1. This blue cardigan from Martina Pink gets an upper hand with a little help from some pretty flower embroideries. $89 from Tangs.

2. Shoot to kill when you put on this striking Fab & Jo blouse. $140 from Front Row.

3. Not merely a plain singlet. This sought-after Kim Jones vest for men is hot, hot, hot! $155 from Front Row.

4. This flower power balloon skirt by ANKH is lovely for both Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, and is made from gorgeous kimono fabric. $300 from Front Row.

5. Highlight your artistic inclinations when you wear these green Playhound Capri pants featuring dripping paint motif. $99 from Tangs.

6. This collaborative T-shirt between Hooked Clothing and artist Kapok is as trendy as it gets. $69 from Asylum.

7. Set pulses racing when you put on this intricate necklace with a horse motif by Twinkle. $240 from Front Row.

8. This adorable set of earrings with Astro Boy illustrations will make you feel super-stylish, anytime. $25 from Tangs.

9. You won’t look square with this fluorescent orange handy bag from Style : Nordic, even if you try. $39.

10. This handmade fabric badge by Mistake is more than meets the eye. $33 from Asylum.

11. Bring out the animal instinc when you carry this “Forest Paradise” bag from 20 Bulbs. $175.

12. Want to make a statement? Look no further than this Lulu Guinness bag, featuring surrealistic motifs inspired by Salvador Dali. $775 from Sole2Sole.

13. Get the royal treatment with this lovely jewelry case that also doubles up as a mini queen throne. $35 from MiniBits.

Literature fans will remember Second Link, a play that made its debut at the Singapore Writer’s Festival 2005. A production that has garnered many satisfied nods and thumbs-up, it sees Singaporean and Malaysian actors performing the works of the wordsmiths from both countries. The result is a witty and perceptive play with subject matter that ranges from Sir Stamford Raffles to sexuality, censorship to chicken rice, and Sang Kancil to Singlish.

Second Link promises to be novel. “I think we are quite used to hearing dramatists’ texts but the nice thing about Second Link is that we also get to hear the text of poets and prose writers. For me, I found those segments the most refreshing. And it’s just great to see how a poem can leap into life when performed,” quips Eleanor Wong, the co-curator of Second Link.

As Singaporean actors act out texts by Malaysian scribes and vice versa, the audience delves in the commonalities and disparities between Singapore and Malaysia. “It struck me how similar and how different our preoccupations were, on both sides of the causeway. On the one hand, there were echoes that resonated in both halves, for example, both halves have interrogation scenes, both halves obviously touch on race and religion to some extent, but there were also differences. The Malaysian half contains many more agrarian images. The Singapore half was more urban,” Wong continues.

If you missed Second Link in 2005, catch it this time round as it hits the stage to be as the finale of the Singapore Theatre Festival ’06. It stars Singaporean thespians Lim Yu Beng, Jonathan Lim, Karen Tan and more; and Malaysian performers that include Reza Zainal Abidin, Fahmi Fadzil and Anne James. The sole message that Wong hopes you’ll take home? “Let’s celebrate our own voices.”

Check out New York-based Radio Mundial if you are itching for fresh aural candy. Comprising of front man Jean Shepherd, guitarist Richard Shepherd, percussionist Jon “Gianni Mano” Uman and drummer Eric Bolivar, this dynamic quintet plays soulful and oh-so-catchy Latin inspired rock and funk.

The name “Radio Mundial” (which means “World Radio” in Spanish) says everything about the band’s music. “We don’t have a set formula for what we do. So when you hear our music, it’s like listening to a Radio of the World. We blend styles from all over the globe. We mix Latin music with funk and electronic, rock with traditional African rhythms, house music with Brazilian samba, and more,” quips Jean Shepherd.

Radio Mundial was discovered by Chris Blackwell, who helped nurture U2 and Bob Marley & the Wailers, and Gary Kurfirst, the manager of The Ramones and Talking Heads. Their music has also caught the discerning ears of the legendary Carlos Santana, who covered their hit number “La Raiz” and renamed it “El Fuego.” “No words can describe how we felt when we found out Carlos Santana covered our song. I turned as pale as a ghost. He is my hero! His version sounds amazing. We’ve met and played with him and his band, and they are all incredible,” Shepherd adds.

