A good pizza used to be hard to come by, but not anymore. In fact, there are so many Italian restaurants in town these days that there’s a bit of contention about which is the best. Our foodies tried two pizzas (one seafood, one ham and mushroom) from five of the top Italian pizzerias, not knowing which restaurants they came from. Here’s who came out tops (or not).

Ristorante Da Valentino

Seafood
The catch: Mussels, prawns in shell.
Effort required: Too much.
Overall pizzazz: If we didn’t have to work so hard to eat this, it would have tasted better.

Ham and mushroom
Other toppings: Rucola and shaved parmesan.
Heavy or light: Wonderfully light.
Overall pizzazz: Thumbs up.

La Strada Pizzeria

Seafood
The catch: Scallops, prawns, squid. Looked great.
Taste factor: Liked the flavorful cheese, good squid but prawns weren’t very fresh.
Overall pizzazz: Good but inconsistent.

Ham and mushroom
Other toppings: None.
Flavor flash: Ham is off the bone and is smoky. Acquired taste.
Overall pizzazz: Erm … pass this pie along.

Sapori D’Italia (BEST SEAFOOD PIZZA)

Seafood
The catch: Prawns, calamari and chili flakes.
Simple or elaborate? Plain but good with light chopped tomatoes.
Overall pizzazz: The best catch of the lot.

Ham and mushroom
Other toppings: Artichokes.
Simple or elaborate? Definitely simple, but worked.
Overall pizzazz: Compared to the others, this needs some sizzle.

Papi

Seafood
The catch: Mussels, squid, prawns, pesto.
Effort required: Again, too much. Mussels were in their shells.
Overall pizzazz: OK. It worked, the pesto helped a lot.

Ham and mushroom
Other toppings: None.
Ham vs mushroom: Fungi won with strong mushroom flavors.
Overall pizzazz: Next to our best ham and mushroom pizza.

Sistina (BEST HAM AND MUSHROOM PIZZA)

Seafood
The catch: Diced seafood and lots of chili.
Fishy factor: Prawns were fresher than on the other pizzas.
Overall pizzazz: The second best seafood pizza we had.

Ham and mushroom
Other toppings: Lots. Spanish onions, capsicum, marinated mushrooms, smoked cheddar and proscuitto.
Simple or elaborate? The mix of toppings was elaborate but yummy.
Overall pizzazz: Our top choice.

Spizza

Seafood
The catch: Squid, mussels, olives and lots of other toppings.
Simple or elaborate? This was chock full of seafood, almost too much for our tasters.
Overall pizzazz: You need to be a huge seafood fan to enjoy this.

Ham and mushroom
Other toppings: Cherry tomatoes and porcini. “Ham” was large fatty slices of pancetta.
Heavy or light? Quite oily, but full of flavor.
Overall pizzazz: We’re not sure about this one. Some raved about it, others were hmm-ing and ha-ing.

PRINCE OF PIZZAS

Sistina! They dominated in the ham and mushroom stakes and came second in the seafood ratings. Spizza deserves a mention too. They may not have won any category outright, but was always voted as a mid-range pizza and never bombed out.

Address Book

La Strada Pizzeria, #02-11 Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Rd., 6737-2555.
Papi, 5 Mohamed Sultan Rd., 6732-6269.
Ristorante Da Valentino, 11 Jalan Bingka, 6462-0555.
Sapori D’Italia, #02-00, 165 Penang Rd., 6732-1691.
Sistina, #01-58 Chip Bee Gardens, 44 Jalan Merah Saga, 6476-7782.
Spizza, 29 Club St., 6224-2525; 26/26B Lorong Mambong, 6468-1982; #01-09 Balmoral Plaza, 271 Bukit Timah Rd., 6333-8148; #01-69 Harbourfront Centre, 1 Maritime Square, 6271-0923; 7 Maju Ave., 6280-8880; 109 Killiney Rd., 6732-4700.

Chocolates are a gal’s second best friend. And like a good man, a good chocolate used to be hard to find. So thank goodness there’s now a slew of places selling decent handmade chocolates to choose from (we even have two places calling themselves chocolate factories!). We picked out four of the best, but rather than just describing them using the usual adjectives, we went a step further.

The Smooth Operator

This Chocolat Factory’s chocolates, like any sweet-talker you’d find in a bar or a club: They have a boyish charm to them—their shapes evoke childhood memories of naughty indulgence. But like any guy on the prowl, they’re lacking a little substance beyond the initial sugariness and don’t have much refinement or complexity. Good for a bit of fun or just to binge every now and then, but probably not one that you’d marry.

The Holiday Fling

Canele’s chocolates are perfect for those who like to experiment. What you see looks enticing but may not be what you expect, which can be a little titillating. Flavors like lemon tart and green tea make them unpredictable—you never quite know how they’re going to be—but like a holiday fling, they’re always worth pursuing and will leave a fond memory, even if the experience is somewhat surprising. We like that they’re creative, even if we might not always agree.

The Family Guy

After several years on our shores, Isreali chain Max Brenner has shown that it’s a stayer. This is a chocolate you can count on time and again. Like Mr Reliable, you know what you’re going to get and you’ll never be disappointed. Through good times and bad, and all the different flavors, these are consistently good chocolates—and we really can’t ask for more than that.

Mr Perfect

Smooth, classy and always well-heeled, these chocolates are like every girl’s fantasy dreamboat. Classic and consistent, these sophisticated chocolates can be relied upon to impress your parents (or your boss) and will have all the other gals green with envy. The creaminess of these quite traditional-tasting pralines makes The Chocolate Factory’s chocolates a winner. Chocolatier Laurent Bernard must be the most sought-after man in Singapore.

Address Book

Canele, #01-08 Unity St., Robertston Walk, 6738-8145; The Esprit Cafe by Canele, #03-100 Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Rd., 6733-7898.
Chocolat Factory, Spain2Dream, #01-18 Vivo City 1 Harbourfront Walk, 6376-9108.
The Chocolate Factory, #01-11 The Pier @ Robertson, 80 Mohamed Sultan Rd., 6235-9007.
Max Brenner, #01-06/08 Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Ave., 6235-9556.

