so… I just had a “reunion dinner” of sorts with a bunch of ex-classmates earlier on.

okay, so we didn’t start with dinner. we actually started with a real-life game— instead of playing a puzzle/horror game behind a computer screen, we are placed in a real-life situation where we have to use our brains, hands, and feet to solve the puzzles to obtain clues and stuff to get out of the room— and whew was it creepy. granted, there were eight of us so the scare factor was reduced significantly, but there’s just something about darkness, limited visibility, and enclosed spaces that gives one the heebie jeebies.

for all it’s worth, I must say the game was pretty awesome (apparently our group was the second fastest group— only 30% of participants ever manage to finish the game on time and within the helpline allowance). if anyone actually reads this space (lol) I’d wholly recommend giving the game, trapped, a shot— trapped/ it’s located at 42 Kandahar Street (in the Kampong Glam area) and the surrounding area is really cool as well with a hipster vibe to it 🙂

so after the game, we headed to U U Cook in Kampong Bahru for a table barbecue/steamboat buffet— there was a groupon deal ($12.90 per pax for the buffet can someone say wow???) and I couldn’t resist suggesting it (after all, who can resist turning down a good buffet deal?)— and man was the food good. the staff were quite friendly in fulfilling our orders for more soup, more pork belly etc. and it reached a point where I actually felt bad asking for assistance because they were so helpful. (yes, it’s kind of weird, but what can I do? haha)

U U Cook is definitely a great place to eat at (and I’ve been around the table barbecue block a few times). the price was definitely worth it (thank you groupon!) and the food was really excellent, so good that my friends and I found it hard to decide on a favorite meat. the pork belly and US sliced beef were tied for favorite (and with good measure too)

but perhaps the focus of the dinner wasn’t the food but rather the chance to have dinner itself. life after junior college has not been too kind and we have all transitioned (some too quickly) into working adults (while people like me just… bum around). time also forbids many more gatherings of similar nature in the future, with the very first of our enlistees signing away two years of his life next Tuesday. life here is tough and debatably unfair, but it is a small country and is still our motherland after all. it is a tough life, but it is our life.

so dinner was a hearty affair and we all walked out feeling uncomfortably bloated (a sign of money well spent? hm). perhaps the significance of the dinner was downplayed and the idea of not being able to see our friends freely for the next two years didn’t weigh so heavily on us. what can I say?

c’est la vie.

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”
— George Bernard Shaw