We arrived at about 10:00pm and got on the MRT to head to our hotel, The Royal Plaza on Scotts in the Orchard Road area of Singapore. Getting there required changing trains twice, but the hotel is just a couple minute walk from the Orchard Road stop. This hotel was a Hotwire "secret hot rate" win. After the shoebox in Tokyo, I was happy to hear we were being upgraded to a deluxe room.
We set out for some food, but the MRT was shut down for the night so we cabbed down to the hawker centre Makansutra Gluttons Bay. Hawker Centre's are the equivalent of food truck parks in the USA. Each stand has a few special dishes. The idea of the hawker centre is to take the food carts off the streets and provide a more regulated, hygienic experience.
It was after midnight when we arrived, and some of the stalls were shut down. We looked around and ordered. Then you go find a seat and they bring you the food.
Drinks first: lime juice and sugar cane juice.
I had read and heard a lot about "carrot cake" and there was one stand with it at Gluttons Bay. They have 2 kinds: white and black, so I ordered both.
There are no carrots in the carrot cake; it's made from rice, tapioca and radish. However, it does taste great! It's maybe an Asian equivalent to gnocchi, but that might be a stretch. I preferred the black - it was more saucy. The white was more like an omelette.
Also ordered some wings. They were messy and quite tasty.
And finally some satay. This took a long time to come out and the guy apologized that I had to remind him.
Gluttons Bay has a great view with the Marina Sands across the water.
After dinner we walked on the water and enjoyed the view.
At about 1:00am we were exhausted and took a cab back to the hotel.
The next morning we decided to hit China Town and Little India. China Town looked more Chinese than actual China and we went to the Maxwell Road Hawker Center. This one is much bigger with maybe 100 stalls.
Another must have is char kway teo - a fried ride noodle dish with creatures that swim. It was very good.
The longest line was for a hainanese rice stall. I waited for about 5 minutes and pointed at what I wanted. I think I got pork belly and cuttle fish. The rice had a nice gravy
We got back on the MRT and went straight to Little India. The hawker center here had more variety, but I wasn't as hungry after China town. We got Roti and Samosas (pictures on the other camera) and watched everyone eating with their hands. Then I saw this stand that specialized in Vadai (savory donuts?) so I decided to get one. I chose the Prawn. It tasted like a shrimp donut - very shrimpy.
The weather says 88 and combined with the humidity, any time outside is very tiring. Just walking through the shops of Little India is a total sweat bath. Add hot and spicy food means a perpetual thirst.
Unfortunately, I'm leaving Singapore without trying two dishes: chili crab and BBQ sting ray... Next time.
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