SINGAPORE -- For most leisure travelers in the U.S., Singapore is
too small and too far away to be considered a destination on its
own.
But it makes a great gateway to the rest of Southeast Asia and
it can be a perfect stopover. I'd recommend that clients add a day
or two in Singapore on any trip through the area.
Why detour through the "Lion City?" Well, it's clean and safe,
and Singapore Airlines is probably the most comfortable way to
reach the region. But mostly I like it because the food is
awesome.
One of the first questions people often ask me after I return
from a trip is, "What did you eat?" I think it's a fair question
because food is such a distinctive element in any culture. If you
want to understand a place, visit its kitchens.
But it's an unfair question, too, because describing or
re-creating a great meal is often impossible.
How do you convince someone who's never been to Ireland that the
Guinness really does taste better over there? Food, then, becomes
one of the most compelling reasons to travel.
Singapore has given me more than its share of "you had to be
there" meals. Sampling Singapore's famous cuisine is a respectable
way to pass the time, as the city has relatively few must-see
sights.
The first thing to understand about eating in Singapore is that
there are three main ethnic groups contributing to the menu:
Malays, Indians and Chinese. Each has managed to import its
traditional favorites intact.
Those craving an authentic, vegetarian south Indian curry, for
instance, should have no trouble finding it. (Clients who have
stopped in Singapore on their way to India, however, might might
want to wait for the curry and try a bowl of Sichuan noodles
instead.)
Thankfully, Singapore's chefs have done a lot of recipe sharing,
too. Nonya is the name of a popular style that fuses Chinese and
Malay cooking. The combination can be delicious.
For example, there's laksa, which looks like a Chinese-style
noodle dish until you taste the spicy coconut gravy recognized
throughout Malaysia.
Another Singapore treat is pepper crab. I've seen variations of
this seemingly simple dish around the world, but the Singapore
version is unquestionably the best.
Imagine fresh crab slathered in a sticky sauce that smells of
cardamom and other Asian spices, plus enough black pepper to make a
Cajun sneeze. Paired with a Tiger beer, it's a great tropical
meal.
Sometimes it's not as important what you eat, but where you eat
it. Atmosphere counts, and again, Singapore delivers.
I love to walk the narrow, gritty streets of Chinatown, eyeing
the unusual ingredients for a bit before working up the courage to
try something.
On my last trip, I tried durian. The heart of this notorious fruit
tastes a bit like cantaloupe, but the flavor is too mild to
compensate for the overwhelming odor that escapes as soon as you
slice it.
More inviting is Smith Street, also in Chinatown, where dozens
of vendors offer delicious curbside snacks.
If street food is not your clients' style, if they'd prefer a
linen-covered table overlooking the river, suggest they head for
Clarke Quay.
It feels a bit touristy in places, but the food can be
fantastic. Another advantage is that the waiter will probably speak
English, which means clients can ask questions and actually learn a
bit about the food.
Clarke Quay is also a good place to find Western food,
especially American and Italian restaurants.
Clients who really want to understand Singapore and its food
should go to the market.
The floor of the fish market I visited was covered with water
and fish guts.
But the scene was spectacular: Bare-chested fishmongers slicing
tuna and drinking steins of Tiger beer, mounds of shiny shellfish,
still-live eels squirming around their tanks as old women pointed
out which unlucky one would be tonight's dinner.
I understand most travelers won't become as obsessed with
Singapore's food as I have. But for those that do, consider the
Singapore Food Festival, a month-long (April) celebration of the
island's eats. You can have dinner at the zoo, attend cooking
classes, tour markets or just eat your heart out.
For more information on the Singapore Food Festival as well as
the Singapore Specialist program (see related story: Tourism board offers specialist program),
contact Singapore Tourism at (212) 302-4861 or visit www.tourismsingapore.com.