5 months since the last visit, I’m back again in Singapore.  It came at a weird time because it was the annual Cable Convention week in Manila the same week –think ‘Ad Congress’ but instead of the advertising industry, it’s the cable industry so channel partners and content providers from Singapore/HK/Middle East/Germany/etc were in town.  I’ve been a delegate for the Cable Convention for 3 straight years and this was the only time I actually missed it.  Scratch that, we don’t usually get to attend the actual “convention” because that week is usually covered with channel presentations and meetings.

Our flight was on Wednesday, which is day 1 of my vacation leave.  I thought I have eluded meetings but I thought wrong.  Monday started with a few.  Tuesday was round-the-clock!!!  Every hour, starting at 9AM, I had a meeting. Most channels asked if they’d bump into me at the Convention but I said I’d be out of town until the following Tuesday.  Since Singapore was my destination, affiliates offered a Disney, CNBC and AETN office tour but I graciously declined and considered it for the next trip.  I already set my itinerary and with my obsessive-compulsive nature, it’d be hard for me to rearrange it again on short notice.

Despite the crazy schedule, Tuesday ended on a great note.  I really enjoyed the vibrant dinner with AETN’s Richard Woo and Geraldine at Florabel’s.  Between “friendship” salads, light banter (Gel referring to Richard, who’s not that old as “Uncle” made us roar in laughter) and good wine, it was a fantastic dinner to cap the day.

Mucho Gracias

First of all, BIG THANKS to Kate who helped me out with my Singapore questions!  Singapore-based for work for 1-year, she was first in mind when I needed some answers on my travel queries.  We also took Kate’s suggestion in staying at Fragrance Hotel in Balestier Road.  Fragrance Hotel is super basic hotel –where rooms are very small but it’s quite okay if you just plan to sleep in it and store stuff.  It’s about USD42 per night.  For best deals, Kate suggested booking through www.agoda.com.

Fragrance Hotel:

Many thanks to King Reyno, Alex G, Richard Woo for all the Singapore suggestions!!!  I wish I had time to try them all.  There’s always a next time 😉

King’s suggestions:

Boon Tong Kee for best Hainanese chicken rice.  It’s cheap and right on Balestier road!  Other musts are Din Tai Fung in Paragon or Raffles City for Shao Long Bao dumplings, and No Signboard Resto in Esplanade for Chili Crab.

Alex’s suggestions:

For local food: Newton Food Center or Wisma Atria Food Republic.  Try Hokkien Prawn Mi, Laksa, Nasi Lemak, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Satay.  There’s a branch of Din Tai Fung at Wisma Atria.

For best chili crab with fried mantou and cereal prawns: No Signboard or Jumbo Seafood Restaurant.

For award winning dish –crab beehoon: Sin Huat Eating House at Lorong 35 Geylang.  Anthony Bourdain loved it.  You can check it out at www.makasuntra.com/makanzine/mar00/geylang_quickie.html.

Richard’s suggestions:

1. Non-food:

Night Safari

Universal Studios on Sentosa Island just opened

Nighttime walk around Singapore River and take a bum boat ride? Asian Civilizations Museum, Fullerton Hotel, Merlion, Esplanade Theatre…

2. Food:

Hawker Centre at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, East Coast Park, Exit 7 from ECP. (Make sure taxi doesn’t take you to East Coast Seafood centre, different)

Try satay, laksa, popiah, bbq stingray etc…

East Coast Seafood Centre (chilli crab, pepper crab etc)

Bak Kuh Teh (pork ribs in peppery soup) – Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha

Address:7 Keppel Road

#01-05/07 Tanjong Pagar Complex

Tel: +65 6222 9610

We didn’t get to try them all because we only had 2 and half significant days in Singapore but I won’t miss the chance to tick off all those on Richard’s list.  Richard is also a foodie at heart.

Fly By Night

Bubba and I met Madz at the airport around 530PM.  After checking in and paying the terminal fee, Madz, Bubba and I bonded at the boarding area.  We can’t help but wonder how much more fun it would be if Francis were with us.

It was midnight when we finally settled in our own rooms.  Madz dropped by our room to chat for a bit about the next day’s plans.

Madz, Bubba and I set out for Chinese Garden around 9AM.  There was a bit of a scramble trying to understand the bus and MRT routes but we did find our way without any hitches. 

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Crossing the street

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Public transpo is fun!

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Now what?

