In America, and now in some overseas countries, Zagat is the dominant restaurant guide which comes to be the gold standard for evaluating restaurants. Zagat-rated is now a badge of honor for chefs and restaurateurs, giving would-be diners some frame of reference what they can expect about an eatery – for food, ambiance, price and service.
But in Singapore, the Asian island state where the favorite national pastime is eating and a popular mantra is “die, die must try” – another food guru reigns supreme – K F Seetoh.
Visitors who are anxious to get the most of a culinary experience in Singapore should definitely study his very colorful food bible – Makansutra Singapore. What I like about the book is that it is also highly informative – giving concise descriptions and a bit of history about each of the signature dishes with an image to whet your appetite as well. If you’re interested in trying that particular item, the book lists a number of places that serve the dish with an “insider” tip. For a culinary enthusiast, it is also like a cheat sheet, a quick reference.
Don’t know what “bak chor mee” is? He will tell you that it is a popular local favorite noodle soup with minced pork, sliced mushrooms, fishcakes and meat dumplings on top. The noodles are tossed in a special chilli sauce with some vinegar.
Another popular Asian dish, the hotpot not just only served in Singapore, but its version is called the Steamboat. Without learning what the local terms mean, one may be fazed with these unfamiliar names. From distinctive durian puff pastry to contemporary fusion cheese roti prata, and from Murtabak, a traditional Indian Muslim style pancake stuffed with mutton and onions served with curries or dhal, to the coconut-flavored kaya toast, which is a favorite breakfast item, you will find the biggest challenge is to figure out how to fit all these meals within your short stay.
My two food-loving daughters visited Singapore recently, and every email sent home was about the amazing food adventures. They described vividly how they loved ice kachang, and wrote fondly about Food Republic in Vivo City and Newton Hawker Center.
If you live in New York, you may be thrilled to know that KF Seetoh and some famous “hawkers” will be doing a demo of some classic hawker foods at Whole Foods Market Bowery’s Culinary Center on September 19. There will be a free copy of Timeless Recipes for registered attendees of this class. The latest edition of Makansutra will be on sale. Book signing will follow. For more information about how to register or purchase the book, please visit www.wholefoodsmarket/stores/bowery/culinarycenter/index.html.