Radio Mundial is one of the exciting acts razing the stage at the festival WOMAD Singapore 2006. Jean says, “You can expect some surprises and a crazy, high energy show. Our specialty is playing live and we have prepared for our first show in Singapore extremely well.” Look forward to a sizzling set from this band at WOMAD Singapore 2006. The innovative music played by Radio Mundial is definitely worth your time.

Big Burgers

First we had: corduroy&finch, the San Francisco-style deli with a trendy interior and bistro food that garnered both fans and critics. 779 Bukit Timah Rd., 6762-0131.

Now we also have: Überburger. Making waves for putting a $101 Wagyu beef foie gras burger on its menu, Überburger is an upscale American diner. While the foie gras burger may be more a novelty than anything else, it has succeeded in drawing attention to the restaurant and customers are flocking to check out the many other types of burgers on the menu, including the 200g beef sirloin burger and the rare tuna steak burger. So far we’ve heard only good reports; the burgers are juicy, thick and come with delicious sides. It’s been said that you cannot find a good burger outside North America—well, this restaurant might just prove that this isn’t true anymore. #01-06 to 10 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Blvd., 6837-0280.

Buzzing Bistro

First we had: Whitebait and Kale, the Sydney-style restaurant with white walls, a big blackboard menu and trendy Aussie-influenced dishes.
#01-01 Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Blvd., 6333-8697.

Now we also have: Aerin’s. Occupying the anchor position in the newly reopened Raffles Marketplace in the basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre, Aerin’s is a lovely bistro. It’s got the best seat in the house—the escalators that lead down to the basement stop just outside the restaurant and practically pours customers into seats. A noisy fountain that is part of the building sits right in the middle of the restaurant though, so we suggest asking for a seat at the periphery of the restaurant if you don’t want to compete with the water to be heard. The pastas and appetizers are great, and we love the apple and rhubarb pie. In case you’re wondering how this restaurant got its name—it is named after the owner’s daughter.
#B1-11/12 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6337-2231.

Pig Out

First we had: Hog’s Breath in CHIJMES. For those who don’t yet know, Hog’s Breath is an Aussie steakhouse chain—think TGIF and you get the picture. Its restaurant at CHIJMES is its first venture outside Australia, and dishes up the same cuisine of steak, ribs, burgers and salads but in a more elegant setting than most of its native restaurants.
#01-26/27 CHIJMES, 30 Victoria St., 6338-1387.

Now we also have: Hog’s Breath in Holland Village. With CHIMES doing well, Hog’s Breath has opened this second restaurant. Because this is a chain, consistency takes priority over individuality and the Holland Village restaurant is, well, not too different from CHIJMES. Dig into their blackened prime rib, buffalo wings, fish and chips or the Boss Hog Double Burger. Portions are gigantic so roll up your sleeves and get ready. If you want to pass on the heavy meal and just have drinks and snacks, Hog’s Breath Saloon comes well stocked with Aussie beers like Fosters and Victoria Bitter.
267 Holland Ave., 6466-0145.

Make It Fast

First we had: Samy’s on Dempsey Road. We really don’t need to say much about this 30-year-old institution in the Civil Service Club. Everyone knows its stuck-in-a-colonial-time-warp ambiance, curries served on banana leaf, cold beers and slow ceiling fans. 25 Dempsey Rd., 6472-2080.

Now we also have: Samy’s in Marina Square food court. This first branch of Samy’s is a milestone change for the proprietor. His new premises could not be more different from the Civil Service Club. Fast food-like, the Marina Square outlet is convenient, practical and modern. And while it may not have the irreproducible ambiance of the Civil Service Club, it does have Samy’s same great food and a fantastic view of Marina Bay.
Marina Food Loft, 4/F, Marina Square Shopping Centre, 6 Raffles Blvd.

