Parents' UK Trip Part 3 - Nostalgic Whirlwind Tour

I hired a car on a long weekend to take the parents around London - a) so we could cover more ground a lot quicker and b) so Mother doesn't have to walk and whinge hehe. First stop, Clapham Junction where they lived for most of the three years that they were in London. Clapham probably used to be a bit seedy and poor. It is now very trendy and popular with the young ones.

First up, Gilmore House where they lived. 

They lived in a 3 bedroom place for 80 pounds a month! So cheap. Dad was visibly excited to see this place again. Mum was actually mildly interested too bahah. Unfortunately it's now all fancy and shut off from the public so they couldn't go up close to have a look.

Me in front of the house where I spent my first 3 months' of existence. I don't know why I look so weird here.

Opposite the flat is this park where the parents used to take the two fat brats. Apaarently, Ah Here's favourite thing to do is to get an ice cream.

Another shot of the grand looking block of flats. Not so shabby afterall.

Next up, we went to the primary school where the two kids went to school. Mel played sleeping beauty in a school play. Apparently that was the only trick they could think of to keep her quiet heheheh.

It was lunchtime so we stopped at Clapham Junction and went to one of my haunts for lunch - Revolution. There was 50% off all food on Mondays so score!

Some sort of pasta.. the closest I could find to Mum's all-time favourite - chicken avocado linguine.

I love my pizza thin crispy and plain so the parents had to learn to love it plain too. Dad raved about this pizza.

The must-order dish for me - poultine with steak. Poultine is a Canadian dish - fries drizzled with gravy and cheese. Add meat and it borders on genius! Dad loved it too.

After lunch, we went in search of the hospital where I was born. Unfortunately the hospital has been dismantled and closed down. The only building left is the registry building and that is now a block of flats with quite unsavory tenants. Dad approached one and talked to him about the building. He was moh geh.

In the bottom right hand corner, you can just see the car I hired for the day.

After that, we headed back over the river and I decided to do another stop at St Thomas Hospital - it is right next to Big Ben and it's the hospital where Dad had to get his appendicitis out in an emergency. Mum took the bus with the 2 kids while heavily pregnant with me to go visit him.

It was really sunny so I didn't get a good shot of them at all. Annoying.

They looked the happiest here because it was the last photo of the day. They were thinking - Yay Finally 收工了!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parents' UK Trip Part 2 - Dad's Birthday

Dad timed the visit well and got to spend his birthday in London with yours truly. First one in 36 years.We may be in a foreign land but traditions had to be observed. No self-respecting Hii lets a birthday go past without eating a certain meal.

YUM... cooked by Mum obviously.

After that, we took the tube to Knightstbridge where all the pricey stores are... it was Dad's birthday after all so it was his day hehe.

We went to Harrods and marvelled at the interiors. Parents had fun posing in the food hall and we walked down the Eygptian escalators. I forgot to take photos. Duh. After that, it started pouring down with rain so we went into a cafe for something that is quintessentially English - afternoon tea.

The spread was only for 2 people and I really can't see how two people could finish everything off and not explode.

Apart from the three tiered sweets, there was also a side platter of mini filled buns and canapes.

Top tier - chocolate mousse, white chocolate something or other.

Middle tier - macarons and other sweet tarts.

Bottom tier - scones and more little tarts.

After that, we wandered around aimlessly a bit more and then took the tube to Bayswater where we were having dinner with the gang. The restaurant is your typical London Asian restaurant where service is brusque and smiles are rare. They refused to let us sit at our table because the others weren't there yet.

I invited the gang along and so Damon, Victor and Bryonny came to have dinner with us to celebrate Dad's birthday.

Victor recommended the place and said the peking duck is good so we had to get it. I'm sorry but the duck was nothing to write home about. I shall be having good peking duck in exactly six months' time. Twice.

They also bought a cake and I gave them specific instructions on where to go to get it. I also 'suggested' what type of decorations they should get... so Victor got the cake shop to specially make one with two dogs on it. In hindsight, I should have said a pig and a dog.

I get to be in the photo too, for once.

Mum said one of the dogs turned into a girl dog when the candle stopper was left behind.

Hope you had a good birthday, Dad.

Parents' UK Trip Part 1 - Welcome Dinner @ Spice Market

I bought a dinner voucher in anticipation of the parents' visit and I booked it for the first few days after they arrived.. I got them to meet me in front of Eros in Picadilly Circus after work and we rocked up to the restaurant which is on the edge of Chinatown..

Dad studiously studying the wine list.

The restaurant is fusion Indian, or as I'd like to call it - white people Indian.

The deal is for a tapas style meal with desserts. First up, we had Charred Chilli Rubbed Beef Skewer with Thai Basil Dipping Sauce. The meat was tender and the sauce was zingy.

Spiced chicken samosas with coriander yoghurt. I loved this. Deep fried goodness.

Lobster summer roll, Sriracha Emulsion and Dill. This was a bit meh. I could have done without it.

Salmon sashimi with warm crunchy rice. This was yum but then again teriyaki salmon is always good no matter what.

For some reason, we got two dishes of this - Cod with Malaysian chilli sauce, thai basil and celery. Fish is fish. It's tender and good with the rice.

Char grilled chicken with kumquat lemongrass dressing. I can't remember if i liked this.

Last but not least, ginger fried rice with a fried egg on top. I love me some egg so this was tops for me.

Dessert was Thai jewels and fruits with crushed coconut ice. i LOVED this. It reminded me of the iced desserts we get in Sibu. So good.

Ovaltine Kulfi, Caramelised Banana and Spiced Milk Chocolate Sauce. This was the only thing that sounded Indian out of the whole menu and even then it;s a very Anglicized version. It was ok, a perfectly nice but forgettable white people dessert. Plus, we were stuffed. 

It randomly had a few bits of caramelised popcorn.

Welcome to London, parents.