An oyster omelette with Singapore sling

The whole metro system looks spanking new; there’s not an iota of litter, abused walls or neglect to be seen on the roads.

And yet, despite this efficiency to the point of being clockwork, it’s a buzzing, multi-cultural society... Chinese, Indians, Malays and assorted expats all live alongside one another in this city-state.

And needless to say, with such a mix of cultures, Singapore is a foodie’s haven.

1. FRENCH LAMB
My first meal in Singapore had to be at Jaan par Andre, a modern French restaurant perched on the 70th floor of Equinox Complex. The stunning food even upstaged the astounding skyline view. My vote goes to the “pre-sale” lamb. The lamb had been fed on salty marsh grasses near Mont St. Michel in northern France. The slice served was succulent, tender and mildly meaty.

2. SINGAPORE SLING
Next on my list was a visit to Dempsey Hill, an assembly of restaurants nestled amidst lush greenery and enchanting conservation buildings. Foodies like me can go on an expedition of diverse gourmet cuisines running the gamut from Malaysian to French, indulge in fine wines or luxurious ice cream alongside some premium grocery shopping. We first stopped at the Tippling Club, easily the most progressive bar in the city-state.  Looking like fish out of water, we went to the bar and ordered two “slings” as if we do it every day. I’d have to say though that the Singapore sling, with all its drama (read molecular mixology), tasted better than the one I had tried back at the Raffles hotel.

3. HOLY COD
For dinner, we moved on to The White Rabbit, as I was quite impressed by the fact that it was housed in a restored church. I admit that at first I felt a wee bit weird about eating and drinking wine by the church pew, but I was soon was bowled over by the food. I have never eaten black cod so subtle and simple… just the right way to enjoy it! I ended on a sweet note with Baked Alaska (a dessert made up of ice cream and cake topped with meringue), while my wife went in for a Deconstructed Black Forest Cake.

4. CHILLI CRAB
This is almost Singapore’s national dish, so I had to try some of these tasty crustaceans. I had my fill at Long Beach (again on Dempsey). This restaurant stands out from the numerous sea-food specialty restaurants dotting the city. The live Sri Lankan crab was weighed in front of me and then taken in for cooking. Seeing me ponder how best to attack the shell, a waiter promptly slid on his plastic gloves and deftly dissected it for us. The exact sauce recipe is a closely guarded secret, but I guess it consisted of garlic, ginger, fresh red chili, honey added to a rich tomato sauce, finished with chicken eggs. Then of course I came back to try the black pepper crab the next day, which was fragrantly fresh!

5. STREET FOOD
A visit to Singapore is incomplete without trying its hawker food. The Maxwell Hawker Centre, set in a garden, is a group of different food stalls in two aisles, all under one roof and with a common seating area. Chinese style dishes reign here, from Peking duck to stir fries, though you’d also find international fare like spaghetti bolognaise etc.

The Tian Tian traditional Hainanese Curry Rice stall seemed to have the longest queue. It took about 20 minutes for my turn, it was worth it. The rice was flavourful and the chicken complemented it well. Another interesting dish I tried was the oyster omelette, though I would have liked it with less chili. I cooled off with a glass of sugarcane juice. And if you are thinking of hygiene… my darlings, remember you are in Singapore. You can even eat off the floor, it’s that squeaky clean!

Bakshish Dean is a corporate chef