When you talk about areas that are considered “on trend” when it comes to food, Singapore has to be in the mix. Yes, we identified Peruvian and Korean, but much of Asia’s food experiences have yet to be explored. Perhaps that’s why noted food adventurer Anthony Bourdain is excited about Singapore.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB), along with Bourdain and Singapore’s Ambassador to the U.N., Albert Chua, were at Michelin-starred Laut restaurant in New York City yesterday. During the event, STB talked about new attractions expected to be unveiled from now through 2014. Bourdain was part of the excitement, relating his own adventures in Singapore.
While Bourdain provided guests with personal stories about his Singaporean adventures, Laut served a specially-created menu with favorite dishes hand-picked by STB and Bourdain, including Singapore laksa and Hainanese chicken rice. Additional dishes not as well known were also presented to showcase the region’s multi-cultural influences, such as beef rendang (a coconut-based beef stew); rojak (a fruit and vegetable salad mix); and kuih dadar (a crepe flavored wrap with pandan juice and stuffed with grated coconut steeped in palm sugar).
Singapore, known as “The Lion City,” has recently seen new culinary and vacation developments, including the $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands resort and the $4.5 billion Resorts World Sentosa. 2012, they promise, will bring Asia’s first ever river-themed animal park, as well as new dining concepts. Current restaurant attractions include L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Joël Robuchon Restaurant which opened at Resorts World Sentosa in 2011, and the Food Republic Beer Garden, which is a 400-seat, open-air, hawker-food venue with 18 stalls operating out of pushcarts.
