PHOTOGRAPHY: TOP PHOTO GROUP / JOHN HENG / OCEAN RESTAURANT / CAT CCRA
RESTAURANTS
>Iggy’s
One of Singapore’s most celebrated
fine-dining establishments, Iggy’s is
named for restaurant founder and
award-winning sommelier Ignatius
Chan. Its contemporary cuisine is
inspired by European, Asian, and
A u s t r a l i a n i n g r e d i e n t s a n d
influences. With an abundance of
accolades including the
Miele
Guide, Forbes Travel Guide,
Singapore Tatler,
and
The World of
Fine Wine
, you can’t go wrong with
a meal at Iggy’s.
Iggy’s (12–1:30pm and 7–9:30pm
daily except Wed and Sun)
The Hilton Hotel, 581 Orchard Road
Level 3
>Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora
A unique dining concept developed
by Resorts World Sentosa and
celebrity chef Cat Cora (famously
known as a former Iron Chef on
Iron
Chef America
), Ocean Restaurant
by Cat Cora features light, healthy
dishes with a breathtaking view of
the massive, floor-to-ceiling S.E.A.
Aquarium’s Open Ocean tank.
Where else can you get a front-row
seat to a world-class aquatic marine
display? Signature dishes include
smoked eel on sunchoke jelly and
shaved duck liver terrine, and 42°C
sous vide salmon with salmon
mousse, citrus minestrone, ikura,
and shaved fennel salad.
Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora
(11:30am–3pm and 6–10:30pm
daily)
S.E.A. Aquarium, Level B1M
/
Restaurants/CelebrityChefs/
OceanRestaurantbyCatCora
Tel: +65 6577 6688
SINGAPORE'S BEST TASTES,
UNDER ONE ROOF
A unique aspect of Singaporean culture
and lifestyle, hawker centers are
spacious, open-air developments that
house a large number of small food
stalls. They are a throwback to the early
d a y s o f S i n g a p o r e i n t h e r a p i d
urbanization of the 1950s and 1960s,
but in recent years indoor food courts
are increasing in prevalence. Your best
bet is the octagon-shaped Lau Pa Sat,
also known as Telok Ayer Market, in the
Downtown Core area of Central.
Distinctive for its architecture as well as
its large selection of food stalls,
Singapore’s oldest market dates back to
1825 and boasts an intricate Victorian
design with filigreed wrought-iron
columns topped with soaring arches. Be
sure to check out the stalls lined up
along the roadside after 7pm that stay
open late into the night; they’re selling
satay
— seasoned chicken, lamb, pork,
or beef that is skewered, grilled, and
then served with a spicy peanut sauce.
>Lau Pa Sat (open 24 hours)
18 Raffles Quay
START YOUR MORNING THE
RIGHT WAY
It’s easy to get your favorite fix in the
mornings with the convenience and
prevalence of
kopi tiams
— with over
2,000 locations scattered in residential,
business, and industrial areas around the
city, there’s sure to be one nearby. A kopi
tiam is a cluster of several small food
stalls, similar to a food court, with
communal tables. Each shop features a
different type of cuisine such as
Singaporean, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese,
or vegetarian food. They’re also great
places to experience the traditional
breakfast in Singapore,
kaya toast
— two
slices of toasted bread covered with
kaya
, a
thick spread made from coconut milk and
eggs, and a slice of cold butter. Add to that
one or two soft-boiled eggs for dipping and
a cup of coffee or tea. It also makes a good
snack in the afternoon or evening.
ORDER COFFEE LIKE A
LOCAL
Singaporean kopi tiams have their own
language for ordering drinks. While
coffee is
kopi
and tea is
teh
, both of
t h e s e b y d e f a u l t a r e ma d e w i t h
condensed milk and added sugar. To
customize your drinks, you add on your
preferences: add an
oh
for black or
no -mi l k - a dd e d , “ c ” t o swa p t h e
condensed milk for evaporated milk
(thicker and unsweetened),
beng
for
iced,
siew dai
for less sugar,
gai dai
for
more sugar, or
kosong
for unsweetened.
So for example if you order “kopi oh
kosong,” that’s a black coffee with no
milk or sugar added.
MUST-EAT: HAINANESE
CHICKEN RICE
If we had to single out one dish as a
“must-eat” in Singapore (and it’s hard to
do; there are so many delicious ones), it
would have to be Hainanese chicken
rice. Don’t be fooled by its inexpensive
cost and simple ingredients. The
combination of rich, flavorful rice and
tender, sliced chicken paired with chili
and dark soy sauces is comfort on a
plate. For a taste of this Singaporean
favorite, trek to Tian Tian Hainanese
Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre.
Not only do locals love the taste (a
minimum 20-minute wait is usual), but
Anthony Bourdain called it the best in
the world when he visited the stall on
his travel show
No Reservations
. At the
2013 Hawker Heroes Challenge, Tian
Tian beat out Gordon Ramsay’s version
of the dish — which just goes to show
you that you don’t have to pay a lot to
eat the best in Singapore.
>Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (11am –
8pm Tue through Sun)
1KadayanallurStreet,#01-10MaxwellFoodCentre
Tel: +65 9691 4852
