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Jumbo Seafood @ Dempsey
My first day in Singapore was a very productive one. It started with a press conference for the World Street Food Congress 2013 then a few hours of shopping and eating with my cousin, followed by a wonderful river cruise and ended with a seafood dinner featuring some of Singapore’s most famous dishes.
An afternoon with my cousin Jim in Singapore
I went to Singapore last June to attend the World Street Food Congress 2013. I arrived early Sunday morning and I had a few hours free time in the afternoon. Those precious few hours were supposed to be ‘rest time’ but for me it meant speed shopping since that was the only free time I had for the duration of my trip. My cousin Jim who’s based in Singapore decided to accompany me and acted as my tour guide.
Continue reading “An afternoon with my cousin Jim in Singapore”
Singapore River Cruise
It wasn’t all work in Singapore, not that I call eating delicious street food work, when I attended the World Street Food Congress 2013 last June. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) made sure we saw the best that Singapore had to offer and I was definitely impressed.
My previous trips to Singapore were mostly dedicated to eating and shopping so our trip to Clark Quay for the Singapore River Cruise was a first for me.
The modern umbrella like clear canopies, also known as Angels, were meant to shield people against heat and rain but for me they’re an architectural marvel. The modern structure somehow fits amidst the colorful shops.
I just met Alya and Monique but we immediately bonded for a photo op.
Our STB tour guide, Eros, made the smartest decision of moving our river cruise earlier and you will see from the pictures that sunset is a very good time to join the cruise.
Has anyone tried this restaurant? Do they really serve the ultimate fried rice?
I hope one day the Pasig river will be clean enough that we can have restaurants beside it.
Old shop houses were preserved to keep with tradition. You can see them here overshadowed by tall, modern buildings.
I was incredibly lucky to get this shot of The Marina Bay Sands with the sun reflected off the middle building. This shot alone was worth the river cruise.
Here’s the iPhone 5 version with some filters.
We also got to see the iconic Merlion, Singapore’s mascot.
I have to visit One Fullerton on my next trip. I heard they had good restaurants there.
Due to our excellent timing I got to see Clark Quay during the day and night. It was quite “happening” at night. All that was lacking were the throngs of young people with drinks in their hands.
The lights on the canopy changed periodically.
I don’t know what this reverse sign meant but there’s no question that Clark Quay is a must visit when in Singapore. I also highly recommend taking the Singapore River Cruise’s The tale of 2 Quays which lasted for 40 minutes. It gave me a great overview of that part of the city. It also gave me great pictures and memories of my trip.
Breakfast at 21 On Rajah, Days Hotel Singapore
My stay at Days Hotel in Singapore included a daily breakfast buffet at their restaurant called 21 on Rajah located just off the lobby.
The restaurant was big enough that it never felt full even with a large number of hotel guests dining there daily.
I liked this life sized sculpture that greeted me every morning.
The breakfast buffet had your usual spread of salad, fruits, yogurt, cold cuts, cereal and fruit juices all of which I ignored.
The regular breakfast food offering consisted of hash browns, scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, beans and bacon.
To cater to the Asian clientele there was a hot noodle soup cooking station as well as congee with all the fixings.
Local and vegetarian dishes were represented too.
I had a typical boring breakfast. Unfortunately only the scrambled eggs. chicken sausage and danish were edible. The bacon had a funky smell and the waffle was rock hard and dry. I had eggs and sausage for 2 days until I opted to skip breakfast and have a snack at the Congress instead.
The coffee at breakfast was horrible sludge and I was so thankful that there was a coffee shop just outside the lobby of the hotel. Dr. Cafe is a chain from Saudi Arabia.
Strangely the girl at the counter forbade me to take pictures so these are all I was able to take.
They were giving away free packs of used coffee ground for use as garden compost.
For four days I was the first customer at Dr. Cafe and my order was always the same, “1 brewed Ethiopian Sidamo coffee please.” It was a good way to start the day with strong and aromatic coffee just steps away. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Dr. Cafe opening a branch in Manila.
21 On Rajah
Days Inn Singapore at Zhongshan Park
1 Jalan Rajah Road Singapore 329133
telephone: (65) 6808 6868
website
Dr. Cafe
1 Jalan Rajah, #01-01, Zhong Shan Park, Singapore 329133
website
Hotel Review: Days Hotel Singapore
The Philippine media group for the World Street Food Congress 2013 was billeted in Days Hotel in Zhongshan Park. The hotel was a 3 star hotel but very new having opened only last December 2012. The location wasn’t very convenient but for the price and amenities I recommend this hotel for those looking for a bargain and a good deal.
