Hidden gems of Singapore

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The exterior of My Awesome Cafe where the former signage of the Chung Hua Free Clinic is still proudly emblazoned.

Jekyll & Hyde is the definition of retro-cool, something that Singaporeans definitely embody.

WITH the school year at a close and the holiday season just around the corner, why not take the time to go off the beaten track and explore the hidden gems of Singapore?

Singapore is no stranger to travellers, seasoned or not. A melting pot of bustling lifestyles and beautifully integrated cultures, there is something for everyone.

thesundaypost got a chance to explore a few of these delightful and little known places courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board.

Gastronomical adventure

Eating is undeniably an enjoyable past-time for many, and it goes without question Malaysians and Singaporeans take dining to the next level — for very good reasons too!

Singapore offers a plethora of dining experiences to suit all tastes and palates — from nostalgia-filled kopi tiams to quaint hipster cafes, communal food courts to classy fine-dining restaurants. The only reason you’ll get hungry is from being too spoilt for choice!

Visit Babette – Restaurant & Bar (165 Tyrwhitt Road, #01-03 Parc Sovereign Hotel) — named when owner Darren Wee was inspired by 1980s Danish film ‘Babette’s Feast’ – and soak in familiar flavours with a “tongue-in-cheek Babette twist”.

“I love the metaphors in the film (‘Babette’s Feast’) about food, love and relationships, and how a good meal can transcend language and culture. The film’s premise is simple, honest and unpretentious, and that’s the experience we aim to bring to our diners as well,” Wee said.

The dishes here are mostly prepared using classic French techniques but Japanese ingredients are a heavy mainstay in the main courses.

For instance, the Duck Confit Donburi features crispy pan-seared duck leg served on warm Japanese short-grain rice drizzled with a homemade Babette sauce.

Floor to ceiling and wall to wall selection of books at Books Actually.

Another favourite, the Steak and Foie Gras Donburi, features a marbled cut of grass-fed sirloin steak paired with creamy pan-seared foie gras, promising a decadent and indulgent meal.

“Another of our signature dishes is the Babette Chirashi Donburi, a new interpretation of the bara-chirashi don, and it’s served with an assortment of sashimi-grade salmon, tuna, scallops and topped with Japanese pickles, fish roe and tamagoyaki, and the seafood is marinated with Babette’s in-house sauce for a punchier offering,” Wee added.

Guests looking for grazing-appropriate options will not be disappointed. Babette features a rather sizeable Sides menu, with selections such as the Crackling Pork Belly which has been slow-cooked for 48 hours and then roasted to a crackling crisp, Bacon Tempura and Roasted Avocado, served with aburi salmon and diced tomatoes.

Another noteworthy place to visit to fill the stomach is My Awesome Cafe (202 Telok Ayer) where the history of the place is enough to warrant a visit.

The cafe-bakery sits on a former Chinatown shophouse, once the Chung Hua Free Clinic, and now a government protected heritage building.

Decorated with a motley collection of vintage knick-knacks and reclaimed furniture, the building also houses buzzing creative agency Mangham Gaxiola,  the place all at once screams retro-cool and defines the charm of historic Singapore.

One of the four co-owners, Suresh Naidu, said the menu was slightly restricted because they couldn’t have a fire kitchen because the building is protected by the government, yet it seems this restriction actually worked out in their favour.

“Our bakery churns out bread, pastries, croissants, quiche, cakes from 7am onwards, and our speciality open chicken, meat and salmon sandwiches and salads have definitely been the talk of the town,” Suresh said animatedly, adding that patrons would not be disappointed with bestsellers such as My Awesome Salad and Spicy Beef Salad.

With fresh and organic fair trade ingredients and rather sizeable portions, My Awesome Cafe is a great place to kick back and enjoy lunch solo or with friends and family.

The quirkiness seems to extend to their beverage menu, with eclectic fruit juices and crushes as well as handmade organic sodas, authentic Mexican Coca-Cola (in glass bottles, no less — how vintage) and it’s not an odd sight to see creative types brainstorming over afternoon coffee during the day.

The cosy atmosphere at Babette is private and inviting, creating the perfect ambience for a dinner date or even a gathering with friends.

Night still young, so are we

Singapore undeniably has one of the most vibrant night scenes in the world, and whether it’s grooving at a dance club, chilling in a sleek bar or just enjoying nibbles and cocktails, there is a wealth of options after the sun sets.

Clad in deep wood and stone finishes to create a polished yet raw vibe, you won’t find the standard, run-of-the-mill cocktails in Jekyll & Hyde (49 Tras Street). No, their menu promises to be unusual and custom concoctions that pair unique flavours and ingredients.

Owner and self-dubbed Papasan Jeff Ho encourages customers to communicate their beverage choices to create an off-the-menu custom drink, as he believes everyone has a unique palate that deserves to be wowed. Adventurous drinkers, take note.   The third quarterly menu introduced by Jekyll & Hyde, themed Yin Yang, saw the harmonious blend of Chinese herbology and cocktails. Mixed by rockstar mixologist Jeremie Tan, the ingredients blend well together to create a wonderful balance, much like the Chinese philosophy the menu was inspired by.

