PROFESSIONALISM

One observation that cuts through many of the street food hawkers I met, be in it Singapore or Bangkok or Hong Kong, or Taipei or any other Asian locations, is their attitude to work. Look at these chappati ladies at the Tanjong Pagar station, it must be hot but obviously it does not bother them. There is a sense of calmness, of containment, and of reward which to me are key pillars to build professionalism. I may be naive as they must not be making that much money and it is probably their only means of livelihood so not too much of a choice here. That said, one just cannot 'fake' happiness at work. There are just too many out there who, in a million years, would not be able to match the work ethics of these folks. Their pride, their cheerfulness, their willingness to engage customers despite the insignificance of their products are exemplary, even infectious as I watch them go through their paces. I am not 100% sure why I want to post this blog, I only know that I want this picture in my collection for prosperity. Indeed they are the walking definition of my advocacy in all of my 36-years in the work force. Well done, ladies!

PURVIS STREET

Next to Seah Street is Purvis Street which offers even more eating opportunities. Without question the 'king pin' is Gunther's ... Singapore's #1 contemporary restaurant under Chef Hubrechsen Gunther of Les Amis fame. This extremely talented but unassuming young chef from Europe has single handedly redefined top end dining in the city state. He is easily at par with any fine dining chef in Hong Kong, in my view. I especially like Gunther's set lunches which are always full of surprises and delightful. Top end eatries are not on my agenda this visit so I passed.

Next to Gunther's is Girabaldi where I only had drinks previously. I found the bar extremely pleasant, and the drinks menu avant garde. I also checked their menu but my sources said the food is authentic and creative.

Further down the road there are more places including an obviously old chicken rice joint with big Chinese characters 'Chicken Rice' printed in blood red, the name is Oi Kwan or Chou Kwan, something like that. It might be worth a try lah, just to see how and why it survives even though I seldom see customers there. There is also a Thai Bistro, whatever that means, and a local pastry shop. If you are gamed, try the Hai Ji Tea Restaurant. Its claim to fame is they serve genuine Hainanese grub, all cooked and served by Hainanese or descendants of Hainanese. The debate as to whether Hainan Chicken Rice actually came from Hainan Island, or is it the genius of a Singaporean chef is still alive but ask the folks here, there is no doubt whatsoever it is indigenous Hainanese. That said, the 'must order item' is not chicken but the Lamb Soup. The lamb is slow cooked, with juicy and flavorful meat almost off the bone, and the soup is beautifully strong with ginger, fungus, tofu skin, and water chestnuts in it. Too bad winters do not exist here as this is what our older generation labels 'stomach warming cuisine'. As to why it is always so noisy at Hai Ji, I was told it is only Hainanese dialect in play.

Come to Purvis in the morning and I bet you can have breakfast, lunch, tea, drinks and dinner all in one day on this boulevard in downtown Singapore. I shall do that, some day.

SEAH STREET

If you drive up Beach Road, in front of the Raffles Hotel, to the direction of Nicoll Highway there are two 'food streets' on your left. Seah Street is the first and Purvis is next. The two dominant shops on Seah are ; Swee Kee and New Swee Kee, both claim leadership in Hainan Chicken Rice. In order to substantiate my research on this visit I tried both. Locals told me Swee Kee has gone off the map lately and I can see why, even though at lunch it is always full from the office crowd. New Swee Kee is indeed better but neither can challeng the 'Mother of Chicken Rice' Boon Tong Kee. If you only have time for one, it would be BTK per my blog entry.

CHIU CHOW COMFORT FOOD

Singapore has a lot of Chiu Chow traditions in her cooking and fish soup, fish ball noodles, fish congee are among the most popular street eats. I can never pass one of these joints without stopping for a taste break. It is simple ingredients prepared in the simplest manner. Walking past the Lavender Street Food Court I asked for the most popular one and was pointed to Mr Chew's who I was able to learn from.

