Jumpstarting My Singapore Food Crawl: Makansutra Gluttons Bay

It's been a while since my last blog post, having been busy adjusting to a new way of life and a vastly different culture here in Singapore.  Unlike our Filipino habits, majority of Singaporeans live a fast-paced, career-driven, achievement-hungry lifestyle.  Yet despite this seemingly hectic pace, one thing I noticed in my first two weeks here is that they will slow down, queue up, and wait patiently for really good food.  Be it a hawker stall or a high-end restaurant, long lines are the best clue for something good.

If you come to Singapore lacking any knowledge of the good foodie spots or their best-selling local delicacies, you will surely find yourself giddy searching for what to eat.  Often, for first-time tourists (and even for second timers who just miss the food, like me), one quick jump start for an authentic culinary experience is Makansutra Gluttons Bay.

This is one sutra that is unadulterated.

The brainchild of KF Seetoh, the street food photojournalist guru (I love this guy and his shows on AFC!), Makansutra seeks to replicate a real hawker experience - open-air, smokey, crowded, yet home to tasty treats.  Although the real gems of Singapore cuisine are tucked away in the vast array of hawkers and food courts all over the island, Makansutra is a pretty good place to sample the local food and grab an overview of what the fuss is all about - without getting lost in the heart of the city.

Composed of several stalls which offer their own unique dish, one should manage to try out the best from each.  Having been here for the second time, we wanted to sample a different dish.  In the mood for grilled skewers, our first stop was Alhambra Padang Satay.

Satay Set, SGD 7.00

Apparently famous for their grilled skewers, their stall is a hit among both local and foreign beer guzzlers.  Now I'm really missing the kanto barbecue stalls of the Philippines!  But the satay had a curious charm on its own.  The set consisted of 5 sticks of tender chicken meat and another 5 sticks of soft beef mutton, with a side dish of fresh sliced onions and a peculiar looking yam of some sort.

Basted in a secret marinade, the chicken satay was juicy and flavorful.  It was like our own inasal but zestier.  The beef was my wonderful surprise.  The meat was soft and smokey, grilled to perfection.  Both varieties paired perfectly with their peanut sauce dip.  My only complaint was the seemingly small serving size of the skewered meat per stick.  But hey, nothing comes cheap in Singapore (that is, if you always convert to peso!)

Crispy Baby Squid, SGD 5.00 (?)

One of the first few things we craved for upon setting our feet again in this country was this dish, the Crispy Baby Squid.  This time, I tried out another stall for a different version. (Sorry, I forgot the name of the stall, but it's the one nearest to the bay side).  

Sponge Bob's boss.

These babies were deep fried to a crunch, and then tossed in a sweet spicy red sauce, garnished with chopped onions, red chili, and green pepper.  The entire mix is laid on a bed of what appears to be desiccated rice noodles.  The squid was indeed crispy - not a single piece tasted old nor chewy.  The sauce was executed well, a right mix of sweetness and an ample amount of spicy kick.  The serving size was good enough for two people, although again the price may seem steep for others.

Thai Crab Fried Rice, SGD 7.00 (?)

There's no better way to enjoy both dishes than with a heaping serving of rice.  This stall, Thai Yummy Food, serves a variety of fried rice creations.  We picked the crab fried rice to complement our two dishes.  As expected, the rice was a bit too oily, yet was exploding with flavor - just the right amount of saltiness and zest.

Generously mixed with chopped crabmeat and all sorts of veggies, it was definitely heavy and filling.  Good enough for four persons (or two really hungry people), yet again the price appeared to be inappropriately high.  Nevertheless, it went well with both the grilled skewers and the deep fried squid.  

With this view, I won't complain about the price anymore.

Makansutra Gluttons Bay has gathered some of the best hawker stalls in Singapore into one place, relieving us of the hassle of journeying from place to place, searching for the stall that serves its own unique best-seller.  Even homesick Filipinos can grab a quick bite of good old pinoy food, with Gerry's Grill having their own nook (just don't convert the price to peso though, or you'll feel sorry).  

Recreating an authentic hawker experience with its open-air ambiance, humid atmosphere, and noisy sales-talking vendors, you can be sure the food is genuine and fresh - as you have to wait for each dish to be cooked, just like the real hawker courts.  Perhaps because of its prime location in Marina Bay, the prices are steeper compared to overcrowded food courts in the city.  But then again, with a captivating view of the Singapore skyline, who's thinking about the price?

Jones

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

8 Raffles Avenue #01-15

Singapore

http://www.makansutra.com

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Prepping for SG: Wee Nam Kee

Okay, so these are the last few blog posts I'm writing before I leave for Singapore for a whole year.  Of course, that doesn't mean my blog would be in hiatus, but I sure hope to find some time to share my Singapore food trip in spite of a busy schedule.

With that in mind, it was but fitting to try out a Singaporean signature dish which had sparked its own chicken phenomenon in the past two years or so.  Of course, the Hainanese chicken had long been a staple of Chinese restaurants here in our country.  But it was not until dedicated chicken rice shops started setting up their businesses did it receive Hollywood star attention.

Seems cadaveric but definitely alive in flavor.

