#40 hands

What: Orange Blossom Carrot Cake

Where: 40 Hands, Tiong Bahru, Singapore

Haji Lane (ZAC)

MARCH 2013. always been somewhat under the [wrong] impression to reserve Singapore as a stopover destination only. it does serve this purpose extremely well due to being the gateway to just so many nearby destinations, but I will vouch it holds it own to being a primary stop. so much foreign investment is being injected into this economy. thankfully it seems that Singapores planners are taking note of the cautionary tales of its nearby middle east and asia counterparts where city explosions have turned into infrastructure nightmares.

Kinki Rooftop bar view (ZAC)

TIP: Public transport here is amazing. only half-joked it being "city of the future". off-set by the ridiculous taxes on personal cars, taxis tick to $7SG ($1 AUD =~$1.30SG) for a 10-15 minute trip and the MRT underground is fast, clean and around $1.40SG trip heading in all directions of the city.

SLEEP: There are numerous mega-room number hotels around Marina Bay. if this is your thing paying for foyers, day spas and multiple in house restaurants, the Mandarin Oriental would be an appropriate pick. If you are going to splurge (and I mean splurge) there are plenty of options. the Fullerton Bay [starting price of around ~$500 SG]right on Marina Bay or of course the grand dame the Raffles . my pick [boutique size, who would have guessed?] would be the Quincy Hotel [$270SGish] with a great location, minimalist modern feel and 450 rooms less than those above.

EAT: so many great options. food choices are polar opposites with cheap and cheerful hawker huts straight to western price plus dining. Club Street is an ex-pat favourite with multiple options of western fare while Chinatown will just leave you confused which noodle bar to try. Clarke Quay has a mix of local and Western options complete with canal views although is a tourist trap. below are just a few suggestions. be warned, wherever you eat, it is the heavily taxed alcohol prices that will sting the most.

Glutton Bay Hawkers Marina Bay (ZAC)

Glutton Bay Hawker Huts Marina Bay. Asian street food. $8-$30 ea with a Tiger. everything from satay to seafood with everything in between. hand picked, hawker huts that are clean and full of tasty options. my usual routine was to pick up 2-3 smaller dishes across vendors which would amount to ~$10SG. you can top off your meal with a tasty Tiger or fresh coconut water.  seating is simple plastic chairs and tables perfect for the lone traveller, with friends or families. a favourite.

Kinki. Marina Bay. Japanese. $100SG a head with Asahi. concrete floors. bangin tunes and ultra fresh food. could not fault anything from the "Kinki's Customs" section of the menu. post meal go up a floor onto the open air deck for a cocktail. of all the rooftop bars, one of the best as you look over the marina and straight at the Marina Bay Sands Casino floating boat and all.

Jumbo. Clarke Quay. Singapore chili crab is a specialty. a bit of a tourist mecca but one of the best mee gorang's I have ever had. situated on the canal.

Togi. Chinatown. Korean. one of the more authentic according to my Korean counterparts. it's loud, it's tasty.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware. brunch. roast their own beans. fantastic menu in a cool space hidden behind the most unassuming of facades. a must.

Blink and you will miss Hardware (ZAC)

Tiong Bahru neighborhood 

Thanks to a few key openings this area has been transformed I am told only in the last couple of years. Get here by the underground MRT.

EAT:

40 Hands. breakfast. one of the few places that is open at 8am. run by an Australian with the best coffee in Singapore. there I said it. simple menu but a great way to start the day and read the morning paper. the lunch menu consists of a selection of gourmet hot dogs.

40 Hands (ZAC)

Open Door Policy (ODP). contemporary. industrial design. looks like it should be in a lane way Melbourne or New York. if this is what you are hankering for then this is your place although be prepared to pay for it. seems more of dinner venue than the brunch they push.

Orange Thimble. cafe. urban art for sale on the wall. sweet stuff focus. sea salt caramel ice cream people line up for.  

Sin Hoi Sai Seafood. Chinese seafood. been around since the ages. chilli crab specialist. all about the food but do now have the luxury of air conditioning! 

Paradise Dynasty (ZAC)

Paradise Dynasty. dumplings. Ion shopping centre. close your eyes and ignore the location. start with the famous 8 xiao long bao then move onto dumpling soup. share a dish and add sides. served by very chefs making your soup complete with face mask and a kitchen surrounded by glass for all to see.

Grab a takeaway coffee from 40 hands and head across the road to Books Actually. new and vintage books plus retro bric a brac transform this place into wandering wonderland. next door is Strangelets with upmarket homewares and gifts. look across the road for the oh so cool Nana & Bird flag and head down the lane way to enter into a small hole in the wall filled with one off threads for her by a select number of up and comers.

DRINK:

 1-Altitude. highest of the high rooftop bar. overlooks the city and you can actually see Indonesia's lights. the $30SG entry fee stings  [includes a second rate drink] and cheesy house music are a little off putting.

1-Altitude view (ZAC)

Ku De Ta. the ship on top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. this building is something else. oh and shorts no matter how dressy or thongs are not permitted. 

Tanjong Beach Club. Sentosa. drink and swim. literally on the sand. the day starts with brunch and families then follows with doof doof and beautiful people and drinks while the sun goes down.

The Raffles Long Bar complete with Singapore Sling (ZAC)

Raffles. Long Bar. self proclaimed home of the Singapore Sling and you will pay for the privilege with a price tag of $26SG a pop. kind of one of those tourist traps that you need to tick off the list. it is a beautiful bar complete with permission of throwing your peanut shells on the ornate floors. unfortunately the one bar in the Raffles where the staff have obviously grown tired of the same Sling questions and well it seems patrons in general. 

SEE:

Haji Lane. laneway. head there late in the afternoon. one off design stores incorporating vintage clothing, homewares, leather goods . a couple of bars and simple eateries. all encased by graffiti covered walls and colourfull colonial era buildings.

Haji Lane (ZAC)

Gardens by the Bay. walk. at the back of the Marina Bay Sands Casino. this land could have been covered in skyscrapers, instead the government turned it into one of the most unique attractions. its sounds trashy, but the lights through the trees in the evening are something special. you can pay to go up on the sky walk or inside to the domes, but there is plenty to walk around free of charge.

Gardens by the Bay (ZAC)

READ. USED. AND ABUSED.

Time Out Singapore. event watch

Notatourist.sg.  food and drink recommended by locals

SMH Travel. 20 things to do in Singapore

CNN Travel. downsized restaurant scene

NEXT TIME

Chinatown. Ann Siang Hill.wine bars and quirky shops with Keong Siak St nearby. hidden bar at 28 Hong Kong st 

Little India. hidden bar at Barkode