Foodies Heaven in Singapore
Well, I wouldn't do any justice to my roots if I don't write a post about food in Singapore. Singapore is a foodie's heaven - hands down! You get variety (all sorts of cuisines under the sun + tons of local delicacies), quality (since the country is so small, you gotta be good to survive such discerning palettes), value for money (you can get a good meal plus drinks for under USD3), accessibility (restaurants and food centers are everywhere) and round-the-clock (many food centers are 24 hrs). What more can you ask for?
It surprises me that we continue to have food fads - yes, these food trends that sweep across the whole nation and make 4.5 million people quite crazy. Here are some current and recent favorites :
a) Doughnuts (yes, we are now officially crazy about doughnuts). Some of them cost as much as S$2.50, which is the price of a bowl of noodles in Singapore! This current trend has led to the opening of new doughnut shops such as Summer House Donut, Munchy Donuts and unbelievably long queues at Donut factory in Raffles City Shopping Center.
b) Kaya Toast - Killiney Road Kopitiam, Ya Kun Kaya, Toast Box....and from your local coffee shops. Kaya is a jam, made from coconut, eggs and pandan leaves and of course, sugar. The best kaya I've ever tried is that made by my fourth auntie in Malaysia. I actually saw her make it from scratch and the perfume of kaya filled up the whole house. I grew up on Kaya, it's like peanut butter for us and as kids, we used to eat them, smeared on soft, white, crustless bread. I can easily eat 5 or 6 slices of kaya toast in a row.
c) Curry Puff - a perennial favorite, you choose between curry chicken with potatoes (the original), with a quarter of a hard-boiled egg inside and hence 30 cts more, or sardines. In the early 2000's, someone revamped the simple curry puff and gave it a beautiful flaky crust and a brand name, A1. Since then, the status of the simple curry puff has been elevated.
d) Gelato - this fad started in 2006, if I remember correctly. Marketed as healthier than regular ice cream, italian gelato became an instant hit. You can imagine why - it averages 85 degrees or about 30 degrees celsius in Singapore!
Check out more about the foods in Singapore on Makansutra.