Over our 11 years of eating our way through our city’s restaurants, we’ve noticed a trend in diners. Particular restaurants seem to draw a particular type of clientele, who are not defined by age or race, but rather, by something more intangible. We spent some time checking them out and discovered there are five types of Singapore diner. So what type are you?

Glamour Puss

Someone who likes to be seen at the latest hot spots, to drop the names of the most fabulous restaurants, and who personally knows the owners everywhere. These are people who have already been to the choicest and most chic new restaurants before you’ve even read about them, and will like to brag about how they thought “the foie gras at so-and-so weren’t as good as the oysters at such-and-such.”

What gets them in: Any place that’s hip, new and happening is a magnet for the glamour puss. Typically these are the restaurants with the coolest interiors, slickest look, most awesome views and, of course, are filled with the most beautiful people.

Oh, and anywhere where there’s a dress code and bookings are essential may also very well make it into the list. They go to all those places we’ve all heard about: Some of us may have been to a few, but very few of us have been to them all.
Most probably seen at: Il Lido, Graze, PS Cafe.

Power Suit

Like the Glamour Puss, the Power Suit has usually been to most of the hottest restaurants in town, just often with a larger budget. Bankers, traders and business people are some of the best dining experts in town and know all the best restaurant menus like the back of their hands. But unlike the transient and uncommitted Glamour Puss, they entertain so much that they’ve been around, and know a really good meal when they see it, rather than being enticed by the beautiful surrounds.

What gets them in: Any place that’s decent enough to entertain clients, has a strong wine list and serves really top notch cuisine that will impress. As well as checking out the new players, Power Suits usually like to go where the food is consistently and reliably notable. Having spot-on service usually helps too.

Most probably seen at: Saint Pierre, La Strada.

Old School

A.k.a. Food Snobs. These are people who don’t care about what the place looks like, what the service is like, or where the restaurant is located; they will go anywhere for good food. They know which hawker stall in which centre sells the best this or that, they refuse to eat at anywhere that’s not on their list of the best of the best and they will wait for hours for their food, always somewhat smugly imparting their culinary critique on the meal at the end.

What gets them in: One thing and one thing only: Truly amazing food. If it’s not the best you’ve ever had, they won’t be there. And be very careful about recommending something to a Food Snob. If it’s substandard, they’ll tear it apart. In fact, expect any meal with them to be accompanied by a constant stream of commentary. For example, “The nasi lemak is OK lah, but needs more coconut and there’s too much ikan bilis.” And the more out of the way, inaccessible and unheard of, the better. Old School foodies don’t care about what’s hot or not, so fashion doesn’t effect them (in fact, they think they get a bit of kudos if the restaurant is an unknown), and they tend to have their faves that they return to again and again.

Most probably seen at: Ristorante Da Valentino, Jason’s Penang Cuisine and many others that they won’t tell you about.

Penny Pinchers

OK, so tight wads are funny about money in all parts of their lives, but we do think they’re particularly annoying when it comes to restauranting. They might be hard to spot at first (you may even go though a whole meal before you realize you’re dining with one) but they consistently spoil any dinner out by making a fuss over the cheque. We know we’re not all made of money, but these are the kinds of people who’ll quarrel over splitting the bill evenly because they ordered vegetarian food rather than meat, who are always quick to point out they should pay less because they didn’t order a dessert, and who just make an overall dining experience with them damn unpleasant.

What gets them in: Anything that’s value for money. The cheaper the better. They particularly favor buffets (they’re the ones with their plates piled high with seafood) and hawker centres and their first response to an invitation out is to ask “how much?”. Avoid like the plague.

Most probably seen at: NUS Canteens, any ulu neighborhood hawker centre.

Food Philistine

These people don’t read I-S Magazine for the dining section, don’t know spaghetti from noodles and think that defrosting something from 7-Eleven is an adequate meal. These are people who are not foodies. They think the best burgers come from a fast food chain, they don’t question the presence of sausage in a pizza crust and they place no importance in a meal whatsoever. Whether they eat potato crisps or truffles for dinner, it makes no difference to them.

What gets them in: Usually they dine wherever is most convenient. Anywhere that doesn’t have a queue and isn’t too expensive will do, lah. While these unfussy eaters might be easy to please, for the true foodie, eating with them is frustratingly disappointing. They never get excited over their meal and they never go into ecstasies about the dessert, which all makes for a rather unsatisfying restaurant experience.

Most probably seen at: 7-Eleven, Cheers, the stall with the shortest queue at the hawker centre.

CNN host, reporter and celebrity Richard Quest is as gregarious, warm and eccentric in person as he is on TV. Viewers are familiar with his intoxicating and hilarious banter on CNN Business Traveller and Quest, not to mention his 20 years of business and current affairs coverage on both radio and television.

So how do you find being interviewed as opposed to interviewing?
I find it very uncomfortable. I’m nothing more than a journalist, and I’m not being falsely modest when I say that. I am constantly uncomfortable; I feel like I have sand in my underpants.

But you’re holding a press conference today, how do you think you’re going to handle that?
I feel like I’m poacher turned gamekeeper. I’m normally sitting in the audience trying to knock the pompous idiot who’s sitting on the podium off his perch. I promise you, it’s one of the most difficult things, when you spend your life trying to get an answer that the person didn’t want to give and now there’s going to be a group of people asking me questions trying to get me to say what I don’t want to say.

So are you used to the whole fame thing?
You’ve just got to remember that people, for whatever reason, are impressed or they’re slightly awed because you’re on television. It’s crap. I can assure you that when I stubbed my toe in the morning I swore like you do. People don’t realize that on television I’m prepared, I’m working. But if I’m going to the tube station in London and somebody recognizes me, they don’t know that I might have just had an argument with my mother, I might just have been overdrawn at the bank, but they expect you to be immediately the person you are on television. And that’s fine, I’m not going to moan about that. I’ve worked 20 years to get here and I’m not going to moan because I’ve finally got there. I’m going to enjoy it. The key to it is just recognizing that the rules have changed.