Here’s the hotel’s blurb from their website:
Opened in December 2012, Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park is part of the Days Inn Hotels Brand by Wyndam Hotel Group, the world’s largest and most diverse hotel company.
Facilities in this newly opened 3-star hotel include an all-day dining restaurant, a 24-hour gym and 405 stylishly designed guest rooms, each equipped with a 32-inch flat screen TV with cable channels, complimentary in-room WIFI, and in-room safe deposit box. Just across the hotel is Zhongshan Mall, where shoppers can find a supermarket, pharmacy, a series of retail shops as well as food and beverage options.
Situated within the central district of Novena, the hotel is a mere five minutes’ complimentary shuttle bus ride away from the vicinity’s shopping malls and office towers, Novena MRT train station, Novena Medical Hub, Mount Elizabeth Hospital and located along the Balestier Heritage Trail that glimpses into Singapore’s past.
Providing quality comfort and convenience at the best value, Days Hotel Singapore is the choice accommodation for budget-conscious travellers.
My first reaction when I entered the room was, “My room is orange!” That’s a big plus since you may have noticed it’s my favorite color. The room was small and just enough for two adults to fit with minimal bumping. Despite it’s size I really liked my room because of all the small details they crammed in. It’s like they put all the things they know guests like and applied it to the room.
Detail #1: The sheets were luxuriously soft and the bed had just the right amount of firmness. Another amazing detail were the 4 pillows on the bed. 2 were soft and 2 were firm. I’ve never encountered such a good mix even from 5 star hotels.
The TV had basic cable with CNN, BBC and Channel News Asia. No movie channels.
Detail #2: The bedside alarm clock radio served as a charging dock and speaker for my iPod. I was also able to plug my usb cable and it charged my iPhone 5. I didn’t even need to bring out the Singapore plug adaptor and usb plug adaptor that I brought.
The plate of fruit was a nice touch. Too bad I wasn’t able to eat any of the fruits since I was always full during my entire 4-night stay.
The small seating area near the window is also a good place to place your second luggage or carry on.
It was smart of them to hide the refrigerator under the side table.
The bathroom was a tight squeeze but highly functional.
Detail #4: The toilet flush buttons were placed on top of the counter and a handheld bidet spray was provided. Kudos to their effective space planning.
Detail #5: Don’t you just hate using a shower without any space for your own toiletries? I just loved the large wall cubby that can fit more than enough bottles and whatnots for even the highest maintenance person.
Detail #6: It’s not really a make or break detail but I give them points for putting the shower drain in the corner and making it look so clean and modern. Standing on a metal drain while taking a shower is not a good thing.
A room safe is always a plus. There’s also a hair dryer in the drawer below the safe. I’ve never ever used a hotel’s iron before. Have you?
Pros:
- There’s free wifi in the room.
- The rooms are very clean and new.
- The beddings are luxurious and similar to what 4 and 5 star hotels use.
- The price of S$180-200 a night is affordable compared to hotels in the Orchard Rd. area.
Cons:
- The location is not near any MRT station. A taxi ride to Orchard Rd. on a Sunday afternoon cost around S$5. They do have a free shuttle that will take you to the Novena mall where there is an MRT station.
- You can hear noise if people shout in the corridor. Trust me there was a lot of shouting by my unruly Asian neighbors late at night. When they went back in their rooms all was quiet again.
Days Inn Singapore at Zhongshan Park
1 Jalan Rajah Road Singapore 329133
telephone: (65) 6808 6868
website
World Street Food Jamboree 2013
Last June the Singapore Tourism Board sent me and two other Filipino journalists to attend the World Street Food Congress 2013 in Singapore. It was two days of intense and informative discussions from renowned international speakers like TV host Anthony Bourdain and James Oseland, editor-in-chief Saveur magazine among others.
The event was organized by KF Seetoh, known as Singapore’s food ambassador. If he seems familiar to you I’m sure you’ve seen him in his numerous appearances on Anthony Bourdain’s tv shows as well as other food shows. He is very passionate about preserving and professionalizing the heritage of street food in Singapore and around the world.
