Singapore - Eating in Singapore with kids

Off to SE Asia with the family soon and part of the trip is 7 nights in Singapore. Just wondering if anyone has some top tips for dining? Obviously the hawker centres work very well, but I have been repeatedly disappointed by the poor service in the mid-range Clarke Quay type venues.

We've enjoyed several meals in the past at Fattys near Sim Lim Square, so any recommendations similar to that would be welcome.

We're staying near Somerset MRT, but are happy to hop on buses. Getting in a cab to go half way across the island however isn't very realistic, so fairly central places are best.

The kids are fairly adventurous with what they eat, so long as it's not spicy.

Thanks

ST

Whilst I like wandering around Clarke Quay - I certainly wouldn't eat there again and certainly not with kids. Feels over priced and under serviced! Also in my first few visits there seemed to be an over-charging issue.


I'd take my kids to a hawker center like Lau Pa Sat (http://www.laupasat.biz/) and reserve my table (put my paper hanky packs on the table) and take them to the stalls to choose what they want which they then carry back to your table. Get there early before the office lunch crowds during the week and they'll have a local experience. It'd be a shame if they don't experience it.

Whilst I like wandering around Clarke Quay - I certainly wouldn't eat there again and certainly not with kids. Feels over priced and under serviced! Also in my first few visits there seemed to be an over-charging issue.

+1

I'd take my kids to a hawker center like Lau Pa Sat (http://www.laupasat.biz/)

Lau Pa Sat is even great in the evening, when they close one of the streets next to it and serve Satay.

I also did like the Ricetable (http://www.ricetable.com.sg/) in the International Building on Orchad Road. Might be interesting for the kids if they are adventurous, as you get a multitude of small plates with lots of stuff to try and you can reorder what you did like.

Don't get me wrong - we'll absolutely be at the Hawker Centres, but as stated we're there for a week so the more ideas the better!

Whenever I go, I try to make it a point to head to a Din Tai Fung restaurant.
Locations: http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/area_a_list.asp?AreaCountryNO=5

Just don't get anything like it in UK. And China Town in London has very poor imitations.

They sell 'Xiao Long Bao' which are quite simply the best dumplings you will ever have. With a thin dash of ginger and vinegar... My mouth is watering and it's only 10am here dammit! ;) If you've never had them before, they are a great experience. The pastry is so thin, but holds the soup in well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao

You have the hawker centers as you mentioned.

Afternoon Tea at Raffles is another experience you can try.

[QUOTE=Jack Napier;16672740I also did like the Ricetable (http://www.ricetable.com.sg/) in the International Building on Orchad Road. Might be interesting for the kids if they are adventurous, as you get a multitude of small plates with lots of stuff to try and you can reorder what you did like.[/QUOTE]

Interested in this ..... saves a trip to AMS:)

I see it's fixed price at lunch (and dinner) - how does this work?

You say "re-order" - do they bring you lot's of small dishes as they would in AMS or do they bring you a dish at a time which you have to finish before the next one comes ...... or is it a buffet?

Hate buffets ......

Interested in this ..... saves a trip to AMS:)

I see it's fixed price at lunch (and dinner) - how does this work?

You say "re-order" - do they bring you lot's of small dishes as they would in AMS or do they bring you a dish at a time which you have to finish before the next one comes ...... or is it a buffet?

Hate buffets ......

They will bring you lots of small dishes and it's all you can eat. You can always reorder some of the small plates. But I think to remember, they have à la carte dining as well (:confused:)

It was the first time I had rice platter, so don't take my opinion as a benchmark. But in general compared to the "right stuff" in asia, europeanized (esp. germanized) asian food is absolute rubbish! (With few exceptions)

Whenever I go, I try to make it a point to head to a Din Tai Fung restaurant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao


I'm getting hungry!!!
Where's an appropriate airline ticket, when you want to have some dinner... ;)

Here's some information about Lau Pa Sat with nighttime shots

Lau Pa Sat & Lau Pa Sat@Night (http://www.best-singapore-guide.com/Singapore-Lau-Pa-Sat.html)

Damn...I know my cousin will go there as she's having an internship for the next two months in SIN after her term abroad in SIN as well last year...

