Singapore Soiree ~ Singapore, Singapore | 3 days
In a few short years, the formerly stodgy city-state of Singapore has undergone a startling transformation, now almost complete. The bars are snazzier. The restaurants are gleaming, and have food as good as its wonderful 'street' food. Formula One is in town. And so is everyone else.
To truly lap it up, base yourself out of an ethnic enclave like Chinatown, Little India or Arab Street, or in the old neighbourhoods of Joo Chiat, Katong or the colonial Civic District, from where you can get a glimpse into the daily lives of people who live in this city. Because the city is such a compact town, easily accessible by public transport, venture out as far as you like and you can be sure you'll still be a 15-minute taxi ride away. The wonderful food, weather and people will bowl you over.
This itinerary takes you 'cool-hunting' — with an alternative bent. This city has some wonderful food, entertainment, and fun, but what if you wanted something.. different?
ACTIVITIES/ATTRACTIONS: wine,, dine,, eating,, bars,, restaurants,, coolhunting, wine, dine, eating, bars, restaurants
SEASON: All year round
PUBLISHED BY: Adrianna Tan (Travel Writer) view profile
Day 1 ~ A Taste of Arabia
As an early centre for trade the port of Singapore played host to a great variety of people from all over the world, including the Arabs, who came from the Arabian peninsula and as far as from Yemen. Most left; some sunk down their roots. Today their descendants can still be found in the streets of the 'Arab Quarter', also known as 'Kampong Glam', exotically named after the cities of the Middle East: Kandahar, Muscat, Baghdad, among others.
Begin your day with an early morning visit to the Sultan Mosque (3 Muscat Street). Also known as Masjid Sultan, the golden domes of the largest mosque in Singapore cut an imposing figure in the neighbourhood. There's not very much within it for the tourist, but a photo op from the boulevard of the Bussorah Street entrance should be made compulsory.
When done, lunch at Restoran Tepak Sireh (73 Sultan Gate), a Malay restaurant within a former royal building, would give you a taste of traditional Malay food.
Followed by an afternoon of textile, fabric,rattan or carpet shopping along Arab Street. There are also specialty shops for fishing and belly-dancing in the area.
If that's too much of Arabia for one morning, stroll over to the nearby Bugis Village and peruse the trinkets and food in this open-air market, but be sure to return to Arab Street by nightfall for that's when it really comes to life.
Carpets come out into the streets and you are only required to follow the smell of shisha with your nose. Come prepared to share the pavement with the city's young and fashionably unhip, shisha in hand, while you take your pick of Egyptian, Yemeni, Moroccan or Turkish cuisine, while catchy Arabic music pumps away in the background.
Once dinner is over, Blu Jaz (Bali Lane) is usually the bar of choice in this vicinity. Quirky decor, live jazz and rock acts, and an extensive and affordable drink and food menu keeps drawing the crowds. For something quieter, Going Om (63 Haji Lane) is top-notch. Fire-throwing happens most
TIPS: Be sure to check out Haji Lane, a parallel alley to Arab Street. There's a wonderful smattering of indie fashion and homeware boutiques, alongside Arab cafes and new age bars. It sounds like it shouldn't work, but it does.
Places
'Luxury' bed and breakfast, perfectly located www.sleepysams.com/
Amazing rolls: if you're feeling adventurous, try the durian. Otherwise stick to the kaya and strawberry versions. This place has a cult following among Singapore's food-loving population. www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/rich_good_cake_shop/
The original Arabic restaurant, it was here before anyone thought of opening anything but carpet shops here. Still very good food — try the Yemeni specials.
Commendable Turkish.
Discreet cafe, lovely cakes, sandwiches and daily specials.
Cool homeware and decor, unique pieces. Home-made ice cream parlour within the premises serves lovely local flavours.
Going Om, Going Home, Going Om... add to a homely little cafe/bar the friendliest folks and a dash of new age (don't worry, not too much). It's real fun. goingom.wordpress.com
Day 2 ~ Into the Woods...
Okay, so Orchard Road is gleaming, and it's all very lovely but if you find yourself asking 'where is the soul?' you've come to the right place.
Thankfully, not far from Orchard Road (also seen as the centre of town, or Singapore itself, to many business travellers and tourists with not much time), Dempsey Road is a delightful little cluster of restaurants and bars. Have breakfast at Jones the Grocer, an Aussie import, where a cute cafe sits in the middle of an awesome gourmet grocery shop. If the queue (or the service) gets too much to handle, which happens when they're busy, right next door Culina serves up pretty much the same deal.
Continue exploring the Dempsey Road area, preferably with a cake or crumble at the painfully hip P.S. Cafe. Scoot out into the outer fringe of Chinatown by mid-afternoon, where many gems abound.
25 Degree Celsius is the foodie's dream: the cookbook bookstore is filled with cookbooks, of course, and the test kitchen/cafe onsite also tests the recipes in them. Nearby, BooksActually contains books you actually want to read – it's a tiny bookstore in a lovely shophouse, selling books for the 'discerning', interesting stationary and other collectibles like vintage cameras. While in the vicinity, if design and indie fashion is your thing, Strangelets, Front Row and Style:Nordic will make you very, very happy.
At dinnertime, Chinatown gives you plenty of choices.
By night, grab a cab and head out west... Wessex Estate, a quiet estate until very recently only filled with colonial bungalows from British times, is now an emerging alternative lifestyle venue. The 'bespoke cocktail bar' Klee, has a lot to do with that: think live jazz, handmade cocktails, and passionate mixologists (not bartenders!).
TIPS: Tourist brochures will tell you to head to the tourist-friendly Smith Street food vendors. It's atmospheric, but prices are inflated and the quality frankly isn't great. Those who know better head into the real food centres, such as Chinatown Complex, although for alfresco Tiger Beer sessions Smith Street is still quite perfect.
Places
Beautiful boutique hotel in restored shophouses, even breathtaking. Though standard rooms can be tiny. www.thescarlethotel.com/
Another boutique hotel, the New Majestic has stunning rooms by top local designers. Also a good bar, and one of the city's best Chinese restaurants. www.newmajestichotel.com
Bespoke cocktails and mixology in a former colonial house. www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/klee/
Day 3 ~ Relaxing, Quayside
As the Singapore River meanders through a large part of downtown Singapore, life has always happened along the banks. The river wasn't in a good shape until a few years ago, when cleanup efforts paid off and life, once again, took to the quays around them.
You're likely to hear of Clarke Quay in your travel literature, but it's gotten too crowded and too 'expat' for many. You're also likely to hear of Boat Quay, home to plenty of third-rate pubs and restaurants and little more.
Head for the general vicinity of Robertson Quay instead, the rare gem in the pod. You can tie this in with a visit to nearby Fort Canning Park, a vast expanse of green right in downtown Singapore, with some historical sites of interest mostly from the World War. It's also believed to be the resting place of the last Malay sultan.
You can always count on fresh, simple but delicious food at Epicurious, a charming deli with a local touch, right by the river. Once done with lunch saunter over to the Singapore Tyler Print Institute or 72-13 to check out the latest exhibitions from the region's creative talent.
By night, the steaks at Les Bouchon Rive Gauche compete with the array of good Japanese restaurants (Shunjuu, Aburiya) and gastropubs (like Brusselsprouts) for your attention. Wash down with a spot of sake — and magic — at Bar84, where the bartender/magician gets up to a few tricks or two.
TIPS: If you're in need of nightlife where you can be seen and not heard, simply take a walk around Clarke Quay, where most of the watering holes and clubs offer up very similar fare and there's never a shortage of a good party or two.
Places
Great steak frites by the river www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/les_bouchons_rive_gauche/
Gallery specialising in prints www.stpi.com.sg
Japanese bartender/magician
Fresh and simple deli epicurious.com.sg/