I was very impressed with all the speakers from different countries like India, China, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Denmark and the USA as they shared their countries’ street food culture as well as the problems they face like regulation and sanitation among other issues.
It made me think about about our own street food which definitely has no regulation at all. Nevertheless I believe our food has it’s place in street food culture and the world needs to know about it. Slowly Filipino food is being introduced in food trucks in the US with popular vendors like Señor Sisig, The Manila Machine, Hapa SF and several others. I couldn’t help but ask Seetoh why the Philippines wasn’t included in the Congress. He promised next year we will be represented.
After a whole day of listening to impassioned speakers talk about street food I was ready and eager to try the real thing. There were 37 stalls from 10 countries selling street food and I didn’t know how to try it all.
Alya, lifestyle writer for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Monique, deputy editor of Leisure + Adventure Travel magazine, and I had S$20 worth of coupons each and we devised a plan of divide, conquer and attack as much food as our tummies can handle.
We needed two tables for all our food! Monique and Alya don’t eat meat so they chose food I wouldn’t normally select and it opened my palate to new food and flavors that I’ve been missing all this time.
In his speech Anthony Bourdain mentioned that Seetoh did an incredible job of bringing Mexico’s La Guerrerense to Singapore since it’s the one street food he would gladly fly from New York to Mexico for a meal. Hearing that I decided that their food would be my first purchase. Since each dish in their stall cost S$10 it also became my only food purchases. I hoped the two girls did better with their coupons or else we would go hungry.
Maybe because my expectations, after hearing Mr. Bourdain’s declaration, were sky high I was underwhelmed by the food specially the campechana (seafood cocktail) which had a very bland and almost watery sauce. I was expecting something with more acidity. I guess the girls felt the same since we didn’t even finish the small cup of seafood.
The seafood tostada fared a little better with it’s generous portion of fresh seafood albeit it’s small size.
Alya has been to India numerous times and she shared with us her favorite dishes which I’ve never tried before. The bhelpuri was a shocking explosion of tangy, sweet and spicy flavors paired with all sorts of crunchy and squishy bits which I didn’t bother to identify. All I know was it was an amplified experience after the Mexican treats. I never thought the day will come that I will prefer an Indian dish to a Mexican dish.
The batata puri had similar flavors to the bhelpuri but included fried potatoes.
Thankfully Monique ate chicken too and she bought this spicy fried chicken that originated in Chennai, India. The chicken is called 65 which some say refer to the number of days of marination while others claim it’s the number of chili peppers used whatever it is the chicken was full flavored all the way to the bones and it had very crispy skin. All that was lacking was a mug of ice cold beer.
The Swamp Shack was one of three food trucks from Portland, Oregon at the Jamboree. The shrimp and grits were as Southern as you can get and their execution was well done. The crispy nuggets of shrimp on a bed of soft and creamy grits were a nice change of flavors from the spicy Indian food.
Tacombi started selling tacos from a Volkswagen combi van in New York thus the name. Their fish taco made with battered tilapia and pickled red cabbage and chipotle mayonnaise was one of my favorites. If I didn’t have to try other dishes I would have eaten both beauties in a flash.
I’ve encountered the porchetta sandwich in San Francisco but I’ve never tried it. I’m glad my first taste was The People’s Pig’s heavenly melt-in-your-mouth version complete with extra pork skin. Since I was the only pork eater in the group this sandwich was all mine. I wanted to do the happy dance as soon as I bit into the soft bun and my teeth encountered the tender and juicy fragrant pork with just enough fat to help it all glide down my throat. This was one seriously good pork sandwich.
We had a few coupon dollars left so I decided to buy a banana wrapped in a sticky mixture made from glutinous rice and toasted on a grill until crispy. It had a sweet sauce made with coconut milk and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds. Not bad at all but it made me think of our simple banana cue which I liked more and it made me wonder how that would fare in a venue like the Jamboree.
The venue for the Jamboree was next door to the famous Singapore Flyer.
Welcome to my blog’s new look!
You may have noticed my long absence from posting. I was recently in Singapore and New Zealand for a vacation. I was also waiting for my blog’s new design to be completed. My blog is now four years old and all previous designs were just my best efforts. I figured it was time to let a professional spruce it up.
I have to thank Patricia of Fancy Girl Designs for her excellent job in finding out what I want. Does that sound strange? Honestly in the beginning I didn’t know the look or the colors I wanted but with Patricia’s skill we came up with this look. It’s very different from her style and her portfolio but I think she did a good job.
