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Showing posts with label
Food; Travel; Holiday; Singapore.
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Showing posts with label
Food; Travel; Holiday; Singapore.
Show all posts
Ok ... its been an endurance test hasn't it?! Well I promise this is more or less the final post on my recent trip to Singapore.
After our brunch in the delightful heartland of Tiong Bahru, we hopped back on the MRT and headed out to another cool area in Singapore - Tanjong Pagar - although you certainly would need to step up your game if you want to move here.
Tanjong Pagar bordering Singapore's Chinatown hosts many of the island's sexed up shophouses - now retailing for millions to get that white washed wooden slatted exterior with sparse minimalism interiors.
Many of the cool urbane clothing and design stores have gone, replaced by a myriad of cafes and bars each vying for the tourist dollar with special offers and artfully placed knick-knackery and kampung style alfresco seating - and by artfully placed I mean blocking the entire fucking footpath!
Anyhoo, PS Cafe is still here up on top of Ann Siang Hill, where a slightly less salubrious establishment stood not so many years ago, affording punters an amazing view of the CBD skyline, so impressive a vista it is during the day that you could almost reach out and touch a building, then exploding into a universe of twinkling lights as the sun sets.
After having a meal here a few years ago, I was determined to visit the place again with M, this time for cocktails ... which is exactly what we did.
I must warn you that this is not the cheapest of establishments, but if you work out the exchange rate, the prices really aren't that much different at a reputable bar here in Melbourne.
Oh but the list is tempting!!
My friend Licio had the Black Sesame Martini when she was here last and loved it. And I trust the girl's taste (apart from that brief misguided stone-washed phase she went through). And it was delicious - coconuty and rich - with 2 types of Vodka (Straight Belvedere and Vanilla infused), a splash of Malibu and milk - it went down all too easily.
M had the Ginger Margarita, with a sugar rim. A concoction of Tequila, Grand Marnier and Lime Juice, it was both spicy and refreshing. The heat from the Ginger and the sweet lime masking the strong heady alcoholic kick - this one is a bit of a creeper - Everything goes swimmingly until you get off your seat and then everything goes swimmingly!!
For our second cocktail (ppht ... duh!), we decided to pick one of their signature cocktails. I went for the Vodka Cheng Teng, which was HEAVEN! Cheng Teng is actually a popular local dessert made out of dried longans, dates, white fungus and barley stewed in a sort of sugar syrup and eaten out of a bowl.
Unless you have eaten this dish and love it, you're not really going to appreciate the magnitude of this next sentence. But for all my Singaporean and Malaysian readers out there ... this drink was like Cheng Teng but with Vodka added!! Genius!! I loved it. I can't tell you how very much I loved it.
M had the Bee Sting which is essentially a Vodka Gin and Tonic but infused with chilli, Lemongrass, Lime Juice, Honey and Kaffir Lime leaves.
Your initial sip is of the overpowering Kaffir lime, but as the drink wears on, the other flavours start coming to the fore ... all in all a very complex sophisticated drink!
This is a definite must-visit ... but bewarned, each cocktail on average is round the S$19.00 mark. But there are other drinks to be had, and also an a la carte menu. Its a great place to hang out in. And I dare you to try the Dirty Cheesy Martini - basically a Martini with Grey Goose vodka and Martini peppered with blue-cheese stuffed olives ... go on!
Ok ... this time round we had one touristy item to tick off our list (well nearly two as I had half a mind to visit Sentosa, but then common sense and taste prevailed!). I was determined to visit Gardens by the Bay, the 2 temperature controlled conservatories in particular - the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome.
Architecturally these are amazing structures. Apparently the Flower Dome is the largest columnless glasshouse in the world - just a little tidbit if you're concerned with matters monumental.
The Supertrees Grove in particular, cut the skyscape like sprouting biomechanical buildings in a 70s sci-fi mat painting or an illustration from a science fiction compendium.
The overall effect is dramatic to say the least. Its a must visit, but give yourself time to not only admire from a distance, but to also discover the botanical gems hidden within.
You can marvel at the man made waterfall and the mountainous flora within the Cloud Forest. M's first reaction was one of incredulity that a man made structure of such magnitude was completely air-conditioned. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. And I know what some people think about that!
Then there is the Flower Dome which was slightly dissappointing. Way too much Australian content for my liking, sections of which were like walking through your local Bunnings ... but hey ho that's just my opinion. The Baobab trees and cacti were pretty impressive I have to say.
But frankly Flower Dome is a bit of a misnomer, as there was precious little variety to be had!
Time did not permit us doing the skywalk over at the Supertrees Grove, so my recommendation is that you head to the main ticketing booth and purchase tix for the Cloud Forest and Supertrees. The Supertrees tix will be cheaper this way.
We were wanting to fit in a ride on the Singapore Flier and also stop for lunch in between at Satay by the Bay. This food centre is a slightly punishing walk in the heat away from the main drag of the gardens proper. There is a shuttle bus that you can use at $2.00 per trip per person - I suggest you do so. But don't skip a visit here. If you are ever curious about what Satay actually tastes like (and if you live outside of Singapore and Malaysia, then chances are you have no clue! Because no one serves proper satay outside these countries), then head on down here and try them out over at the Sri Geylang stall (which is the better of the 3).
