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Friday, February 25, 2011

SINGAPORE EATS (WHAT WE GRUBBED IN THE LAND OF MR. MERLION!)

I'm sure you've heard me say this many times that my favorite mantra since time began has always been YOU'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN TO A PLACE UNTIL YOU'VE TRIED THE FOOD". And THAT was one of the factors I was excited about our trip to Singapore because we planned... to eat... eat... and EAT!!! 

I'm sure some of you might say we never really did go anywhere when we were at the Tiger City since we were not able to go to the Night Safari, Sentosa, or Ju Rong Bird Park, but the kids were already blown away with Universal Studios and did not want to leave the pool in Marina Bay Sands so we just went with the flow and had a relaxing vacation nevertheless, at our own pace. 

We also let our mouths have its well deserved food fiesta anyway!!! 

We didn't really go on searching for fine dining specialty restaurants. I was told that the real good grub comes from their food markets and so that's where we trooped over.

We truly enjoyed our Singapore trip!! Not only did we have a different kind of family bonding and the boys were able to have an  out of the country adventure, but my tongue and tummy love me more now!

(Jaz -- "Just a reminder : Like our other "WHAT WE GRUBBED" series, there will be NO tourist shots here... Only us with FOOD! Yum!")

(Jaz - "Sorry another reminder : Since the boys were more "excited" than usual, we were not able to take a lot of food pics. Hope you like what we have here :) " )





In Universal Studio's we ate in the Buzz Lightyear cafe and got the special kids meal which came with a lunch box and plastic cup!!

Little Andrei was so surprised that he was getting his own meal because normally he would just share with me or his daddy!




Yub said the fried chicken was good but there was no rice :( We simply cannot enjoy a plate of chicken with only fries! 




Later on we were trying to our best to make Andrei eat his chicken since he only wanted his criss cut fries. 

Yes, my bunso, the little finicky eater. THAT'S why we only share our food with him. Ha ha ha ha!

Oh well... more for us!




As for me I just got meself a chicken burger. It was okay and it did fill up my tired tummy. 




We did not have a hard time with Mati though... he finished his chicken and fries with gusto!





For dinner my high school pretty friend Elaine Hollman - Haren took us out to dinner at Newton's Inn!




Me and the master Mati were excited because we have seen in Top Chef what food they cooked up here!




Newton Hawker Center is an open food court with stalls offering their different specialties.




They have pictures to help you out in choosing what you want to be cooked pronto for your dinner. 

When you get inside Newton, the hawkers would rush to you to invite you to go to their stall.... We went to this one!




I guess in Singapore they also heard about our "turo turo" (pointy point point) system. 

Copycats!

Kidding!!!! :)




Of course we HAVE to have our greens in oyster sauce with garlic and this was mighty crunchy and savory!!!

 Check out the red chilis sitting comfortably at the end of the plate. Not considering that they're the fiercest of chilis and that eating one accidentally will instantly burn the tongue, they're just there, hoping we won't notice them moving its way to our spoons!!

   


Spicy clams in special sauce!!!




They were so good that even Mati ate them!




... and what we have been dreaming about in Singapore...

Singaporean Chili Crabs!!!!




There is no other way to eat it but getting down and dirty with your hands till your fingers are dripping with its glorious sauce!!!





Here's Elaine's hub Fredrik sucking those crabs dry!!! 




Ha ha ha ha! As for me, I used my hands in getting the meat from the juicy and fatty crabs but used a fork and spoon for the rice!!!

As much as I wanted to go ALL OUT "kamayan", I was also the photographer of this trip! H aha ha ha!




Finally able to eat aunthentic Hainanese Chicken Rice!!! 

This does not need any coloring... The chicken and the rice were so flavorful it did not even need any of those "support" sauces!




Elaine ordered Mati a plate of Black Pepper Crabs and my little foodie was able to finish it all by himself!!! The sauce was not at all spicy but it will just make you reach out for more rice! He got every tender morsel of the crab meat himself and wiped out the whole thing -- hook, line, and sinker!!!!




Elaine raved about the stingray and suggested we try it!