Tell us a TV secret.
Well, I always wear a white shirt. And there’s a reason for that: It’s for continuity. For instance, two days ago we filmed a piece on the haze. Then yesterday, we filmed the second part and I was wearing a different suit. And I suddenly realized this piece is going to fall apart because the audience is going to think, “Stupid idiot, he’s wearing two different suits.”

So what do you think of our haze then?
I’m slightly surprised there hasn’t been more anger about it. In other countries I’d think they’d probably be more strident. Possibly because they’d be more worried about having it thrown back in their face and losing an election. I don’t know, it’s not for me to say.

Can you introduce us to your travel companion, Sleepy? How old is he?
That’s a polite way of saying, “He’s a mothy old stuffed toy.” He’s about 10 years old. He came from the Travelodge in Philadelphia so I just took him home and he’s sat in my briefcase ever since. He comes everywhere with me.

What will you be doing tomorrow?
SQ 22 lifts off at 11:10am, and for the next 18 hours and 42 minutes I will be flying to New York. During that time I’ve got several articles to write, not least one for Future Summit, about whether I would want to be a space tourist.

So would you?
I don’t know. I’m a coward. I’m scared of dying unnecessarily. I don’t have such an urge to do it that I would believe that my death is justified.

What tickles your fancy?
Food that I like. A nice apple crumble with custard. And there’s nothing nicer than two soft-boiled eggs. I hear you say, “Why does that tickle your fancy?” Because I was looking forward to them. And they were just perfect. So what tickles my fancy on wider issues is something I’m looking forward to that lives up to its expectation. The converse to that is something that I look forward to that doesn’t will send me into a little cloud. A little local haze will appear just above my head.

What’s the perfect breakfast?
Two soft-boiled eggs, three to three-and-a-half minutes, a latte and white toast. Maybe a bagel if I’m feeling adventurous. I have no wish to have muesli. Why would somebody eat rabbit food for breakfast? If I do have cereal, it’s something really unhealthy like Frosties or Coco Puffs. There’s a wonderful American cereal called Cap’n Crunch; it gives meaning to life.

With all your travel, don’t you find it’s hard to get perfect soft-boiled eggs in hotels?
Yes, and room service is even worse because they boil them 15 floors below you and by the time they put them on a trolley, put it in the service elevator, and get them up to you, you could virtually play basketball with them. Allegedly Prince Charles has seven eggs cooked every morning so he can get the perfect egg. I have to say the Palace has denied this.

If you could only bring one thing on the plane with you for a long haul flight, what would it be and why?
Sleepy.

What’s the one habit that you stick to, no matter how your routine changes?
I will make sure I make time for breakfast in the morning and clean my shoes in the evening. I find it very therapeutic to clean my shoes for 10 minutes before I go to bed.

So you’ve been doing this your whole life then?
I’ve only be doing it the last couple of months. Ever since I was with Prince Andrew in Kazachstan. At the end of four days I shook hands with him, said goodbye, and he just looked down at my shoes, shook his head, and said, “Oh dear.” I was so mortified that I immediately went and bought some shoe polish, a cloth, a brush and I started doing it. I wrote to His Royal Highness pointing out that he has probably given me a complex.

Do you think His Royal Highness polishes his own shoes?
I was tempted to say, “Polish your own bloody shoes” but I think his answer would have been, “After 20 years in the Navy, Richard, I can polish my own shoes better than you can,” so I didn’t go there.

If you had five minutes to change someone’s opinion about something, who would that someone be and what would you want to change their opinion on?
When people think journalists are trouble or mischief makers, I want to make it clear to them that we have a calling, a duty, a right. In many cases the rights and liberties you enjoy are because somebody fought for them. We’re not doing it because we think it’s fun; we have a duty to do it. Watergate or weapons of mass destruction would never have been found out if it wouldn’t have been for journalists. Would you rather be lied to by politicians or cheated by businessmen?

What’s your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?
Go out with friends for dinner, but good friends, not just any old friends. I don’t want 15 people that I don’t hardly know. I want two or three close friends and a good restaurant so we can catch up properly.

How many frequent flier miles do you have?
I’ve just gone over a million this trip.

What is your quest in life?
God forbid I drop dead today, I would like people to say, “He was a gentleman.”

It’s a commonly held belief that Caucasian expat guys get better service, can get away with anything, and steal all the women. But is this just an urban myth or is there some reality to this? We pitted two guys against each other and got them to perform a series of tasks to see how each one fared. Our two guinea pigs, one expat and one Singaporean, hit the streets and discovered that all is not what we thought it would be.

(Left) The Expat: Thorsten Tripp

Do you think Caucasian male expats have it better in Singapore than everyone else? “I’m not sure. This city is open, friendly and even when I first arrived, I was approached and asked if I needed help. Maybe if you are a typical expat and act arrogant then you would get better service, but I try to be better than that. I think if you’re a foreigner you have to play by the rules.”

What do you think will happen during the experiment?
“They will rip me off at Newton for sure. I once had an experience where I ordered three prawns, some Hong Kong noodles and one plate of kailan there and they charged me $78. I think it’s easier [to avoid getting ripped off] if you know the prices and can speak a bit of Singlish. But I still definitely pay more. In the real estate market they definitely try to push the prices up as well.”

(Right) The Local: Craig Monteiro

Do you think Caucasian male expats have it better in Singapore than everyone else? “At first glance, yes. But if you dig a little deeper you find it’s not so easy for them here. For instance, dealing with local contractors can be difficult; if you use local jargon you can get a better deal. It will take new expats longer to figure out that using a term like “auntie” or “uncle” is what we do here, not “excuse me.” Expats find it more difficult to be street smart about the local ways unless there is someone to show them.”

