Singapore, Paradise of Gourmet Foods

In 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles of the East India Company arrived at the river of Singapore with his trading ship. The riverbank later turned into an array of warehouses. But could he ever have imagined that those warehouses would house marvelous, fancy restaurants almost two centuries later?

The Boat Quay and the Clark Quay are all occupied by a parade of outside tables. Many races, languages, religions, and nationalities mingle in this place. Foods from both East and West decorate the tables and plate, and people enjoy “New Asia” food. There is no doubt that the birthplace of original fusion food is right here in Singapore.

Singapore is a paradise for gourmands. The “Singapore Sling” is one of the starkest proofs. This tropical cocktail beams with the color red. The inventor is Chinese, and its birthplace is the “Long Bar” in the Raffles Hotel. The Chinese inventor was working at the hotel named after the English tradesman as a porter when he created this cocktail for the English out of their everyday fruit. The cocktail has earned international fame, and is a symbolic representation of Singapore’s history.

Malaysians, Indians, Chinese, and English have lived together over the last two centuries in Singapore. They were born into different religions, races, languages, and origins, but the country prides itself on its harmonious history without civil war since it obtained independence from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965. They have made an advanced country out of themselves today. “New Asia,” the paradigm that Singapore promotes, comes from this idea of harmony of different cultures, foods, and histories, which sums up to the word “fusion.” That is why Singapore is called the melting pot of Eastern and Western culture.

The food is drawing our attention more than ever, along with the new code in fashion, “Well-being.” Gourmet, culinary art, and cuisine: these are the words that we are becoming increasingly familiarized with these days. Singapore, the capital and the paradise of international gourmands is now representing its wonderful face as one of the world’s premier destinations.

One’s entire travel itinerary can revolve around food in Singapore. We suggest The Fullerton Hotel on the riverside that overlooks the waterside restaurants on the Boat Quay. The building was originally a post office and relives the history of the country even today.

In the morning, try a Singaporean breakfast, like Yakunkaya’s toast and coffee or “Bah Kut Te.” Yakunkaya’s is a restaurant housed in an old warehouse where they serve a thin slice of toast and coconut jam accompanied by strong coffee. This is an ethnic restaurant which owns 10 branches. “Bah Kut Te” is a soup of long-boiled pork ribs and is a good reliever for the hangover from last night.

Peranakan food is always famous. Peranakan is the family where a parent is Chinese and the other parent is Malaysian, an ethnic mix. There are large numbers of this type of family, which has developed into an interesting culture on the Malay Peninsula. The fusion food both of Malaysia and China is very good fit to our tastes as well. “Blue Ginger” on the Panjungpaga Road is the place to go.

In the evenings, visit the Boat Quay and the Clark Quay. The warehouses on the riverside have turned into beautiful restaurants. The Boat Quay owns its famous outside tables right by the water. Gourmands can enjoy food on the riverbank as well as night views of the city.

If you are looking for a bar with style, go to Mohamed Sultan Street after dinner. The street is filled with small bars in which the atmospheres are quite upscale and cheerful at the same time. When the night gets a bit older, and people grow a bit hungrier, the Hawker Center spread around downtown is the place to go. This Singaporean food court is another place for gourmands, with foods from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India served 24 hours a day.

There are event meals that combine tourism and food as well. Your family can have a meal with orangutans in the morning, called a “Jungle Breakfast.” After breakfast, you can watch shows of monkeys, polar bears, and elephants around the zoo in an elephant trail. The weekend evenings have sky dining. Sentosa Island and Mount Faber are connected by a cable car, a round-trip of 20 minutes. A couple can enjoy their dinner up in the sky for 120 Singapore dollars.

If you are a serious gourmand and want to go to Singapore, try April and July’s gourmet festivals. The “World Gourmet Summit” is held in April, and the “Singapore Food Festival” is held in July. They are wonderful international gourmand festivals and both present a variety of gourmet foods at amazing prices. After fully studying the homepage, you’ll have to book a spot, or you will ruin your perfect stay in Singapore.

Seung-Ha Cho summer@donga.com