![[Capital Wines]](/images/cw_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
I love Singapore. I love it when you step off the aircraft and the warm tropical air hits you. It smells damp and exotic. It is a vibrant, modern business hub, however the grandeur of its colonial past blending with ancient eastern culture is what makes it so interesting. Along with the humid air, I love breathing in the history and drinking in the culture through its melting pot of different cuisines.
Most tourists find their way to Chinatown. The procession of colourful street stalls draws you in to its depths. Despite the obvious tourist junk for sale there are some little treasures to be found in Chinatown’s heart. Keep a look out for Mr Shu Shan Yip, who will write your name using the beautiful brushstrokes of Chinese calligraphy (for all I know the characters probably say “stupid tourist” but it is a great little gift to souvenir). Food Street has some interesting hawkers, selling everything from bone soup to the famous Hainanese chicken rice.
taken from my i-phone
When it comes to street food, my favourite is the satay from the old hawker markets at Lau Pa Sat. The hawkers wave their bamboo fans over the charcoal and the smell of the satay cooking on the coals is unbelievably good. Sitting at one of the tables in the steamy street, under the fairy lit rain trees, eating satay and drinking cold beer is a great way to spend a Singapore evening. You can find terrific dumplings at Lau Pa Sat and throughout Singapore. Din Tai Fung is a chain of dumpling houses, there are several in Singapore and it is fascinating to watch the dumplings being hand made through the glass kitchen.
taken from my i-phone
Everyone has heard of Singapore chilli crab but my favourite is actually the black pepper crab. Black pepper crab and a chilled glass of riesling is a possible contender for my last meal on earth (I have a few options).
Also famous in Singapore is the Peranakan cuisine, Katong laksa; a mixture of rice noodles, shrimps, cockles, fish cake and chilli paste in a thick coconut-based broth. Good laksa places will have reduced the broth to a thick gravy. The more chilli you add the thicker and richer the soup base becomes. Just remember it isn’t good unless you break out in a sweat.
A must do in Singapore is to sit in the Long Bar at Raffles, under the flapper fans and have a Singapore sling, eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. For evening drinks, the atmosphere at Chijmes is pretty good. There are numerous bars and restaurants with outdoor seating all built around the site of what was once a grand convent. Insomnia night club is popular with its live music. After several gin and tonics the house cover band is actually really good and becomes excellent as the night progresses.
taken from my i-phone
Food shopping is a great pastime in Singapore. The food basement of the Japanese department store, Takashimaya is always fascinating for people watching. One of my preferred things is to browse through the Chinese medicine shops. Amongst other things, they sell a mixture of medicinal and culinary herbs and spices. I love trying to figure out what I can bring back in through Australian customs without scaring our border security. Declare everything and you should avoid the gloves.
For something sweet, the Kueh Lapis which you can buy at Bengawan Solo is delicious. It is a stripey layered cake made from golden syrup and spices. Bengawan solo shops are everywhere including the terminals at Changi. They conveniently pack the cakes for travel.
Wine is quite expensive in Singapore and so I tend to take a few bottles in my bag. After all, 'The Whip' Riesling is well suited to Asian cuisine and in Singapore the culinary opportunities to enjoy it are plentiful!
This article has 0 comments.