Singapore 2024. Quick Stop. Good Eats.

Google_Gourmet · May 18, 2024, 6:35pm

We’re in Singapore for 4 nights, then Bangkok. No big plans for our time here, just kick back and enjoy some free flow eating.

Checked into our Orchard Road hotel after the 17 hour hop from SFO, squared away and sailed through the hotel lobby and into the night heat at 9:30p. Visions of Singapore’s great food urging us on.

No time or patience to seek out any particular speciality, ready to just eat whatever looks delicious, then hit the hay. Myriad dining options in the area. But…… most restaurants and outlets were set to close at 10pm!!! Kam’s Roast Goose, yum!! Cheong Fun for dinner, sure!! Hainan Chicken!!

Just about everyone was closed, or soon to be. Ok, plan B. Asian supermarkets are food fantasy worlds, so much great stuff! Shopping basket too small!!!

Empty corridor leading to nearest supermarket not a promising sign.

The tired looking but courteous clerk warned us the store will be closing in 15 minutes, gotta be quick. Not a problem, but….the hot food and chilled Sushi had already been sold or tucked away!! Grabbed what provisions we could, a couple bottles of Shiraz and some Tiger beer to “replenish” the mini-bar.

Next problem. The checkout clerk apologetically informed us No Liquor Sales After 10:30pm!!!. WTF?? What kinda hell is this?

We bagged our meager groceries, grabbed a Grab and retreated to the sanctuary of our hotel to lick our wounds.

1st dinner in Food Paradise.

Fortunately, neither of us were actually hungry. But, we WANTED to EAT!!!

Nursed my lone remaining Heineken and waited for the sunrise. The food bar has been set low, we will find and eat great food!!

damiano · May 18, 2024, 6:48pm

Nice! Looking forward to your posts!

Haven’t been to Singapore in a while but have fond memories of eating satay outside at Lau Pa Sat at midnight.

I have also been to some restaurants/food shops after hitting the clubs, so say after 3AM. Don’t know the names but taxi drivers will direct you as needed. And of course many restaurants will still be open after 10PM, especially those where westerners gravitate to (quality may not be top though).

ETA: found a recent pic of satay street at Lau Pa Sat.

ipsedixit · May 18, 2024, 6:56pm

This makes me sad.

Google_Gourmet · May 18, 2024, 7:28pm

Morning couldn’t come soon enough. Especially since I was wide awake at 3am, waiting for Da Wife to awaken from her beauty sleep.

At 6am, we decided our first real meal of this trip should be at one of our favorite Singapore spots.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pSFTsZyS6APejdJj7?g_st=ic

Thiong Shian Frog Claypot Porridge Centre. On the edge of Chinatown, anchors a micro-Hawker center of four stalls. A Hainan Chicken shop, Local (?) Foods stall, a Beverage counter plus our beloved Porridge destination.

We’re here for the FROG Congee in Claypot. Silky smooth tender frog simmered and served bubbling HOT in a charred claypot, redolent with the smoke and flame of its creation. With YouTiao, my perfect breakfast.

Must have some veggies, Bok Choy oiled with a braised chopped pork and shallot sauce. Too saucy for us, less sauce next time.

Braised Tofu with same sauce, which actually worked well with the Tofu. The spicy garlic sauce definitely helped.

Beverage vender was a tad gruff when I hesitantly ordered for a Tiger Beer. He told me sgd$10.50. My Wife had only trusted me with $10 cash. The vender took pity on me and suggested I pay cash, then only $8.50. I think he gave me the local’s rate. Maybe not.

When I asked for some ice for my beer, seems I sealed the deal and pried a smile outta him.

Thus fortified, off to Chinatown for what avails.

Google_Gourmet · May 18, 2024, 8:53pm

Dim Sum lunch at Victor’s Kitchen this morning. This choice was spot on!!

@sck had asked about restaurant research sites for Japan, and I’d asked my wife. Her research methodology is finding trustworthy bloggers that are honest and sincere posting about places and eating experiences. I’ve learned to trust her judgement.

https://g.co/kgs/djYUYR1

I’ve been ready for a good Yum Cha meal for some time. San Francisco’s dim sum sit down prices are not palatable to me, yet. Hong Kong travel is still in the near future.

Victor’s Kitchen was a treat. High quality Dim Sum that compares well with HK and Canton. Service was very un-Hong Kong like. No slamming of dishes and cutlery on your table, the servers actually talked to the paying customers! Gasp!

Instead of automatically insisting on your hot tea preference, a drink menu was presented.

A cold drink option much appreciated. H.K. Summer Iced Milk Tea for she. H.K. Iced Lemon Tea for me. Loved the presentation. Touché.

Simple menu.

We ordered off menu special (only available Saturday) Pig Trotter with Braised Egg. Manager kindly advised the Bo Lo Bao and Dan Tat had just emerged from the oven. Soooo tempting, but too filling for our eating agenda.

Crisp piping HOT and delicious Seafood Golden Roll.

Tofu Skin Wrap. More Seafood.

King Prawn Cheong Fun. H.K. Style Fried Cheong Fu with a great char. The Spicy XO sauce worked well with this, Hoisin not as well.

It ain’t Dim Sum w/o Ha Gow. A new to us Deep Fried Salt n’ Pepper Fu Jook (Yuba). Quite tasty and different. GaiLan Oyster Sauce.

Not the booming boisterous mirrored Yum Cha halls found in Hong Kong. A worthy tasty alternative, will gladly and likely return.

Google_Gourmet · May 19, 2024, 12:45am

It’s all good. Many many good restaurants still open at that time, just a quick Grab away. Or, we coulda ordered hotel delivery via Grab Eats. We lacked the motivation.

