Saturday, May 30, 2009

What's with Singaporean & thick rice noodles?

It's been 13 years since I last stepped foot on Singapore. A China friend asked me why wouldn't I visit Singapore more often, since I am so near to the country. Erm... Let me see;
Do I like shopping? No.
Do I like Singapore food? What to love? I am all confused.

I am staying at the southern side of Singapore for business convenience. Food wise, there is nothing much to offer except chain stores and stuff. I walked to Tanjong Pagar Exchange and saw this "Ampang Yong Tau Fu". I know it's stupid. What do I expect by ordering food originated from my place at a foreign country? But I didn't expect this bad...I had to swallow all the pieces of beancurd and rolls that're fried to charcoals.Then the flat rice noodles I expected, came out to be thick rice noodles. The usual sauce of chili and sweet sauce became pork sauce. I was so confused! One thing for sure was that I had no idea what I was eating.

On day 2, I learnt my lesson. Let's go to more common food court to explore some local stuff. I went to Tanjong Pagar food court. The signboard has a TV host recommendation plastered on it. How bad can it go, right? Neh....
There is this Hokkien Prawn Noodle. Now, if a Westerner travelled from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, then to Singapore, he would be one confused man just like me.
Hokkien Mee in Penang is in essence noodles in prawn flavoured soup. As you go down south, they call it Prawn Mee in Kuala Lumpur. But they are still prawn soup noodles. But at the extreme south in Singapore, The Prawn Noodle Specialist @ Tanjong Pagar said it is fried noodles.
And if that is not bad enough, it is AGAIN using thick rice noodles. What's with thick rice noodles? Anyway, I am fine with that. But just take a look at this plate of.... thing. Colourless and meatless. The look of it already made feel hopeless.
Luckily they provide some chili and kalamansi to be added to the noodles. Otherwise, I would have added tasteless to the list.