Just a short cab ride away from the bustling city centre of Singapore is Sentosa Island. As you cross the causeway that links this islet to the mainland, the gleaming skyscrapers give way to Princess Fiona’s castle from the Shrek series. The kid in me was excited at the thought of a weekend at Universal Studios but for this warning: “You are going to be stuck with fast food for the weekend at the theme parks,” said a friend back home. A misplaced idea, as I was to find out.
Close to the Sea Aquarium, my palate and pocket were both drawn to the Malaysian Food Street (MFS) restaurant.
A hawker-style open-seating restaurant, it served a variety of Malaysian classics like Char kway teow, KL Claypot Rice and the rich KL Hokkien mee. For dessert, I had the delicious Penang chendol, a bowl of shaved ice topped with sweet red beans, homemade chendol jelly (made from green bean flour and pandan leaves), coconut milk and palm sugar.
MFS doesn’t just offer a taste of Malaysia, it also tries to recreate the country’s ambiance — featuring traditional shops, old advertisements in Malay, Kuala Lumpur street signs, and an antique cycle rickshaw at the entrance. At MFS, a bowl of noodles costs $5 to $6.
The next day, after a long stroll through the Universal Studios and having hopped on the Transformers’ ride more than once, I made my way to Osia where Celebrity Chef Douglas whips up experimental Australian dishes from his open-style kitchen. A must-try here is the Seafood Ice Experience. Douglas explains that this unique seafood tasting experience, which is presented as shots, was inspired by the test tubes during a trip to the hospital. One shot pairs the sweetness of coconut milk with the freshness of Maine lobster; another includes watermelon raspberry vinegar, amaebi. Alcohol-based shots include Calamansi Mojito, Lychee Martini, and Oyster. At Osia, a two-course set lunch for one costs $35.
After a riveting afternoon in the Lights, Camera, Action ride — a 3D version of Steven Spielberg demonstrating how a sound room creates the illusion of a hurricane in New York — I headed to Forest, where Chef Sam Leong creates contemporary Chinese dishes. My meal started with Leong’s special recipe of Milky Chicken Broth with Moreal Mushroom and Wild Bamboo Piths served in a coconut shell. The broth is cooked for hours and fresh mushrooms, herbs and bamboo piths are added later. I finished with a chilled Lemongrass Jello with Thai sweet mango, young coconut and wolfberries. At Forest, a meal for two costs $80 to $100.
That evening, as I wolfed down a big bowl of sour cream and nachos and listened to the band belt out Passenger’s Let her go at Hard Rock Café, I realised that the weekend had not been about fast food at all. It was a Singapore-style gastronomical journey.