Taste how Snow Chrysanthemum, a natural caffeine-free herb used to detox the liver and keep cholesterol levels in check, blends with liquor to create the Blushing Geisha, or how the go-to brain booster often employed by parents of schooling children Brands Essence of Chicken features in the cocktail Chicolate Soup.

Meanwhile, another place to head over for a round of cocktails (and is it possible, more food?) is Ding Dong (23 Ann Siang Road).

Don’t be fooled by the mischievous, giggle-eliciting name – it was short-listed as one of the best 15 bars in the little red dot for cocktails in 2013 by City Nomads Singapore, with The Golden Mile, a Thai herb-infused Ketel One vodka, blue ginger gomme and citrus concoction being the beverage of recommendation.

The Duck Confit Donburi is the perfect example of the French-Japanese fusion that forms the Babette menu.

A unique dining concept from Open Door Policy, Ding Dong celebrates the rustic flavours of Southeast Asia with the refinement of Ryan Clift from Tippling Club, the ideal way to get acquainted with Ding Dong is via the Feed Us menu, where a waiter would suggest between (1) Sharing — a selection of Ding Dong’s favourite dishes to share or (2) Tasting Menu — allowing you to relax and enjoy six individual plated courses.

Dishes of interest to try are the Vietnamese scotch eggs, Asam Pedas salted barramundi with okra and baby eggplant as well as 48 hour beef cheek rendang with rice puree and crispy herbs.

Wash it down with your cocktail of choice, be it The Golden Mile, or try other interesting cocktails such as the Fujiyama (yoghurt sake, elderflower liqueur, fresh strawberries and yuzu liqueur), Pirates of Malacca (house-spiced rum, gula melaka, calamansi, pineapple and falernum) or The Sign of the Four (Don Julio Reposado, toasted sweet rice, coconut cream and mango).

If you manage to have a hankering for dessert after the very filling meals, give their frozen bimbimbap a try, a twist on the Korean favourite, or the gula melaka with sago pudding and coconut.

Another venue to try, and is relatively close by, is Screening Room (12 Ann Siang Road), where five floors of unique but complementary entertainment experience is housed in a beautiful heritage building.

Visit Level 3 (Champagne Lounge/Boutique Film Theatre), a film lover’s dream with a calendar of exciting programmes, and enjoy movie screenings from the carefully curated film inspired menu during the day, or escape, unwind and entertain post 10pm when the boutique film theatre transforms into a sexy champagne lounge.

The award-winning alfresco bar La Terraza on Level 4 of Screening Room is another highlight (no pun intended) where a view of Chinatown’s heritage shophouses is juxtaposed against the imposing skyscrapers of the Central Business District.

Pick from dips and small tapas from the Mediterranean region, to burgers like Wagyu Beef Burger, Spicy Chicken Burger or Mushroom Cheese Burger (all burgers are served with herbed fries) or from their succulent charcoal grilled meats such as Lamb Kebab and Harissa Chicken or Vegetable Shashlik for vegetarians, or if you’re too spoilt for choice, order the Mixed Kebab Platter to try them all.

The Ding Dong Bibimbap, a fresh and alternative presentation of the Korean dish.

Feast of a different sort

In a city so full of life and bustling with activity, it’s almost bliss when one stumbles across a gem like Books Actually (9 Yong Siak Street), an independent bookstore specialising in fiction and literature.

As thesundaypost columnist Phyllis Wong mentioned in her column ‘Along the avenues of nostalgia’ (Nov 16), this is definitely “not a place to go if you are looking to buy ‘Twilight’, ‘Evernight’ or ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’.”

The bookstore is almost floor to ceiling high with books, with a section of books in the middle, and one cannot help but feel transported to someone’s private library — a private library that has three adorable cats that follow you around like little guides.

The owners of Books Actually curate a selection of books that mostly can’t be found elsewhere – and with great care too. Books Actually is home to critically-acclaimed works, classics such as Shakespeare, as well as special edition books. Bibliophiles would be delighted at the variety available here — titles range from subjects such as biography, current affairs and history to music, film and travel narrative.

Books Actually also distributes books, ranging from poetry to full-length novels from Singaporean writers under the imprint Math Paper Press, a publishing venture that Books Actually owner Kenny Leck formed to help develop and publish budding Singaporean writers.

Once you have sated your appetite with the books, head to the back where vintage stationery and trinkets produced under the imprint of Birds and Co are available for purchase.

In a nutshell, there are boundless activities in Singapore aside from the usual tourist hotspots.

Whether you are a first-time traveller or seasoned pro to the little red dot, it is worth your time to take the path less travelled. Who knows what kind of hidden gems you would find.

Quaint and inviting, Books Actually is definitely worth your time, especially if you are a bibliophile.