What do you think will happen during the experiment?
“I think out of all the tasks the expat will have an easier ride for three. Service-wise he will get a lot better service. It will be an eye-opener to see if he gets approached when he’s lost as well. I think he will be. If I were to stand with a map I don’t think any Singaporeans would come and help. Singaporeans are helpful to foreigners but we’re shy about talking to locals. We tend not to volunteer information because we don’t want to seem kaipo.”

The Job Market

The Test: So first things first, we’ve gotta know about the cash situation—do expats earn more money than locals simply because they’re Caucasian? We sent resumes with equivalent experience levels to three recruitment houses to see how Craig and Thorsten fared. Of the three, two responded.
Recruitment house A estimated our expat could expect a salary in the range of $150,000-170,000 a year plus bonus, from the experience listed on his resume. Recruitment house A also contacted our local and aggressively attempted to secure an interview with him, but refused to disclose a salary price range until he first disclosed his current salary.
Recruitment house B estimated our local could expect an annual salary of $120,000-140,000 based on his experience. They did not contact our expat.
Verdict: Things here turned out as we’d expected: Our expat completely steamrolled our local and was offered a starting salary of $30,000 more, (albeit the numbers are from different recruitment houses).

House Hunting

The Test: Since we don’t see that many white folk out in suburbs like Serangoon Gardens or Bukit Panjang, we wanted to find out if there were any obstacles that prevent locals and expats from mingling in the same neighborhood.

We had both our expat and our local call up the same real estate agents to enquire about housing rental prices. Both first called an agent for a property off Farrer Road, a largely expat condominium that had been advertised as “Expat’s Choice.” When contacted the agent quoted the same advertised price to both our volunteers, and then went on to immediately ask what race our volunteers were. When questioned about why, she said that the landlord did not want certain ethic groups in her apartment. The agent didn’t try to push either of our volunteers into a higher price bracket.

Our volunteers then both contacted another agent in regards to a condominium in Toa Payoh that is largely housed by locals. In both cases the agent quoted the same price to both the expat and the local, and was friendly but didn’t try to push either of our volunteers.

Verdict: Contrary to our expectation, we were surprised to find that neither of the estate agents took our volunteers’ nationality (as opposed to race) into consideration. So does this mean we can expect to see more expats in Tampines then?

Tourist Attraction

The Test: Street food is our national pride and joy, so what better place to test out our treatment of foreigners than at the iconic Newton Food Centre? We sent our volunteers to Newton to order the same meal and see if there was a price and service difference. The pair were only seated about 20 meters away from each other, the items they ordered were roughly the same size, yet they received quite different bills.
Our expat was approached by between five to six hawkers. Our local was approached by between six to seven hawkers who were initially aggressive, but then backed off when he took awhile to order. Neither experienced any up-selling once they ordered. Here’s the shocker: Despite ordering the same food, and neither party bargaining, the expat was charged $28 more than the local!

Verdict: We did expect a price difference, but even we, the street-wise folk at I-S, were shocked by this one. Thirty dollars can buy you quite a few big fat drinks, which our expat would certainly need after being ripped off so blatantly.

At Your Service

The Test: So we all know Singaporean service is not quite up to standard and we’re convinced it’s even worse if you’re a local. So to test the waters, our guinea pigs went to a number of establishments to find out just how service standards differ for foreigners and locals.

High End Retail—Our volunteers separately went into a well-known high end retail store in Paragon. In both situations the store was either empty or had very few other customers. Both our volunteers walked around the store for around 10 minutes and were ignored while the service staff chatted among themselves. Eventually our local was approached by someone who was heading into the store’s office to answer the phone and happened to pass by. The sales staff asked a few questions about what our volunteer wanted to purchase, offered some suggestions, but didn’t try to close the sale. Our expat left the store after 10 minutes because he was not approached.

Mid-Range Retail—Both our volunteers went to a well-established electronics retailer in Ngee Ann City to enquire about LCD televisions. Both were shown exemplary service: They were approached immediately by helpful staff, they were provided with the information they needed, and the staff didn’t try to up-sell them. In both cases the staff spent over 10 minutes with our volunteers. Our local was shown televisions in the price range of between $1,999-2,400 for a 34-inch television suitable for an HDB flat. Our expat was shown televisions in the price range of between $3,000-3,500 for a 40-inch television.

Tourist Area Retail—We sent our volunteers to the same camera shop in Lucky Plaza to enquire about a digital camera. In both cases the store was crowded with foreign sailors. The expat was given very minimal service. He was shown models priced between $150 and $300 but as the shop was busy the staff didn’t try too hard to persuade him to buy. His transaction lasted about five minutes.

Our local waited in the middle of the store for about five minutes without being approached for service. Eventually he managed to make eye contact with a staff member and was shown a camera priced at $599. The staff showed him how it operated, and tried to bargain him down to $570. When our local still looked disinterested, the staff took him aside to a quiet part of the store and asked if he was a sailor from the ship that had recently arrive in Singapore. When our volunteer mentioned that he was actually a local, the price dropped to $512. The sales person was quite pushy and actively tried to close the deal.

Bar Service—On the same Saturday night we sent our two volunteers to the same two bars to have a few drinks and check out the scene. In the first bar (one frequented by both expats and locals) they received the same service. In the second bar (one frequented mainly by locals) their experiences were quite different. When our expat arrived there was no queue to get in, and he found it easy to obtain bar service the entire night, despite the bar being packed. When our local arrived there was quite a long queue outside the bar. One of the staff approached him and told him a way he could bypass the queue so he wouldn’t have to wait too long. But once inside, our local found it more difficult to get a drink. He was not approached even when he stood at the bar and made eye contact—after several minutes of waiting he was only served when he asked someone if he could have a drink.

Taxis—Throughout the experiment our volunteers took cabs from the same places at roughly the same times. Neither had a problem with flagging cabs from the side of the road or with taxi drivers taking them the wrong way.

Verdict: Our service experiment yielded mixed results. We were right that service standards are pretty poor no matter who you are—whether in a bar or in an expensive branded store, service was often not initiated; our volunteers had to ask for it, if they received it at all. But we were surprised that there didn’t really seem to be any difference in the type of service our volunteers received—apart from the massive savings in Lucky Plaza, of course.