Everything revolves around the soup base, he told me, which is stock from a concoction of fish heads, tails, fins after being filleted. Next to this thick stock is a pot of boiling 'something' to dilute the base, which I suspect has MSG in it. I ordered the Red Snapper soup for S$6 (ordinary fish is S$4 only) and while the fillets were being poached he prepped the bowl with soya sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, julienne of Chinese lettuce, finely chopped Chinese parsley stalks ie 2 to 3 inches from the roots which carry the most flavor per my Thai Wandee training, crispy fried garlic slices and sweet preserved turnip cubes. In a separate saucepan the poached snapper fillets are brought to a boil one last time in the diluted stock, before pouring the whole lot into the bowl. Adding to it a sprinkle of freshly chopped scallions and Chinese parsley leaves another creation is ready, preferrably tongue burning hot.

Comfort food par excellence, quite doable at home too. Try it!

CHINA INVADES!

With Chinese immigrants increasing in folds there is a mushroom effect on new eateries. They cater to the newly minted permanent residents or citizens on the one hand, and romance the old inhabitants on the other. Peking, Shanghai, Hunan, Szechuen, Tianjian and even Gansu or Mongolian ... you name it, you see it. Hot Pot is a big thing becasue it does not require cooking so they are all over the place, copying and 'one-ups' each other in utter confusion. It seems 3 cuisines are not in the fray; Hokkien cum Chiu Chow which are indigenous and, of course, Cantonese which Singapore thinks she already has, but really not as it is not quite the same, at least not yet.

As expected this scene is not widely supported by everyone. We passed by this junction and the taxi driver said, without prompting ' .... do not patronize these places, they offer higher rent to kick out decent restaurants run by Singaporeans who have been around for a long time ... my wife booked there once, I hated it, not our kind of food and far too expensive so I scolded her, told her never to do that again ....'

You see, if a simple meal of anything on the street seldom costs more than S$5 it will be an uphill battle all the way, particularly if your 'Joe on the street' would rant and rave like this.

WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THAT?

When Hong Kong talks about tourism there are only 2 activities; shopping and eating. It seems we can only offer shopping, shopping, more shopping and interspaced with eating, period. We have lost the title of shopping capital in Asia, killed by we-all-know-what, while eating hangs on perilously. A picture is worth a thousand words, remember al fresco dining? Where in Hong Kong can you find a quaint street like this one in Singapore. They have hundreds more, everywhere. I do not think our bureaucrats appreciate what al fresco means, let alone what it offers tourism and local patronage. They penalize smokers, control pollution with drastic measures and then they chase out al fresco establishments. Now, you think this is funny, no it is not, in fact it is tragic.

Singaporeans have embraced al fresco as a key part of their life style, why can't we do that? The Asian Food Channel or AFC, arguably one of the most watched reality shows in the region, picked Singapore as its hub, generating much hype and commercial activities. Their home at Orchard Central (181 Orchard Road) is dynamic, interactive, cool and it hums with foodie of all nationalities, why can't we do that? Singapore has succeeded in a strategy to own the matrix where east does meet west across a wide spectrum of cuisines, why can't we do that? In addition to Chinese, Malay & Indian food via her cultural divide she has gradually become a non-Asian hub as well, why can't we do that? Ask any Singaporean what they love in Hong Kong the standard, and regrettably only answer is : dim sum & wanton noodles. Old news, in fact, ancient news we still lean on. Why can't we go beyond old glory, tired laurels and stale ideas?

'Asia's World City', right? It is a pity we have lost not the ability, but the will to compete since we returned to the womb, so to speak.

I breathe sorrow as I envy this beautiful al fresco dining street behind Boat Quay.

SOTA

This is Singapore's 'School of The Art' or SOTA for short, which is located on a plot on Orchard Road, across the street from the SMU or Singapore Management University which occupies an even larger plot. This is what the Singapore government can do where ours cannot, that is, govern the developers. A prized real estate like this in Hong Kong would never be 'wasted' on eduaction, depsite all the plattitudes our bureau chiefs often mumble.

The teacher obviously did not want to let the blue sky go to waste and chose to hold the class outdoors. right at the entrance in fact. I walked by, could not resist the picture opportunity and almost created a commotion. See the few kids waving at me? Before I was able to click the next one they all stood up, waved and clapped. Tourists on the path applauded them back, cheers went off, and it was an excellent lesson in human communications. Fun stuff!

