10 Things to Eat in Singapore

by Annie Scott on

Food in Singapore is like baseball in America — it’s the national pastime.

In most countries, people say: “Hi, how are you?” In Singapore, they say “Hi, have you eaten?” usually followed by “What?” “Where?” and “How was it?”

Singaporeans love food. They love eating it, making it, and talking about what they’re having next — “What should we have for lunch?” is a frequent topic of conversation during breakfast.

Food in Singapore is usually served family style, with lots of lots of courses. If you think you could only take that once a day, stay away — I think I had at least four meals every day I was there. I remember my friend’s mom looking sadly at me when I only ate two sandwiches for breakfast. Food is part of how they do things in Singapore. (And yes, I ate a couple more; I didn’t want to cause an international incident.) (And yes, I thought sandwiches for breakfast was weird too — most of her cooking was Malay, and I think she was trying to make me something American.)

So. Be Singaporean with me for a few minutes; let’s talk about food.

Malay and Peranakan food is similar and both are very common in Singapore. If you’re not accustomed to Malaysian, think Thai food, but less spicy — not less hot, it’s very hot, but with a lighter concentration of spices. Also big in Singapore are Chinese (about 75% of Singapore’s population is at least partly of Chinese descent), Indian, Japanese and oddly, Italian. Italian food is the most popular western food in the country.

To check out some of the most popular foods, have a look through the gallery. And if you want a cheap bite to eat in Singapore, ask a cab driver to take you to a hawker center; it’s like a food court, they have everything, and some say it’s the best bang for your buck. Interestingly, cab drivers take Diners Club. Seriously!
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This trip was paid for by the Singapore Board of Tourism, but the views expressed within the post are 100% my own.

Celebrate National Dessert Month at 5 Fifty 5 in New Orleans

by Katie Hammel on

October is National Dessert Month! Okay, it’s actually National Pizza Month, National Pasta Month, National Pretzel Month and National Pork Month too, but I’m putting my weight behind this one. (Oh who am I kidding, I’m sure I’ll put my “weight” “behind” them all!)

To celebrate this all-important occasion, 5 Fifty 5, the restaurant in the New Orleans Marriott, is offering an incentive to those guests who want to “eat dessert first!” Those who rise to the challenge will receive 20% off their entire bill.

If you can’t quite bring yourself to follow a decadent chocolate cake with lobster macaroni and cheese, crab meat sliders, or a 20 ounce steak with truffle fries, you can still enjoy these delicious desserts after your entree. Special creations unveiled for the promotion include Oreo sandwiches with Creole cream cheese shooters, seven-layer chocolate cake with an Absinthe shake, and a strawberry napoleon with pecan crunch. Can’t decide on just one $5.55 dessert? Order all five for $25.

5 Fifty 5 has won two “Best in Show” awards at the New Orleans Food and Wine Experience, and makes all desserts (plus breads and pastries) in house. The Marriott hotel is located on Canal street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

If you can’t make it in for a dinner of dessert in October, don’t worry: at 5 Fifty 5, National Dessert Month will extend through November.

Outback Australia: Mindil Beach Sunset Market

by Mike Barish on

Before departing for the Northern Territory, I was discussing my trip with some Aussie friends. When they heard that I was going to Darwin, they raved about two things: the food and the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets. Darwin is a melting pot of Southeast Asian and Australian cultures, with immigrants from Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines making up a substantial portion of the capital’s population. As such, Darwin has more to offer than just Australian meat pies and wedges (this is not to say that I couldn’t survive on pies and wedges, because I happily could). And if Darwin is a melting pot, then Mindil Beach Sunset Market is the vortex that is produced when you stir it all up.

Every Thursday and Sunday throughout the dry season, hundreds of vendors selling everything from raw oysters to sarongs gather at Mindil Beach to peddle their wares, socialize and watch the sunset. Children run freely around the beach, frolicking with ice cream cones in hand and remnants of that afternoon’s candy still on their shirts. Tourists and locals mingle as they meander through the makeshift paths between booths filled with local musicians’ CDs and food stalls serving everything from roti to shaved ice. And since the market only operates in the dry season, you’re virtually guaranteed perfect weather throughout the evening.

As with any market, there are things worth knowing in advance. I went to the Mindil Beach Sunset Market not knowing what to expect. I left with plenty of tips for your visit to Darwin.