Helping a Stranger

The Test: So our professional service staff might not want to help out their customers, but we also wanted to test whether people in the street were more responsive to foreigners or to locals. We reluctantly acknowledge that we’re pretty self-centered people, but we’d like to think that we will put on a smiling face for visitors—just like we enthusiastically did during IMF. To find out if this is true, we made both our guinea pigs stand in Orchard Road for 15 minutes on a busy Saturday holding a map and looking perplexed to see how long it would take for someone to offer to help them. In both cases the street was quite crowded with lots of people shopping and hanging around. After exactly fifteen minutes one of the promotional staff from a stall nearby, who must have seen our volunteer standing there for some time, came and asked our local if he needed help. No one approached our expat, although several people walked past and then turned back to stare at him.

Verdict: Again, we Singaporeans managed to surprise ourselves. Our volunteers found that, far from being welcoming, we were only willing to help a stranger after they’ve been floundering for quite a long time. That is, as our expat found, if we help at all.

The Singles Scene

The Test: Time for the crucial test—can our boys really complain that the local talent pool is shrinking because of those darned expats? To help us suss out the theory that expat guys have more luck picking up local girls, we sent our two volunteers to two bars to try out their luck. In the first bar both the volunteers were equally unsuccessful. But in the second bar (one packed with locals and very few Caucasian foreigners), there was vast difference. Throughout the same night our expat was approached by between five to seven local girls, all quite good-looking, trying to strike up a conversation with him. One girl even dragged him across the bar to where her friend was standing and then asked if she could kiss him. Our local was not approached.

Verdict: Maybe it’s a stereotype, but given the vast discrepancy between their experiences, it’s difficult not to conclude our expat really was a magnet for Singaporean girls, and not just the SPGs.

The Analysis

The Expat: “Very interesting results, as I said, we get ripped off in Singapore! But even if Craig got the better deal, most of my friends (locals and expats) like Singapore. For the things we get, it’s still worth the price we have to pay. Sure, it is sometimes a disappointment to feel that I get treated differently, but to be honest this is how many other countries treat foreigners, including my own. And being a foreigner does also have its benefits. There are always two sides to the coin.”

The Local: “There were a few surprises—I thought I would have to really turn on the local thing to get a bargain but I didn’t really have to, and as an Asian I would have thought no one would come and help me when I was lost. But I really never thought that the margin would be so much at Newton—we are supposed to be a clean, safe and honest country. As locals we might save more money, but we don’t get as much attention from the local chicks, so I guess we should just go and find a Vietnamese wife!”

We’d love to say this myth is busted, but our experiment yielded mixed results. From what we saw we’d say we were right about two things: Expats have a higher earning potential than most locals, and they seem to have a better success rate Singaporean women. And the flip side is that being local seems to help the pocketbook. But in many situations, contrary to conventional wisdom, our expat and local didn’t seem to experience many differences in treatment at all. So maybe the expat factor is not as important as most people think. While there is still a gap in treatment, it seems to be getting smaller.

Japanese food in Singapore used to be just about sushi and udon, but in the past few years yakitori and teppanyaki have begun to establish a place on our dining palates. Now, with the arrival of Singapore’s first fully fledged robataya restaurant, we decided to find out exactly what’s the difference between these forms of Japanese dining where all the chefs are performing acrobatics with the food, some using a paddle, others serving their food on skewers and the rest carving it up at the grill.

Yakitori

Unlike its counterparts, yakitori’s focus is usually on chicken and vegetables, with high grade fish thrown in (yakitori actually means “grilled chicken”). But unlike teppanyaki, yakitori is cooked on a grill rather than a hotplate (in other words, an open flame) and is served on skewers (known as kushi). But if you think yakitori is just expensive barbeque, think again. Mishima Taoki, customer service officer of newcomer Torisho Taka by Aoki (#02-01 Gallery Hotel, 1 Nanson Rd., 6732-3343), insists yakitori is a finely honed skill. “Asking the difference between yakitori and barbeque is like asking the difference between sewing and tailoring. Everyone can do simple sewing but not everyone can tailor. Yakitori is a skill as compared to barbequing,” he says.

Because the artistry of the cooking is also an experience, Taoki suggests guests always request counter, rather than table dining, especially for small groups. “High end dining is more than a feast for the palate—it’s a multi-sensory feast: You take in the chargrilled smells and you see the chef’s deft handling of the grill. The yakitori counter is akin to a stage where the chef performs nightly.”

For instance, at Torisho Taka, the traditions of the craft are taken so seriously that only binjo charcoal from the Kochi prefecture is used as it is traditionally considered to give the best flavor to the yakitori grill.

For those of us not used to the yakitori concept, it can be difficult to comprehend just how it works. Unlike a Western meal, the food is shared, but unlike a Chinese meal, the portions tend to be bite-sized (literally two or three items on a skewer). Taoki says if you’re eating a full yakitori meal, then its best to start with the skewer items first. These are the equivalent of an amuse bouche. Follow these with cold and hot appetizers, then don (rice) or udon (noodles) as the mains. Finish with the freshest fruit the season has to offer.

However, if you’re having your yakitori more as an accompaniment to a long drinking session, then ordering a few dishes at a time over a prolonged period of time is better, as you get to see the chef at work and the food tastes better piping hot from the stove.

Robataya

Robataya is the traditional blue collar form of dining in Roppongi, Japan, and Robataya Yoyogi (#01-04 The Pier, 80 Mohamed Sultan Rd., 6733-8711) is trying to emulate the tradition for Singaporeans. Unlike yakitori, robataya focuses on several different kinds of grilled items rather than predominantly chicken, and many of these are not served on yakitori skewers.

Indeed, robataya chefs in Japan serve their customers kneeling, so they place the food on large wooden paddles to better reach their diners. Here in Singapore the chefs are standing, but the large paddles are still used making the dining a visually interesting experience.

