Food Tripping in Singapore

Hawker centre.  Image by Clarisse Hernandez.

We do realize that you, our loyal two readers, may think that this blog is having an Australian twang what with all the NSW tourist spots and that bit on Kylie Minogue.  But be rest assured that Quarter-life vices is still committed to bringing you our meanderings from other places as well.  Today, we felt particularly hungry and thought about all the gastronomic delights that one teeny city-state offers.  Singapore may be small in size but it definitely measures up on our list of places to go on a shameless and delicious food trip.  With influences from the Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures (not to mention the modern-day Western investors that have called it home in Southeast Asia) Singapore is indeed a culinary melting pot and the results are all the way yummy.

Our food-trip guide for the best chows in the Lion City, after the jump...


1. Eat what the locals eat.  Ditch those well-meaning hotel food for some raw (this can mean literally) and genuine local food fare.

    WHERE: Tiong Bahru Market

WHY EAT HERE:  Tiong Bahru Market boasts some of the best hawker stalls in Singapore.  Locals from other places in Singapore even go all the way to Tiong Bahru for the food alone; and in a city-state where hawker stalls are everywhere, that says a lot.

 WHAT TO TRY:  Char Siew Bao, Chwee Kueh, Noodles and Soya Milk.

Char Siew Bao from Tiong Bahru Pau. Photo via food.insing.com

Chwee Kueh. Photo via visit-sg.blogspot.com

Fishball Noodles. Photo via  food.insing.com

Soybean Milk. (Photo via sg.openrice.com)

 WE HAVE A TIP: With all the stalls selling almost the same thing (and all vying for your attention!) it is a rule of thumb that the best ones are always the ones with the longer line. And its best to go here for Brunch or lunch because when night comes, you have to be on No. 3.

2. Swedish fix (Not that Singapore is particularly a sister-country of Sweden but...)

    WHERE: Ikea Restaurant in Ikea stores

Ikea in Alexandra Road. (Photo via TJ Ong Architect)

WHY EAT HERE: Ikea might as well be everyone's must-stop for practical and well-designed home stuffs (and apparent taking of mental-notes on hacking everyone of them).  Admittedly, those Ikea desks are so minimalist-dreamy and after swooning and buying all that stuff you will go hungry so it is the stuff of genius that they have a restaurant right inside their store.

WHAT TO TRY: Swedish Meatballs, chicken, salmon, daim cake, Ikea chocolates

               

Ikea's Daim Cake. 

               

Swedish Meatballs. (Photo by deeyonha via sg.openrice.com)

 WE HAVE A TIP:  When all that shopping and swooning is not enough, right in front of Ikea in Alexandra district is Alexandra mall where outlet stores of Billabong, Cotton On and Charles & Keith are (you probably don't care but these stores matters to us in way of cute boardies, cute everyday wear and cute shoes. )

3. Pulutan, Singapore Style.  We thought hard of an English word for pulutan but none seems fit: Snacks sound lame, pica-pica sounds ridiculous and hors d'oeuvres sounds like a mispronounced atrocity when you are really just getting drunk (also, it is a french word).  But if you have any idea for what pulutan is in English, let us know.

    WHERE: Hawker stalls in Newton Circus and Lau Pa Sat

Lau Pa Sat Hawker Centre. (Photo by Pete Seaward via  BBC Travel)

WHY: Because we are Pinoys and drinking with pulutan on the side is what we do to have a freaking good time.  Right on!

 WHAT: Stingray, Satay, Sotong, and a big bottle of Tiger Beer

Barbecued Stingray.  (Photo via best-singapore-guide.com )

Beef Satay. (Photo via best-singapore-guide.com)

Sotong (Squid).  Photo via singapuradailyphoto.blogspot.com

Ice-cold Tiger Beer.

 
 WE HAVE A TIP:  How about having your Tiger Beer ice-cold?  Do not nurse it till it has gone warm, it is meant to go down fast and you ordering another round. (according to Quarter-life Vices' unwritten rule of beer-drinking).

All that reminiscing on food sure made us miss it more (and made us hungrier than before) but we have to do it lest we forget all its savory goodness.  Who said long-distance relationships are easy?