The Timeless Market of Singapore -Lau Pa Sat

Singapore is hot, hot, hot!

Other than the weather, Singapore's food is also a unique trait of this tiny red dot.

Since we are back for the summer, we decided to spend these two months traveling around Singapore to uncover the best food in town.

My dad and I striking the Sir Stamford Raffles pose

Right in the nest of Singapore's central business district, lies a 191-year-old market, Telok Ayer Market, colloquially known as Lau Pa Sat. For the linguistically challenged, 'Lau' (老) means old, and 'Pa Sat' means market (it's the Hokkien [a Chinese dialect] pronunciation of the Persian loanword bazaar).

This is one of Singapore's oldest market, if not the oldest one.

It apparently has borne witness to even the events dated back to the founding of Singa
pore -the arrival of the first Chinese and Indian immigrants, the execution of Singapore's founder's (Sir Stamford Raffles) vision, the Japanese Occupation, and the emergence of a new nation we now know today as Singapore.

LOOK AT THE CROWD

 Lau Pa Sat attracts not just tourists, but many locals as well. We visited this market on a Monday, and it was packed. Besides the rich history of this local market, what makes Lau Pa Sat so iconic is the food -hawker food. Hawkers are very common in Singapore, and it is one of the unique traits this little country possesses. Lau Pa Sat is a hawker centre that boasts renowned hawkers who specialise in serving the best local food. 

Lai Heng Fried Kway Teow

The stall I went to was Lai Heng Fried Kway Teow. Long name, right? Let me break it down for you. Most hawkers name their stalls with what they sell. In this case, Fried Kway Teow.

What is fried kway teow? Behold...

Fried Kway Teow, 7/10

It's basically flat rice noodle (that's layman's terms for kway teow) stir-fried with dark soy sauce, egg, fishcake, and prawns. Beware of its high calorie count (744 kcal) and 29g of unsaturated fat. Here's a tip. Eat this (well, at least try it) and work out.

My favourite local food has got to be Hokkien Mee.

Hokkien Mee, 8/10

There are several variations of this dish (note, Singapore's Hokkien Mee is not the same as the one in Penang, or, really, elsewhere). It is stir-fried egg and rice noodles, topped off with the most important ingredient -prawns.

Another local favourite is fried carrot cake.

White carrot cake, 8/10

There's a white one and a black one and trust me, they both taste absolutely amazing.

This dish, also known as Chai Tow Kway, is basically radish cake stir-fried with eggs.

These three dishes are among the most common local delights you can find in Singapore's hawker centres.

Oyster Omelette, 7/10

What is not as common but also well-liked by the locals is Oyster Omelette, also known as Or Luak (Teochew pronunciation). There are, again, several variations of oyster omelettes. Or Luak consists of potato starch, eggs, and, you guessed it, oysters.

The dishes are cheap (of course not as cheap as other hawkers) with a price range of SD$3-5. Watch the fats, calories, and cholesterol though!

If you are wondering why these dishes are unhealthy, it is because these foods were originally served to labourers who preferred cheap meals but can provide them with enough energy to sustain through the day.

Despite the unhealthiness, you definitely have to try these local delights when you are in Singapore, and if possible, try this stall (just look at her -she obviously loves what she's doing. A dish cooked out of passion and love rules all.)

Hawker :)

Just one last thing to add, Lau Pa Sat is truly an amazing place to visit, even if you don't try the food (but really, why won't you?). What struck me the most was the architecture.

It's so uniquely Singaporean.

Why?

Because it's a fusion -racial, religious, whatever.

Green cast-iron structure

See the market's unique, octagonal, cast-iron structure? Those were designed by James MacRitchie (the municipal engineer who also oversaw the development of the MacRitchie Reservoir) in the late 1800s. They were shipped out from Glasgow by P&W MacLellan, and here's the cool part -these columns that support the structure clearly bear the maker's mark (well, that's what is said here on Wiki). These are obviously Victorian-styled.

And then let's look at the colour of these structures -green. Green is considered the traditional colour of Islam and symbolises nature and life.

Church Bells (I think)

Another cool fun-fact: there are church bells in this market. They chime (well, something did, so I'm assuming the chiming came from the bells) every 15 minutes, and then a more grandeur one to signify the hour.

Also, needless to say, the colloquial term is obviously Chinese. The actual name is Malay (meaning bay water).

Yes, I know this is a food blog but I'm equally obsessed with history.

And lastly, according to my grandmother, this place used to flood every month. I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel a connection to this timeless market.

Now, isn't Lau Pa Sat a splendid place to visit?

Overall Rating -Hot

1. Taste: 7/10
2. Price: Low Range, 8/10
3. Decor: 7/10
4. Service: Self-service

Credits

1. http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/gamesandtools-article/HPB-047540
2. http://goseasia.about.com/od/singaporepeopleculture/ss/Hawker-Food-Lau-Pa-Sat-Festival-Market-Singapore_2.htm

No Place Like Home

Many restaurants and cafes try to establish a homy vibe so that patrons can let their hair down.

And this all-day-breakfast restaurant is no different.

Wild Honey's two locations are situated in the heart of downtown Singapore. And being right smack in one of the busiest streets of this country has its perks.

One definitely being its convenience. Pick either Scotts Square or Mandarin Gallery, and its still as convenient as the other.

Being the lazy foodies we are, the team dropped by the branch at Mandarin Gallery, and the decor is a nice sight to behold.

The dim interior adds to the homy feel, but the layout and furniture used are a little off. It seems more of a posh restaurant than a homy one.

But who won't wanna live in a posh home! It's a nicely furbished place anyway, and the decor really entices passers-by to patronise Wild Honey.

It has a nice personalised touch with the chalkboard menu, but what I feel adds to that homy, personal vibe is the service.

The service here is definitely much better than several local cafes and restaurants we've been to. Servers in Singapore don't receive tips from patrons, so that's perhaps one of the main reasons why the service is not as good as what we receive elsewhere. But it's nice to be able to meet friendly servers. We also got to meet the owner of Wild Honey, an amicable lady who definitely puts in a ton of effort into this restaurant.

Wild Honey specialises in breakfast from different cities. To quote from the website, patrons can "wake up and travel to a different destination everyday. From Tunisa to Mexico to New York to California & beyond".

English, $25, T:9, P:7

Whenever in doubt, get English. This English breakfast set is pretty splendid, and the portion and the taste are worth the price. Just a warning, it's pretty filling -scrambled eggs, back bacon, Cumberland porn sausage, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, breakfast potatoes, grilled vine ripened tomato and signature brioche. But, in my opinion, this dish is Wild Honey's specialty.

Spanish Hash, $24, T: 7, P:7

The Spanish Hash is a little on the salty side, with two poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce, on a bed of diced Chorizo, house corned beef and potato, and paired with grilled ciabatta.  

Flat White, $6, T: 7, P: 7

Carol tried a cup of flat white -and what a beauty! 

Caramel Latte, $7, T: 6, P:5

Having a sweet tooth, I got myself a cup of caramel latte. It's nicely served, but unfortunately was burnt and left a bitter taste. 

If you're downtown and crave some international breakfast, Wild Honey's always a great option.

Overall Rating -Hot

1. Taste: 7/10
2. Price: Moderate Price, 6.5/10
3. Decor: 9/10
4. Service: 9/10