Singapore Dining, SINGAPORE
Airing Date: Aug 25th, 2003
Singapore's mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian cultures has created some exotic culinary delights.
With so many different tastes to choose from, it's difficult to know where to begin.
One of the most colourful, noisy and spicy corners of Singapore is Little India, and its busiest day is Sunday. The wide variety of Indian food is mainly located along Upper Dickson Road. A popular meal in Little India is the curry pancake, a curiously sweet and spicy combination. If you're feeling adventurous, try the fish head soup. It's one of Singapore's most famous dishes.
The wet markets (so named for the wet concrete floors) are scattered all over Singapore and are crazy every day of the week. With constantly stocked fresh produce and a lively, bustling atmosphere, the Singaporean locals often prefer wet markets to supermarkets and go there to socialize, shop, and haggle.
You can sample a variety of different food at the wet market stalls, from Indian to Chinese to Malaysian, all super cheap. Why not try a traditional Chinese meal of chicken rice? It's a fairly bland dish, but the favoured dish of many Singaporeans. Lunch from a hawker stall like those in wet markets can be as cheap as $3.
Singapore is not just about street food. Singapore's restaurants are some of Asia's finest.
Blue Ginger on Orchard Road serves Perankakan cuisine. This style of cooking combines Chinese, Malay and other influences into its own unique blend of flavours. The style originated when Chinese merchants married Malay women. Dishes at start from around $4. Popular dishes to try at Blue Ginger include fish cakes wrapped in banana leaves, and beef rendang.
If you're feeling a bit low after all that running around, head down to the Imperial Herbal Restaurant in Chinatown for a bite to eat and a remedy for your ails. Their motto? Delicious gourmet cuisine is our philosophy; therapeutic herbal food is our recipe. If you've got a migraine or are in need of a detox, try the deep fried scorpion with mince prawns on toast. Lunch at the Imperial starts from $39 per person, and to see the doctor it's an extra $9.
Another great place to grab a meal in Singapore is the Singapore Zoo, where you can have breakfast with the Orang-utans. Bear in mind that it's not necessary to tip in Singapore. Restaurants always add a gratuity to the bill.
The facts
Jetset and Creative Holidays have packages to Singapore including return flights with Singapore Airlines, four nights' accommodation at the Raffles the Plaza, half day city tour, transfers and breakfast. Prices start from $1530 from the east coast and $1264 from the west.
Jetset
Tel: 13 63 83
Raffles Plaza
A half day guided Flavour of Asia food tour costs $25 per person.
Flavours of the New Asia Tour
Entry to the Singapore Zoo costs $11, and $14 gets you a breakfast of tropical fruits and noodles.
Singapore Zoological Gardens
