Eating My Way Through Singapore

So before the New Year’s revelry and subsequent non-resolutions (see previous post), I went traveling for my American holiday of Christmas!  These travels took me to Singapore and Vietnam, which I will introduce through my photos, and primarily, through the totally amazing food that can be found in each.

YUM.

There are other cool things in Singapore besides food, but don’t ask a Singaporean resident! They’ll just shrug and say, “Eh, the food, the shopping, that’s about it.”  But don’t believe it!  Singapore is a city-state teeming with an incredibly rich array of diverse cultures, which mix and meld together in fascinating ways.  The food may one way into seeing the different cultural angles of Singapore, but it certainly doesn’t end there.

Check out neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little India (and its Muslim Middle-Eastern section with the beautiful Sultan Mosque and the amazing Café El Caire), Joo Chiat, and places like the Peranaken Museum, Hawker Centres for local street food (I went to the Newton Centre and one by City Hall but the Esplanade Centre looks like an amazing night spot), and Orchard Street– famous for its shopping– for a taste of the many different characteristics of such a small place.

And don’t forget to take a walk around the Marina Bay and Esplanade, for beautiful views of the city skyline.  I was amazed at the night view as well from the freeway at night!   I haven’t seen such a gorgeous– as well as varied and whimsical– skyline since Las Vegas. Say what you like about the nature of the Strip in LV, but the lights are amazing. Same with Singapore at night– it’s really quite breathtaking.

The funny thing is that I am critical of all photos of Singapore at night, because LITERALLY the best view of the skyline is as you drive through it on the highway, past the "flyer" (ferris wheel) and almost up to the Marina Bay Sands hotel and casino (the boat thing). This photo gets the wow factor I think! Photo by coolinsights, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons license.

I had the pleasure of visiting two college friends, who both grew up in Singapore, so they offered the insider’s view of places to go and things to see.  (I also got to experience a Singaporean version of a Chinese wedding banquet, thanks to my friend’s lovely family and their engagement party!)  Then, on my second full day in the city, I had what might be the most delicious food day of my life!  Check out the photos for more… the only borrowed photo below is of Chili Crabs, which my friend Kee took me to eat before we went to the Night Safari, another not-to-miss evening delight.

If you get the opportunity to pass through or visit Singapore, happy eating and cultural exploring!

Just your average street in Little India.

The view from Orchard Street.

My amazing food day began with a Middle Eastern breakfast at Café Le Caire: babaganoush, Arabic bread, and Turkish Coffee. (The Economist not included.)

Then I went to the Newton Hawker Centre for lunch, where I tasted a multitude of amazing flavors, starting with "carrot cake" and fresh pineapple mango juice. "Carrot cake" is not your American pastry, but a kind of fried rice-esque dish made with sliced and fried carrot or turnip "cakes" mixed with egg, vegetables, and sauce.

Then moving on to chicken satay, an apparently Malaysian style dish, despite being known in America as a popular "Thai" appetizer. Best chicken satay of my life; I could drink the peanut sauce straight up.

Then on to the primary exotic treat: BBQ Sting ray! It came highly recommended, so I ordered it without a second thought. Such second thoughts might have included, "Not too spicy," because it came DRENCHED in chili sauce. But I was able to get some of the best flavors while avoiding eating ALL of the spicy sauce. The BBQ seafood stand hawkers were also great fun-- they ate lunch right next to me, so we started talking about Singapore, food, and travel. It was a great opportunity for a little cultural insight into Hawker Centres!

After the Hawker Centre lunch binge, I thought I would never eat again. Luckily, the crab that Kee took me and his other friend to try for dinner felt pretty light-- but was incredibly delicious! I agree with him that Salted Egg Crab tastes even better than the classic Chili Crab; both are amazing! This photo by Kojach, courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons license.