We had a selection of three meats: Ayam (chicken), Kambing (mutton) and Purut (tripe). Delicious beyond words.
And I also suggest that you head to the Boon Tat Seafood stall, which is just across the way and order their Mee Goreng. As its primarily a seafood stall, their version of Mee Goreng contains mainly seafood and there is a hint of prawn stock, making this a cross between Mee Goreng and Hokkien Mee (Singapore style). Amazing!
Next up - High above the clouds in the Singapore Flier.
PS check out the bark of this palm ... love it!!
Ok ... no visit to Singapore is complete without a visit to Tiong Bahru. I have blogged about this wonderfully bohemian part of town in a previous post. But the neighbourhood is so cool (I have been reliably informed that Katong is now snapping at its heels), it is worth a second post, something I try to avoid.
This time round, we literally hopped from one table to the next around the foodcourt, imbibing different dishes along the way.
We started with Chwee Kueh this time, at the Jian Bo stall which is our favourite. The preserved vegetable topping is so delicious here. There is always a queue for these delicious little morsels.
After wolfing these down, we moved onto Chee Cheong Fan. Another rice cake favourite of mine. Take note that this is the simplified version. Just the rice strips, no filling, and topped with a sweet sauce, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. There are other versions of Cheong Fan that have a filling of some sort, but you know us Singaporeans, its only ever our version!!
And you would think that that would have soothed even the most gargantuan of hungry beasts - but we had room for a plate of Char Kway Teow. As I'm not a fan of cockles, I always get them to hold the See Ham (blood cockles). But I imagined that leaving this off the final dish might actually change the flavour a little.
I still do long for the days when Char Kway Teow was redolent of crispy pork fat and served in a pool of its own grease. Health drives should have no place in a Hawker Centre. Let the "priviliged" congegrate in air conditioned comfort and slurp their watered down and bastardised versions of local cuisine and congratulate themselves on being connected yet superior at the same time. No Lard, No Fat? No Flavour lor??!!
PS - if you think you have had the real deal at your local Malaysian restaurant, think again. Char Kway Teow in its Hawker style variant is a simple dish - noodles, lup cheong (chinese sausage) and slices of chinese fish cake - thats pretty much all that goes in the dish (oh and the aforementioned See Ham - which is optional of course)!
Aah Tiong Bahru, I still want to live here.
Ok ... In search of the elusive Sup Kambing, we travelled west towards Clementi by way of Chinatown. We were in Temple Street, where a number of restaurant suppliers have set up shop, looking for M's tart press.
Chinatown is a hive of activity, absolutely thronging with tourist traps and studied cultural colour. There are also quite a few boutique hotels with some amazingly interiored rooms. Its well worth a visit and will give you a general idea of what old Singapore looked like before the days Air Conditioning took over the island. But try not to get sucked in!
After a futile search we made our way towards Clementi where a quick google search informed us "reliably" that there was a Sup Kambing stall, of the old variety - there are Mutton soup stalls for days, but you need to find one with the signature large-bellied metal pot, preferably simmering over a charcoal fire.
After a few misteps working out that Block numbers constitute street numbers, we finally made it to Subhaini Family Stall - and it certainly didn't dissappoint. The pieces that were selected for our bowls were boneless, and apparently if you want meat on the bone you have to ask for it - so take note. Ask for Tulang!
It still is a dish best cooked over charcoal as part of its peppery charm is that slight smokiness. And it should be eaten with bread, perferably limp french stick ... or if you want to be really Fahncy, then proper crsipy French stick.
We scored a couple of spice packets at a provision store nearby which will hopefully approximate this dish in our home kitchen. I will remain opptimistic.
After filling our bellies, we explored the shinier more modern side of Clementi with its towering condominiums and public scupltures (Singapore loves its public sculptures!).
All in all a wonderfully satisfying day.
Ok ... "oh singapura, singapura, pretty island, set in the sea" ... we landed on your shores to the smell of forest fires and a haze that could almost rival the murk of downtown Beijing, a once green land starting to curl at the edges in the dry heat, your once verdant coat patched up with brown ... did someone mention climate change? No? Aiyoh, no such thing lah!
2 months without rain and counting (well until the day we left when the heavens decided to open the floodgates and acknowledge their neglect) and it felt like an Australian summer. At times it got so bad we had to brave the stillness of the heat and eschew ventilation for the sake of our olfactory senses.
Still we soldiered on and pounded the streets going from meal to meal in a panicked fever, desperately anxious at the thought that we would run out of time and miss out on the hundreds of things we wanted to do and achieve. And eat!
Our first proper food sojourn took us into Little India where we had a childhood favourite of mine, Appum with Brown sugar and grated coconut. Soft and yeasty and crispy round the edges, this lovely bread from the Asian subcontinent is not easy to find, and there are a variety of ways to eat this, but the sweet version steadfastly remains the only way I like it.
Finishing it off with our first (and as it turns out, the best) glass of Teh Halia (Ginger Tea), we rounded off brunch with a plate of Wadai served with the regular chutney suspects, versions of which you find in Australia that absolutely pale in comparison.
It was a promising start to 10 days of culinary and physical exhaustion - more of which to come.
