Saturday, December 02, 2006 The food scene in Singapore By Nelia G. Neri
FROM hawker food to fine dining, from Asian cooking to Continental cuisine, Singapore has it all. This we saw for ourselves during the “Beyond Words Media Familiarization Tour” sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board. True to its promise of a “uniquely luxurious” experience, STB arranged for its invitees to dine at the finest restaurants in the city.
Dinner at the French resto called Les Amis in Scotts Road started the gastronomic treat that was in store for us. Truly unforgettable was the Veloute of Mushrooms (creamy mushroom soup with a hint of truffle), and the grilled, tender U.S. Rib-eye. And yes, we got to meet the handsome chef, Gunther Hubrechsen. The place is also famous for its award-winning wine list of more than 1,200 labels....loved the super smooth red wine served and the perfectly chilled white wine.
My Humble House at the Esplanade gave us a taste of innovative Neo-classic Chinese cuisine with such intriguing names as Dancing with the Wind (double-boiled seafood consomme served in young coconut); Sizzle, Sizzle, Sizzle (oven-baked fillet of silver cod in Japanese sake sauce); Seduction of the Senses (chilled lemongrass gelo with mixed fruits), among others. My Humble House was the recipient of the Asian Ethnic Restaurant of the Year award during the World Gourmet Summit last April.
Another night, we sampled local hawker food (Malay, Indian and Chinese) but in 5-star premises at the very popular Straits Kitchen at the Hyatt Hotel. Pick your choice, everything is there—from the all-time Singaporean favorites of Chili Crab and Hainanese Chicken Rice to Oyster Omelet, steaming noodle soups, spicy curries, to native desserts like Ice Kachang, Durian Chendol, etc. We also got a kick watching a demo of how Teh Tarik (the Singaporeans’ favorite tea) is poured from up, up and away!
Our lunches were excellent as well. One was at the very exclusive Iggy’s at the Regent Hotel (the only Southeast Asian restaurant ranked in a British-based Restaurant magazine as among the 100 best restaurants in the world). With a seating capacity of only 28, dining there (Continental fare) is strictly by reservation only. My choice for main dish was the Home-made Wagyu Beef Burger with White Truffle Sabayon while my seatmate Ethel S. opted for the Pan-fried Crispy Seabass with Aubergine Caviar and Tomato Confit.
And then there was that Sunday lunch buffet at The Song of India (beautifully housed in a heritage bungalow with a garden along Scotts Road) where we feasted on traditonal Indian dishes-given-a-unique-twist—Punjabi Kadi, Tandoori Chicken, Moti Kebah, etc. The combination of flavors tickled our palates!
The buffet breakfast at One Ninety of Four Seasons Hotel where we stayed offered a wide selection of morning staples; an array of bread and cheeses, fruits, jams, cold cuts, egg choices and more.
One lovely morning found us having breakfast at Halia, a resto sitting prettily in the midst of the Ginger Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Included in the buffet were local favorites, like Laksa, Nasi Lemak with Pandan Rice and Tahu Goreng along with the usual Western choices. It was a delightful breakfast, made more so with the fresh morning air and the sea of green all around.