Modern Makeover

First we had: Muthu’s on Race Course Road. Remember the original Muthu’s on Race Course Road in Little India? It was a hole-in-the-wall slopping fish head curry and rice out of aluminum vats onto banana leaves, with no air conditioning and pokey furniture. This main rival to the other banana leaf restaurant (Apollo) on Race Course Road did an about turn and went upscale in its own neighborhood a few years ago with the introduction of a trendy all-black interior and valet parking. 38 Race Course Rd., 6392-1722.

Now we also have: Muthu’s in Suntec City. Maintaining its up-to-date look, Muthu’s in Suntec is all clean, minimalist lines with décor that can hold its own next to any cosmopolitan eatery. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the food. Muthu’s still offers the same spicy yummy curries that made it famous to begin with—only now it draws a younger and more varied crowd.
#B1-056 Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Blvd., 6835-7707.

La Boulange

2-2/1 Soi Convent, Silom Rd. 02-631-0355.
Open daily 7am-10pm.

The Setting: La Boulange offers both indoor and outdoor dining in cheerful, if somewhat sterile, bistro-like surroundings. Blackboards with the day’s specials are offset by a generous use of brick and checkered tablecloths. People-watching opportunities abound out front, as long as diners are willing to put up with sweltering heat.

The Selection: The loaves of bread are prepared daily at their bakery on Rama 3 Road, then transported to Convent Road every morning, where they are warmed again. On any given day, around 11 types are on offer, ranging from the mini retro, or white bread (B15), to the hefty boule campagne (B120).

The Taste: Although in need of some warming, the bread is consistently good, with a crunchy, floury exterior that belies a soft and chewy center. The popular montagne, or sourdough (B72), is perfect for a midday sandwich, while the campagne (B60) could happily accompany any soup bowl in town.

The Verdict: For good, tasty consistency, it is hard to go wrong with La Boulange, with its welcoming atmosphere and extensive French bistro menu. But the selection could be more extensive and bread could come warmed.

Le Notre at Natural Ville

G/F, Natural Ville Executive Residences, Lang Suan Rd. 02-250-7050-1.
Open daily 6am-10pm.

The Setting: The venerable French institution comes to town with a flagship restaurant decked out in enough natural wood, dark marble and glass to make any Bangkok grande dame feel at home. Service treads the fine line between unobtrusive and solicitous. Three other branches are located at Emporium, the Sofitel Silom hotel and Siam Paragon.

The Selection: Le Notre, which bakes all its bread on the premises, offers a heftily priced country baguette (B60), an old-fashioned or brown bread loaf (B80), crunchy white tabatiere (B80) and sourdough (B80). However, the offerings still weigh on the scant side when compared with rival bakeries.

The Taste: Made daily upstairs, all bread sports a crunchy, flour-dusted shell and a dense texture within. The sourdough long and round loaves are most popular and bear just a hint of tartness. Bread is always served warm and the Lang Suan restaurant is popular with executives and families alike.

The Verdict: You can’t beat what is on offer. While the surroundings are tranquil and the bread tasty, breadophiles with an eye for the exotic should turn elsewhere for more adventurous offerings. You may need to order one day in advance, too.

The Oriental Shop

G/F, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Rd. 02-610-9845.
Open daily 10am-10:30pm.

The Setting: A bright space on the ground floor of a busy shopping mall was the latest branch to open at the end of last year. Some tables are available for diners, but the shop appears to do a brisker takeaway business. Two other branches are tucked away in the Central Chidlom and Emporium shopping centers.

The Selection: The Oriental Shop offers on average about 12 types of bread, from the tiny mini baguette (B20) to the hard-to-find dark Bavarian rye (B80). The Belgian (B53), meant to showcase pate, is also a rare find, as is the slightly sweet brioche loaf (B33).

The Taste: Strangely, the baguette manages to be chewy both inside and out—unusual for those hoping to get a traditionally flaky loaf. A better bet might be the popular muesli loaf (B80), a dark bread sprinkled with the ingredients of the morning cereal and a rarity in rice-eating Thailand.

The Verdict: The Oriental Shop certainly has variety, so diners would do well to try out the more difficult-to-get types such as the sesame (B30) and sunflower (B30) mini-loaves.

Folies Bakery

309/3 Nanglinchee Rd.02-818-2700-6.
Open daily 10am-10pm.

The Setting: The bakery for expats in the know or young Thai yuppies-in-training, Folies proves that even in easygoing Thailand, the unique French style of service can be contagious: the main shop features frugal surroundings, while the Alliance Francaise branch sports a pared-back restaurant.

The Selection: A decent range of breads comprising around 10 types on any given day, including the perennial favorite French Stick (B33), the Italian (B35), the Paysanne (B50), the honey wheat (B22) and the pre-sliced honey bread (B50).

The Taste: The baguettes are perfectly made with a pleasant, crunchy texture and yeasty fragrance, while the Italian is cheerfully chewy and the whole wheat robust enough to placate any health-food lover.

The Verdict: Good enough to warrant braving the traditionally surly service. Go early in order to avoid seeing particular favorites out of stock for the day.

Carrefour Bakery

Carrefour, on the corner of Rama 4 Rd. and Sukhumvit Soi 26. 02-661-5580-4 ext. 123.
Open daily 9am-11pm.

The Setting: Not a place for lingerers, Carrefour Bakery is set up for the housewife on the go: a corner packed with baked goods also lends a glimpse into the state-of-the-art kitchen, where chefs can be seen industriously pounding or patting creations into place.

The Selection: The most extensive selection surveyed, Carrefour offers at least 15 varieties of bread on any given day, including two kinds of baguettes—the rustique (B27) and the French (B23), country sourdough (B59), hearty French Village (B70) and the bacon sourdough bread (B60).

The Taste: Freshly made every day, the Carrefour baguette has a chewy texture and a rather tough crust that could deter those with less-than-strong teeth. The buttery croissants (B45 for four) are more widely acclaimed.

The Verdict: A convenient location geared toward people in a hurry, Carrefour Bakery ensures Bangkok housewives have their very own place to buy freshly baked baguettes. Their sweet goods may prove more popular.

Spa Paradise

Sooth yourself with a relaxing treatment at one of the newest spas in town, CHA Spa (9 Soi Thonglor 25, 02-381-7000), which has some interesting packages on offer. A recommended one from the CHA menu is the Oriental Revival treatment, which uses green tea and black sesame to revive your skin. These are combined with a unique nourishing oil massage that will improve your circulation and your Qi energy. At B1,450 for a 90 minute treatment, it ensures you a pleasant moment. Other treatments available include Essence of Siam (B550/90 minutes), a holistic Siamese style treatment using luk prakob, and Heavenly Uplift (B2,500/90 minutes), a facial treatment that includes a gel-based masking and regenerating massage technique.

Scent of elegance

Traditional looks sometimes go well with contemporary style. Trying to blend different aspects together, “Selection” is a new fragrance line from HUGO BOSS, which comes in a standard package but is unexpectedly fresh and fruity, including creative scents such as green apple, tangerine and grapefruit.
B3,100. (Try 1/F, Central Chidlom 1027 Ploenchit Rd., 02-793-7777).

Like most of Bangkok’s best kept secrets, Shades of Retro (next to Playground! Open Tue-Sun 2pm-midnight, 01-824-8011) has grown in popularity by word-of-mouth since it first opened in 2001. It’s a store that specializes in vintage furniture, home accessories and audio equipment from the 50s, 60s and 70s. It’s also a comfortable hangout where visitors can sit back and relax with a cocktail or a cup of joe while listening to some great tunes. A big draw of the store is the friendly and likeable owner, known to most as “P’Boy.” Rather than sitting behind the counter silently working the cash register, he is constantly seen warmly welcoming customers into his store while catching up with his regulars. There’s no doubt that his personal approach with his customers is what draws them back here. “Most of my customers are regulars. It’s very much like a local watering hole where oftentimes people will just drop by and run into people they know.”

Open for just two months, his new digs are a significant improvement from the original, which was a much smaller space with less sitting room and incidentally well-known for its dodgy toilet. Now it’s nicely spread out over two generous floors, with two bathrooms that work beautifully and lots of space to sprawl around. Furniture, home accessories and collectibles from the 50s-70s are on display downstairs. Also on sale are vintage deadstock fabrics custom-made into lampshades.

