Smiling faces everywhere

All this travelling has left me no time to post. I'm behind about 6 entries but I'll get there. I recently had 12 hours transisting in Narita which is Tokyo's airport hub. Not much time to venture into Tokyo itself (I was so bloody tired!) but enough time to take a few snaps and indulge in some food of course!! These lovely ladies posed for me as I wandered the narrow streets of Narita. (It's an interesting place, sort of a "waiting room" for travellers who are waiting for connections on to other destinations). Anyway, these lovely, friendly ladies had just been to the temple and were returning home and through broken Japanese and English we worked out which way I should head to grab a meal.


Narrow, winding streets

I navigated the streets snapping away like a madman! Here are some shots.


The Golden Arches are everywhere!



Vending machines. These sell everything...


Cute little houses

I came across this restaurant and it was open.


Hello!...Anyone home?

I was promptly greeted and showed a menu. Thank god it had an English version on one side. On previous visits here, I have always eaten well. There is a mythconception, about Japan and how "expensive" it is. The yen and the dollar are quite comparable now, so prices are quite cheap. Also, if you think like a local, you can eat like one too. I ordered a set meal and for under 10 Aussie bucks this is what I got.



Mmmmm...feast on this

On my walk back I discovered heaps of other places all selling a variety of food for less than 10 Aussie dollars. Lets break my meal down:



Japanese fried rice with pork and egg


Iceberg salad with tomatoes and corn smothered with 1000 island dressing


Sweet corn and chicken soup


Japanese Gyoza

Of course you will hear me say how delicious and filling it was. And it was. I also had 2 deep fried and breaded cutlets delivered (I forgot to photograph them!). Next time I hope to get into Tokyo itself and take some pics and munch on a variety of other foods.
Enjoy folks.
Pete

Tags:destinations Asia

Continuing on from yesterday, I wanted to make this post about the food in Singapore. While there are numerous establishments serving everything from local to "mod" interpretations (you know those places...everything has some kind of "foam" in the dish) I'm going to let you in on where I eat when I'm staying in Singapore.

Singapore truly has a huge selection of eateries. Too many. (Not that that's a bad thing of course...we love food choices here...trust me!). There are Italian restaurants, American steak houses, Japanese sushi houses and even a themed restaurant serving food in a hospital environment, complete with wheelchairs as seats!!! (cue creepy music...). Walk down to Serangoon Rd and you find yourself transported to India. Otherwise known as "little India" to the locals. The smell of cardamon and turmeric permeate the atmosphere. Chicken Biryani and vindaloos compete for space with Indian sweets made from chick pea flour. Its mind blowing and paradoxically numbing at the same time.

Due to the huge Malaysian influence of the region there are also a lot of places serving "halal" food. Restaurants clearly state this on their windows and display this on their menus. Interestingly, the Malaysian influence is also found in "nonya" cuisine. Nonya is the word used to refer to the women of the Malacca region who married the Chinese men who were sent on trading missions in the 1400's. A cultural and of course, culinary union was formed with the signature dish being laksa. And who doesn't love laksa. Rich broth swimming in coconut milk, garnished with seafood, fried tofu and a squeeze of lime. Lets not forget the soft, roti breads, the fierce spicy chilli pastes, and the aromatic pungent curries flavoured with ginger and turmeric. And who could forget the satays? I can go on forever and as you can see I have eaten well over the years here!

And finally lets not forget the Chinese food. Lots of regions are represented from China, namely from the Hainan region. Order Hainanese Chicken rice and you will experience comfort food like no other. Moist, succulent chicken cooked in a broth of ginger and spring onions and lightly bathed in sesame oil. Presented with rice cooked in the same broth, this dish has the ability to soothe the soul. And we love "soul" foods on this website! Spring rolls, deep fried carrot "cake", flat noodles, thin noodles and fish balls. Again, the list is endless.

My recent eating adventure included me indulging in my favourite eating place. Maggies. A non descript restaurant located near the Raffles complex, Maggies does have a huge expat following but people usually go back because of the consistency. Fantastic food, good service and big cold beers offering relief from the stifling heat and humidity.


Beer...a favourite with Chinese food

I order the Chicken with black pepper sauce.The chicken is cooked with cracked black peppercorns and peppers. It has a hint of spice but with out it being over the top. The flavour is addictive. I keep on wanting more but I remember I have greedily ordered about another 5 items!


Chicken with black pepper sauce

The squid arrives next. This is reffered to as "butter squid" on the menu. Crunchy batter surrounds squid pieces cooked to buttery perfection. It truly is a cholesterol counters nightmare and you can't stop at one. Spicy chilli sauce and rich, creamy mayonaise accompany the dish.


Butter squid



Mayo and chilli

And finally to be really good I order some vegies. Gai lan stir fried with oyster sauce and garnished with fried eschallots. Its a fantastic balance of bitter and sweet flavours. You really cant go wrong and the menu is extensive with a few adventurous choices on offer.


Stir fried Gai Lan

So there you have it in a nutshell. A quick guide to food in Singapore. Well, my experience of it. Look out for more write ups on my culinary adventures in Singapore.

Pete

Tags:destinations Asia

Singapore Skyline

A lot has been said about Singapore over the years. While many view it as a "stopover" on their way to Europe there is a whole lot more to this city/state than meets the eye. I have been a regular visitor here on and off for 15 years, namely for work. Initially I hated the place. I found there were too many rules for my rebellious nature. There were fines for everything. Trust me, I was petrified the first time I visited. Especially about the "no chewing gum" law! Anyway, as time passed and I visited again and again, I saw the city and culture from a different perspective. I'm going to offer you my perspective on the place, namely through pictures ( I love my new Nikon DSLR!!!). Of course we will not forget the food!!!! This place definetly has it going on in the food stakes. With a huge Indian, Malaysian and Chinese mix the food is diverse and different. Of course you will find the usual suspects of American fast food chains and coffee houses here. (These places are popping up everywhere).

Singapore runs on efficiency. From the moment you are transported form the award winning Changi airport onto the island, you will notice perfectly manicured gardens and clean, neat parks. Much of this is reclaimed land and there is always some piece of land being reclaimed. The streets are very clean, giving you the impression that they are mopped down and hosed every night!!! Speed limits are adhered to by cautious drivers and shopping centres or "malls" as they are reffered to are everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Even underground. You can't miss them and Singaporeans love to shop with excessive abandon. Sundays are the busiest days for shopping, so you have been warned.

Singapore boasts an impressive modern CBD with a lot of multinational companies using it as their base in Asia. (Skyscrapers dominate the skyline and it is one impresive skyline!). Hence, there is a huge expatriate community living there from all corners of the globe. It just adds to the diversity. Lets not also forget that Singapore has strong colonial ties from its past and this is evident in a lot of the buildings in the "older" parts of the city. The Raffles hotel is a good example of this but unfortunately the price tag to stay there is not "old". Here you can immerse yourself in old world charm while sipping Singapore Slings while your wallet receives a good sling! Just a little tip. I often go and have breakfast/brunch at the Raffles hotel at the Ah Teng Bakery. They make the most amazing sandwiches for about $10. Take your sandwich into the Raffles courtyard and enjoy it there, while soaking up the old world charm. But I digress. There is simply just too much to say about Singapore. Here are some photos I snapped while I was there recently.


Impressive night scenes


Towering skyscrapers



Famous Singapore landmark
The Fullerton Hotel


Fullerton Hotel with CBD in background


Looking up on the buildings of the CBD

Hope you liked my quick insight and pics of a place I have nearly labelled as my second home. Tomorrow, lets get back to basics. The food.

Pete

Tags:destinations Asia