Needless to say, to sample the best Hainanese chicken, one should go for the most authentic.  Wee Nam Kee, a prominent Singaporean brand, first set its feet on our shores a few years ago, and hasn't slowed down since.  With new branches cropping up all around the metro (much like Yabu), it triggered its own chicken craze (although much less than the katsu).  However, I am generally not fond of the pale-looking and bland-appearing Hainanese chicken, so I never really caught up with the craziness.  Nevertheless, I did not pass up a chance to give it a go during one family meet.  Plus, this was a Singaporean joint, so I figured I could give myself a prep before I left.

The branch at ATC was relatively smaller than its counterparts in other places, but it could comfortably seat around 15 groups or so.  The interiors were simple and well-lit, while the tables were mundane with their wooden fixtures and the lack of any table top decor, save for the trio of condiments.

Guess which is my favorite condiment.

The three jars contained chili sambal paste, chopped ginger, and a sweet soy glaze.  Of course, the red one caught my eye, and I liberally sprinkled it on whatever food I had on my plate.  Before I tried the Hainanese chicken, I spotted a few dishes that I wanted to taste.

Roast Pork Rice (Lechon Kawali Rice), P175 (+ service charge)

In any Chinese joint, the Lechon Macau / Roast Pork always catches my fancy.  I simply had to indulge on this one.  Sadly though, its appearance was pale and lifeless, not to mention its diminutive size.  Pallor must be a consistent trait in these shops, as the meat looked gloomy.  Of course, Chinese restaurants really serve Lechon Kawali this way (unlike what pinoys are used to seeing).  But, I've had more enticing and attractive plates in some other Chinese shops (like Shifu's Master Kitchen, hell even my food court fave Magic Wok serves one mean bowl).  Still, the meat, although cold, was soft and tender and the layer of fat and thin crisp skin so cloying.  The hoisin dip added much needed flavor, and there's nothing a chili paste can do wrong on any dish.  A real disappointment.

Honey Crispy Squid, P350 (+service charge)

My first experience with crispy baby squids were during my first visit to Singapore, when I devoured these babies in Makansutra Gluttons Bay.  It had an eclectic mix of sweet and briny flavor with the squids crunchy with each bite.  It left a lasting impression on me.  So I eagerly anticipated that the Wee Nam Kee version would be up to par.  When the plate was set down on our table, I was dumbfounded.  

The serving size was so small and the squids were tinier than babies.  It seemed I was in for another disappointment.  But, when I grabbed my first bite, the mix of flavors burst forth.  The sweetness of honey blended well with the natural savory taste of squid, with the latter crisp in every nook and cranny, despite the obvious oiliness.  The chopped onions added a slight contrast in texture.  The dish was highly addicting and matches well with Wee Nam Kee's signature chicken rice.

Sambal Kang Kong, P190 (+service charge)

In between spoonfuls of the baby squid, the Sambal Kang Kong offered a healthy respite.  Stir-fried in that luscious and lovable sambal paste, this dish resembled our very own adobong kangkong if not for the chili upgrade.  Still, it was quite addicting, for a vegetable dish.

Steamed Hainanese Chicken, Large, P888 (+service charge)

Moving on to the star of the show, the main attraction here of course is the Hainanese Chicken.  To the uninitiated, at first glance, the pale cadaveric skin is a likely turn-off.  But take a swift bite and you'll experience a unique flavor.  The whole chicken is steamed in a herbal, almost medicinal, aromatic broth, preserving the juicy goodness of the meat.

I'm no stranger to this kind of steamed chicken, having tasted it in numerous Chinese restaurants when I was younger.  However, this was my first time to taste an authentic, Singaporean-style Hainanese chicken.  The meat was tender and fall-off-the-bone, with all the flavors of the juice locked in, and then bursting forth with each bite.  Even without the trio of dips, the chicken was already pleasing to the palate.  Yet, like most things in life, chili makes it better!  I prefer pasting each morsel with the fiery red mix and then drizzling the sweet soy glaze.  It was a wonderful blend, an extraordinary experience.  This large serving easily satisfies groups of 4 to 6 hungry people, but it also comes in a smaller, more intimate, personal size and of course the roasted variety.  I have yet to try out the latter, but the unadulterated steamed version is the way to go for first-timers.

True to form, Wee Nam Kee does serve up a real, honest-to-goodness, Hainanese chicken.  After sampling their rendition, my excitement just hyped up in eager anticipation of my upcoming sabbatical in Singapore, to try out more authentic dishes.  Despite the tremendous letdown of the Lechon Kawali and the minor setback on the squid, Wee Nam Kee executes their signature dish to a T.  The service of the waitstaff, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter.  It was already past the usual lunch hours yet service was slow, beginning with cooking time and even when computing the bill.  I'm not so sure with the other branches, so this could be just an aberration.  Or simply just a bad day.

Nevertheless, Wee Nam Kee is a perfect getaway to grab your piece of Singapore without shelling big bucks for air fare.  The dishes taste authentic, with reasonable prices.  Until such time as real hawker centers invade our shores, shops such as Wee Nam Kee will keep our hungry stomachs and curious tongues delightfully preoccupied.

Jones

Wee Nam Kee

Ground Floor, Alabang Town Center, New Wing

Alabang-Zapote Road

Muntinlupa

https://www.facebook.com/WeeNamKeePH

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