Iberian Spring: Day 16 Singapore

Soundtrack: “Juice”, Headless Chickens

The last full day in Singapore, and the last full day of the trip. Tomorrow I’ve got the morning, then a flight to be back in Perth for the evening, back to work on Monday, back to the other world.

(I’m actually writing this on Sunday morning, having been awake since a bit after 4am, trying to doze for hours, before eventually getting up and as yesterday’s t-shirt is still damp from sweating, am doing the laundry.)

I took it esay in the morning, trying to decide if I should stay local in Bugis or hop over to Chinatown for some tasty treats there. Chinatown, and the wonderful and popular Maxwell Centre won me over, so a little before 12 I was in the queue for good old Ah Tai chicken rice. I did have a 6 minute wait for the bus, which was just enough time to get and drink a sugarcane juice from a nearby machine. Sugarcane juice, something I miss when I’m not in these parts. So good.

The ceiling fans at the Maxwell Centre were rotating in unison, which looked a little trippy in my humidifed state. I pondered this briefly before divining into the food. Pretty sure I mentioned this on the Buns tour, Ah Tai is the former cook from Anthony Bourdain famous Tian Tian who then opened his own shop three stalls away. The local word I got fed was that Ah Tai had the better chicken, but Tian Tian had the better rice, and I certainly wasn’t blown away by the rice last time. This time the rice was better, not as dry, and full of herby and spicy flavour, a good hit of lemongrass. The chicken was superb, moist and gelatinous. I went with a side dish of steamed greens just to pretend I’m eating healthy, and they were also very decent. Chicken rice curse is definitely finished. I followed this with an oyster cake from a neighbouring stall, and this was also very good, lots of flavour and a decent amount of seafood in the mix.

Taking a wander around Chinatown I ended up at the Chinatown Complex, where after getting another sugarcane juice I decided to brave the queue for the also famous Hawker Chan. Once known as the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant, it’s no longer so lauded but still attracts a decent queue of tourists and locals. It was probably 20 deep when I joined, and even longer by the time I got my soy chicken and rice. On the Buns tour I tried this at one of their other outlets, and found it okay, so figured I’d give the original (I think?) stall a try. It was pretty good, the rice wasn’t dry, the chicken soft and tasty, and the beans were beans. It cost $3.50 SGD. Later that evening I got talking with a Singaporean chef about the experience, as there’s obviously an element of hype and tourist baiting around this place, and like any good Singaporean had his own opinions on Hawker Chan against other stalls, and how sometimes the best might only have small queues of locals. Which is undoubtedly true, as fame often brings a decline in overall quality and standards. On the other hand, as a visitor I can’t really be too harsh about Hawker Chan, as I’m pretty certain there isn’t a better plate of soy chicken and rice to be had in Australia for under $4AUD, I don’t even know what $4AUD actually buys at a food court or truck these days, maybe a couple of spring rolls or a can of Coke. While Singapore has a high cost of living, it does have a lot of decent cheap food, maybe second only to Vietnam.

Feeling a bit tired I didn’t do much shopping, just picked up some more hongbao so we’re well stocked, and headed back to the hotel, via a delicious and rejuvenating brown sugar bubble tea. While part of me wanted to do more to make the most of my time here, and much as I enjoy holidaying in the tropics in spite of all the sweating, even when I’m fresher I tend to avoid the afternoons: do things in the morning, then retreat back to aircon before heading out again in the evening.

Since 2020 it wouldn’t be a trip to Singapore without stopping by Swan Song, another fine whisky bar in this city. Being wise, I first sought some food, and found a dumpling place among several Vietnamese restaurants around the corner. While it’s no secret I love Vietnamese food, and Singapore has many Vietnamese residents, it’s not my first choice when I’m here. Hopefully soon I’ll be back in Vietnam eating all that fine food there.

I started with a bowl of black fungus, dressed with chilli and sesame, and it was good, not too chewy, delicately earthy; I think the notion of black fungus scares a lot of people through name alone. Then came the dumplings, first some pork and prawn in a Sichuan and chilli dressing, very tasty, lots of good red Sichuan pepper to give it a tingle, decent moist filling. Then there were the prawn and crab dumplings with a creamy chilli sauce, lots of yummy seafood.

Swan Song is another of my Singapore favourite places, though this was the first time that the wonderful and incredible generous Mr A wasn’t in, as he was off visiting family in India. He’d left the place in the hands of some trusted lieutenants, who seemed to be doing a solid job. Being a Saturday night the place was well attended, it’s not a large bar so a couple of small groups filled the main sitting room, so I perched at the bar. Sitting on the bar was an independent bottling from Ben Nevis distillery (10 yo, Milroy’s, 57.1%) so I started with a half dram of that, full flavoured, wonderful spice notes, I’ve never had a bad Ben Nevis and this was no exception. While choosing my next drink a very generous local was offering drams from his bottle (I think he worked in distribution), which was a “Williamson” (13yo, Abeyhill, 53.7%) — I’ve probably mentioned “teaspooned” whiskies before, where due to Scottish Whisky Association rules if every drop in the bottle doesn’t come from the same distillery, it’s not a single malt, so distilleries will sometimes sell barrels that have a minute amount of another whisky in them, the distillery gets the cash, and the independent bottler gets to release something that folks in the know will seek out; “Williamson” is one of those monikers, in a nod to Bessie Williamson who was the first woman to manage a Scottish distillery in the 20th century, and who managed Laphroaig distillery for a number of years — full of all the flavours of Laphroaig, peat, smoke, iodine, salt, very delicious and my thanks to that gent. Next was a Craigellachie (16 yo, Milroy’s, 66.7%) matured in a second-fill sherry cask but it tasted like a first fill, lots of spice and dried fruits, and surprisingly balanced for such a high abv. Then I was recommended a Tobermory (17 yo, Three Musketeers, 52.5%) which had a good dose of peat and spice, and hints of toffee. My plan was to finish up with a Staoisha (peated Bunnahanbain, 9yo, Malt, Grain & Cane, 56.9%) a bold, punchy whisky with some extra sweetness from the rum cask finish. I then looked at my tab and while I’d been getting half measures, it was way under what I’d budgetted for, so properly finished with a Hazelburn (15 yo, distillery bottling, 54.2%) which unpredictably was delicious, full of spice from the oloroso casks. A fine dram to end the evening.

Having previously struggled to get a Grab from that area on a Saturday night, I did the 30 minute walk back to the hotel, so my step count was good. I got a bottle of water from a late night store, so I at least tried to put back some of what I sweated. Having only had half measures of the wonderful cask strength whisky I was slightly relaxed but still respectably composed, this is Singapore afterall. As a last night treat I stopped at Ng Kuan Chilli Pan Mee for another of their signature offerings, which was again delicious, so consistently good.

Less than a day to go on this Iberian Spring trip. Just the packing, checkout, breakfast, and then head to the airport and home.