BAK KUT TEH

Bak Kut Teh (BKT) literally means Pork Rib Tea in Hokkien dialect. Years ago a Malaysian Chinese friend told me it was a dish for the less well to do who could not afford the nice cuts of pork. Instead they buy ribs with morsels still on the bones, and pour boiling tea over them to yield flavor. Later on Chinese herbs, condiments and loads of garlic are added to eventually get the unique taste today. Choice meaty ribs have replaced their bony predecessors. I cannot vouch for the authenticity of this story but I like to document it anyway for this blog.

A standard BKT meal is comprised of meaty ribs in a flavorful pork broth lined with a strong white pepper accent, stewed peanuts, deep fried fritters, vegetables, dark soya sauce with chilis and the ritual fresh lime. On Balestier Road there are quite a few BKT outlets, across the street from the Shaw Plaza. 'Founders Rou Gu Cha Cafeteria' has the longest queues for lunch, dinner and 'sui yeh' or late supper. Their hours are noon to 2pm, then 6pm to 230am (!!) and closed on Tuesdays. I thought I would beat the dinner crowd by showing up at 10pm. Well, I was 5th on the queue but counted my blessing as I could be 15th if I showed up an hour earlier, I was told. No menu, you tell the staff what you want while you wait, standing of course, you sit down when called, and the set meal follows. I am not comfortable with the modus operandi as it is assembly line service. When the set finally came I had an inkling these folks might have lost touch with foodies. I was not wrong, the taste was there but unimpressive, it was mediocre production line taste at best. The meat was chewy, not the best cut and cooked to death probably from mass production. The broth did not 'knock me' as it tasted diluted. The peanuts were under stewed, hardly seasoned, and with no flavor. The vegetables were over cooked, the fritters soggy from sitting around humidity, the lime jucie came in a plastic, OMG, and not freshly squeezed. The coup de grace and fatal flaw, the chilis in the soya sauce were already limp, soaked too long, losing both texture and strength. Did I miss anything? It is a clear case of failure brought on by success. Business becomes so good they chose the easy way out, institutionalizing food preparation and quality first and secondly, service delivery.

You see I cheated here. I did my home work the evening before and tried another shop further up the road, Balestier BKT. I wanted to check what the 2nd & 3rd runners-up can do, verses the market leader. I liked what I had here more, much more. There was no queue, no hype, no attitude but just a quiet delivery of what I considered a tastier, more original, but most importantly a more personal bowl of BKT .... al fresco .... with the cool evening breeze blowing off my sweat from the white peppery hot soup, and the crispy red chili. I loved every bite and every spoonful, it could only be made in heaven.

# Founders NKT @ 347 Balestier Road .... 4 out of 10
# Balestier BKT @ 365 or 355 on the same side of the road .... 8 out of 10

FUSION OR CONFUSION?

This establishment is at the Raffles City complex facing the Raffles Hotel. The name is a piece of art, one for the book of records. It says in block capital ... O'Gambinos, Irish Italian Bistro Bar. What a mouthful! Anyone with a brain, eyes and a mouth would ask : so is it Irish or is it Italian, and, is it a bistro or a bar? The likely answer is 'we are all of the above' and the next question will then be, so what do you serve? I have never been comfortable with the concept of fusion cooking and there is a thin line over which one gets confusion, as in the naming of this venue. I made a mental note to try it next time. Ah So Des Ga .... perhaps this is a marketing ploy to get people in?

WANTON NOODLES

Singapore tried, and Malaysia tried, but let us face it, they are getting nowhere. The crown is glued on Hong Kong, we win hands down, the rest of the world can eat our dust. I am told this special brand from Pontian in Malaysia is extremly successful, 'selling thousands' at home. As the Chinese proverb goes 'only a powerful dragon would cross the river' or in this case, the Singapore Straits. I kept seeing their outlets, all quite small, and that gave me no choice but to do the ultimate ... I sacrificed my diet, with your best interests at heart, of course.

Well, the verdict is, do not waste your time unless you are desperate. The noodles are, possibly, their only saving grace. They claim the noodles will never become soggy, even if you take away since this is 'gan lo' or 'dried without soup'. Yes, it offers texture but is it ever oily! The wantons are minute, they are served (1) crispy deep fried on the noodles and (2) hopelessly wet in a separate bowl of high soup .... both are not up to par, with hardly any ingredients in them. As for the 'char-sui' they really should call it something else. I hate to disappoint and I do not mean to hurt their business, but this is the kind of honesty I practise when I am on my sojourns. Sorry!

