Food As A Distraction

A train ride on a wintry, wet evening after a ridiculous day at work, silently lamenting how many fools the bureaucracy can produce to disrupt your life. I grab the first magazine I can get from my bag. The latest Big Issue, and it is on produce, cooking & eating habits during times of thrift. Hmm, this may be a keeper. I start reading, and am reminded of dinner for the night - mutton and vegetable curry in my new Emile Henry claypot.

I like times like this, when the cosmos come together to make me feel better. To remind me that work does not consume my life. To remind me that there are other things in the world to care about. Family. Friends. Food. Books. Thinking about how to emulate geniuses who change the world. Like Edward de Bono (his thoughts on creativity and the Six Thinking Hats are brilliant), Heston Blumenthal (I cannot help wondering if he is a savant or normal-smart), Raffaelo Esposito (the baker from Naples widely credited to be the inventor of modern pizza), whoever found out how to turn cocoa beans into luxury chocolates, and whoever created cafes for catching up with friends.

I caught up with a few of my friends at Chimmy's in Richmond after we found out that Momotaro Ramen was closed on Sundays. Secretly I was glad because I had earlier indulged in Portugese croquettes, salt cod fritters and Portugese custard tarts (best I have ever tasted) at A Taste of Portugal festival. I would have found it difficult to resist ramen on a cold day...and caused myself a stomachache from too much food.

Chimmy's is apparently famous for pastries and coffee (Convent Bakery free trade beans). We also had a chance to sample the breakfast & lunch menus. While my friends went for a chicken quiche and the Big Fry Up respectively, I decided I was more into a sweet main - apple bread with honeyed yoghurt and baked fruits.

I am unsure how much enjoyment was had from the Big Fry Up (first time I have seen big raw cherry tomatoes served in a fry-up, though they were apparently very very good) or the chicken quiche, but I was quite happy with my dish and coffee. I found the bread a bit too crumbly for the intention of the dish, but liked the yoghurt and fruit. I cannot say too much about the service - the waiting staff confused the orders when the cafe was full even though we all had table numbers. I was tempted to have a second coffee but decided to go healthy and opt for a smoothie instead. We were allowed to stay and chat for more than two hours, which we thought was nice considering the increasingly cloudy skies outside.

I think I would go back if I had the chance, but maybe for a coffee and tart after a ramen lunch just to make the trip more worthwhile. Then again, making a trip to anywhere for food and drink is worthwhile when in good company to retain a realistic, positive perspective of life.

LS: Food - 3 to 3.5 stars; Coffee - 3.5 to 4 stars; Atmosphere - 3.5 stars; Service - 3 stars.