I’m currently on an epic seven-week adventure with my travel buddy (and husband) John. We kicked things off with a couple of nights in Singapore to break up the journey and enjoy some of our favourite local treats.
We usually stay at the Furama City Centre in Chinatown. It’s budget-friendly but, honestly, a bit tired and smelly. Every time we stayed there, we’d gaze longingly at the ParkRoyal Pickering and promise ourselves that one day we’d splurge. Well, after a tipsy late-night decision, this trip became the one. Side note: my dear friend Mike always says never make plans during cocktails, I’m pleased to say this time he was wrong.
It was such a treat to start the holiday with a little luxury. The room was gorgeous, the pool was magic, and the service wonderful. While the two nights cost more than both of our flights to Singapore (!), we balanced it out by skipping the overpriced hotel buffet and eating like the locals.
YA KUN KAYA
Staying in Chinatown gave us easy access to cheap and delicious eats. For breakfast, nothing beats Ya Kun Kaya Toast. The classic order is kopi (a strong coffee with condensed milk), kaya toast, and soft-boiled eggs — all for about $6.
I love it because we eat like the locals. You can find a generic buffet anywhere in the world, but kaya toast and kopi is a uniquely Singaporean experience. There’s just something about thin slices of toast slathered with kaya jam and butter that’s quintessentially Singapore. For me, travel is about those experiences you simply can’t have at home, and this is one of them.
BACHA COFFEE
nyone who knows me and John knows we’re coffee-obsessed. We have a commercial espresso machine at home and always travel with an Aeropress. Kopi is perfect for breakfast, but for our daily coffee fix, Bacha Coffee is our go-to in Singapore.
Bacha is a whole vibe. As a branding geek, I love how perfectly thought-through everything is — from the waiters’ uniforms to the giant menu book to the little cardboard sleeve your receipt comes in. The brand brings back the grand old coffeehouse feel but in an accessible, affordable way.
The menu is massive, with hundreds of blends to choose from. This time we went for their Machu Picchu blend. The coffee arrives filtered and served black from a gold-plated urn that looks like it belongs in a Sultan’s palace. It comes with chantilly cream and rock sugar crystals on the side — the coffee was divine.
Of course, we over-ordered pastries: I had a chocolate pistachio coffee cake, while John had a kaya croissant. No regrets.
We even brought some Machu Picchu blend with us, and it’s been lovely to brew in our Aeropress here in Poland — a little taste of Singapore in Europe.
Fuelled by espresso, sarcasm, and a loathing for comic sans.