TANJONG PAGAR STATION

This is the oldest train station where services to all locations in Malaysia would commence. It is also the terminus for southbound routes from all points Asia, including the Eastern & Oriental Express. It is like Singapore's answer to the terminus in Istanbul by the Bosphorus.

Comes July she will gracefully retire into the sunset as part of Singapore's history. Imagine the traffic and personalities that must have appeared through the years, when the train was the main mode of transport. I am taking the train from here to Johor Bahru tomorrow, earning my place as one of the last passengers. The journey may only take a little over an hour, with a reserved seat that sells for S$13 but I am sure the sentimental value will be priceless. Luckily she will not be demolished, I am told. We should still be able to see her facade, even though the tracks will be removed to make way for, you guessed it, the real estate folks.

A couple of anecdotes : it is S$ 0.20 if you need to use the toilets, the keeper must be 80-90 but no man or woman escapes his watchful eyes. Inside the Food Court a matronly looking Malay lady in her hijab makes the best chappati I ever tasted. Nothing would beat a couple of them, dipped in keema ie plain curry sauce, with fresh cucumbers and cherry tomatoes before you board.

There is time yet, until July. I saw a few locals taking pictures for the history book already. If you are in town go find the station, try lunch or even a snack chappati prepared by this lady. She is at the back restaurant next to the arrival tracks, by the exit into the car park. You will not regret it!

POLITICS

Singapore was undergoing a reality check the past few days. While the ruling party PAP (People's Action Party) enjoyed a decisive win of 81 out of 87 seats in Parliament, the demise of two senior civil servants losing to the minority opposition was a hard drama for the country to witness, judging from media reports. George Yeo, the incumbent Foreign Minister, a super star with a super track record in government, is one of them. Failed to win in the General Election he has no choice but to leave his job. The picture shows him closing a press conference. His gracious acceptance of political realities apparently earned him even more respect. I cannot help but relate this episode of reality TV to what we have at home, with this monster called the 'Accountability System'.

Firstly, we have yet to claim political maturity in our politicians, both elected and appointed. Secondly, the political appointees who head bureaus are at best, freshmen in politics. If I want to be kind, I will say 'sometimes naive' vs 'often naive'. None of them is elected and if they screwed up, all they need is to mumble an apology, bow deeply, and all wrongs are righted. I wonder if the impending departure of George Yeo, who is head over heel better than anyone of ours, individually or even collectively, has caused them to reflect.

I remember the sage advice of a fellow Council member at the HKCAA ... 'Fit for Purpose'. Our Lower Albert Road elites, soon to get the grand harbor view, are AOs trained to administer, not to manage, let alone govern. It is paramount any aspiring CE of the HKSAR must understand this, lest it will be more of the same. Bad appointments, bad ideas, bad execution, bad press which can only lead to the loss of trust, and the mandate to govern. 'Fit For Purpose'? Perhaps skilled surgeons should not run hospitals, master chefs should not run restaurants, good teachers should not run schools and if this holds true, let the best civil servants run the machinery that makes our town work, steer them clear from politics. It would never work as they are not cut out for it.

MOTHER OF CHICKEN RICE

Ask 100 people in Hong Kong where is his favorite Wanton Noodles and you will get 100 answers. Do the same with Chicken Rice in Singapore you might get 150 if not more answers. Why? Singapore foodies usually have more than one favorite, that is why, and why not? That said, Boon Tong Kee (or Mun Tung Kee to us Cantonese) seems to have secured the top slot. Like life itself, nothing is permanent so Boon Tong Kee is enjoying market leadership, for now. Swee Kee, among others, held that title some years ago but is no longer a competitor and this is how it goes. One cannot possibly miss this landmark as the building covers an entire block on Balestier Road, and their huge signage is dramatic.