True to its working class roots, robataya as a communal form of eating is supposed to be noisier and more robust than the refined yakitori restaurant. According to Edwin Tan of Robataya Yoyogi, most patrons would sit around the counter, rather than at tables in a robataya restaurant. In fact, robataya restaurants are predominantly drinking establishments, where small amounts of food are consumed over several hours in company with the drinks. Tan says that at his restaurant customers often sit for hours at a time, chatting and drinking and ordering a few dishes and enjoying them, rather than dining quickly and leaving.

Teppanyaki

We all know that seats at the counter in a teppanyaki restaurant are coveted because it’s only here that you get the true teppanyaki experience: The chef slicing, dicing, tossing and throwing your food in all manner of crazy acrobatics. Indeed, the whole teppanyaki experience is largely about watching how your meal is constructed, so getting a seat at the counter is not just ideal—it’s a must.

Executive Chef Hiroshi Ishii of Keyaki (4/F, Pan Pacific Singapore, Marina Square, 7 Raffles Blvd., 6826-8335) points out that the major difference between teppanyaki and other types of dining is that the food is grilled on a hot plate or griddle, rather than on an open flame so the flavors are quite different. Common ingredients used in teppanyaki cooking include cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, sausages and corn.

Turning Japanese

So we might know our ebi from our unagi, but it seems there are still some etiquette faux pas we are making in our sushi restaurants. And most of these mistakes relate to what to do with those condiments. According to Candy Lim Choon Moy of fine dining restaurant Aoki, really top quality Japanese food needs very little garnishing or seasoning. So while using soy and wasabi is not unacceptable, drowning your food in them will mask the subtle flavors.

For instance, Lim says high quality sushi really shouldn’t be eaten with wasabi because it covers the freshness of the fish. But if you really can’t do without the green stuff, then just spread a little on the top of your fish and dip (don’t dunk) the bottom of your fish into the soy sauce.

Indeed, wasabi is a delicacy in itself and good quality wasabi should be taken seriously. Etiquette enthusiast and managing director of Mercury Marketing & Communications Tjin Lee says that high end wasabi should be placed on the side of the soya sauce dish, instead of blending it up into a soup with the soy as most of us do. “A Japanese chef told me you can’t appreciate the quality of good wasabi that way,” she adds.

Lee also advises that while it is okay to pick up small plates and bowls while eating, flat plates or big bowls should be kept on the table. And don’t worry about slurping your food in a Japanese restaurant—Lee assures us this is good manners in Japan and shows your appreciation for the food.

Chinese Whispers

Just because you can use chopsticks doesn’t mean you’re completely au fait with Chinese restaurant etiquette. Most of us know that leaving your chopsticks sticking out of the bowl of rice is considered to be bad luck. But using your chopsticks as a spear to stab the food is also not acceptable. Lee tells us that chopsticks should be used to pick up the food between them or on top of them, not to impale or as a fork and knife.

And whether you are avoiding carbohydrates or not, rice bowls must always be filled with a minimum of two scoops, not one. Michael Cheng, F&B operations manager for Min Jiang also warns against talking with a full mouth and slurping one’s soup—don’t mistake a Chinese for a Japanese restaurant. And be discreet when using a toothpick; cover your mouth with your free hand (no one wants to see what you’re doing behind there).

To ensure the other diners are comfortable and always hydrated, tip the teapot lid when it is empty—Lee rightly suggests this over waving madly at the waitress for top ups.

And don’t forget, Chinese restaurants are all about the communal dining experience, so be aware of your fellow diners. For example, as Lee points out, a crab only has two claws, so if you are dining with friends, it might not go down so well if you grab both the claws for yourself. According to Cheng, shaking your legs under the table is another restaurant no-no, not to mention it is pretty irritating for everyone else.

Since everyone at the table has to share the food, taking into account others’ food preferences is also important. “Guests who have a social conscience don’t always take kindly to eating endangered species, so don’t, for example order sharks’ fin. Many people do not eat sharks’ fin these days, and it is embarrassing to be left with untouched bowls,” says Lee.

Eye for Indian

Just because we eat roti prata regularly at 3am on a Saturday night doesn’t mean we’re experts in Indian dining etiquette. Indeed, most of us are oblivious to the nuances of Indian restaurant dining.

One of the greatest bones of contention is the best implement to use when eating Indian food. Executive Chef of Rang Mahal Manish Law says eating with your hands in a fine dining restaurant is an acceptable practice, but not throughout the entire meal. “Pappadums and Indian breads definitely need to be eaten with the hands, as they can’t be cut up with a knife and fork. As long as it doesn’t become too messy, it is ok to use the hands in a fine dining restaurant.” Lee takes a different view. “It’s customary to eat with your hands in a traditional Indian restaurant. But don’t eat like the natives if the natives don’t eat like natives. If it is a posh Indian restaurant, and cutlery is provided, you are probably expected to use it,” she says.

If you want to try honing your manual skills, then Law tells us that it’s always the right hand that puts the food into the mouth. “The left hand is to be kept clean for use of service or for picking up a drink or spoon or plate. Of course, it is hard to tear naan with just one hand so you can use your left hand in this case too.”
Law also gave us some tips on the best way to really enjoy Indian cuisine as it is meant to be eaten. “Diners who are not familiar with Indian food may order a table of kebabs (dry dishes),” he says. “We would recommend some curry dishes as well so that diners can enjoy the rice and breads better. Similarly, it is also not recommended to have a table of curries only. It is best to have a balance.”

10 Worst Dining Faux Pas

This may sound simple but it’s amazing how many people forget: When you are in a restaurant do not behave like you’re eating in front of the telly in your living room. Here are some serious no-no restaurant behavior that will instantly earn you the scorn of the maitre d’. So take our advice, please don’t:

• Chew with your mouth open
• Talk while chewing with your mouth open
• Rummage through every piece of food on a communal plate to find the perfect piece for yourself
• Leave your debris on the tablecloth
• Pick your nose
• Pick your ears
• Talk loudly on your handphone
• Slurp, burp, fart or make any other bodily noise
• Encroach on the table next to yours
• Make a mess at a buffet counter so the person after you is put off the food

When it comes to finding good food in a city that has everything from five star restaurants to hawker stalls, it can be overwhelming to decide just where are the best places to spend your money. Our most revered eateries have traditionally been fine dining establishments that usually cost a bomb. But you shouldn’t, and you don’t, have to spend mega bucks for great food. I-S sought out those little-known places in town where fabulous food comes at a reasonable price, with many available under $20. Their surrounds might not necessarily be glam (although they are certainly not hawker stalls), but the food is excellent, which really is the most important thing.

