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Three Must-Try Dishes in Singapore

nadmin7back 2017-12-10T14:07:05+00:00

Photo Source: hanoifreewalkingtours.com

Few peoples in the world can match the reverence and fervour Singaporeans reserve for food. Colombians brawl over football teams; Italians have passionate love affairs with their cars. Singaporeans hold hour long deliberations over which street stall serves the best chilli crab in Glutton’s Bay. Singaporean cuisine is of course, a diverse affair of Malay, Chinese influence (served with a dash of Indonesian, Indian and Peranakan and Eurasian tradition.) Faced with the perils of recommending Tim Ho Wan’s dim sum over Swee Choon Tim Sum’s, I will content myself with merely listing the best Singaporean dishes every tourist must try.

Hainanese Chicken with Rice
Photo Credit: justgola.com

Even the uninitiated among you will probably have already heard of this one. If Singaporean cuisine were to disappear, and the nation had to choose one dish to preserve, this would probably be that dish. While the preparation method may sound unexciting (essentially boiling the chicken), every native knows that if done well, a tender Hainanese Chicken paired with the broth infused rice (with some soy sauce, and a kick of ginger on the side) is an addictive classic.

Bak Kut Teh
Photo Credit: oldstreet.com.sg

There are many legends surrounding the origins of this fiery, spicy soup. One of the most famous tells the story of a charitable but poor street food hawker who threw together some leftover pork bones and cheap spices into a stew to feed a hungry beggar by the side of the road. Another recounts a concoction cooked up to rejuvenate tired Chinese laborers working along the Singapore river. The only thing the numerous legends agree upon is the dish’s humble origins. While Bak Kut Teh can now be found in many gourmet restaurants in Singapore, the dish remains accessible to the rich and poor alike.

Chilli Crab
Photo Credit: http://sites.psu.edu

Singapore is surrounded by three large bodies of water: The South China Sea to the northwest, the Pacific Ocean to the northeast, and the Indian Ocean to the southwest. It is no surprise then, that seafood is irreplaceable to the national palate. This iconic dish calls for stir fried crab doused in a sweet and spicy sauce, and served with deep fried mantou on the side.

I would be amiss not to mention the numerous other mouth-watering dishes that Singapore has to offer. The tiny island nation’s unique spin on Laksa, fish-head curry, satay, and oyster omelette are only a few among the infinite list of dishes that one cannot hope to cover in a year.

Works Cited:

http://sethlui.com/best-local-famous-foods-to-eat-singapore/

http://www.atlapedia.com/online/maps/physical/Malaysia_etc.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporean_cuisine

A Weary Tourist’s Guide To Hong Kong

2017-12-10T14:08:57+00:00

If you’ve taken the Tram up Victoria’s Peak, walked the aisles of Lane Crawford more times than you can count, and utterly seasick of the Star Ferry, you may – like me – start to wonder what else is there to do in Hong Kong. There’s no disguising Hong Kong’s small size, though the sheer urban density and diverse culture can often obscure that fact. This is a city that definitely has a few more plates spinning than your average global metropolis. Here’s a quick guide to navigating the chaotic cocktail of experiences that is Hong Kong.

Visit a Street Market

Photo credit: www.yellowfeb.com

Along Tung Choi Street is an assortment of ramshackle street stalls known as the Ladies’ Market. Cheap clothes, trinkets and souvenirs that vendors hawk from shops that are open by noon. Elsewhere in Kowloon, night owls may prefer to visit the Temple Street Night market. Hong Kong’s famed culinary prowess is on full display here, as locals and foreigners alike put their Cantonese haggling skills to the test. Expect to see surprise street acts that run the gamut from fortune telling to traditional Cantonese opera.

Go Bird watching at the Hong Kong Wetland Park

Photo credit: www.info.gov.hk

This Wetland Park should give pause to those people for whom Hong Kong doesn’t exactly bring to mind lush ecological spaces. While the park may be best described futuristic (facilities are modern and include a large theater, a viewing gallery and cafe), there are more than enough hiking trails, bird hides and viewing platforms to satisfy any nature lover.

Wander around an ancient temple

Photo credit: ilovehongkong.org

I get it. You’ve already seen the Tian Tan Buddha, and that’s more than enough for a few days. But Hong Kong’s old temples are so intertwined with the city’s heritage that it would be a crime not to drop by. Top picks would be Man Mo temple, which served as a court of arbitration for legal disputes during the Qing dynasty. And Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, which was dedicated to the eponymous Wong Tai Sin, the favorite god of local businesspeople.

Escape the city

Photo credit: expatliving.hk

Tired of Hong Kong’s frenetic city life? Flee to ‘Lamma’ known as the “hippie island” to locals. You won’t find the prerequisite super malls or sky scrapers that Hong Kong is known for. In fact, Lamma’s skyline is punctuated by three lone coal chimneys. If you’re looking for quiet forests, beaches and rustic villages, Lamma has all three in spades.

Works Cited:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Wetland_Park

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/hong-kong