We're going round in circles wit this and it's a shame that you wish to post a comment like this but don't want others with different views to post the alternative view. I guess I must be what you have endearingly called "one of the usual suspects" and really you need to understand that expressing views needn't be acrimonious and you really don't need to throw a strop and make the comment that your not going to respond. It's a bit precious and just don't need to reply to stuff if you don't want to without saying so in advance.

You obviously didn't enjoy what you ate ... but that was a matter of the choices you made and aren't true for all and suggesting that your five nights in Singapore provides the expertise for you to generalise in this way I think is unfortunate. Singapore is an expensive place to get to and an expensive place to stay, although I'd expect any FT'er to do a better deal than most of their non-FT compatriots. No one will argue with that.

I also find top-end restaurants very expensive and alcohol is more expensive. However unless you drink a lot of beer and drink in the touristy places like Clarke Quay then an odd beer in a hawker centre with your food isn't going to be crippling to your overall budget when you take the extremely low food costs. It is irritatingly more than a beer at a cheap place at home but what I'm saying is that a meal with a beer in a hawker centre in Singapore is going to be less than most other places visitors eat in when at home or travelling elsewhere.

Food courts and hawker centres are two entirely different animals and also what you will find outside of the main hawker centres that tourists often go to can provide a great variety that would provide some great food experiences. You aren't going to get much authenticity or memorable experiences from food courts. You won't get an awful lot more in many of the central hawker centres except places like Tiong Bahru and the odd stall at places like Golden Mile etc. But that isn't the whole story of Singapore generally.

There are still many hawker stalls that are family staffed and handed down through the generations and who have perfected very narrow ranges of dishes that they are obsessive with and immensely proud of and that are world class eating experiences. This is also often the most genuine "fusion" food you will see anywhere in the world as the families have fused many of the foods of those that made Singapore what it is as a trading nation. These stalls are sadly reducing in number and are rarer in city areas but are really worth seeking out. They are the nuggets of foody Singapore and provide a superior and unbeatable eating experience than many of the expensive places. They are easy to find. Just join a queue in a hawker centre near some of the housing estates out of the centre. This oddly provides a bit of evidence for my other theory in that it often seems the further away from the centre of town, the better the food and the cheaper the food. If you want to find out about these there are many on-line guides and a great book called The CEOs Hawker Guide

Example pages of an old one ....

https://melissadaltonbradford.files....-hawkers-1.pdf

If you go into the reception of Knight Frank in the CBD I think they are still happy to "sell" you the current one for the charity donation.

We stay in Singapore around 60 to 70 nights a year and it is increasing and whilst I can see it entirely possible and understandable for a person that has stayed for just 5 nights and eating at the wrong places might say it is expensive and not that good .... it really isn't an accurate general description of Singapore if you just take a small amount of effort.

I know your not tolerant of this view but ... but I spend a fair amount of time in Singapore and I'm genuinely trying to help you ... so there you go!