*Enlighten *Inspire
I got a new follower at Where’s My Backpack and she came up with the idea for travel themes. For this week, it is all about bridges. So here is my collection of them.
The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn
For those who were wondering why school buses are painted yellow almost universally?
Education is important for all countries involved but why are there differences in the learning rate, the literacy rate and even the amount spent on each student everywhere? Andreas Schleicher investigates and presented his findings on TEDTalks.
Follow me as I round-up the remaining dishes that I savoured during my short trip to the island city of Singapore.
Killiney Kopitiam
Located on Killiney Road, a mere 200-metre walk from the Somerset MRT station, lies Killiney Kopitiam. I was here on a working day and the place was packed with people enjoying their breakfast before heading off to work. So do check your schedule first, unless you have plenty of time to wait.
The procedure is simple, queue up to order, pay the amount, find a place to sit and wait for the food to arrive. Still not sure what to order? Killiney is famous for its kaya and butter toast bread. Still don’t trust me yet? I have the picture to prove it.
Lai Kee Dim Sum
It is hard to find affordable dim sum in a place such as Singapore, but this man (Ah Lai) managed to do so. On top of that, he has 4 branches throughout Singapore. But for those who have a problem with maps and walking, these places will be hard to find. After doing my research, I found that the Bukit Batok branch was the nearest to the public transport (Bukit Batok MRT), hence that was where I headed to.
Dim Sum isn’t your traditional hawker dish, the famous ones in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh are shopfronts. Prices could range from S$4-$5 per basket, Lai Kee managed to keep theirs to around S$2 per basket. But then, you don’t get to have it in an air-conditioned area. You might feel that S$2 per basket is spare change, but the average person would probably order at least 2, and if there’s two of you, it could be up to 4-5 baskets.
These bite size delicacies are usually meat-filled wrapped in flour or vegetables. They are also served piping hot.
Anyone looking for a different take on the usual deck of cards? Look no further than Misc. Goods Co. What started out as a simple project on Kickstarter was changed into a booming business after being backed by almost 4,000 people, getting about $150,000 for a supposedly $6,000 project.
Happy Chinese New Year to my Mandarin reading friends throughout the world! Been busy spending the last 2 days celebrating Chinese New Year at home. Taking a little time off to introduce two types of noodles, famous in Singapore.
Bak Chor Mee
This is basically a noodle plus minced pork, mixed with mushrooms and surprisingly, one of Singapore well-known dishes but seldom do we hear people going ooh-and-aah over it. Just like the Hainanese Chicken Rice, this particular noodle dish can be found almost anywhere and with each, their own set of friends.
I found myself outside of Bugis Junction when I saw this shop opposite that sells Bak Chor Mee. It was part of my itinerary, hence the need for me to try it.
As you can see, there are quite a number of patrons, usually at night and mostly made up of white-collared workers having dinner. This particular noodle can be quite dry soit is a must that you order one of their side dish — fishball soup.
This particular stall is open 24 hours a day
The meal cost me S$7, which was quite reasonable considering the amount although it wasn’t as filling as I thought it would be. But then again, you could always order up another bowl of Bak Chor Mee noodles.
Seng Huat Eating House
492 North Bridge Road
Opened 24 hours
Wanton Noodles
Another version of the dry noodle is known as Wanton Noodle, in which wantons or dumplings are added to the mix. In Singapore, there is none more famous than Eng’s Noodles House. According to the owner, his father used to have his stall by the roadside underneath a tree back in the heydays. Then, due to safety purposes, they were asked to relocate to one of the food courts. Nowadays, you can find them at their own specialty store, selling just wanton noodles!
Not only is Eng famous for his wanton noodles, he is also famous for the super hot chilli that you see in the picture above. For those who want a kick in their food, this is where you should be. They actually mix their noodles with eggs during the process, which adds to the springy and stringy texture. Although it was slightly oily when I was there.
Unless you are a local, this place is hardly an area for tourists, but if you find yourself within walking distance, be sure to drop by. And if you don’t fancy eating noodles, there are a number of other eateries along this particular road, in which you could choose from.
Eng’s Noodles House
287 Tanjong Katong Road
11am-9pm Daily
(courtesy of chewydesigns)
I recently saw a post on Follow Karina regarding her travels with Kermit the Frog, and was wondering how many travelers do actually travel with a stuffed toy in order to get some really funny pictures while on the road. So, anyone out there willing to share their little quirks while traveling?
I brought along the Hamburglar, one of my favourite character when I was a kid. Below are a few pictures of him doing crazy stunts while abroad.
Another of Singapore’s well-known dish is the chicken rice, and nobody does it better than the Hainanese. Hence they are usually known as Hainanese Chicken Rice. Fortunately (or rather, unfortunately), there are a few household names when it comes to this particular Hainanese cuisine. I leave it to you to ask around the locals, as each of them have their own preference.
Hainanese chicken rice are a dime a dozen in Singapore, ask around.
To reduce the bias, I chose Yet Con because it was located in the vicinity that I found myself at, around 7pm dinner time. This isn’t part of the usual tourist area although it was quite near to the Raffles Hotel.
According to the owner, the shop has been around since the 1940s, and looking at the servers and the old guy behind the counter, I would say that they have probably been working since then too. Seating space is at a premium, so you might have to arrive slightly earlier, or that you have to wait in line. Unlike other Western establishment in which you could call earlier to reserve a spot, there is no such arrangement here.
The chicken is slightly on the chewy side as compared to the rest and the soy sauce is at a bare minimum (none at all). If you are fluent in Hainanese or Mandarin, you could even specify the selected parts of the chicken meat that you prefer, much like the Western steak.
The chicken is on the chewy side, which is good for the facial muscles, so I’ve heard
There are a couple of side dishes that you could order, particularly the roast pork. Unfortunately, these aren’t healthy food so you might need to cut down or order another plate of vegetables to go with it. They also serve steamboat if you prefer that but I was here for the chicken rice.
I am not complaining but you need to put up with the attitude of the servers while you are here. Since they are as old or maybe more so than the shop itself, they have little tolerance for any change in their daily routine. Be prepared to see or hear some cursing and complaining in Hainanese. On the day of my visit, there was this particular lady who was in a foul mood. But it didn’t spoil my mood.
The price for my plate of chicken rice and roast pork? S$10.80. Service was pretty fast despite the number of patrons. Do drop by if you have the chance!
25 Purvis Street
11am to 930pm
(courtesy of Simone Zulli)
Last Gentleman In Town 