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  • Get there early – The market opens at 5:00pm and things are relatively quiet for the first 45 minutes or so. The parking lot can become a bit chaotic later in the evening, so do yourself a favor and just head up there right when it opens.
  • Do a few laps – There’s nothing worse than buying a souvenir only to later stumble upon something significantly better. The vendors at Mindil Beach are tremendously friendly, so if you’re not sure that you’re ready to commit to that silver bracelet, ask the merchant to put it aside for you. If you don’t see anything better, go back and buy it. Just be polite and let them know if you’ve changed your mind so that they can put the product back out for others.
  • Don’t stuff yourself all at once – The plethora of fantastic and authentic food at Mindil is worth sampling tapas-style. Grab some chili crab from one vendor and a chicken satay from another. Leave room for the mind-numbingly sweet desserts created with lychee, tropical fruits and plenty of ice and syrup.
  • Don’t get the tacos – I love Mexican food as much as the next guy, but Australia is no place for Mexican food. I’ve spent enough time there to know this all too well. You’re not here for tacos. Stay focused.
  • All that glitters is not gold – Just like any street fair or market, some vendors are selling authentic local goods while others are pushing schlocky crap to make a quick buck. Look at everything carefully, ask the merchant as many questions as you’d like and don’t be afraid to walk away empty handed if you’re not satisfied.
  • Walk down the beach for the sunset – Mindil Beach is a mob scene around 6:00 in anticipation of the sunset. Nothing ruins a serene moment more than hundreds of digital cameras chiming. Around 5:45, take a stroll down the beach away from the masses and the market itself. Enjoy the sunset in solitude and then return for your next wave of curried everything,
  • Learn to use a whip – Perhaps my favorite booth at the Mindil Beach Sunset Market belongs to Mick of Mick’s Whips. He sells, well, whips (along with various tchotchkes made from crocodile skins) and teaches anyone who’s interested how to use them in his whip arena. Even this Yank from New York City was cracking the whip before the night was through.

There’s not much else to it. It’s not rocket science, it’s just one of the coolest little markets in one of the most diverse towns you’ll find in Australia. For more information on the Mindil Beach Sunset Market, check out their website. Just be sure that you arrive hungry.

Mike Barish traversed the Outback on a trip sponsored by Tourism Northern Territory. He traveled alone and had no restrictions on what he could cover during his travels. That would explain how he ended up eating water buffalo. You can read other entries in his Outback Australia series HERE.

Japanese chef publishes insect cuisine cookbook

by Jeremy Kressmann on

One of the great joys of traveling is the chance to eat something new. Whether it’s a mouthwatering steak in Argentina or an English breakfast in London, exposure to new cuisine helps us understand the places we visit and people we meet. But of all the foods we’ll try when traveling, many people get all squeamish when it comes to insects. Not so fast says Japanese chef Shoichi Uchiyama, whose new bug recipe cookbook aims to give eaters everywhere a fresh look at eating and consuming these “untouchables” of the food world.

Uchiyama, who first became interested in insect cuisine during a workshop in 1998 in Tokyo, has become a devoted advocate of increased consumption of insects by humans. The chef points to the many benefits of insects as food, including their high protein content and the ability for farmers to raise them quickly and cheaply. He also notes that more than 1400 varieties of insects are consumed worldwide, from Africa to Latin America and Asia. Uchiyama’s new 256 page cookbook aims to further dispel humans’ natural aversion to eating bugs by providing a run-down of how to cook everything from cockroaches in pink vinegar soup, to moth pupae covered in sugar to pizza covered in water bugs.

What do you think? Does a sugar-covered moth-pupae get your mouth watering? Even if you think Chef Uchiyama has gone off the deep end, his enthusiasm and creativity are certainly cause for a second look at that plate of crickets. Have you ever eaten insects during your travels? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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Get out and go: Events around the world this week (September 24-29)

by Brenda Yun on

Happy Hump Day, Gadling’ers! The weekend is approaching, so it’s time to look at the festivals and events happening around the world this week. If you’re close and have time, then you have no excuse to get out and go!

  • Kentucky – World Chicken Festival: Did you know the World Chicken Festival is held in London, Kentucky? Neither did I. Apparently, it is a family event with fairground rides, stalls, live entertainment and fried chicken. The festival runs from September 24-27.
  • London – ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ opens Friday, September 25 at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and will continue through October 10. It is a play about the King of Navarre and his courtiers who have forsworn every kind of pleasure.
  • Maine – AppleFest 2009 will take place at the Monmouth Museum in Maine this Saturday, September 26. There will be a series of family activities to celebrate the apple harvest.
  • Singapore – The Singapore Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, September 27. The race is part of the Formula 1 World Championship season.
  • Brighton – Last, but certainly not least, the UK Air Guitar Championships will take place Tuesday, September 29! According to its website, sweet moves and an outrageous costume are a must!

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was.

‘Til next week, have a great weekend — the last of September!