Day 6 in Singapore

Ian Gong
Ian Gong
Aug 31, 2018 · 3 min read
Photo by Angelos Michalopoulos on Unsplash

Day 6 and it’s Friday. I have established a new routine since relocating to Bunc Hostel: breakfast at Albert Centre (hawker center) near Bugis, walk to Central Public Library and situate myself in the Lee Kong Chian Reference section on the upper floors, lunch across the street at Bugis+ Mall or Albert Centre, and then dinner somewhere different. The local food has been treating me well; no traveler’s diarrhea or any sort of discomfort. I have stayed with Chinese and Malay dishes with no real interest in testing the waters with Indian. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I have tried so far, with the exception of carrot cake, which is such a misnomer because the supposed white radish in this dish is overpowered by rice flour. And so when I’ve already had four dense pieces of chwee kueh (steamed circular halves of rice flour), it’s simply redundant to have more of the same thing. Maybe it’s just that particular carrot cake stall by Eunos hawker centre that fucked it up for me forever and served me some really shitty cakes.

First sign of rain today in Singapore. Reminds me of the rainy season during my high school years in Thailand. It came in a short burst and didn’t faze the locals one bit; many completely content to just wait it out under store awnings. I quickly realize I read somewhere online that the rain came in quick bursts and never lasted very long.

According to Singapore’s Ministry of Education, the 2018 school year began two weeks ago on August 14. And yet from when the library first opened this morning (10AM) ’til now (7PM), it is filled with middle/high school level adolescents, kids with faces still flush with their first episodes of pimples. Not sure where they found the time to ditch school and hang out with ME in the library all-day.

A last tidbit of rambling about food before I sign off; I really want to write more about what I’ve been reading these days but I’ve spent more time acquiring books than completing them. I’m sure I will polish off a few this weekend. Anyways, while the local cuisine, part of my appeal for coming here, has been delightfully satisfying, the local favorites that I have come to know and love back in the States are shit here. A visit to McDonald’s last night was a complete fail. Many viewers of Mike Chen’s Youtube channel Strictly Dumpling will emphasize with me the delight in trying out local special menu items at fast food franchises when abroad. The never failing topic sure to generate views has been about these delightful creations in Japan. And Singapore certainly made an effort to do the same with local offerings that I’ve seen in both McDonald’s and Burger King. But the McDonald’s fries…man…the fries that are a signature and must-have item according to Jon Hein’s fast food tribute book Fast Food Maniac, are but soggy and sad limp dicks in Singapore with no hint of salt. On top of that, the Rendang Burger that looked like a quarter-pounder with gravy was a mess. Have had 6 days of food made by grandpas who have specialized in one dish their entire culinary career and made it the best they could, these part-time and impassioned fast-food workers in Singapore have made McDonald’s uneatable.

Ian Gong

Ian Gong

Debauchery and Adventures in Singapore

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