From famous restaurants and hawker centres, to food trails and cocktail pairings, the Singapore Food Festival 2016 offers something for all local street food enthusiasts
You can’t live in this country and not love food, ’cos let’s face it – it’s all around you! Hawker centres offering street food, trendy neighbourhoods dishing out cosmopolitan bites, fine dining restaurants serving exquisite eats; it’s not humanly possible to eat everything in Singapore despite our miniature size. Tying it all together in one massive islandwide event this July is the Singapore Food Festival 2016, that celebrates our nation’s collective passion for food. Themed “Savour the Past, Taste the Future”, this festival celebrates our gluttonous desires with food trails, restaurant spotlights, cocktail pairings, masterclasses and loads more. And to get you started, here are 10 activities you might wanna add to your list.
1) Get a crash course in local street food
Whether you’re new to this foodie metropolis or you’re completely infatuated with local hawker food, the Singapore Favourite Food Village (22-31 July, Rochor Event Space) is one hub you’ll wanna visit for its old street, mod-sin and food truck sections. Alternatively, drop by the festival’s signature event, STREAT (15-16 July, Clifford Square), for a six-course dinner menu assembled by Celebrity Chef Susur Lee, Tunglok Heen’s Ken Ling, and Restaurant Labyrinth’s Han Liguang.
2) Snag street food for as low as 50 cents
Just like the good ol’ days! The 50 Cents Fest! (30-31 July, Chinatown Food Street) ushers in a blast from the past with street food from yesteryear – think kok kok mee, ice balls and trishaw noodles. Prices for these nostalgic items range from $2.50, to just 50 cents!
3) Chug a cocktail paired with local food
Bespoke cocktails with hawker food? Chef Ryan Clift from Tippling Club says why not! The Street Hawkers-Inspired 5-Course Cocktail Pairing Menu (18-23 July, Tippling Club) will see bewildering pairings like Newton’s oyster omelette with Lemon Grass Fizz, East Coast chilli crab with Ginger Flower Sour, Maxwell chicken rice with Sambal Martini and more!
4) Try local food with a tea twist
Conceptualised by TWG, the Tea-Infused Heritage Journey (15-24 July, TWG Tea Salons) will tickle the palates of tea addicts with tea-infused chicken rice and tea-infused Indian curry. Your curiosities are as piqued as ours!
5) Become familiar with Hainanese history
One of the more distinctive ethnicities amongst Chinese in Singapore, the Hainan culture has found its way into local food as well – particularly, the Hainanese chicken rice. Check out Hainanese Reign (11-30 July, Triple Three @ Mandarin Orchard Singapore) to learn about the traditions that hatched dishes like Hainanese pork chop, lamb stew, beef noodles and fried rice.
6) Know your kueh a lil’ better
How well do you know your kueh? If you’re shrugging your shoulders, then make sure you get educated on Kueh Appreciation Day (24 July, ToTT Store). Try rare, local cakes like the Eurasian Pang Suzie, Hainanese Larp, Teochew Sausage Bean Kueh, and even renditions from restaurants like Antoinette’s Hakka Kueh and Old Seng Choong’s yam cake.
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7) Go on an enlightening food trail
Join the food trails organised by CRAVE! Singapore (1-31 July) to get a first-hand look at recipes reflective of this region of Southeast Asia. Three trails are available: the Spice Trail @ Little India for Indian cuisine, the Little Nyonya Kitchen for Peranakan buffs, and the Malay Heritage Experience where you can even enjoy a traditional Malay Panggang (BBQ) dinner.
8) Go behind the scenes with music-fuelled masterclasses
Buzzy foodpark, Timbre+, joins the Singapore Food Festival by letting inquisitive diners have public access to the chef’s kitchen. Open Stoves (23-24 July, Timbre+ @ One-north) sheds secrets with live cooking demos and pop-up outdoor BBQ stations. Learn a new recipe or two while you partake in family games and boogie to live local bands.
9) Visit one of Singapore’s most famous hawker centres
Hawker centres are a dime a dozen in food-focused Singapore, but there’s one in the East that stands out for dishes like bak kut teh, carrot cake, chilli crab, satay bee hoon and more. Celebrity actor, Moses Lim, leads the trail in Hawker Spotlight: East Coast Lagoon Food Village (17 July), where cooking demos will be conducted at featured stalls.
10) Dine at a heritage establishment that’s been around for decades
Honouring long-time local restaurants that’ve cooked up a storm for decades, the Singapore Food Festival shines the spotlight on veteran brands like JUMBO Seafood, Fatty Weng, Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant and Red Star (there are 50 in total!) with the month-long Singapore Restaurant Month. There’s history in every bite!
Singapore Food Festival 2016, 15-31 July. For more details on events and venues, visit this website.