Accidental Tourist of Singapore - 2015: Raffles Hotel Walk of Fame 29 Aug 2015

I had the rare privilege of taking a walk around Singapore's grand dame, The Raffles Hotel when they opened the hotel for a walk designed as part of its line-up of activities to celebrate the Singapore's Jubilee Year. My good fortune as I managed to secure a place on its last Walk of Fame scheduled on 29 Aug 2015.

Gazetted in 1987 as one of Singapore's national monuments, this grand lady of the far east was first made into a hotel on 1 Dec 1887 by the Sarkies brothers who were Armenian hoteliers. The Sarkies Brothers were successful hotel proprietors - they owned Strand Hotel (Yangon, Myanmar) and hotels in Penang, Malaysia including the Eastern and Oriental Hotel.

The tour started inside the hotel lobby, which dates back to 1899. We were given many glimpses into rare historical facts of the hotel as we walked through its ground such as:

• it being the first building in Singapore to have electric lights and fans.
• it was originally facing the sea which by the 1930s was facing reclaimed land.
• the name of the hotel was given during the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria of England - it coincided with the year the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles was unveiled at Padang in 1887.  
• it started as a 10 room bungalow before undergoing several renovations over the century into what we now see, a 3 storey main building.
• the main building was designed by famous architectural firm, Swan and Maclaren. This firm also designed other national monuments, such as the Victoria Memorial Hall and Goodwood Park Hotel.
• the main lobby was once its main dining hall, which converted to a dancing (and even skating) hall after dinner.
• the tiles that were previously in the main lobby are now displayed at the Tiffin Room and the Raffles Grill

  

• the now famous tag-line of 'Feed at Raffles' was originally coined by famous English writer, Rudyard Kipling who visited the hotel in its 1st year of operations. He actually said, 'Feed at Raffles and sleep at the Grand Hotel de l'Europe.' Grand Hotel de l'Europe was another grand hotel back in those days but in the passage of time, his quote was shortened to 'Feed at Raffles'.
• the famous Tiger incident in 1902: The real story is that the tiger escaped from a nearby performing circus and hid under an elevated restaurant with raised platforms called the Bar and Billiard Room although many would recall this story as one of the tiger hiding under one of the Billiard tables instead. Riding on such an amazing story, the hotel had, on the 99th anniversary, made a live tiger was part of the hotel's celebrations in 1986 to coincide with the lunar new year of the tiger.
• The story of how the silver beef wagon in Raffles Grill was buried by the staff of Raffles during the Second World War in order to preserve it from the enemies and we were allowed to admire its beautiful silver in pristine condition.
• I learned that the Raffles gift shop was once the Horse stables as the guide said that a skeleton of horse was found on the location during the hotel's restoration.
• The origins of the signature cocktail of Raffles Hotel (and a key drink for those visitors to Singapore), the Singapore Sling. It was concocted back in 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bar captain for the ladies who were not allowed to drink alcohol in public. That gave a reason for why the drink is colored like fruit punch.
• Singapore's famous late Orang Utan, Ah Meng was chauffeured here to eat breakfast with the late Michael Jackson who visited Singapore in 1993.

My good fortune continued as I was allowed to go into Sarkies Suite, one of its 2 Presidential Suites where Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Jackson may have resided when they were in Singapore. I and the rest on the tour, wooed and wowed at all the beautiful furnishings (including the original carpet that lined the main dining (now lobby)) and ornate pieces of furniture and marveled at our good fortune to have visited this room which would have cost around S$1,300 to stay each night.

The tour ended at the Hotel's Hall of Fame, where the photographs of famous personalities like Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Somerset Maugham, Prince William and its original visionary owners, the Sarkies Brothers, hang proudly on the wall.  

You can :

• get more facts and figures about this grand dame at http://www.nhb.gov.sg/places/sites-and-monuments/national-monuments/raffles-hotel
• access a Youtube video on this tour here.

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist of Singapore: 2015 - Accidental Tourist Singapore Food Rendezvous

Accidental Tourist Singapore Food Rendezvous

I realised that I have not done a single food entry even though I am just like every true blue Singaporean out there who values cheap and good food and craves for excellent food that starts off our day and ends our nights.

Here is my list of recommendations if you are out and about this little island:

Breakfast

Nasi Lemak (fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, with condiments like sambal, otak-otak and ikan billis or in coupled with a cup of teh tarik (pulled milk tea). My pick is International Nasi Lemak at Changi Village or Salera Rasa at Adam road food market although we frequent Selera Rasa at Adam Road Food Centre often.


