Singapore Slingin’: Day One
Good Mornin’ Singapore!
The morning started off well. We were packed, woke up at 630 am, and got to the airport on time. Or so we thought. If you fly Jetstar, call them up before to check the flight time. Apparently, our flight had been moved from 850 am to 830 am, so instead of having a stroll to the gate, it was a mad dash to catch the flight, which in the end, was delayed anyway.
Catching some shuteye on the plane, we arrive in Singapore to beautiful weather, a friendly taxi driver and an early check in at the Hilton Hotel on Orchard Road. Bang smack in the centre of town, I highly recommend it for refurbished rooms, convenience of location and a helpful staff.
It was straight out again to explore. Our friend Cheryl (of Le Meridien) had raved about a Japanese Restaurant called Tonkinchi, and we set off on a journey to find it for breakfast, stopping for a few pictures along the way.
The latest addition to Orchard Road – The ION Mall.
Strolling past the newly opened ION mall, we found our way into Takashimaya, got a little lost inside then eventually stumbled upon Tonkinchi on the 4th floor of the mall.
BREAKFAST – TONKINCHI, 4th Floor, Takashimaya, Orchard Road
We were the first customers of the day, although within half an hour the traditionally decorated space filled up with early lunch birds.
The menu is dominated by ‘Tonkatsu’, which are breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet in bite site pieces.
You can choose between ‘hire’, which is the pork fillet, fine and tender with less fat and aroma. For a fattier cut with rich aroma, try the ‘rosu’, or pork loin.
We opted to share a plate from the Original Tonkatsu Set, the ‘Hiro & Rosu Katsu Set’, served with rice, cabbage and miso soup.
In addition, we ordered a Tonjiru soup, which is similar to miso but cooked with pork and vegetables.
I was blown away by how light the batter was.
So light, and not oily at all, it was hard to believe the pork had been deep-fried. You’re given a bowl of sesame seeds to crush up yourself.
Which I dutifully did…
Not forgetting the sauce…
Dip the pork in the special sauce, then in the sesame seeds.
The cabbage was shredded so fine it added a wonderful texture to the already crispy pork, and the soup was wonderful fragrant, emulating a heady, meaty scent. Washed down with hot green tea, this was an unconventional but of so satisfying breakfast.
For that, I thank you Cheryl, for getting us off on the right foot in Singapore.
We left the restaurant and wandered the streets for a couple of hours, accumulating quite a few pairs of shoes on the way. It was such a pleasant walk, with a cool sea breeze. I really was surprised at how much green there was!
Ahem… naturally, our path down Orchard Road led us towards the famous Raffles Hotel, and it was only right that we stopped by for an afternoon cocktail. After all, I was dying of thirst!
Mid-afternoon Cocktail – THE LONG BAR, RAFFLES HOTEL, 1 BEACH ROAD
The Long Bar is world renowned for its history and Singapore Slings, and beautiful deco.
Each table is adorned with a stack of peanuts and a menu that doubles up as a fan.
We spent a good hour waiting out the passing shower, chomping on peanuts and sipping on our sweet pink drinks that cost S$28.95 each. OUCH.
Cheers!
Don’t forget to walk through the beautiful courtyard and explore the grounds a little.
More walking was coming our way. The rain stopped, so we ventured forth to Chinatown, which was a good 45 min walk away.You can’t miss the bright decorations and flower lined streets.
Then I saw a sign that made my heart skip a beat…
But alas, we were too early and so I had to make do with some ice-cold sugarcane from Wonderful Food & Beverage.
Delicious!
By this point, it was past 3pm, and we wrestled the crowds in search of Lil’ Chef’s Canon stuff. Hey, I bought shoes, he likes spending time looking at camera stuff. And cured meat.
5 shops later, hot and sweaty and a little freaked out by all the ducks, I spotted what I thought was salvation.
Late Lunch – Tak Po, Famous in Chinatown for Hong Kong Dim Sum & Home Cooked Dishes
I guess if they have to say they’re famous then something’s gotta be wrong right? There was an insane amount of dishes on the menu.
We ended up ordering Siew Mai…
Har Kau…
Chive Dumplings…
Some Chee Cheong Fun…
And some good old fashioned Mai Kai (Chicken in Glutinous Rice).
The Mai Kai was pretty good, while the rest was below average. We ate to fill our bellies, hailed a cab and got back to the hotel by 6pm.
-PENGSAN –
Translation :
- FAINTED -
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Where did we have dinner? I’ll give you a hint…
Singapore Chili Crabs… Coming Soon.