Eat your way to Singapore at this month-long food festival
One of the best ways to know a place is through its food scene. Food, much like textbooks, is a vessel of a nation’s history and heritage. It presents its custom, traditions, and culture through a series of plates one needed just a spoon to discover. This month, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) aims to do just that by introducing Singapore to Filipinos with a month-long food festival celebrating the country’s vibrant cuisine through Singapore Food Festival.
For the first time ever, a selection of Singapore’s best restaurants is coming to Manila for a month-long culinary takeover. Filipino foodies can bite into a series of Singapore pop-ups organized by the STB at The Grid in Powerplant Mall, Makati City. This special culinary experience is the Manila edition of the 29th Singapore Food Festival (SFF).
“Now that tourism has resumed for Singapore, STB is excited to present the Manila edition of the Singapore Food Festival to Filipinos hungry for a taste of Singapore,” Ruby Liu, Philippines Area Director, STB, said. “Our unique lineup of Singapore chefs and restaurants offers a little something for everyone. From heritage Singaporean cuisine to contemporary and innovative dishes that reimagine Singaporean food, we look forward to this diverse, eclectic mix whetting the appetites of Filipino foodies and enticing them to visit Singapore to experience more.”
Craving for a taste of Singaporean eats and sips? Then check out the participating establishments you can look forward to seeing at The Grid in the next couple of weeks:
The Elephant Room (Sept. 2 to 30)
The Elephant Room is a culture-forward cocktail bar inspired by the culture, trade, people, and history of Singapore’s Little India. From ingredients sourced in and around the Tekka Market (Singapore’s largest wet market) to its uncommon roster of spirits, its ambition is simple: to share the richness, color, and delight of an under-documented culture to the world one drink and plate at a time.
The Coconut Club (Sept. 9 to 11)
First opened in 2016, The Coconut Club is known throughout Singapore for its signature Nasi Lemak. The Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded dish is made with coconut-infused steamed jasmine rice served alongside organic chicken thigh marinaded for 12 hours in a blend of spices known as rempah. The meal is then tied together with their aromatic, sweet, and savory take on sambal, a sauce made with a blend of chili peppers.
Blue Smoke (Sept. 16 to 18)
Blue Smoke is a smokehouse that serves barbecue in a modern Singapore style, celebrating Singaporean cuisine by creatively elevating local flavors in contemporary, unexpected ways. This culinary movement has come to be known as “Mod-Sin.” Among its offerings is the Rendang Wagyu Brisket, slow smoked for 18 hours, and charcoal grilled over lychee wood.
New Ubin Seafood (Sept. 23 to 25)
New Ubin Seafood is another big name when it comes to Zi Char. New Ubin Seafood, a new fast dining concept under the New Ubin Seafood group, is dedicated to offering “truly Singaporean meals for one”. Its dishes offer a new and unexpected spin on Singaporean food. Signature meals include its Heart Attack Fried Rice, fried rice cooked with beef fat and drippings, and the Boss Bee Hoon, a rice vermicelli noodle dish cooked with egg and fish cakes.
A local twist on Singaporean favorites
Complementing the Singaporean establishments is a selection of local restaurants offering their own takes on Singapore fare. The roster of restaurants includes China Mommy (Sept. 12 to 14), BYRD Tubs - Noodles (Sept. 19 to 21), and Your Local (Sept. 26 to 30).
Catch the SFF 2022 Pop-Up organized by the Singapore Tourism Board for the whole month of September. For more from SFF 2022, visit its Facebook page or website.
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