Wow! What a packed 5 day trip back to Memory Lane (even with the changes made after 2 years away). Heading back to Singapore felt so good. Weird thought: In the past 3 years I have spent more time in Singapore than my hometown... Perhaps I should put an asterisks and say consecutively.
I was in Hong Kong, Monday, and saw one of my favorite shops Toast Box from Singapore located by the Jordan MTR - had dinner there and was in complete nostalgia (bought a jar of kaya) and thought I can do this Hong Kong thing as long as my Kaya is close - who would have thought within 72 hours I would be back to taste the authentic stuff!
So Jacob [of Copenhagen, pronounced Ya-cobb] and I, on a whim, booked flights based on a Tuesday night tweet that Calvin Harris, a UK 26 year old DJ, was spinning at Zouk, a club in Singapore. Zouk was one of my hangouts nt he Summer '08 with UNC buds Caroline Fisher, Luke and Angelo, and Angelo's boarding school tennis partner and Singaporean local, Ming. Arriving Thursday, we started off with Clarke Quay and walked along the Singapore River to see Robertson Quay as well. I give a gold star to Jacob for listening to all my random "Ah!" and "Oh, This one time" exclamations. Predicting the locations of 7-11 along the riverside validated my memory skills. And not going to lie, I was impressed with how much I remember as I had scribbled down my "Musts & Locations" (prioritizing, Dad.) Funny that the "Musts" was just a 3-page list of foods.
With limited time in the Lion City, I made sure to hit the ground running. Maxwell Road - Hawker Center was our first stop for food with Black Carrot Cake, Rojak and Teh Tarik. My first meal back in S'pore was the same location as my last meal in 2008 - pretty neat! With over 50 stalls to choose from, I looked more like a hunting dog irrationally retracing my steps and following my nose until Ah, Ha! I found it.
Two plates of odd-shaped items covered in what looks like tar produced the most unexpected glee from Jacob, who had been missing spicy food while in Hong Kong. With little expectation of Singapore and its food, he did not know the Foodie Adventure I had in mind.
Clean palms deserves a thumbs up after scarfing down this Indian lunch of Briyani and Dota. 
100 plus + Jalebi + Kickapoo Joy Juice = 100% Joy
How can you not agree with their policy? Sounds like world peace to me.
Banana Prata and Sugar + Egg and Onion Prata with Curry
Rojak and Black Carrot Cake (the one that has the forks on it)Rojak is slang for a mess in Singapore, and you wonder why: "typically of cucumber, pineapple, benkoang, bean sprouts, taupok (puffy, deep-fried tofu) and youtiao (cut-up Chinese-style fritters)...The dressing is made up of water, belacan (shrimp paste), sugar, chili, and lime juice. Ingredients vary among vendors with some also using hae ko prawn/shrimp paste, tamarind or black bean paste in the mix." Thanks wikipedia for that delicious definition.
Black Carrot Cake on the other hand is another mess of radish and taro cake cut strips stir fried with bean roots, garlic, fish sauce, chili paste, and onions. Yum!
Best advice for Singaporean food - don't describe to person eating it by using the ingredients, describe the happiness one will have after consumption.
- Catherine
Black Carrot Cake on the other hand is another mess of radish and taro cake cut strips stir fried with bean roots, garlic, fish sauce, chili paste, and onions. Yum!
Best advice for Singaporean food - don't describe to person eating it by using the ingredients, describe the happiness one will have after consumption.
- Catherine