The no alcohol sales after 10:30p rule not quite as ez to circumvent. It’s easier to enjoy the good after weathering some of the not so good. We survived.

The Spicey Tuna Onigiri was delicious, BTW! Thank Heaven for Seven Eleven!!!

Phoenikia · May 19, 2024, 2:10am

That dim sum looks fantastic.

klyeoh · May 19, 2024, 3:27am

This was one of the after-effects of a riot by migrant workers from India & Bangladesh in Little India back in 2013. Much of the violence was blamed on drunkenness. By 2014, sales of alcohol after-hours are severely curtailed across the board.

damiano · May 19, 2024, 5:13am

FYI. In Thailand, there is a ban on alcohol sales in the afternoon.

Google_Gourmet · May 19, 2024, 10:29am

Came across an interesting alcohol retail/consumption concept last night in a CS (Cold Storage).

Folks were eating and drinking in a spacious well laid out area, a dozen tables and an actual bar with a half dozen bar stools.

One gent had a half bottle of Tanqueray Gin and Schweppes which he was obviously mixing for himself. Lady next to him had a bottle of Raku Gin in front of her. Other patrons were enjoying beverages from bottles of wine or beer and snacking on various items. Self service bar and restaurant??

The bartender explained the concept. Customer buys food and liquor from the super or off the back bar to drink and eat in-store.

In the case of hard liquor, the bar will store the bottle for 2 weeks. You are free to come in and indulge at your leisure during this period. You are charged $8/session including a can of mixer, gratis. Wine carriage charge is $4.5, beer $2.50.

What a novel (to me) way to spur alcohol sales and drive customer traffic while building a positive in-store experience! Of course, many Asian convenience stores also provide areas where one can eat and drink. These areas are starkly utilitarian for the most part, for the quick in n’ out demographic.

This is a bar and restaurant experience for a fraction of the cost of an actual bar/restaurant tab. Liquor laws in USA would likely preclude this concept from actualizing back home. As an ex F&B guy, I’m impressed.

Google_Gourmet · May 19, 2024, 10:43am

A few years ago, I was in a Carrefour or similar type store stocking up. I was more than a little surprised to find the alcohol coolers and shelves were CHAINED UP!!! In the late afternoon?!?!?

I was advised to come back after 5pm. Last call at 1am I understand. Chained up liquor in the afternoon?

damiano · May 20, 2024, 8:24pm

Uh oh… Bad news for you guys… Be prepared!

Google_Gourmet · May 20, 2024, 8:58pm

thanks for the heads up!!!

Less accessibility is not necessarily a bad thing. Drink less, enjoy more!!!

Google_Gourmet · May 22, 2024, 4:35am

@damiano

“Uh oh… Bad news for you guys… Be prepared! “

Yikes!!!

Lost track of the days. (We ARE on vacation).

Not a good sign!!!

Have to nurse one remaining beer for 24 hours.

damiano · May 22, 2024, 6:01am

My guess is that you’ll probably still be able to drink alcohol at (upscale) hotels…

ETA: I can recommend the wonderful bar at the Okura Hotel. They have great highballs (with a view). One other thing: every Sunday they have an all you can eat seafood buffet. Unlimited lobster, snow crab and so on.

Google_Gourmet · May 22, 2024, 6:28am

I figured the bar and club in our hotel would most likely still serve alcohol. I have two complimentary welcome drink chits to get the ball rolling.

We’ll see. A dry day ain’t gonna kill me.

That said, a good hi-ball or two will probably sound much more enticing in 4 hours or so.

Alcohol, even beer is so expensive in Singapore. Makes overindulgence here in Bangkok so much easier.

paprikaboy · May 22, 2024, 7:51am

More than likely. I have been offered a beer in Bangkok at the end of an official mourning period when alcohol couldn’t be sold, but decided a dry day wasn’t a bad thing.

In Kerala I was once served beer in a teapot along with a china cup when they shouldn’t have been serving alcohol.

Google_Gourmet · May 22, 2024, 8:15am

Cold Tea was automatically brought to us when we hit our regular Chinatown restaurant after last call.

Google_Gourmet · May 24, 2024, 12:05am

Bak Kut Teh. Pork Rib Tea. Spicy herbal broth infused with the slow simmered richness of pork bone, accented by complementary spices. A dish synonymous with Singapore & Malaysia.

Our final dinner on this leg of the trip was at Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, Orchard Road branch. The food and dining experience was equal to the OG Clarke Quay location, with the added benefit of stronger air conditioning and a much shorter wait.

The queue at all locations can be daunting at times due to reputation and popularity. While waiting in the surprisingly short line, we preordered via a QR slip.

Our specialties were delivered moments after we settled in.

Pork Ribs. Delightful, juicy and meaty in Song Fa’s reknown peppery broth. Gnaw off the bone goodness.

Braised Pork Intestine. One of our favorites. Silky and tender.

Pork Liver and Pork Kidney soup. Interesting option to request the liver half done. Liver goes from just right to overcooked in a flash. Our liver arrived half cooked in a partially filled bowl. Another server topped the bowl to the brim with boiling hot soup.

Kidney was snappy with a slight chew, nice.

Gai Lan Oyster Sauce with a sprinkling of deep fried shallots. Some Rice.

Service was very good. A dedicated server roamed the floor with a kettle of the steaming special house broth, replenishing soup as needed. She made at least 3 stops at our table.

We’re back in Singapore next week and staying in Robertson Quay. If the queues aren’t prohibitive, I would happily do another round.