Here are 2 lists of places where you can get this dish: http://rubbisheatrubbishgrow.com/2014/08/31/best-nasi-lemak-in-singapore/

or http://sg.openrice.com/singapore/article/best-nasi-lemak-in-singapore/1024 and the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/78938/malaysian-nasi-lemak/. 

This dish is an art of preparation and seen this part of the world. Malay for coconut rice, Nasi lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. Accompanied with otak-otak and ikan billis and condiments like Sambal (spicy sauce made from a variety of chili pounded into a chili paste with ingredients such as shrimp paste, fish sauce, garlic, shallot, sugar, lime juice etc). Otak-otak is a fish puree blend from raw fish, chopped onions, coconut milk, herbs and spices with egg that is wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled over an open charcoal fire. Flavored with spicy rempah, a Malay term for the hand-pounded spices and seasoning. Ikan billis is the Malay term for anchovies.

If you do not fancy rice in the morning or have space left in your stomach after a hearty Malay Nasi Lemak breakfast, my next food recommendation is Kaya Toast. This traditional Chinese local breakfast endears itself to the young and old as it is easy to find in food centres, hawker centres, cafes all over the island. The main star of this set is a kaya spread (made from Pandan leaf aka Screwpine leaves and 3 other basic ingredients i.e. eggs, sugar and coconut milk) on toasted bread. In some locations, the toasting is done over charcoal but it is more common to see electric toasting of the bread . The breakfast set is accompanied with soft-boiled (aka half-boiled eggs) and washed down with hot piping traditional coffee which is more full bodied, less acidic with a soft buttery after-taste.
> f you are keen to have a go at making this, here’s the Kaya recipe: http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.sg/2010/05/homemade-pandan-kaya.html

My usual place for kaya toast set is either at Ya Kun (http://yakun.com/ a Singapore brand which started back in the 1940s or Killiney Kopitiam (http://killiney-kopitiam.com/coprofile.html) another Singapore brand that started back in 1919 from a small foodshop at Killiney Road.

An alternative that hails from India: Roti Prata, (aka Roti Chanai in Malaysia) which is a type of Indian pancake made of flour. I usually order 2 pieces of Roti Prata (1^st piece with egg and a 2^nd plain prata). It usually comes with curry gravy and washed down with coffee. Those who cannot take curry will choose sugar to add flavour to this dish.

For those wanting to have a go at making this, http://ieatishootipost.sg/how-to-make-roti-prata-aka-roti-canai-everything-you-need-to-know/ has a recipe. For me, I prefer to leave it to the professionals at Springleaf Prata Place located at 49 Jalan Tua Kong (which opens from morning till 11 p.m. so this works well as a supper dish too). http://ieatishootipost.sg/singapore-famous-five-best-roti-prata-2/ has his list of top 5 locations serving roti prata.

Lunch / brunch

For the Oriental choice, I will suggest that you try a ‘cannot go wrong’ Hainanese Chicken Rice. This is a rice dish originating from Hainan, China. This seemingly simple dish is deceptively difficult to execute. Why? The flavor and all-important rice, chili and of course the chicken all have to be done in the right portions to get this right. The recipe of this iconic Singapore dish is best explained by the experts –available from Food Network by our very own Ms. Violet Oon http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/hainanese-chicken-rice-recipe.html#

.
/span> As for the next question of where is the best place to have the chicken rice in Singapore? This is an on-going (sometimes raging) debate for Singaporeans known to be extremely passionate about their food so I will give you at least 2 lists to help you decide:

>http://www.thebestsingapore.com/eat-and-drink/the-best-5-hainanese-chicken-rice/

(I agree with 4 out of the 5 choices) and http://www.hungrygowhere.com/dining-guide/what-to-eat/5-best-chicken-rice-in-singapore-*aid-46763101/

Laksa is a spicy coconut-based thick bee hoon noodle soup dish of the Peranakans (descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in parts of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore with their unique blend of Chinese, Malay and other influences in their cuisine). This dish is usually served with fishcakes and prawns (cockles are a maybe for some of us) topped with sambal for a food journey to the seaside.