I also want to thank Jenn of The Techie Mom for migrating my blog from Blogger to WordPress. We both thought it was an easy job but the complication of my pictures being hosted in different sites made her job difficult. Nevertheless she patiently waded through my thousand plus posts and pictures.
This new design is still a work in progress since I may still find some errors or missing pictures. So if you see something wrong please do let me know. What do you think of the new look? Give me a shout out!!
The World Street Food Congress 2013
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| Denmark’s Porc Sandwich photo from: World Street Food Congress |
The good news is I’m off to Singapore to attend the World Street Food Congress through the invitation of the Singapore Tourism Board. I won’t be able to update my blog for a while but do follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see all the delicious street food I will be eating.
The World Street Food Congress 2013
From Street Market to World Markets
May 31st to June 9th, 2013, in Singapore
“To recognise energies and galvanise opportunities for the world’s greatest culinary heritage- comfort street food” KF Seetoh, founder of Makansutra
Background
An overwhelming majority ofthe world rely regularly on the biggest, most loved, yet most unstructured culinary culture in the world – street food – for sustenance. From Jolly Jeeps in
Philippines, the Kaki Limas in Indonesia, Falafel stands in the Middle East, food trucks and burger stalls in America, street stalls in Bangkok, tacos stands in Mexico, street food inns in China, and hawker stalls plus food courts in Singapore and Malaysia; to the cafes and fine restaurants that take comfort street food to an exquisite level.
First of its kind in the world
This most popular food culture has an unquestioned place in the hearts and minds of many around the world. Largely, it was born during trying times of developing nations and it has, over decades and centuries become an iconic food culture of the land.
Singapore is one such country that proudly celebrates its journey from a haphazard blend of different tastes to a thriving food paradise. In Singapore, eating is considered a national pastime and cuisines from all over the world are available, but the humble street food culture has evolved into an iconic culinary phenomenon delivered through her flourishing hawker centres.
In the United States of America, food truck culture is proliferating right now and adored by millions, largely brought forth by the protracted economic downturn. Thailand, the world’s often top rated street food city in the world, where even the revered King once decreed that his Royal recipes be made available for her people, actively promotes the exportation her authentic food culture.
In India, there are at least 3 million street food vendors, both licensed and itinerant. However, with the rising incomes and aspirations of her people, habits and expectations are changing for the street
food scene. The government, in collaboration with street hawker and vendors associations nationwide has been working to legalise and recognise this iconic yet unexalted force of the nation and turn it into coherent opportunities and experiences for her people and guests.
These measures are all steps in the right direction but as they occur in isolation from one another, the opportunity then arises for greater collaboration and more focused efforts to ensure that street
food, so dearly loved by all, retains its iconic status yet create opportunities for the masses worldwide.
The World Street Food Congress is the first of its kind in the world to connect all the fractured energies with the aim to address continuity, open up fresh ideas and inspire thought leadership to structure new opportunities for the massive street food culture and industry. It will also celebrate
and showcase the richness and vibrancy of the street food scene around the world through a ten- day gastro-cultural jamboree.
Themed From Street Market objectives: to World Market, the WSFC seeks, primarily, to address three
1. Preserve artisanal craft and heritage:
• To heighten awareness, build appeal, address continuity and facilitate the representation of
this artisanal heritage – of affordable, meaningful meals, sustainable practices and
conservation of food cultures.
• Bond the different communities and foster deeper engagement for and with industry professionals and business owners, tourism bodies, our youth, schools and the general public.
2. Professionalise the industry:
• To create opportunities for the industry professionals and corporations – by opening channels to encourage sharing of ideas and steer international collaborations on various street food projects targeting the masses (e.g. To facilitate employability and skills capabilities in this field – facilitating job opportunities and required skills development.
3. New Possibilities:
• Through a networking process, to link up and strengthen the scattered and fractured street
food players and energies worldwide, the event aims to widen the
possibilities of this industry – create and house the global street food community, both on and offline to generate new opportunities for people, create relevance, widen industry horizons, and address sustainability and empowerment. With a structured platform like the World Street Food Congress, the world of street food is an oyster, the possibilities limited only by one’s imagination.