It was my first time to have a taste of a stingray and with my initial forkful, I understood why a lot of people gave their hearty recommendations for it! The meat was very soft and succulent with an appetizing smoky taste. It's like eating a perfectly grilled fatty steak that's not as heavy!!!




Elaine knew how curious I was with the famous Singaporean dish, the Char Kway Teow, so she ordered a plate for me. 

One forkful of the greasy noodles and i was in Singaporean heaven! Where have you been all my life dear Char Kway Teow?????

Char Kway Teow : "Uh.. in Singapore?"




Thank you so much for treating us to a wonderful and truly super kaduper delicious Singaporean dinner Elaine and Fredrik!!! It was indeed a night to remember!!!

We can't believe we ate everything on the table too!!! 

Check out Andrei crying again... :)




The next day, since we enjoyed our dinner so much at Newton's, we had breakfast at Lau Pa Sat!!!




I went around checking out the different stalls and got attracted to this one because it was similar to what I saw in Top Chef!




What to order??




A plate of their saucy CHAR KWAY TEOW of course!!!

This one was straight out of the frying pan and was extra saucy!!! 

The kids did not fancy the veggies so I had this plate ALL to myself!!

Wow! It's my lucky morning!




I am now officially a CHAR KWAY TEOW addict! It is like having pad thai except it's more rich in the peanut taste and  more saucy!!




Yub ordered a bowl of Braised Noodles for the kids!




Andrei was nervous at the thought of eating again. Ha ha ha ha! Kidding! It's his least favorite activity!





I wonder if he's really my son!

Tee hee! Oh I am kidding! :)




LET'S EAT!!




We went on a city tour  and passed by Orchard Road to have something repaired. We then cooled off with tall tumblers of icy fruity Squishies!!!




I was a bit hungry when we got back to the hotel so we had a small snack at the Marina mall food court. This is my fish dish!!!!




After the kids swam till they got wrinkly and everything, we met with Yub's cousin, Ate Nannette and her charming daughter Angel! They treated us once more at Lau Pa Sat!!!!

Pig out session again!




Of course there SHOULD be  Singaporean Chili Crabs with extra sauce!




Mati's black pepper crabs WHICH he finished by himself again...




I wanted to try some Oyster Cake but Yub mistakenly got the Carrot Cake. It's okay... This was also a delicious substitute!!




Char Kway Teow!!!

Yes! It's obvious I can't get enough of this!




Ate Nanette is the wife of Yub's cousin actually, but Kuya Bobot was in Papua New Guinea at that time. 

Check out this great picture of Angel, Ate Nanette... and THE HAND!

Guess whose was it?





Hey Mati, don't get your hands on MY Singaporean chili crab! You had your own!




If you want something else to eat, why not finish the carrot cake? Ha ha ha ha!




I just love the sauce!! 




Yub ordered me an extra plate of this pita bread to mop up the chili sauce of the Singaporean crab... but one was not enough. I wanted more!




Char Kway Teow delight!





My plate! My wonderful plate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Andrei did not feel like eating the Singaporean grubs we were enjoying and chose to have some chicken strips... That's just the way he is. He is a non conformist. Ha ha ha ha!

He finished this whole thing himself so I was happy either way! 




Thanks Ate Nanette! This dinner was phenomal!!!




At the day of our departure, we swam at the Sands Skypark once more before checking out...

Since the kids did not feel like eating heavy, we ordered 2 continental breakfasts which consisted of butter, jams, and an assortment of freshly baked breads!




The kiddies did not feel like swimming in the big pool (since it was sorta cold when we went there) and opted to swim in their heated jacuzzi at the other side. I let them swim and just fed them while they're enjoying the water. 




They wiped out everything in a jiffy!




While in the airport for our return flight, I remembered that I haven't had a taste of their Kaya Toast!!! So here's me rushing to buy in the airport kiosk in my hopes of getting a taste of authentic Singaporean Kaya Toast. 

This one tasted extra good already for me :) Here's hoping I get to taste the real one should we go back :)

As pareng Wolfgang Puck would say... "Let's Live! Love! And EAT!!!"


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If you liked this, check out our other WHAT WE GRUBBED series:

ITALY  (HERE!!!)
USA  (HERE!!)


More posts to come!!!