A large part of Shades of Retro is dedicated to vintage audio equipment such as record players, speakers and accessories from Bang and Olufsen—pieces that not only sound spectacular but also make pretty decorative items in a room. A music-lover himself, Boy sets the mood in his shop with his own collection of records playing a great mix of classic jazz and rock from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

“Everything I sell here I repair and restore myself,” assures Boy. “Everything from the phones, the clocks, the audio-equipment to the refrigerators actually works.”

Behind the counter is a shelf lined with liquor bottles and a large handwritten chalkboard menu showcasing the cocktails and beer on hand (B60-90 for beer, B120-150 for cocktails, B300 for a pitcher) and a short but concise coffee menu (B45-65). The coffee here is something that Boy particularly prides himself on. “Anyone looking for a good shot of espresso should come here.”

When asked about future plans for the store, Boy mentions that he might start providing home decorating services or rent the third floor out as a mini guest house. Food is the one idea Boy remains iffy about. “I really want to control the style and atmosphere of this place as much as possible, and not have it stray too far from what I originally intended it to be.”

With her third album, Beautiful Ride, released and numerous hits climbing the radio charts, the hippie girl now takes on a sweeter and girlier look. It’s still Bohemian, though, which suits her well. This style can be worn casually to the park, mall or to Chatuchak. It’s cool and easy—at least easier and more practical than Tata’s new look in her notorious video (doesn’t have to be flame retardant, either!). Don’t forget to paint your nails black: Try B19 nail polish sold on sidewalks—it’s cheap and it works. You can start by humming, “tik-tok, tik-tok...”

Try this light Bohemian top in a feathery light fabric—simple and causal. B950 at Mutation.
Ornamented silver ring. B120 at Beatific.
Crinkly skirts, Khao San-style, are so indie. White is very Palmy.   B480 at Sister
This look requires lots of rings, big and small. Try this large, intricate butterfly ring, very naew. B120 at Beatific.
A long necklace accentuates the Bohemian style: Try these engraved bronze hanging stars. Not too shiny, though. B280 at Beatific.
Long-sleeved white shirt with silver buttons, relaxed with a fringed seam. B1,190 at Mutation.
Long loopy skirt made of light fabric makes you look soft and warm. B1,290 at Fashion Naked.

To complete your look, a hairdo is needed. Palmy curls her hair, dyes it and sets it in a funky, messy style. To get the look, Chalachon (205/13-14 Thonglor, 02-712-7124) charges B4,500 for curling, highlighting and a treatment, or you can opt for the buffet promotion which allows you to do whatever you need for B5,500.
 

Legend

Disappointing food—don’t bother waiting

Mediocre food—wouldn’t wait more than a few minutes

Good food—wait if you have to

Long wait and excellent food—wait as long as it takes!

TAMAN SERASI FOOD GARDEN: OFF TO A GOOD START

The latest old hawker center to be renovated, Taman Serasi is looking modern with light stone walls, slick furniture and seating spread out over an outdoor terraced dining area and an indoor air conditioned space. Although this hawker center is in the Botanic Gardens, it unfortunately doesn’t have a view. The cooking is all indoors which makes it stuffy in spite of the air conditioning, while only some of the outdoor tables have fans. Nevertheless, a spacious layout and large umbrellas help keep things cool. Because this place is so new only a few stalls are operating to a less than capacity crowd. But more stalls are set to open very soon.

Most popular stalls:

• Jia Le H.K. Roast Delicacies. Choose from chicken, duck and char siew served with noodles, rice or in soup. Our char siew rice ($5.50) came with thick slices of char siew, a serving of vegetables and soup with chunks of meat.

• Thohirah Restaurant in Jalan Kayu. Yes that’s the stall’s real name. Occupying two stall spaces, this stall sells roti prata, thosai, roti john, murtabak as well as briyani. Interesting fillings include crab murtabak (for $6) and banana with milk prata. Our paper thosai ($3) came with four lovely dips: Chick pea curry, dhal, coconut chutney and a chili-onion mix.