I'm getting hungry!!!
Where's an appropriate airline ticket, when you want to have some dinner... ;)

They have restaurants worldwide, including the states in LA and Seattle. Just unfortunately for me, not London. The one in Hong Kong has a michelin star.

Some more ideas close to the city center:

1) Roadside fruit stalls at Geylang. Most customers go there for durian, but if the king of fruits is not your cup of tea, mangosteen, rambutan and duku/langsat are in season now. Take the MRT to Kallang and walk down Sims Avenue towards Aljunied MRT - you'll find them alongside the road.

2) Restaurant Zam Zam and Hajjah Maimunah in the Bugis Station vicinity for good Malay food. Zam Zam has good roti prata and they make them behind a glass window so the kids can see how a good prata is flipped.

3) A little offbeat: shrimp fishing. Catch your own and bar-b-q them on the spot. One spot close to the city is at the Singapore Badminton Hall (Guillemard Road, near Geylang). S$15 for a rod/bait for an hour - you keep what you catch. They have a restaurant onsite and can do up your catch in a couple of ways too. Next door is a large indoor rock-climbing facility so the kids can have so more fun after the meal.

4) Serangoon Road for Indian food and sweets. Serangoon is accessible by MRT too. South Indian, Singapore-Indian (fish head curry), Hyderabadi Biryani, North Indian etc.

5) Geylang for the turtle soup, frog leg porridge

I would stay away from Clarke Quay restaurant but if you're going for ambience, then Clarke Quay is the place for that; other than that, there are many other options that you can get.

The hawker centres as you have mentioned are good places to start; considering that's what 'street food' are in Singapore context. Some areas that you may want to try are Geylang Market (Eunos MRT) and a 10min walk where you can get some authentic local and Indonesian food. In fact, even South Indian food.

Based on your location at Somerset, you could head to Lucky Plaza and try an Indonesian delicacies (Smashed Chicken) which they called Ayam Penyet. Be careful of the spicy chili. The shop is located on the 4th floor (Ayam Penyet Ria).

There is a few nice restaurants at the top level of Far East Plaza as well though nothing fancy.

It would be great if you could share what kind of food you are looking for. ;)

Welcome to FlyerTalk, botak!

Well, I'm always partial to a bit of Murtabak and Kaizen Sushi is always appreciated by the troops. And as I said, Fattys has really hit the right balance in the past - I suspect they would say the food is Singaporean but there are some big Cantonese influences in there as I recall.

I like the sound of Xiao Long Bao. We may do afternoon tea but I was hugely disappointed by Raffles last time we were there, as they screwed up our reservation. I far preferred the Fullerton which we did the trip before, but that must be 5 years ago now and I guess things change.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, botak!

Thanks! Been going around reading the whole sections and some very informative information around! ^

If you need a BBQ fix, go to Smokey's on Joo Chiat Place.

Whatever you Do Don't make the same mistake I have done in the past in Singapore and that is step foot into a Subway,McDonalds or Burger King.I did that a handful of times during the three night stopover on the way back from the UK in June looking for a quick meal in a hurry instead of going to Hawker Stalls.A good place to go with Kids is the Satay Club and it ain't expensive and it's the real deal.I went out to my local Westfield at Tea Tree Plaza not long after getting home from holidays attempting to find Satay just as good but what a Joke The meat for starters was thick on a skewer and get this $3.90 a stick for that crap

Well, we did assorted food courts in shopping malls, Fatty's up by Sim Lim Square, Lau Pau Sat, some little place near Chinatown MRT and a sushi restaurant on the 4th floor of Orchard Central. All worked perfectly well, with the kids in awe of the sushi place as you ordered the food on an iPad and it was delivered by a bullet train.

OK, I'll admit I thought it was pretty cool too :cool: