Haji Lane, Singapore Chilli Crab and Roti Tisu: Singapore Day Four

Arab Street, Singapore

For years I foolishly dismissed Singapore as a travel destination because of its reputation for being ultra clean and super strict, where citizens were fined for chewing gum, littering or not flushing the toilet. When I finally visited its humid shores, I could see how wrong I had been.

In addition to exploring the hawker stalls and kopitiam cafes that reassuringly dot much of the city, I was keen to explore the less gentrified areas of Singapore. Haji Lane, in the Kampong Glam area that includes Arab Street, was one of our favourite areas - a small artfully graffitied laneway with independent fashion labels, vintage clothing, quirky knick-knacks and Middle Eastern cafes.

I loved the quiet sense of individualism here, especially reflected in the artworks on the shop facades.






Haji Lane







At night-time the shops in Haji Lane close and the cafes start to open. The entire street becomes one big chill-out zone throbbing with bass and blanketed by the haze of hookahs at shisha cafes that stay open until 3am.


Hookah pipe


Hookah


Kampong Glam Cafe


Typical apartment building

The luxury of space that we take for granted in Australia was constantly highlighted by the constant sightings of high rise apartment buildings in Singapore. Almost all of them are utilitarian in design, and without greenery or balconies, the only colour and movement most often came from laundry flapping on clothes lines that extended out the window.

On day four of our trip to Singapore, we visited Haji Lane for the third time (yes truly) and then hopped in a cab to the gargantuan shopping boulevarde that is Orchard Road. I'm usually a very good shopper but even I was daunted by the department stores that loomed above us. You could spend a whole week shopping here and still only make it halfway down the street.

Apart from the foodhall eye candy of Takashimaya, Far East Centre was one of Suze's favourite shopping spots, with an emphasis on young urban fashion in addition to jewellery shops, camera stores and gift shops.



With a ragtag assortment of Nuffnangers in the building at the same time, we ended up having lunch together at Ramen Ten, the only eatery that could accommodate a group our 12+ size.

The food? I wasn't so impressed, especially given the price. The rice in my gunkan maki was bland and somewhat soggy, and whilst many dishes boasted of chilli, I found my zhajiang chicken dry ramen overly sweet and lacking any complexity of flavours.


Unagi nigiri SG$4.30 for two


Ebikko black gunkan SG$2.20 for two


Spicy miso crayfish dry ramen SG$13.90


Soft-shell crab with ebikko mayo SG$6.50


Zhajiang chicken (Chinese-style) dry ramen SG$8.90


Miso codfish teishoku set SG$21.90
with deep-fried scallop, chawanmushi, edamame, pickles and fruits

We headed back to the hotel with a detour via Tiong Bahru Market for, you guessed it, more liquid refreshment...


Rambutan, longan and lychee ice SG$2.00

The tinned rambutans, longans and lychees gave the powdered ice a floral sweetness. I'm also a huge fan of basil seeds, mesmerised by their tadpole-like appearance and slippery crunch.

Dinner?

As someone told us during the trip, if you come to Singapore and don't eat Singapore crab, then you haven't really visited Singapore. We headed to No Signboard Seafood, its name derived from its original inception as a stall at Mattar Road Hawker Centre that had no signboard.




No Signboard Seafood

The newest outlet in the No Signboard Seafood chain is far removed from its hawker origins. Heavy linen, beaded curtains and miniature lamp lighting fittings create a picture of elegance.




Private dining room


Complimentary peanuts and pickles

We nibble on peanuts and pickles and slowly sip on fresh young coconut juice as we wait for our dinner to arrive.




Yang chow fried rice SG$20

An enormous platter of yang chow fried rice is studded with bits of smoked pork, prawn, omelette and shallots.


Waitstaff serving the fried rice


Butter crab SG$40/kg (Sri Lankan crab)

Our table of twelve shares three crabs, each ranging in size from 1.5kg-2.5kg. The butter crab is succulent, although a little lacking for me without any sauce.


Pepper crab SG$40/kg (Sri Lankan crab)

I hadn't really eaten pepper crab until Singapore and this version is amazing. The lashings of white pepper provide a subtle touch of heat without being too overpowering.


Chilli crab SG$40/kg (Sri Lankan crab)

And finally, my first authentic Singapore chilli crab. The sauce was thick, salty and sweet and reminded me a little in flavour of XO chilli sauce. I was relieved to find that the tomato-sauce tasting versions I've had in Sydney are mere travesties of the original. The sauce is made for mopping, which we did gladly with plates of fluffy steamed and golden fried buns.


Steamed bread


Fried bread

Seeking a little more cultural enrichment, Suze and I head to Mustafa Centre in Little India after dinner. Mustafa Centre has to be seen to be believed. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this massive discount department store is a magnet for bargain hunters. Spread over four levels, over 75,000 items are on display in a total sales area of 70,000 square feet. You can buy confectionary, toiletries, clothing, luggage, crockery, books, fabrics and more at any time of the day. We even found the little drawstring plastic bags used for takeaway coffee for sale here.

At midnight, the area is teeming with people, especially families with young children and grandparents. Preparing to head back to the hotel after a long day, Suze immediately perks up when we pass CMK 2002, a corner cafe selling roti. "Roti tisu?" she asks me, eyes twinkling.


Iced teh halia (ginger tea)


Sarsi for Suze (of course)

Our initial request for roti tisu is met with a sad shake of the head by our waiter, but Suze must've looked so despondent that he tells us to wait a minute, checks with the kitchen and then nods at us with a smile. "Roti tisu okay."


Roti tisu

The roti tisu here doesn't come with condensed milk, but honey. I find the roti itself incredibly light and crisp with somehow more flavour in it as well.



No prices on the menu seems to the norm around the area, but one roti tisu and two drinks set us back only SG$4.30. Cheap and cheerful.

Grab Your Fork travelled to Singapore as a guest of Nuffnang Australia for the Asia-Pacific Blog Awards.





Haji Lane
Kampong Glam, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Bugis station
10 minute walk from Raffles Hospital exit

Far East Plaza

14 Scotts Road, Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 2978‎

Ramen Ten
Far East Plaza
14 Scotts Rd, Singapore
Tel: +65 6238 7983
Open 7 days 11am-9.30pm

No Signboard Seafood
Vivo City
1 Harbourfront Walk, #03-02, Vivo City, Singapore
Tel: +65 6376 9959
Open 7 days 11am-11pm

Mustafa Centre

145 Syed Alwi Rd, Singapore, 207704, Singapore
Tel: +65 6295 5855
Open 7 days 24 hours

CMK 2001 Restaurant
92 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore, 207668, Singapore
Tel: +65 6294 9013
Open 7 days 24 hours