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She grabs the chair and Bubba and I laugh

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Chinese Garden

Chinese Garden is a park in Jurong East built in 1975, patterned after the northern Chinese imperial architecture and landscaping.  It is connected to the Japanese Garden by a bridge but we didn’t visit the Japanese Garden anymore.

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The Main Building

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Two of My Three Favorite People in the World

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The Bridge and Laughing Madz

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Bubba and Madeline

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Maddie and Me

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He looks at home 😀

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Bubba’s favorite “I’ll carry you” shot

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Pretty in Green

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2 Birds and One Stone

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Pagoda

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The Little Morning Picnic

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It was a slow and relaxing morning at the Chinese Garden.  We took photos of the bridge, early spring courtyard, garden courtyard, stone boat, teahouse and fish paradise.  Chris bumped into a colleague who was also on vacation.

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After the daylight stroll at the Chinese Garden, we decided to grab lunch at Din Tai Fung in Wisma Atria.  The trio hopped again in the MRT.  I’m starting to get the hang of it. 

Din Tai Fung

It was a breeze locating Din Tai Fung.  It was almost at the exit of the train station connected to the entrance of Wisma Atria.

I think we were lucky to get seated.  Soon after, we saw a line outside waiting to be seated.  Even after we finished lunch, there was still a group waiting outside.

Din Tai Fung is originally from Taiwan, a restaurant made world famous by its Xiao Long Bao.  Xiao Long Bao is soup dumpling served steamed in small bamboo baskets.  What makes Din Tai Fung’s soup dumpling special?  It has the most translucent fine skin that has at least 18 exquisite folds.  Theirs are plump and juicy –made fresh by the hand every time.

On the Table

Xiao Long Bao

Xiao Long Bao is best taken with a bit of light soy sauce and ginger.  I LOVE IT.  It’s gotta be the best I’ve tried.  I know I can finish 5 baskets of the XLBs in one sitting if I can afford it! 😉

Pork Chop Noodle

Beef in Soy

Pork Chop Rice

Since Din Tai Fung was my bright idea, I had to take some responsibility for this lunch so I treated Bubba and Madz.  I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.

Din Tai Fung

435 Orchard Road #02-48/53

Wisma Atria Singapore 238877

Tel: 65-6732-1383

Mon ~ Fri 11:00~22:00 Sat & Public holiday 10:00~22:00

After lunch, we walked around the mall along Orchard Road.

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We decided to check out Fullerton Hotel and Esplanade that afternoon.  We reached Fullerton Hotel and looked around.  The idea was to walk to the Merlion park but it started to drizzle right after Bubba enjoyed his street ice cream.  It started raining so we finally decided to head back to the hotel and rest before setting out on our evening plans.

Boon Tong Kee

Hainanese Chicken Rice originated from Hainan province in China, but it’s in Singapore that has the biggest debate on where to get the best.

Last time I was in Singapore, the famous Kitchen Cow raved about the chicken rice of Tian Tian Chicken Rice in Maxwell Center.  The pretty long line agrees with Chrissy’s verdict.

Bubba didn’t appreciate food as much as he does now compared to when he was in Singapore in 2006.  For dinner, we opted to try King’s recommendation on Boon Tong Kee.  It was a short walk from our hotel.

We shared the large order.  I didn’t have much of an appetite that night (yes, that happens, it’s not the end of the world) but Boon Tong Kee’s Hainanese Chicken Rice clearly satisfied.  What I like about Boon Tong Kee’s version is how soft and juicy the white chicken is, while the rice was oh-so-gingerly-fragrant –really appetizing! 🙂  (The next day, we tried Loy Kee Best Hainanese Chicken, which was also on the same road.  On the 2nd post!)

Boon Tong Kee

401 Balestier Road

Singapore 329803

Telephone 62543937

Night Safari

We were running late and I almost opted to forego visiting the Night Safari.  Bubba has already seen the nighttime zoo before so I didn’t mind not catching it.  For his love of animals, he wanted to visit again and convinced me that it’s worth a shot even if we reached the zoo at 10PM.  They close at 12 midnight.

At Night Safari, we bumped into Madz, her cousins, her cousin’s friends, her sister Odette and Greg.

Caught

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This is so funny!!! 😀 I couldn’t stop laughing.

Madz teased Bubba, “Ba’t ako walang buhat?”

Finally, I’m not the only person Bubba picks up just like that.

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Same height? Haha.

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Day 2 Sentosa to be continued…

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