It’s Todai’s 4th Anniversary. And to celebrate, they’re putting on the menu some dishes that are eaten around the world during birthday celebrations. They include Chinese, African and of course Korean dishes.
From Korea:
japchaeI love japchae and though a relatively simple dish, it can be difficult to do it well, because there is really only one main seasoning- the sesame oil. I’m happy to declare that it was well done at Todai and very tasty. It was well seasoned with the fragrant sesame oil and just enough salt, topped with plenty of crunchy vegetables. Yummy…
seaweed soup or miyeokgukHow often have seen this dish being cooked and eaten during birthday celebration in the Korean dramas and movies? ^^ Traditionally meant for mothers after giving birth, this dish is also consumed on birthdays as a reminder of the nourishment from mothers and bringing in good fortune in the process. I like a strong seaweed soup and this was flavourful with plenty of seaweed swimming in it.
From China:
yee mianYee mian is also called longevity noodles when eaten during birthday celebration. The long strands of noodles signifies long life and has a springy texture. The type of noodles used is flat but the noodles used n the Todai version is round, which changed the texture slightly. It was also slightly bland. But the the prawns and mushroom were delcious.
longevity buns or shoutauLongevity buns is almost always eaten during birthday meals if the birthday person has reached a certain age (typically about 60). It is consumed by attendees of the birthday celebration as well as the birthday person. it is made to look like a peach to symbolize the Peaches of Immortality which is said to grant immortality to those who eat it. The longevity bun here doesn’t look very much like a peach but the lotus seed filling was smooth and not too sweet. The skin was also soft enough so though it may not look like a peach, it looked like a pink bun..which is just as pretty. Haha!
From Ghana:
otoThis is a Ghana birthday dish made up of hard boiled eggs and mashed sweet potato/ yam fried in palm oil. In Ghana, eggs is a key symbol in Ghana culture, symbolizing purity and fruitfulness. It is used on many important occasions. No doubt, egg is also a good source of protein. Todai has substituted ithe sweet potato with potatoes as the varieties here didn’t taste quite the same. After the strong flavours of the Korean and Chinese dishes, this dish tastes a little more subtle but no less interesting. And I like the addition of pine nuts
From Nigeria:
jollof riceThis dish is commonly eaten in West Africa cooked slightly differently acootding to the different culture. Made with a mixture of spices, red pepper and cooked in coconut oil with tomato, it is a healthy one pot meal. Todai’s version has fresh prawns in it. It’s a dish that may taste a little unusual at first bite but will grow on you, with the full aroma of the spices hitting your taste buds.
From Russia:
4 layer birthday cakeWhat’s a birthday without a birthday cake? End your meal with the 4 layer rainbow cake. Slightly too creamy for my personal taste but is it soft and moist. And very, very pretty.
No visit to Todai is complete without trying out their fresh seafood like Alaskan crabs and sashimi.
However, I would strongly urge those going for the buffet to take a look at their salad section. I’ve often found it very interesting, unusual and tasty. They use ingredients that are in season and when I went then, mandarin oranges were still in abundance. Hence, this Mandarin Orange salad.
Todai is having a currently. for every $200 spent, you will be entitled to a lucky draw where you stand to win a free pass to enjoy Todai’s extensive buffet for for 30 days with no limit. There are 5 passes to be won. Check out their FB for more information. On going promotions include a 10% discount for all UOB and Maybank Card Holders.
You can view more photos on Seoul Rhythm’s FB.
Thank you to Todai for the kind invitation to try out the above dishes.
Happy 4th Birthday Todai!
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