• Yummy Crab. It’s crab with everything at this stall. Crab with black pepper, crab with bee hoon, crab with sambal chili and even (the dubious sounding) crab with cream cheese. Expect to pay at least $18 for a plate.

NEWTON FOOD CENTRE: STILL BUZZING

Looking spruced up after its revamp, Newton now boasts newly planted trees, neatly trimmed hedges and paved floors. It is still attracting both locals and tourists, with perhaps more of the latter A strategically positioned busker was playing the erhu in a corner the night we were there, and there was a good buzz in the air. Unlike the old Newton, where stalls and tables were laid out in pockets, the new one has stalls that encircle an alfresco eating area. Tables in the middle enjoyed a breeze, but those closer to the stalls were stuffy from the cooking nearby. Some stalls have a “self-service” sign (so you know what to do), others will gladly take down your order and bring you your food (just remember your table number).

Most popular stalls:

• Stall #26 Joy Yorokobi. This stall sells seafood done in a variety of ways. With table service there is no queue per se, but you wait at your table for up to 10 minutes. Our grilled sambal stingray ($10) was nicely done and tasty, and generous for a small portion. This stall also offers steamed red snapper (which a father and son pair were gobbling up), black pepper crabs which sell by the gram and squid.

• Stall #72 Laksa Yong Tau Fu. Surprise surprise, this stall sells laksa, yong tau fu and a combination of the two. With fast service there is no wait and our laksa ($3) was very nice. It had good soup with a tinge of coconut which was not overpowering, with generous servings of dried beancurd.

• Stall #7 Siti Khalijah Seafood. It’s a good 20-minute wait for your food at this stall that sells satay as well as seafood. We had a mix of chicken, beef and mutton satay ($0.50 a piece) which was tender, lean and well done. Those who like their seafood can also ask for fried squid, grilled fish and sambal prawns.

• Stall #73 Hup Kee. This stall does one thing—fried oyster omelet—and does it well. Our omelet ($5) took 15 minutes to arrive and was delicious with a generous amount of oyster.

AMOY STREET FOOD CENTRE: NO PAIN NO GAIN

Every weekday at lunchtime, this two-story hawker centre is hot and full of hungry people from the offices and business nearby. At its busiest, the cleaners have a hard time keeping up, and tables take a while to be cleared and dustbins fill up to the brim. Tables are also pretty close together, which means you have to gingerly worm your way through the crowd to avoid spilling your food on someone, or getting dumped on yourself. Nevertheless, the food is pretty good and many loyal customers feel that the heat, sweat and grime are a small price to pay. Despite being just renovated, it’s definitely due for another renovation.

Most popular stalls:

• #01-08 Jian Mei Win seafood. This stall sells seafood in clear broth or with your choice of noodles such as bee hoon, ee mian, ban mian, and mee sua. An average of eight people stand in line at any one time, and the wait is about 10 minutes. We waited 15 minutes for our seafood ban mian ($3) which came in a huge serving with prawns, ground pork, fish and vegetables in a tasty broth.

• #01-35 Seng Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice. Because service is quick, the wait here is not long at all, even though the stall is popular. Our chicken rice ($3) was tender and tasty, and the rice was nice and fragrant. Our portion could have been bigger though.

• #01-70 Sedaap Nasi Bryani Special. There are few stalls in Singapore where a plate of food still costs only $2 but this is one of them. We suspect that this is why this stall is popular because, unfortunately, it cannot be for the quality of the food. Our $2 nasi lemak was boring, with only ikan bilis and a fish patty for toppings. You can also try their nasi bryani, mee goreng and roti john—hope you have better luck with those.

• #01-20 Lian He Shao La Fun. This stall sells roasted pork, duck and chicken, with rice or noodles. We were not terribly impressed with the duck rice ($3), but, judging by the queue of eight people, others obviously find the food here just fine.

• #02-100 Piao Ji Fish Porridge. Winner of food awards, this stall’s selling point is that they cook the porridge over a charcoal fire. Their fish is also very fresh and served in generous amounts, while the clear broth is better than what you usually get at hawker stalls. For this privilege you have to stand in line with 10 other people, wait about 20 minutes, and pay $5.20 for a bowl of porridge.

