For years, I've associated chicken rice with Singapore.
I think this all started when I went on an Asia trip with some friends after college graduation. One of them travelled to Singapore often, and raved about the food. Especially the chicken rice. So, when we got there, you'd think that we'd get some chicken rice. Well, we took in all the major sights and sounds of Singapore (not that there are that many!), but left without the chicken rice. I still can't figure out how that happened….. The only reasonable explanation I can come up with is that we must've been too engrossed with some other food, or the timing just didn't work somehow. Stuff happens.
Since then, I've always been wanting the Singapore chicken rice. Not in Tokyo or LA or HK or some other city which must have Singapore chicken rice. Nope. It HAD to be in Singapore. Specifically, at the Mandarin Oriental hotel because that's the one my friend said was definitely THE BEST.
So I went.
No….not just for the food. Even Waru isn't crazy enough to fly all the way to Singapore for some chicken rice. Plus, she doesn't have that kind of money.
It so happens that I had business meetings in India from Monday. And I'd be flying Singapore Airlines (the new A380!!!!!). Which of course meant that I'd be switching planes at Singapore.
So, I decided to leave Tokyo a day earlier, on Saturday, to do a one night stopover in Singapore, and meet up with my colleagues on the Sunday flight to Delhi.
The A380 was AWESOME!!!!!!!! Surprisingly very quiet for its size. Being so new, I noticed many passengers taking photos on board. (I was dumb enough to leave my camera in the luggage. Darn it.) I was on the upper deck, and went to the lower deck to explore. First thought - Wow…so many seats!!! Unfortunately, the flight attendant wouldn't let me go to the forward cabins, where all the suites were. Boooooooo. So wanted to see those!!!!
After a smooth, entertaining (great in-flight entertainment options!) 6 hours, I arrived in Singapore around late afternoon. Stupidly, I opted for the flat fare bus, rather than the taxi, to get myself to the hotel. I can't seem to get rid of the cheap, backpacker mentality out of my travel habits!!!!! So, it was already getting dark by the time I checked in.
Of course, the first thing I did was ask the concierge about my options for chicken rice. Actually, I just asked her if I could walk to the Mandarin Oriental from the hotel, mentioning that I wanted to have their chicken rice. Whereupon she quickly told me that the Mandarin Oriental used to be at the top of the Singaporean chicken rice list, but that they are no longer very good. Huh…interesting. Instead, she recommended a local, quick eatery for good chicken rice. It wouldn't have the glitzy aura or service of the Mandarin Oriental, but the food will be good. Well, who am I to argue?!
And that is how I ended up at the Five Star Chicken. With some Singaporean chicken rice and barley juice. Absolutely divine. Exactly what I was looking for!!! Yum, yum, yum. Especially with the ginger sauce.
Finally.
Finally.
Finally.
(Again, I was dumb enough to be without the camera - this time, I left it in my hotel room. Darn it.)
Content, I wandered around Orchard Road to do some shopping (much cheaper compared to Tokyo) and kill time before I headed back for bed.
I think this all started when I went on an Asia trip with some friends after college graduation. One of them travelled to Singapore often, and raved about the food. Especially the chicken rice. So, when we got there, you'd think that we'd get some chicken rice. Well, we took in all the major sights and sounds of Singapore (not that there are that many!), but left without the chicken rice. I still can't figure out how that happened….. The only reasonable explanation I can come up with is that we must've been too engrossed with some other food, or the timing just didn't work somehow. Stuff happens.
Since then, I've always been wanting the Singapore chicken rice. Not in Tokyo or LA or HK or some other city which must have Singapore chicken rice. Nope. It HAD to be in Singapore. Specifically, at the Mandarin Oriental hotel because that's the one my friend said was definitely THE BEST.
So I went.
No….not just for the food. Even Waru isn't crazy enough to fly all the way to Singapore for some chicken rice. Plus, she doesn't have that kind of money.
It so happens that I had business meetings in India from Monday. And I'd be flying Singapore Airlines (the new A380!!!!!). Which of course meant that I'd be switching planes at Singapore.
So, I decided to leave Tokyo a day earlier, on Saturday, to do a one night stopover in Singapore, and meet up with my colleagues on the Sunday flight to Delhi.
The A380 was AWESOME!!!!!!!! Surprisingly very quiet for its size. Being so new, I noticed many passengers taking photos on board. (I was dumb enough to leave my camera in the luggage. Darn it.) I was on the upper deck, and went to the lower deck to explore. First thought - Wow…so many seats!!! Unfortunately, the flight attendant wouldn't let me go to the forward cabins, where all the suites were. Boooooooo. So wanted to see those!!!!
After a smooth, entertaining (great in-flight entertainment options!) 6 hours, I arrived in Singapore around late afternoon. Stupidly, I opted for the flat fare bus, rather than the taxi, to get myself to the hotel. I can't seem to get rid of the cheap, backpacker mentality out of my travel habits!!!!! So, it was already getting dark by the time I checked in.
Of course, the first thing I did was ask the concierge about my options for chicken rice. Actually, I just asked her if I could walk to the Mandarin Oriental from the hotel, mentioning that I wanted to have their chicken rice. Whereupon she quickly told me that the Mandarin Oriental used to be at the top of the Singaporean chicken rice list, but that they are no longer very good. Huh…interesting. Instead, she recommended a local, quick eatery for good chicken rice. It wouldn't have the glitzy aura or service of the Mandarin Oriental, but the food will be good. Well, who am I to argue?!
And that is how I ended up at the Five Star Chicken. With some Singaporean chicken rice and barley juice. Absolutely divine. Exactly what I was looking for!!! Yum, yum, yum. Especially with the ginger sauce.
Finally.
Finally.
Finally.
(Again, I was dumb enough to be without the camera - this time, I left it in my hotel room. Darn it.)
Content, I wandered around Orchard Road to do some shopping (much cheaper compared to Tokyo) and kill time before I headed back for bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment