Follow Katie in Singapore
Read on to find out how you can feast and triumph in Singapore!
East Coast Beach
As beautiful as Singapore is as a tropical destination, I can’t say I’ve spent much time swimming in the beaches there. They make beautiful backdrops for picnics and exercise, but the abundance of cargo ships just beyond swimming depth makes one second guess the safety of the water. East Coast Beach is no exception to this. Aesthetically, it has all the natural beauty and the thriving industry of Singapore on show, which is good enough for me. This beach in particular has fenced dog off-leash areas, viewing towers, and a huge amount of green space to enjoy the outdoors. It is the perfect spot to get some vitamin D and some exercise before setting out on a big foodie adventure.
Chin Mee Chin Confectionary
Benny and I enthusiastically proclaim kaya toast as one of our favourite breakfasts in this episode. The sweet but earthy jam with a slab of butter on toast, two soft boiled eggs to dip it into with soy sauce, and served with a classic Singapore-style coffee is always worth getting out of bed for. Chin Mee Chin Confectionary levels their game up from the standard a bit, using an English muffin in place of classic white bread.
The name Chin Mee Chin translates to ‘genuine, beautiful treasures’, and was given to the business in the 1940s after 20 years of operating as a coffee shop. With the addition of baked goods, the new name was heralded in and throughout the 1970s, their menu expanded further to appeal to the diversifying community. These days, the cafe is still run by the family who started it all, in partnership with a long term customer-turned-owner. The legacy and love poured into this business is so present in their food, and we can’t recommend a stop here enough.
Jumbo Seafood - Riverwalk
After fiddling with crab shell I finally got to taste chilli mud crab at Jumbo Seafood.
Jumbo Seafood is a chain of seafood restaurants around Singapore. They do a set menu that includes chilli mud crab, which can be a surprisingly elusive dish if you don’t know where to look. Hawker centres and local restaurants often require you to pre-order this dish (leading to us missing out on it on our previous visit), so I knew it was the perfect menu item to incorporate into my planned day.
If it is your first time diving into Singaporean seafood specialties, I recommend doing so in a Jumbo Seafood. As someone who is easily intimidated by seafood, I felt confident that a successful chain frequented by locals and tourists alike would ease me into it. The small dishes on the set menu were all interesting and tasty, and for $188AUD for two people, I felt like we got our money’s worth. The crab itself was big, saucy, and flavourful, but still managed to intimidate me. I don’t personally enjoy eating with my hands, and any dish that comes with gloves, tools and a bib is usually a pass for me. But having said that, I enjoyed this meal and the overall experience, and I do recommend Jumbo Seafood.
Singapore River Cruise
If you’re looking for a relaxing and informative 40 minute tour of Singapore, look no further than Singapore River Cruises. At $28 for adults and $18 for children, it definitely comes in at the cheaper end of things to do in one of the world’s richest cities.
Hop on board at Clarke Quay (conveniently located opposite Jumbo Seafood Riverwalk) and see the city’s famous sights while a fascinating history is played over the speakers. Tickets can also be purchased at a stand at Bayfront South Jetty, but I recommend starting at Clarke Quay so you don’t miss any insights.
The cruises run every hour, on the hour, from 10am-10pm depending on the day of the week (check the website for more details). Some websites may show tickets available to buy, but I recommend purchasing your tickets direct from the stand in the hour before you’d like to go. Each boat is quite small and seats are limited, but if you get there no later than 15 minutes prior to departure, you should be fine. If not, you can always purchase tickets for the following cruise, and pop into one of Clarke Quay’s many bars for a cold drink while you wait.
Long Bar at Raffles
There aren’t many things that I’ll put in a Follow Me that I don’t recommend. The Long Bar at Raffles is one of the exceptions. I won’t say just straight up don’t go - but definitely manage your expectations if you do choose to go. The bar is walk-in only, and the waiting area is outside in the scorching (but thankfully shaded) Singapore heat. We waited for about half an hour for a table. Once inside, the service was neutral at best, unfriendly at worst. I had read mixed reviews about the service prior to going so this wasn’t a huge shock, but it can still leave a bitter taste.
The ‘free’ peanuts are a fun novelty and along with the history of the Long Bar which you can read while waiting outside, this may just be the most touristy thing you can do in Singapore. We went, of course, to try the famous Singapore Sling at it’s birthplace. I knew before going that they charge a whopping $39SGD (about $43.50AUD) for each cocktail - hence why the peanuts don’t feel entirely free once you’ve made an order. Bearing in mind that alcohol is expensive in Singapore, this still seems like they are just waiting to suck in wealthy tourists and the odd vlogger. The cocktail itself was FINE. Probably no more remarkable than one from any local bar in the city. Honestly, go here if you want to be able to say you’ve done it - but don’t get your hopes up too high.
I would like to leave this review on a positive. The origin of the Singapore Sling at Raffles certainly does cement it’s place in the leagues of Singapore icons. The story goes that in 1915, Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon invented the cocktail specifically for women to enjoy at a time where women drinking in public was very much frowned upon. The pink, fruity appearance of the cocktail disguised it as a juice, allowing female patrons of the bar to get as pissed as the men at their own leisure. I can’t fault this as a legacy - cheers to you Ngiam Tong Boon!
Chatterbox at The Hilton
In an interesting contrast to The Long Bar at Raffles, Chatterbox at the Hilton is absolutely somewhere I would return to. Being a venue within a luxury hotel is where their similarities end.
Like with the kaya toast and chilli mud crab, chicken and rice is another classic Singapore dish and having enjoyed it previously, I thought it would be the perfect way to cap of my day of feasting. Chatterbox’s self-described ‘elevated hawker cuisine’ was just that, and it did not disappoint one bit. The food was all incredibly delicious. $13SGD for the wings and $42SGD for the half chicken (including rice, sauces and salad) doesn’t exactly break the bank for a beautiful meal in a Hilton Hotel. Put it this way - the chicken with accompaniments was barely more than one Singapore Sling at Raffles.
Beyond that, the service was incredibly warm and friendly. The restaurant itself is very swish décor and certainly feels like your in an upmarket establishment. If you’re after some traditional dishes in a modern setting, do check out Chatterbox.
Don’t get me wrong - I adore hawker centres and street food. But knowing that Benny would be leaning on this for his Rogue day, I decided to opt for the ‘fancy’ version of these things for my day of over indulgence. The results were mixed but on the whole, it was a delicious and educational day in Singapore.
