Fatty Tuesday: Singaporean Foodies

They kind of had to take me back to Shanghai kicking and screaming. We had a great mini-vacation in Singapore last weekend, complemented by fantastic food. We explored local dishes our first two nights, starting at Maxwell's, what they call a "hawker centre," an outdoor/indoor venue with food stalls and casual seating (Maxwell's is supposed to be the best, btw).

We ordered the staples: chicken rice (which is lovely, tender chicken served with rice made in its broth, dipped in ginger sauce, and sweet, black soya sauce, and chili sauce), noodles with seafood (which reminded me of pad thai; bottom of photo on the right), and fried carrot cake (which initially didn't sound appealing to me only because I took the dish's name literally; come to find out, there's no carrot in carrot cake; instead, it's radish cake (steamed rice flour, water, and shredded white daikon), stir-fried with eggs, preserved radish, and other seasonings). It became my favorite.  

The next night, I discovered Singapore chili crab, which I thoroughly enjoyed (even though I don't normally enjoy crab; it's too much work -- but when it's covered in a thick, spicy, tomato-based sauce and served with sweet buns, it's worth the effort).  

We quickly found out that Singapore is quite the foodie haven, where several celebrity chefs have opened shop: Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Guy Savoy, Joel Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, to name a few. So on Saturday night, our last night in Singapore, we decided to splurge and dine at Battali's Osteria Mozza (yes, LA, you have one too). It was extraordinary. We started with burrata over grilled asparagus and toasted almonds; for il primi, Mike got the gnocchi (what wonderfully delicious little dumplings!), and I got the best pasta dish of my life in the form of one, large ravioli covered in brown butter sauce (when cut open, the yolk of an egg oozed out onto my plate, and as I chewed slowly, savoring every bite, I tasted the perfect balance of pasta, ricotta, and egg). My secondi was lamb atop a mint yogurt sauce (yum!), and dessert was a molten chocolate cake with bourbon ice cream (to satisfy both of our cravings). An awesome meal to top off a really lovely getaway.

    

Zhoumo kuaile!

Reporting to you from Singapore! I flew in last night to meet Mike who's been here for work this week. I love this city so far (but it may be because I haven't seen lush greenery and breathed in clean air in a while). And I'm loving the tropical weather (yes, including the thunderstorms): 

We've already knocked off a few items from the to do list, having grubbed on staple Singapore dishes (stay tuned for Fatty Tuesday!) and ridden the Singapore Flyer (in an ode to my mom who has a fascination for ferris wheels; bottom, left photo). Tonight, we'll continue the local food fest with Singapore chili crab, and venture on a night safari (how cool does that sound?). 

See that three-pronged building in the photo on the right? That's our pad for the weekend. And see the top of it? That's our hangout on Saturday (complete with an infinity pool overlooking the city). More to come (including photos)!  

Playing Hosts

Mike and I helped our friends pack in as much as possible for their first trip to China. Here are some highlights from their week here:

Saturday: Met the crew at the airport in Beijing. Saw some bugs on a stick. One member may have eaten a cricket. 

Sunday: Conquered the Great Wall again, but a different part of it (less crowded, less touristy, less stinky, and still amazing). Did the required Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City visit. Ended the day with duck. 

Monday: Park chilled in Beijing (bringing a favorite pastime of ours to China) and traveled (in style) by train to Shanghai. 

Tuesday: Shopped and haggled at the Fabric Market and the Fake Market. Ended up on Yongkang Lu for fish and chips and (lots of) beers. 

Wednesday: Climbed (via elevator) to the top of one of Shanghai's tallest buildings for a drink (or two).

Thursday: Bought gifts for moms at the Pearl Market, lunched in Xintiandi ("lunched" being quite appropriate here for the Beverly Hills of Shanghai) and toured the Yuyuan Gardens. Sweated over spicy Chinese food for dinner. 

Friday: Ended the trip with a special finale dinner at Lost Heaven (since my mom approves).   

Zhoumo kuaile!

The house is strangely quiet now that the last of our guests has left. Mike and I were busy playing hosts this week, and I'll share more soon, but in the meantime, I hope you're all having a good weekend and a lovely Orthodox Easter if you're celebrating.

P.S. Here's where we were and what we were doing last weekend: 

Five Qs for Mom

My mom visited us here in Shanghai from her beautiful home in Los Angeles, and stayed for almost one month. Here's a quick interview with her about her impressions of our life here China.

What was your favorite experience? 

Tasting all kinds of different foods. There’s such a variety here. You can get whatever you want. And just walking around; it’s a great city! 

What was the best meal? 

I loved Lost Heaven where we celebrated [Mike's mom's] birthday. The ambience was tasteful and beautiful, and the food was superb. Lots of flavors and textures. [I guess I'll have to do a Fatty Tuesday on Lost Heaven soon...]

What did you find most surprising? 

The entrepreneurial spirit and youth of Europeans, Australians and Americans alike. It's as though China is the new frontier. Also, the sheer numbers of people everywhere. The crowds were everywhere and at times, daunting. [It's true; she survived the train station on a holiday weekend.] 

What did you find most challenging? 

The air pollution. The number of people everywhere. The fact that it's impossible to know real from unreal, or what is real and true from what is false or fake. Trust is an issue in China; one is cynical and unbelieving. Food issues. 

What did you miss most from home? 

Salmon. Eggs. Food you can trust! Blue skies. Cleanliness. Space. Quiet. Places outdoors where one can be alone. The ocean. [I hear you, Mom! But I'm glad you came.]