I paid my respect yesterday at 3pm, when the lunch crowd was just beginning to thin out. My conclusion is, they deserve it. I also discovered after the pilgrimage that what makes Chicken Rice a national dish here is not so much the chicken, but a joint effort of the rice, the skin, and lastly the layer of jelly between the meat and the skin. I learned to poach a chicken Chinese style and realize the magic of this jelly, which generates the taste foodies keep coming back for. Chicken skin is the 'anti-christ' in a dietitian's dictionary but imagine leaving the skin on the plate? Please do not insult the chef, and embarrass yourself. The rice at Boon Tong Kee is, to me, the ultimate winner. I am not certain but if I were asked to call it I would say it is the smallest and finest basmati grains, cooked flawlessly in the most flavorful stock. It is dry, super fluffy and taste dominates, with not a trace of chicken fat. Lastly, credit should also go to their house sauces ie the classic chili & dark soya complements. The damage was S$18 or $100 for a dish of chicken, a bowl of rice, a vegetarian spring roll, a shrimp toast (amazingly greaseless as well) and an iced barley water. WOW! As hungry foodies continue to file in, almost 4pm by now, I was reborned. Have you ever had Hainan Chicken Rice for high tea? Try Mun Tung Kee on Balestier!

LONE RANGER SOJOURNS

Since retirement I have come to enjoy what I call my 'Lone Ranger Sojourns' which I try to do every 3-4 months. The criteria that qualify these trips are; I travel alone, to less popular 2nd or even 3rd tier cities, in Asia predominantly and not China, buy the cheapest seats on any airline, minimum packing, stay in budget hotels that offer the basics, no fancy or Michelin meals, mass market street foods all the way, find out what the locals eat, document how they prepare their food, befriend street cooks if possible, learn from them, take lots of notes and photographs, walk instead of taking transportation whenever I can ..... I did a lot of this during my 6-weeks at Wandee in Bangkok, and later in Kaoshiung. I am determined to keep these sojourns alive, to complement my decade long cooking school dreams.

I am transiting Singapore now, on my way to Johor Bahru, a seaside town a stone throw from Singapore which I wanted to visit for years, but failed. Swire Travel set me up at this brand new IBIS hotel on Balestier Road near Novena. It was a S$22 ride from Changyi Airport, the same distance as going into the CBD Orchard Road area. For S$168 I get a comfortable room, with breakfast thrown in. No tooth brushes, Q-tip or body cream though. The Novena MRT station is only 8-minutes away, from where you have access to anywhere in the city state. Balestier is Singapore's equivalent to Morrison Hill Road, with shops after shops of lighting fixture. To me the main attraction is the abundance of local eateries nearby, predominantly Bak Kut Teh, Hainan Chicken Rice and Nasi outlets which I intend to explore.

IBIS Singapore Novena : 6 Irrawaddy Road @ www.ibishotel/7451

BUGS ANYONE?

Yes, I ordered this when we were in Panyu with Dora's tutors from school for a weekend frolic. With poetic license these babies are officially called 'Dragon Fleas' but on the street it is 'Water Cockroaches' because they do like alike and it does not get any more descriptive. Believe it or not 50+ years ago when I was in primary school they were a popular snack, along with cicadas and silk worms. I remember when Dragon Fleas were in season (summer months I think) my sister and I would catch them in the garden at our old home, at night. All we needed was a pail of water, put under any street light, and Dragon Flies would literally dive into them. Once we collected enough our cook would rinse and deep fried them in hot oil. Voila! My late father used to nibble on them, like peanuts. It took skills to eat them. You open the hard outer shells first like a set of doors, then carefully tear off the beautifully flimsy layer inside that looks like dragonfly wings, before you get to what is essentially the stomach, which you suck out. There is a unique taste, one that jolts back memory of my childhood as soon as it hits my tougue. At this famous Panyu seafood restaurant in Guangdong Province they were fried with garlic, chili and even garnished with cilandro. This little heap was about HK$70 or almost US$10 and they were good, even though I was the only one indulging. Bugs, anyone?

PAVLOVA

Speaking of desserts this time the Aussies get the applause. If the Red Wine Poached Pear is like a subtle declaration of love on the Left & Right Banks of the Seine, the Pavlova is like a vibrant show of vitality and affection, the Aussie way, on the beaches of Bondi and Manley. I love serving them, next to the pears.