UNDER $60

Ras: The Essence of India, #01-05A Clarke Quay, 3D Shophouse Row, River Valley Rd., 6837-2800.
Ras has been serving authentic Indian (mostly Northern but with some regional dishes) cuisine since February of last year. Chef Om Prakash’s 26 years of experience in the industry shows—his food is reliable and delicious. Well worth sampling are the lamb vindaloo ($22), chicken nawabi korma ($19) and the flambé jumbo prawns ($30) as well as the always popular butter chicken ($19), chicken tikka masala ($19) and the palak paneer ($18). Open Sun-Tue noon-2:30pm, 6:30-11:30pm; Wed-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30pm-2am.

UNDER $50

Infuzi, #01-01 Chronos, 10 Biopolis Rd., 6478-9091.
Helmed by Chef Freddie Lee, the two-year-old Infuzi offers modern European cuisine, with a strong French influence, that is just as good as many of the more famous small restaurants. The décor is modern and sleek and the atmosphere refined, but the prices in their set menus are actually quite reasonable; for a four-course dinner expect to pay $60 for dishes such as foie gras, kanpachi carpaccio and US prime short rib, or otherwise $90 for six courses. Set lunch is a very reasonable $30. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 7-10pm.

Friends at Chomp Chomp, #01-01A Serangoon Garden Village, 1 Maju Ave., 6289-2600.
Set in the lively Serangoon Gardens area, Friends offers impressively good Western dishes that would rival many of the better known mid-range restaurants in town. Chef Peter Boon is best known for his pan-seared goose liver with sautéed green apples ($26.90), beef tenderloin ($29.90) and seafood aglio olio spaghetti ($18.90) that has a locally inspired chili padi flavor. Friends also holds regular food and wine tastings. Open daily noon-11pm.

UNDER $40

Manna Korean Restaurant, 101 Telok Ayer St., 6227-7425.
About eight years ago Manna arrived to offer us some of the most authentic Korean food in town. The menu has a wide choice of traditional Korean items such as the spicy Nak-ji bok-eu, (panfried octopus, $20, $23 with noodles), dolsot bimbimbab ($16) and a truly delicious crispy pajeon (spring onion pancake, $15). We also highly recommend the kimchi chigae or stew ($14). Open Mon-Sat 11am-3pm, 6-10pm.

UNDER $30

The Vines Steak & Seafood Restaurant, #01-08 Novena Ville, 275 Thomson Rd., 6255-2838.
Since 1999, The Vines has been serving up steaks and for the prices they are charging, so what you get is pretty decent. For dinner, a New Zealand sirloin only costs $14, while a black pepper tenderloin or spicy sambal tenderloin are only $18.50 (add $3.50 for additional soup and dessert.) And at lunchtime it gets even better—set lunches including a sirloin, soup, garlic bread and dessert start at $9.80. What are you waiting for? Open daily 11:30am-10:30pm.

Brauhaus Restaurant & Pub, #B1-13/14 United Square, 101 Thomson Rd., 6250-3166.
The atmosphere in this 17-year-old establishment is much more like a pub than a restaurant—there are between 150 to 180 beers available and there’s a beer garden with several seats. The delicious German fare concocted by owner Michael Chuah (such as roasted pork knuckles; $19 for half portion, $35 for small, $40 for medium, $45 for large) is all good, but what we highly recommend is the mixed sausages ($18), a combination of fried and boiled bratwurst, bockwurst, weisswurst and emmentaler accompanied by an orgasmically creamy potato salad. Open Mon-Thu 11am-2am; Fri-Sat 11am-3am; Sun 5pm-1am.

UNDER $25

Qun Zhong Eating House, 21 Neil Rd.,6221-3060.
Tucked away in a shophouse in the Tanjong Pagar area is this family-run Shanghainese restaurant. Owner Han Min Juan and his wife Pang Kwee Foon have been serving their family recipes to the greedy public for over 17 years—Han’s dumplings are so delicious they don’t even need to be eaten with the usual vinegar and other additions. Han recommends everything on his small menu—we were especially taken with the boiled and fried mixed seafood and pork dumplings (both $7) and the red bean pancake ($9)—all of which were delicious. Definitely worth the wait for a table. Open Thu-Tue 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-9:30pm.

Caffé Beviamo, #02-K1 Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Rd., 6738-7906.
Always full of expatriates, Caffé Beviamo is too poorly frequented by us locals even though it serves some of the best cafe fare in town. The ingredients are simple, fresh, often homemade and absolutely scrumptious. Bestsellers include the beef sandwich with homemade tomato relish ($11.50) and the antipasto platter with eggplant, onion relish, avocado, shaved ham, kalamata olives, roma tomatoes, goats cheese and grilled ciabatta ($18). And their Aroma brand coffees are pretty great too. Open daily 9:30am-6:30pm. Look out for their branch at #05-K3/K4 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd. as well.

UNDER $20

Hing Wa Restaurant, 367-369 Beach Rd., 6297-6078.
Specializing in food from the coastal city of Putian in the Chinese Fujian province, this restaurant has been offering authentic Hing Wa cuisine for the last 12 years, with a Hing Wa-ian chef to boot. We like the mianxian thick soup ($4.20) served with noodles, assorted seafood and vegetables which has a homely, familiar taste. Another popular dish is the deep fried boneless almond chicken ($12). Open daily 11am-3pm, 6-10:30pm.