The World Street Food Congress is organized by Makansutra, and is the brainchild of its indefatigable founder, KF Seetoh. Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, the event comprises of three components; The World Street Food Dialogue; A 2-days conference and network event, The World Street Food Jamboree; A 10-days feasting Jamboree by at least 35 best street food masters from around the world and The World Street Food Awards; A first of its kind in the world to acknowledge and give international recognition to quietly famous street food icons, as well as to give recognition the representation each country and culture brings.
“I would like to commend Makansutra on their vision and courage to undertake this significant task of uniting street food aficionados from around the world. By bringing together street food vendors, professionals and industry players, the World Street Food Congress will help propel the standard and stature of the street food trade to higher levels through intellectual discourse and exchange of ideas, and of course provide unprecedented feasting opportunities for food lovers. Singapore is home to a rich culinary heritage, one nourished by our multicultural environment. We are therefore delighted to be a part of the inaugural World Street Food Congress and look forward to sharing our own vibrant street food culture with the rest of the world while learning about how others enjoy their street food.” – Lionel Yeo, CEO Singapore Tourism Board
The World Street Food Council
The World Street Food Congress is powered by the World Street Food Council*, a think tank comprising prominent names made up of influential thinkers, advocates and movers of the F&B eco- system in the world. They will function as thought leaders and vanguards of the industry at the World Street Food Congress.
Some of the names in the Council include Anthony Bourdain, world renowned television personality, author and avid street food advocate; James Oseland, Editor-in-Chief of Saveur magazine and acclaimed author of Cradle of Flavor (one of 2007’s best books by Time Asia and the New York Times); Johnny Chan, top China TV food host and winemaker; and KF Seetoh, Makansutra’s founder and CEO.
*The full list of the World Street Food Council will be announced at a later date.
About Makansutra
Makansutra (S) Pte Ltd is founded by KF Seetoh and headquartered in Singapore. We believe that food culture is the root of culinary knowledge and the source of its ultimate pleasure when eating as it reflects the best and most genuine cultural heritage, its representation and association with the people of today. We endeavour to share and celebrate all aspects of culinary kingdom through our food guides, online content, eateries, specialised events, projects and TV shows.
For more information please visit http://www.makansutra.com/wsfcongress or contact us as below.
MEDIA/PRESS CONTACT:
Carol Anne Wah
Tel: (65) 6438 4038
E-mail: carol@wsfcongress.com or carol@makansutra.com
Melbourne – Brunetti
Deb and I went to Myer department store on Burke Street in Melbourne. While the merchandise was beautiful it was too expensive for me if I compare the prices to Manila and the USA. Since I was about to leave the store empty handed I decided to console myself with goodies from Brunetti located on the 3rd floor of the store.
Deb said their coffee was good too but I had more than my quota of coffee by then.
They have merenda and we have merienda. The words differ by a letter but the meaning is the same – snack. I bet they only have 1 merenda a day while Filipinos have one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Brunetti menu
My eyes were as big as marbles when I saw all the delicious pastries. How on earth was I supposed to choose?
Deb immediately chose an apple strudel.
I chose the torta d’arancia or flourless orange and almond cake. I’ve seen recipes of this cake and have always been curious as to what it tasted like.
gelato
savoury pies, pasta and pizza
Santa Chiara coffee beans
The apple strudel was good and filled with so much tart apple cubes.
I super duper loved by orange almond cake. This cake was gluten free which means it didn’t contain any flour and only ground almonds were used to make the cake. I loved the fine gritty texture of the almonds and it was very moist too. The orange flavor was divine as expected.
torat d’arancia & apple strudel
When our other friends arrived from Manila we went back for more pastries. I still love the orange almond cake the best.
hazelnut & coffee torte, lobster tail
On our last day Sam shared with us the birthday cake her friends gave her.
I’m normally not fond of chocolate mousse but this one was made with really good quality chocolate and it was superior to any similar cake I’ve tried in Manila.
Brunetti has a branch in Singapore too!! I will definitely go there for a slice of torta d’arancia.
Brunetti
Level 3, Myer, Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000 Australia
Phone: (03) 9661 1380
Hours of Operation
Sunday – Wednesday (9am – 7pm)
Thursday & Friday (9am – 9pm)
Brunetti Singapore
Tanglin Mall
163 Tanglin Road #01-35/36 Singapore 247933
Phone: (65) 6733 9088
Hours of Operation
Friday, Saturday and Eve of Public Holidays (8am-10pm)
Sunday to Thursday (8am-9pm)
other branches
website
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