Singapore Hot & Spicy
Singapore is an extremely expensive country by my standards. I’m not saying so in relation to my income but in relation to the much lower cost of living in Ipoh. So you can imagine, I was always looking for the cheapest food to eat. I dared not drink too much water too because a small bottle of 500ml water is SGD1.50 or so whereas it would be only about MYR0.50 in Ipoh!
We went twice to Tong Seng Coffee Shop, a halal eatery popular with both Chinese and Malays along North Bridge Road just across Bugis Junction Mall, because of its strategic location and its variety of food kopitiam-style. The cheapest food there seemed to be those that were hottest and spiciest. I walloped them even though I don’t usually go to that extreme. Gosh, just looking at these photos tingles my scalp but at SGD2.50 a bowl of noodles, it was already more than MYR5!
It was full house both times we were there and it was mid-week! That’s how popular Tong Seng is. We opted to sit by the five foot way; at least we get to enjoy the view. Despite the crowd, we were served fairly quickly. Luckily, the elderly waiter could speak Cantonese, a relief to me.
I told a friend that I was only eating noodles, eggs, anchovies and bean sprouts in Singapore. My friend was aghast not at my poor diet but at my stinginess. He said that since I have already set aside a budget for my holiday, I should just go and spend it. I was hoping for leftovers for my next holiday, wherever it may be.
But this isn’t to say that I didn’t eat well or didn’t have a great time in Singapore. I did, thanks to friends who saw to that! Cheers!