaves that keep the juices inside. The end result? Soft, succulent, and flavorful pieces of chicken that leave you wanting more!

Image Source

4.       Fish With Black Pepper Sauce (Pla Pad Prik Thai Dum)

If you’re a fan of fish, I definitely recommend trying this stir fried preparation of fish with vegetables. The dish is a perfect balance of spicy (black pepper), greens, and fish, keeping it low cal and delicious!

Image Source

5.       Miang Kham

Miang Kham, Thailand’s answer to India’s paan (our fun writeup on paanhere), is a popular snack where vegetables, shallots, ginger, and other spices are wrapped in betel leaves. The essence of Thai flavors are packed into this bite-sized snack. Like paan, the magic is in chewing all the ingredients together to reveal the rich spices and flavors inside.

Image Source

So the next time you visit Thailand or enter a Thai restaurant in your city, give these dishes a try and let us know what you think!

"Pumpkin spice" is synonymous with the coming of fall. In fact, places like Starbucks have almost trademarked it with their popular PSL drink (Shame on you if you don't know that PSL stands for pumpkin spice latte!). Every year around Halloween, I like to pull out my own recipe for a fall favorite...chocolate chip pumpkin spice cookies! It's a very simple recipe and the baking time is less than 15 minutes. Whether you're looking to gorge on the cookies yourself or share them with your friends at a Halloween house party, these cookies are a great way to get into the fall festivities.

Ingredients (makes about 30 cookies):
1/2 cup oil
1.5 cups sugar
1 egg
1.5 teaspoons vanilla essence
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz can can of pumpkin puree
Semisweet chocolate chips to taste
Chopped walnuts to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat oil and sugar in a mixing bowl, and then add the egg and vanilla essence. Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt together. Then add to the mixing bowl that contains the sugar-oil mixture. Alternate adding the flour mix with the pumpkin puree, beating well after each addition. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop teaspoonfuls of the batter onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy with a hot drink like cider or coffee :)

I was in New Orleans earlier this week to attend a conference for work. While the days were packed with lectures, my co-worker and I made sure to make the best of the city in the evenings. It was my first time in New Orleans and I was struck by the amount of culture this city has. There were cute restaurants around every corner and smooth jazz commanding the attention of every establishment. I particularly enjoyed Arnaud’s Restaurant on Bourbon Street, which had a live jazz band playing, reminiscent of the 20’s Flapper era. Like any tourist, I hit up Bourbon street, but the true gems were in Frenchmen Street, an area frequented by locals. I happened across the cutest street market there, where emerging artists were displaying their products, which ranged from beautiful paintings to funky furniture.

Finally, any trip to the Big Easy is incomplete without the mention of the food. The Cajun and Creole food were delicious and as a big foodie, I could not help but stuff my face on these cuisines that are hard to come by in the Northeast.  Check out all the dishes I ate below! Yes…I realize it’s time to hit the gym now that I’m back!

We’re well into summer now and you’re probably finding yourself reaching for an ice cold beverage every chance you get. Who can bear the thought of hot coffee or tea in this stifling heat? I myself would love to kick back on a hammock on this summer afternoon with a chilled glass of sangria. Of course, it’s not the most “pregnancy-friendly” drink. Luckily, I have a homemade mint iced tea recipe that might just do the trick (and it’ll go really well with the hammock too, though where I’ll find a hammock in the city is beyond me…but a girl can dream!).

My mint iced tea makes for a deliciously refreshing drink and is easy to make - perfect for that outdoor summer party of yours or just for yourself. Believe me, you won’t want to go back to the bottled, preservative-filled, sugar-laden crap they sell in the stores.

Pad thai

 A wise person once said, “There is no sincerer love than the love of food”. I couldn’t agree more. Being back in New York now after my whirlwind trip to Thailand, I’m suffering from all sorts of withdrawal symptoms. Food is one of them. 

When I visit home, I make sure to check my diet at the door and embrace all the culinary delights that my mother’s kitchen and Bangkok has to offer. At home, my mother spoils me with all my favorite home-made Indian dishes and desserts. And while out and about in the city, I’m a veritable “food butterfly”, hopping from one Thai food stall to the next! Undoubtedly, among the things I miss while living here in the States is the authentic Thai food made with the freshest of herbs and ingredients. What’s more, the boring apple and banana is soon forgotten for the more exciting varieties of tropical fruits bursting with flavor, such as pommelo, mangosteen, dragonfruit, lychees, longans, jackfruit, durian, rose apple, coconut, mangoes, and papaya. Even though my gastronomical experience in Bangkok often results in overindulgence, I always return from my trips feeling healthier and more refreshed. Somehow, it’s easy to let go of the all-too-common habit of reaching for soda, processed foods, carbs, and sweets that I typically have while living in the US. 

As I sit here missing all the foods I enjoyed just last week on the other side of the world, allow me to share my Bangkok food diaries with you. Try not to drool too much!

Fresh fruit juices of all kinds

Intricate fruit carvings from papaya, watermelon, and cantaloupe

Have you ever tried dragonfruit?

These are not actual fruits but Thai sweets made to appear like miniature fruits and vegetables

Who can resist cupcakes?

Pad khee mao (drunken noodles) and yam thua phu (tangy green bean salad)

Thai crepe-like snacks

 Tell us, what is your favorite Thai dish? And what type of food do you miss most when you're away from home? We wanna know! 

There’s nothing quite like that hot, piping cup of chai to get you started in the morning. When I say “chai”, I’m specifically referring to the Indian homemade tea. You know, the authentic one made with tea leaves, milk, and ginger or cardamom. Not the tasteless Twinnings Early Grey or English breakfast teabags dipped in hot water or the overpowering, overly masala-ed chai from Starbucks.

For me, chai serves up warm memories … of childhood trips to India when I would sit outdoors with my grandmother on chilly winter mornings and sip chai accompanied by Parle-G biscuits, of visits to my aunt’s place in Bangkok where I would look forward to having their spicy, gingery chai with heavily buttered toast, and of my mother who drinks chai numerous times a day like it’s going out of style. Every home with its own style and flavor of chai, every cup a special memory. 

So you can see why I wouldn’t take “chai-making” very lightly. “Chai-making” is an art. It’s the easiest drink to make but also a hard one to get right. Too many people err on the side of making it too milky, too watery, or too tannic from having the tea leaves sit too long. There are two things you have to get right for chai to be good – flavor and color. I’ve been known to make good Indian chai (humble brag). My credentials? My chai has been approved by my parents and in-laws, the audience that typically has the most discerning and critical taste when it comes to true desi chai! 

The weekend is coming and one of the plans we always make with friends is to meet for brunch. Brunch is the best meal one can have - it is at that in-between time of day that you can have sweet or savory, eggs or sandwich, mimosa or coffee, and no one can judge you. Nothing spells the weekend more than enjoying french toast with a side of gossip with your best friends.

Source

To gear you up for the weekend, here is a list of what we think are the best brunch spots we've been to in DC and NYC. Boasting of a strong brunch culture, both NYC and DC are a mecca for brunch spots for all types of budgets and tastes. We easily have a list of 6-8 brunch spots that we'd consider our favorites, and the list seems to keep growing the more places we try. But since this is meant to be a comprehensive post and not a Zagat report, here is our abbreviated list!


DC

1) Scion
Scion became famous in DC after President Obama lunched there with his supporters and signed the menu. A lovely neighborhood brunch spot in Dupont, this is my go-to place when I want to indulge in a scrumptious meal but am unwilling to walk more than 5 blocks. I enjoy the cute outdoor patio and the modern décor, but more importantly, the food is of high quality. The menu offers a range of a la carte egg options. My favorite, though admittedly calorie-laden, is the huevos rancheros.

2) Bombay Club
If you’re looking for delicious and high-quality Indian food in DC, Bombay Club is the place to go. Add unlimited champagne on Sundays and you’ve got the perfect brunch! They offer buffet style Indian food, with vegetarian and meat options alongside sweet Indian deserts. Whenever my friends go, we definitely take advantage of the unlimited food and drinks, and probably overstay our welcome. But how can you not with this place?

3) Tabaq
Tabaq does its brunch basics well, offering delicious crab cake benedicts (my favorite brunch dish), omelettes, waffles, French toast, and $3 mimosas. I also love the floor-to-ceiling windows that provide a great view of U street and rest of DC.

NYC

1) Crema
A relatively unknown gem in Chelsea, I'm almost hesitant to share it with the world! Crema has an amazing Mexican style brunch, complete with breakfast style Mexican omlette, chicken chilaquiles, quesadillas, and chile relleno. Everything on the menu is just superb and delicious. The unlimited mimosa brunch offering doesn't hurt either! Crema is also one of those rare places that doesn't need reservations - you almost always get a table right away. That's a big bonus for a brunch spot in the city!

2) Friend of a Farmer
Located in the posh Gramercy area, Friend of aFarmer offers a contrasting rustic style setting. Made to look like an English countryside home that serves up hearty breakfasts, this place reminds you of what a wholesome meal is all about. I love the French press coffee here, and I literally die after their assorted bread and muffin basket. This place serves up several different types of omelette preparations as well, so there is something for everyone's omelette-seeking tastes.

3) Beauty & Essex
Nestled in the Lower East side, Beauty & Essex is almost missed if you walk by it. The exterior of the restaurant is a pawn shop that sells vintage jewelery and other eclectic items. Walk further inside and you'll be surprised by the swanky restaurant interiors and even the bathrooms. One might think it's all a gimmick. But the food is quite exceptional. I just love their soft, fresh-out-of-the-oven pumpkin and blueberry scones, their refreshing kale and apple salad, and brunch pizzettas. Be sure to make reservations well in advance for B&E! We've written about this place in a previous post here.

Now that you know our top selections, we'd love to hear what YOUR favorite brunch spots are in your respective cities. What are your top spots and what places do you suggest we try?  

Top right: Cold weather, brr! Clockwise: Delicious Greek yogurt from Pylos; Learning bharatnatyam (via); Getting ready for the Empire State Building Run-Up; Watching Cinderella on Broadway; Spicy and tangy papaya salad from SriPraPhai

Well folks…I can’t quite believe it but my 2-month shopping ban is over. Yes, 59 days of avoiding frivolous purchases, mostly staying away from my favorite stores, and willing myself to look the other way when I saw bloggers wearing cute outfits that made me want to run out and buy the same thing! (I know, I know…#FirstWorldProblems)

So how did it go? Surprisingly, it wasn’t hard. I stuck to the shopping ban tips that I created for myself (as shared here), and I did all sorts of other shenanigans. So much so that I barely had time to think about this shopping ban. Here’s a quick recap of the past 2 months and how I’ve been saving money and doing better things with my time!

 Oscar Sunday (or as I like to call it, a girl’s version of Superbowl Sunday) is the biggest night of the year for the Hollywood stars. For mere mortals like us, it’s an occasion to watch the Hollywood hunks and beauties sashay up the red carpet. It’s a time when we allow ourselves to be seduced by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and feel like we’re part of the action, even if for a moment. It’s also an opportunity for us to critique outfits, hairstyles, and bodies like judges of a cruel reality show. Last night, I threw an Oscar Party at my place where we did all of that…and more!

The original Kati Roll Company at McDougal and Bleecker in Greenwich Village

New York City is known for its world class restaurants serving up high-brow foods, culinary delights the names of which you can’t pronounce, and cuisines from countries you haven't even have heard of. While that’s all well and good, I contend that you cannot have experienced an honest to goodness meal in New York unless you’ve been to The Kati Roll Company. The Kati Roll Company is the anti-thesis of all that I just described. It’s a hole-in-the-wall which speaks of quiet assertitude, unassuming from the outside but bold in its offering of a disarmingly simple yet wholesome meal inside…the namesake kati roll.

It seems like all I've been doing for the past two weeks is consuming and imbibing calorie-laden foods and drinks without a care in the world. I figured that if the world ends on December 21 as predicted by the Mayans, I will have at least died happy and well-fed. But alas, the world did not end and like it or not, I will soon have to deal with the consequences of my over-eating. But until Jan 1 rolls around and I have to start training for the Empire State Building Run-Up (more on that soon!), I will continue to indulge myself.

Constant eating is something that goes hand in hand with a trip home to Bangkok. We just can't help it. A few pictures from last night's family dinner at Audrey Cafe and Bistro. It's a cute restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi Thonglor with a chic, French "frou frou" vibe. The menu offerings are varied with continental food though they specialize in Thai cuisine. What was really memorable at Audrey were the desserts. I don't know what we were thinking but we ended up ordering three different kinds of desserts and received complimentary tiramiru bites on top of that. Calorie overload, much? But that goes with the territory when you're on vacation, right? We'll worry about working those pounds off later...:)