Regular readers of my blog will already know this: Emirates and Singapore Airlines are my two favourite airlines for international travel. This time we were on Singapore Airlines which meant transiting through the always-welcoming Changi Airport. We had a pretty long stop-over here and wanted to make the most of it, so we decided to take advantage of a transit visa to head into the city, dine at Jumbo Seafood and take a leisurely stroll in the cool breeze on the water’s edge.
Greece and Japan - two nations on other sides of the world, one a proud Eastern culture that has been developing its culture and forming new layers for thousands of years, the other even older and among the first civilisations of the Western world. They don’t seem to have much in common until you see them through a foodie's eyes.
We are a family of dim-sum lovers. When we decided to book our flights to Japan on Cathay Pacific, I had to give in to the temptation of making a brief halt for a dim-sum tour of Hong Kong. This island was a refuge for fleeing Chinese from the mainland, first during the Mongol invasion and then again during the Opium Wars when the British wrested this island from the Chinese and made it a strategic military port. Immigrants from the East and the West brought with them culinary techniques that soon resulted in a medley of tastes and flavors that continue to tempt the palate.
Taking the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto is an experience in itself. On a good day you can even see the symmetrical beauty of the snow-clad Mt. Fuji as you get a taste of Japanese efficiency. The bullet-train gets you there in less than two hours traveling at a speed nearing 300 kmph. The attendants bow deeply every time they enter and leave a coach. The punctuality, cleanliness and efficiency of these trains reminded me of Germany. Kyoto, like the train journey, is a study in contrasts. The traditional and the new jostle to impress the visitor.
For those less familiar with Japan, when you think of food you probably think sushi. As you dig deeper, you will discover it is so much more! Like the French, Japanese are passionate about food and celebrate the wide variety of their eating choices in small and intimate surroundings. Where they differ from classical French is their Zen philosophy of keeping it simple. No elaborate sauces for them! They focus on putting together the best seasonal produce and enhancing their natural flavours with delicate sauces and seasonings.
It was dark when we were finally checked into our room on the 49th floor of the Ritz-Carton Tokyo. The panoramic cityscape of twinkling lights outside our windows was dominated by Tokyo Tower which looked no less impressive than the Eiffel. We had landed in Narita more than an hour back on a really cold evening. Our Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong had been delayed by a few hours. I wasn’t concerned at all. Being on a vacation with the family seems to make my irritability and impatience disappear - qualities that show up in abundance when glitches happen during business travel!
I had two more days of day-long meetings in Singapore. I would walk from the Ritz Carlton hotel where I stayed this time to our Suntec City offices through a labyrinth of shopping areas and malls, all interconnected to each other. Of shopping and food there are no dearth of options here; a variety of ethnic Asian cuisines jostle for space with Western ones in tidy food outlets clustered in and around the shopping malls.
Singapore has a fancy new stadium that opened earlier this year. Among some of the cool things the stadium has been designed for is its multiple ‘modes’. You can go from an Athletic mode to a Football mode by moving the lowest tier of the spectator seating that will hide the tracks! The other cool thing (literally!) is the blast of cool air that is pumped from under the seats to keep the spectators comfortable in this balmy city-state.
You know you are near Tim Ho Wan, the dim sum specialists in Hong Kong, when you see the large crowds outside. Names are called, people settled into closely packed tables, and orders are rapidly taken - with nary a smile or small talk. That don't seem like a place to attract attention from the high and mighty Michelin guides, does it? That it did is testimony to the deliciousness they dish out daily to a growing number of patrons. When it received its single star in 2009, Tim Ho Wan became the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world!
Yang Ting at the St. Regis in Singapore promises to dish out innovative interpretations of Cantonese classics. Inspired by culinary masterpieces from the Ming dynasty, this elegant restaurant showcases a fine-dining experience that is best savored over a long and lazy Sunday afternoon lunch. Which is why the Weekend Dim Sum is such a great opportunity to show up here if you don't mind the families and resulting higher decibel levels.
The Marina Bay Sands is now one of the defining landmarks of Singapore. The three iconic curved towers supports a boat-shaped SkyPark on the top that houses a large infinity pool, restaurants and a garden. As you can imagine, the views from the SkyPark on the 57th level is spectacular. Ku De Ta is one of their several trendy restaurants with a club lounge located right here on the top of the city.