List of places serving Laksa: http://www.thebestsingapore.com/eat-and-drink/the-5-best-laksa-in-singapore/

Recipe for the bravehearts out there: http://rasamalaysia.com/laksa/

 

Another Oriental favorite of mine is Bak Kut Teh where meaty pork ribs are lovingly boiled for hours with lots of garlic, pepper, medicinal herbs and spices. Personally I like the one served at Keppel Road http://www.yelp.com.sg/biz/outram-park-ah-hua-bah-kut-teh-singapore

or Midview City (http://shiokhochiak.blogspot.sg/2012/07/rong-cheng-bak-kut-teh-now-in-midview.html

Here is the list of other BKT places: http://www.thebestsingapore.com/eat-and-drink/the-best-bak-kut-teh-in-singapore/ or

http://www.hungrygowhere.com/gallery/5-best-bak-kut-teh-in-singapore-*gid-dc5f3101/

Recipe-time: http://fatboo.com/2013/05/singapore-bak-kut-teh-teochew-recipe.html

Dinner

Chili Crab

What is it? It is quintessentially a Singapore invention – see http://www.yoursingapore.com/dining-drinks-singapore/local-dishes/chilli-crab.html

Most important ingredient is the crabs – please do not use the small flower crabs and use at least the mud crabs with more fleshy pieces (especially on the claws). This is a must-have seafood dish in which the stir-fried crab is coated with sweet, savoury and spicy tomato based sauce. Singaporeans usually take this with steam or deep fried buns (also known as mantou). This dish is best enjoyed using fingers to pry open the crab flesh especially for those who manage to get one of the 2 crab claws and is certainly not for those who do not like to dig in to enjoy their food.

Recipe for adventurous souls: http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/singapore-chilli-crab

 

Want a list of crab places? Here’s the essential list- http://www.thebestsingapore.com/eat-and-drink/best-chilli-crab-in-singapore/

Satay

Imagine having glistening skewered meats (usually pork (sometimes with lard), chicken or mutton) lovingly grilled over charcoal accompanied with a dressing of thick and tangy peanut based sauce at S$0.80 -$1.50 a-piece (used to be cheaper but then again we had inflation). One of the best stalls adds grated pineapple to its delicious sauce.

Best stall list:

http://www.hungrygowhere.com/dining-guide/what-to-eat/8-best-satay-stalls-in-singapore-*aid-cc623f00/ - agree with most in this list

Recipe:

http://www.singaporelocalfavourites.com/2009/09/singapore-satay-receipe.html

A final plug for dinner involves the Peranakan cuisine. Peranakans themselves often keep many of their family recipes within their family and truth be told, their recipes often involve at least 1 full day of labor of love (many actually require more as there are different sauces prepared for different dishes). CNN has a good way of explaining this food art: http://travel.cnn.com/getting-know-singapores-oldest-fusion-cuisine-187406. For those brave souls wanting to try out, Amazon has a few books on sale – just search ‘Nyonya recipes’ in their book section.

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Room for Dessert? There are tons of dessert options locally but I will be dipping my tastebuds into the Top 5 Tropical Fruits that you can find all over in Singapore (nowadays many are no longer seasonal but available all-year-round):

1. Durian – aka King of Fruit. I think I am right in saying that this is one fruit that will divide the world into ‘Love it’ and ‘Hate it’ groups. The first thing that will hit you is the smell - to durian lovers, its distinctive scent is perfume while those unable to stomach it says that it is offensive like rotten flesh. One thing for sure, the durian scent permeates everything even when the husk is intact so it is the only fruit that is prohibited on public transport and buildings (and even airplanes!). There are many varieties (and grades) of durians but its general creamy and pudding-like flesh entices durian lovers to eat it over and over again. Caution though…the scent lingers on your fingers (if you use them to eat the fruit) so it is best to do an old technique of riding the smell from your fingers by washing your fingers under water running over a durian shell. As for your breath, just make sure your companion does not mind the scent as mints are absolutely of no help at all.

2. Mangosteen – aka Queen of Fruit. You had the king so now here’s the queen. Its bright white flesh is eaten fresh after removing the skin. Please note that the semi-hard reddish shells stains everything you touch so do be careful when disposing the shells.
 

3. Watermelon - This fruit is relatively inexpensive but substantial in water content. It is best taken on a hot summer day while sitting on a sandy beach overlooking the sea.

4. Rambutan - this fruit is distinctive as it is red with a hairy with fleshy soft spines. The flesh inside is translucent, sweet and firm.

5. Coconuts- the best are the young coconuts which are green on the outside with a thin white flesh on the inside. The juice fills the inside and best drunk straight from the husk to cool and refresh a dehydrated person.

Here you go, my tip of the iceberg in Singapore culinary cuisine. I have provided the links to other lists (from CNN and the Guardian UK) to baffle you further on the wide range of food that we have in this little dot:

http://travel.cnn.com/singapore/none/40-singapore-foods-we-cant-live-without-810208

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/may/29/top-10-cheap-eats-singapore-street-food

http://sethlui.com/best-local-famous-foods-to-eat-singapore/

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond! 