Chilli Padi Nonya Restaurant, #01-03, 11 Joo Chiat Place, 6247-9531, 6275-1002.
Co-founded by siblings Jack Lee and Patricia Lee, this dining place offers a delicious take on Peranakan food. After years of training with Baba chef Jolly Wee, the team started dishing out Nonya appetizers such as the traditional kueh pai ti ($6.30), a “top hat” pastry filled with shredded turnip topped with coriander and prawn. Don’t miss the distinctive ayam buah keluak ($7.20), a dish made up of black nuts stuffed with a mixture of ground nuts and chicken. Open daily 11am-2:30pm, 5:30-10pm.

Andhra Curry, 41 Kerbau Rd., 6293-3935.
Director S. Anand’s Andhra Curry claims to be the only restaurant serving food from Andhra Pradesh and the food is pretty authentic. The house specials are the Andhra Hyderbadi briyani (which is a chicken and basmathi rice boiled in a special masala served with three vegetable dishes, $9) and the kalyana bhojana (a traditional vegetarian Andhra Thali dish served at weddings, $8). And definitely worth trying is the fish pulusu ($6) in tamarind gravy with raw mangos. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-4pm, 6-11pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-11pm.

Nanten, #B1-16 Hong Leong Building, 16 Raffles Quay, 6221-7781.
This non-descript Japanese restaurant is overflowing at lunchtime with Japanese businessmen—certainly a good sign that the food here is special. We love their tonkotsu ramen ($9.80)—the broth is creamy and rich, the eggs delicately semi-boiled and the pork full of flavor with lots of delicious fatty bits. If you want to sweeten it up a bit, ask for an additional cup of sweetcorn ($1) which goes well with the savory flavors. For those with a penchant for heat, there is also a spicy version available. Open Mon-Fri 10:30am-2:30pm, 6-10pm; Sat 10:30am-2:30pm.

Alaa El Din, 17 Jalan Pinang Rd., 6295-1816.
Only open for two months, this homely eatery run by Mohamad Nabil Baroudi (former chef to the Lebanese ambassador in Malaysia), serves authentic Mediterranean Lebanese food. The best bets are the deliciously fresh fattouch or traditional Lebanese salad ($5.50) and the sensational mixed barbecue machawi ($13.90) made up of chicken taouk, kofta, kebab, garlic sauce and hot barbecued bread. Open Sun-Thu noon-11pm; Fri-Sat noon-late (around 1-2am, depending on the crowd).

Noodle House Ken, #01-17/18 Orchard Plaza, 150 Orchard Rd., 6235-5540.
This noodle house really is a poky hole in the wall with a very limited menu, all the better to allow diners to focus on their specialty: Stewed boiled egg ramen ($12). Cooked in broth that has been double boiled for eight hours and is completely MSG free, the eggs are soft boiled, the pork exquisitely soft and the broth extremely good. Owner Ken Misawa boasts a strong Japanese clientele base and the extremely limited seating means that your food will be fresh and arrive fast. Open Mon-Fri noon-2pm, 6pm-2am; Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-2am.

Koo Kee Dumpling & Ramen House, #B1-125 Parkway Parade, 80 Marine Parade Rd., 6348-6659.
This eatery specializes in ramen but also offers cold Northern Chinese dishes and dim sum. The signature is the Beijing style fried noodles ($10), which is a different, drier take on the ramen usually served in soup and full of flavor. A herbal, steaming variation is the noodles with chicken soup ($6.80) cooked with ginseng, yuzu and ziji for those who like clear broth. Open daily 11am-10pm.

UNDER $15

Ocean Fish Head, 181 Telok Ayer St.
Those who work in the Tanjong Pagar area know this corner coffee shop which is packed at lunchtimes with a queue of hungry patrons right out into the street. The real delight here is the fish head curry ($18-20 for half or $28-30 for whole). The sauce is tangy and filled with tomatoes, lady’s fingers, eggplant and onions; we just can’t get enough of this stuff. You’ll have to fight for a table and the aunties there are pretty scary, but trust us when we say it’s definitely worth it. Open Mon-Sat 11am-2:30pm.

Chin Chin Eating House, 19 Purvis St., 6337-4640.
Originally opened in 1935, this eatery moved to its new home in 2003 after it transferred hands to brothers Dennis and Randy Lim and is popular with families. They specialize in Hainanese dishes, in particular the Hainanese claypot mutton ($6), a tender meat stew with carrots, leek and black fungus with a delicious dark sauce. Also worth trying is the pork chop ($5) done Hainanese style and fish maw mixed vegetables ($8), which serves as a good accompaniment to a meal. Open daily 7am-9pm.

UNDER $10

Rumah Makan Minang, 18/18A Kandahar St., 6294-4805, 6293-6580.
Boasting over 30 dishes, this eatery does nasi padang the way they do it in Padang. Owners Zubaidah and Zain Harun trace their roots to Sumatra and take pride in the authenticity of the cuisine. The gado-gado ($2.50) with an amazing, tangy sauce, is a must-taste—it just goes down really well. Javanese delights such as the nasi rawon ($3.50) with beef gravy and the ikan boto boto ($4) are also available. Open daily 7:30am-7:30pm.

Bratwurst Shop, #B2-39C Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd., 6884-4093.
Owner Gabriel Tin’s partner owns the famous Bratwurst Shop in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market, and the sausages here really are just as good. All the snags ($4.50) come with sauerkraut and mustard and are made using Australian meat by a European butcher in Singapore. Finished off with a Grinders coffee, this is a great option. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-9:30pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am-9:30pm. Their other store is at #01-06 Capital Square, Shenton Way.

Heng Soon Lee Eating House, 114 Telok Ayer St., 6220-2313.
Owner and chef Tay Soo Beng and his wife (who doesn’t want to be named) have run this shophouse eatery for a little over a year, gaining a reputation for tasty home-cooked fish bee hoon soup and rice dishes. We really recommend the fish noodle soup, which you can get in sliced variety (with a clear soup, starting at $3.50) or the fried fish variety (with coconut milk, starting at $3.50) with a range of noodle choices. Simple but full of flavor, this is a winner. Open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm; Sat 8am-6pm.