A lunch meeting with a fellow colleague who is also a foodie can come with unexpected pleasures! That is what happened during a short business lunch in Singapore. Arteastiq, like its carefully spelt name suggests, tries to meld art and tea drinking into a seamless experience for those who have a taste for both.
Arteastiq first tasted success when they introduced the unique concept of an Art Jamming studio tea cafe in their Orchard Street location. The restaurant we visited is their newer one, which combines the art studio and tea concept with a more traditional Chinese menu in Mellenia Walk.
For a fine dining experience like no other, you have to try the White Rabbit in Singapore. Completely whimsical, this church turned restaurant affords an interesting dining experience while also offering a lesson in colonial history if you dig deeper. The entire area of Dempsey Hill was once home to the British Army, and the garrison has slowly been repurposed into fancy restaurants, bars and spas. Finally, it was the turn of the long abandoned garrison church, and therein lies the story of White Rabbit.
As most Asians will attest, Singapore remains a haven for foodies with its high density and variety of eating places. That is especially true if you love Asian street staples or seafood. For seafood lovers, No Signboard often is one of the top choices here. This strangely named restaurant now has branches all over Singapore; I had a chance to sample some of their innovative creations during a recent weekend.
Having tasted Malay, Chinese and Japanese food during the preceding days, I turned to Turkish and German for the remaining day! Completely different cuisines from different parts of the world but prepared and served by immigrants from those countries in Singapore. While both Turkish and German cuisine is dominated by breads and meat, they are - of course - completely different.
It was a business event that brought me to the resort world of Sentosa. We were at the beach-side Rasa Sentosa resort run by the Shangri-la group. In the bright sunlit day, I could see the vast expanse of green-blue waters of the ocean pock-marked with ships of all shapes and sizes. Singapore's importance as a maritime trading port has been has remained unchanged since the late 13th century. You can see that most of the vessels anchored off the coast are industrial and cargo ships; I didn't spot any leisure boat or yachts like I would in such a sunny coastline in any other part of the world. There is no mistaking that Singapore is business first!
Steamboat refers to an interesting dining style prevalent in parts of Asia. The dinner consists of a simmering pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the pot is kept simmering, a variety of thinly sliced meats, seafood and vegetables are placed into the pot and cooked at the table. This type of dining is also known as Hotpot or Chinese Fondue in other parts of Asia.
Hot pot cooking has existed for a long time in China. It became widespread as early as 700 AD during the reign of the Tang dynasty in China and regional variations soon developed. While the traditional coal-heated steamboat has been replaced with electric or gas stoves, this communal style of dining continues continues to be very popular in Singapore, China and Korea.
The last time I was here, I had feasted on Singapore’s celebrated dish, the Chilly Crab. Discussing this dish with local friends, I also realized there are two kinds of crab lovers in this food-loving nation-city: those who swear by chilli crabs and those who prefer the pepper crabs instead. Aha, I thought, what better excuse than this to plan another primeval crab dinner, the Singapore way.
KL can be an exciting place for foodies with its incredible variety of street food and cuisines - brought together by the different ethnic groups that make up this interesting country. I had a chance to sample a selection of foods, some for the very first time. There are three distinct sets of cuisines associated with the major ethnic groups: Malay, Indian and Chinese, but there are also some lesser known ones such as Nyonya (of the Straits Chinese ethnic group) and Sarawak (a community that lives on the island of Borneo).
Kuala Lumpur was decked in gold and red as the city got ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Dragon. Chinese restaurants in the city advertised special menus with names such as Prosperity, Happiness, Wealth. The upscale malls of Jalan Bukit Bintang were crowded with well-heeled shoppers out to have a special time for the New Year. Seeing all the excitement, one wouldn't realize that only 20 percent here are of Chinese origin while the majority are Malay who are predominately Muslim. This is one reason why Malaysia advertises itself as Truly Asia. With a vibrant multi-cultural population of Malays, Chinese and Indians, this country is a melting pot of religions, cuisines and cultures, not very unlike India.