>

Accidental Tourist of Singapore - Sep 2015: Singapore National Museum: 50 made in Singapore Products Exhibition

What does Mercedes-Benz, Bridgestone Tyres and Rollei Cameras have in common? Maybe brands like Star Brand (sugar), Woh Hup (Oyster Sauce) and Khong Guan (biscuits) are easier for those familiar with cooking / food items? Brands like Kwanpen and Bata pop up on the fashion front. On medicinal side, there's the Axe Brand (Universal Oil), Three Legs Cooling Water and all famous Tiger Balm.

All these brands have links back to our little red dot. For example,

 

• Cycle and Carriage, renamed in 1899 by the Chua brothers, had its 1^st Singapore branch in Orchard Road in 1916 and its Singapore HQ in 1926. 1951 was when it acquired the franchise of Mercedes-Benz.
   
• The Singapore shores was the 1^st overseas factory for Bridgestone Tyres back in the 60s.
   

 

• One of Singapore’s largest sugar suppliers, Star Brand (Sugar) was started back in 1940s.

• Woh Hup now known to be a sauce brand was back in the day also a noodle manufacturer.

• Khong Guan Singapore was established in the 1940s.

• Kwanpen was started in 1930s by Kwan Pen Seng who used to repair bags owned by the British in Singapore.

• Bata opened its Singapore store in 1930s when the Czech brand was Europe’s largest shoe manufacturer.

• Three Legs Cooling Water was developed using traditional Chinese herbs in 1930s to treat ‘heatiness’ related ailments.
   
• Tiger Balm (known to me as Hor Yiu) is by far the most famous medicinal brands which started as a traditional ointment paste for aches and pains by the famous Aw Brothers who started its Singapore operations in 1920s. The same Aw Brothers started the Haw Par Villas (other blog entry).

 

I hope you will spare some time to pop in to the '50 made in Singapore products' Exhibition before it ends its run at the Singapore National Museum on 13 September 2015.

 

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!

Accidental Tourist of Singapore - 2015 - Visit to the Peranakan 峇峇娘惹 Museum- Great Peranakans: Fifty Remarkable Lives Exhibition

Peranakan 峇峇娘惹 Museum- Great Peranakans: Fifty Remarkable Lives Exhibition 

I was in for some local culture immersion so I took a ride down to Peranakan Museum to join its 1 hour tour with their volunteer guide who walked through the highlights of the exhibition that showcases the achievements of 50 men (and women) for past 200 years. Those ladies and gentlemen were instrumental in  Singapore's life and culture by contributing to the arts, culture, education, business, governance, and public service. 

The Peranakans were very successful as traders as they often acted as middlemen between the British and the local Chinese and Malays because being mostly English educated, they were able to bridge the communication gap by speaking two or more languages.

It turns out that being linguistic during those early years was advantageous with a fair number of Peranakans gaining wealth through opium, land, gambier, setting up of shipping and banking conglomerates. I will strongly recommend that if you want to head down to the exhibition, you will be able to get the most from the exhibition if you pair the visit with the walking tours.

During the tour, I was given very interesting titbits about these greats and their relations for example, I realized that our current President Tony Tan's lineage is way back to his maternal grandmother is the daughter of the notable Peranakan Tan Jiak Kim (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1846_2011-10-13.html?s=tony tan).

Quick info about who were President Tony Tan's ancestry who were featured in this same exhibition: 

• Tan Jiak Kim (1859-1917) is known as the Colonial Peranakan as he is a strong ally of the British who attended the coronation of George V on 1911. He is the grandson of Tan Kim Seng and son of Tan Beng Swee. More info available at http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1136_2009-06-29.html?s=tan jiak kim
• Tan Jiak Kim's grandfather Tan Kim Seng was also featured as one of the 50 Great Peranakans. He was a prominent merchant and philanthropist in 19th century. There is a Tan Kim Seng Fountain at the Esplanade Park to commemorate Tan Kim Seng's contributions to the first public waterworks in Singapore. He had donated generously towards the construction of MacRitchie Reservoir in the 1860s, one of the 4 main reservoirs of Singapore.

Here's a snap of what this all means graphically:

Another interesting tidbit was the fact that President Tony Tan's grandmother was buried in Bukit Brown cemetery. Here's a copy of the letter that was sent to the President by the people that were trying to protect Bukit Brown: http://blog.bukitbrown.org/post/44373443203/a-plea-to-the-president-discover-your-roots-I. You can see some of my thoughts about Bukit Brown in this earlier posting: http://accidentalsingaporetourist.blogspot.sg/search/label/Bukit%20Brown

Another interesting fact was that 4 out of the 10 cabinet officers in 1965 were Peranakans i.e. Lee Kuan Yee, Toh Chin Chye, Goh Keng Swee and Yong Nuyk Lin. 

Here's some photos to showcase the exhibits: 

Till the next time, onto the world and beyond!