Making the meringue is central to the success of any Pavlova, once this is mastered variations of the theme are unlimited, as far as your creativity allows. Trial and error is de rigueur here, you must keep making them in order to get the egg white to the right 'peak'. Even more importantly you need to rein in your oven for her best behavior. A well cooked crust, not necessarily crispy, with a marshmallow texture in the center is easier said than done but as long as you keep at it, you will get your own version right. You can make it like a layered cake, or as small sandwiches, or a giant version as shown. The Aussie use mixed fruits as topping, often with passion fruit as the sauce which works. I like to use mangoes, Indian mangoes are the best. I sprinkle cocoa powder on top, and I add dark chocolate chunks in the meringue for the 'chocophiles' in my dinner parties. I can guarantee the 'oohs and aahs' as soon as the Pavlova is brought to the table. One last thing, do not believe for a moment all the 'I am really too full for dessert' claims. They are nothing but polite lies, especially from your first time guests. Their masks will come off after the first serving, and unabashed claims follow as to who will get the last piece. Trust me, I am right on this so my advice is, present the big ones ... they are plate licking good!

LCB POACHED PEAR

This is one of the first classic desserts taught at Le Cordon Bleu and it remains one of my top favorites, which many of our dinner guests agree. The pears should be just right ie not too ripe but certainly not rock hard. They are to be poached in 'inexpensive red wines' and adding to the liquid; sugar, lemon zest, orange peels, cinnamon sticks, vanilla essence. Bring to a quick boil, return to simmer, and poach until you can push a metal pin right through the pears. Poach 5-6 at a time but you must pay attention to these delicate babies by turning them so everyone gets even soaking time in that heavenly liquid. The entire kitchen is filled with the sweet aroma of cooked fruit in condiments. I like to make them a day earlier and leave them in the fridge overnight to achieve that incredibly sexy dark velvet effect. Serve with Chantilly cream ie fresh cream whipped with confectionery or icing sugar, and a twig of mint. It is a time honored French creation and what a romantic finale to a meal, delish!

AS THE WORLD TURNS

Regardless of what you think of the British royals, or for that matter any monarchy, the recent royal wedding made it to the top of the 'most watched' media event again. Amidst the pomp and circumstance in which the Brits are second to none, I cannot help but feel a bit sad. No, it is not about the obviously happy and deeply in love couple but for that 'numero uno' family. Those of us who are old enough must all remember watching Diana married Charles, unfortunately it was down hill since their procession paraded the streets of London. If the Late Princess were alive, I wonder what she would be thinking on this occasion.

'The wedding united Britain, today everyone is a Royalist .... ' it was reported on BBC. A few days later the world turned, this time to America when Osama Bin Laden was killed by a Navy Seal assault team in a foreign land. People, initally led by young partying types, were out en masse on the streets in NYC & DC in the middle of the night, to celebrate the vindication of 911. 'Justice is Done!' .... as reported in all major American network but, has it really?

I am a retired nobody and who am I to preach right or wrong. I just made a mental note on how coincidental these two events happened in such close sequence, almost one after the other, and how they managed to rally two leading nations, despite the nature being at poles. I guess this is the world we live in, and these are just reality shows with dream ratings!

BOULLAIBAISE @ TKT

I am not big on fusion anything as I am worried about my dismal knowlege in mixing flavors, which could well result in murdering a dish. With that as an opener I did play around with this simple soup at a recent dinner party and it was well received, so I call it Boullaibaise @ TKT ie Test Kitchen @ Tang.

Basically it is a symphony of the freshest possible catch, poached in a home made fish stock, and served in a broth of diluted bonito concentrate (in any Japanese section of a supermarket) over fresh orba leaves. I had a large tiger prawn, an equally large Hokkaido scallop, plus a couple of pieces of snapper and squid, on a bed of Little Neck Clams. To garnish I used julienne of Japanese leek marinated in rice wine vinegar and mirin, plus lumpfish roe or ikura for color effect. I also sprinkled smoked bacon chips to counter the flavor. There are 2 key notes here; the fresh seafood must be lightly poached, to avoid overcooking, to retain maximum freshness and secondly, the broth must be screaming hot, at maximum boiling point when it is ladled over the ingredients in order to release the uniqueness of the orba leaves. The tango between the orba and bonito flavors is magic to the taste bud. Do try this very simple, but gratifying 'comfort recipe' at home. I have yet to serve this to a Japanese pal, I like to think he might approve.