MAXWELL ROAD FOOD CENTRE: SLOW AND STEADY WINS

Another popular weekday lunchtime hawker centre is Maxwell Road. Because this old hawker center is spacious and well ventilated, thanks to a renovation in recent years, eating here is quite comfortable. The people who run the hawker center appear to have got their cleaning operation down pat—you don’t see stacks of dirty plates and bowls lying around, even during the very busy lunch hour, and the washing station is located nicely out of sight.

Most popular stalls:

• Stall #68 Hainanese Curry Rice. Run by two brothers, this popular stall easily sees a line of 10 people at peak hour, who queue for the spread of pork chops, pork belly, fish, squid, tofu, stir fried vegetables and other toppings for rice. If you want to check out this stall, make sure it is number 68 as there is another stall with the same name.

• Stall #66 Yi Jia Chao Zhou Yu Chou Yu Tang. This mouthful of a name roughly translates as “Teochew fish porridge and fish soup.” Pomfret is what people queue for here, and you can choose to have it with bee hoon, mee sua or rice ($5 a bowl). The wait is long—about 25 minutes—so this stall is not an option if you’re in a hurry. But if you’re not, the delicious fish is worth the wait.

• Stall #12 Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. It’s a good half an hour wait here at the height of the lunch hour for what we thought was very ordinary chicken rice ($3). Portions are generous though, and the chili sauce is way, way hot.

• Stall #31 Xing Xing. This cute little stall sells an assortment of kueh, such as ondeh ondeh and tapioca cake (roughly $0.40 a piece or three for $1). Try and time your purchase for when the kuehs come fresh out of the steamer—the dozen or so people standing in line are. We liked the kueh, and can see why this stall recently won a food award.

• Stall #54 Zhen Zhen Porridge. Despite its humble appearance there were 14 people standing in a slow moving line when we ate there, waiting for their choice of fish, chicken or century egg congee.

ADAM ROAD FOOD CENTRE: FAST AND EASY

This evergreen hawker center, also upgraded within the last few years, draws a mix of locals and expats who come with their local buddies. It’s often crowded at dinner time but not so packed that you can’t get a table. Because the hawker center is circular with stalls on the circumference and tables in the middle, it can feel a little hemmed in and stuffy with the only ventilation coming from above.

Most popular stalls:

• Stall #2 Selera Rasa Adam Road No 1 Nasi Lemak. The owner must like playing poker because he named his dishes after the card game. A Fullhouse gets you a chicken wing, otah, egg and ikan bilis, while a Royal Flush is all that plus a potato patty. We waited 20 minutes before we were served our meal (fish, egg and ikan bilis for $3), and were satisfied with what we got but not thrilled.

• Stall #27 Noo Cheng Adam Road Prawn Noodle. Although this stall is popular, there is almost no wait because service is quick. As its name suggests it sells prawn noodles, with the option to add pork ribs and whole prawns. Our dry noodles with soup on the side ($4) were yummy, with generous bits of prawn, pork, fish cake and pork crackling.

• Stall #10 Bahrakath Mutton Soup. Like the prawn noodle stall, this one has fast service and no wait. In your mutton soup you can choose to add rib, leg, or one of the more adventurous options of brain or tongue. Our regular version ($3) was very nice, and considerately skimmed of grease.

• Stall #31 Teck Kee Hot and Cold Dessert. All the local faves are here: Ice kachang, cheng teng, ice jelly, pulot hitam and more. For only $1.20 our cold cheng teng was lovely and refreshing.

CHINA SQUARE FOOD COURT: PRETTY DARN GOOD

Squish in with the thousand other people from the CBD that have lunch here during the week. Although there is air conditioning, it is stuffy because the tables are bunched up close together. But tables are cleared very quickly and all cutlery is disposable.

Most popular stalls:

• #01-14 New Hong Kong Congee. Even though the queue here was nine deep, it moved fast. Our liver and fish congee ($5) was absolutely delicious, and was one of a wide variety of congees available that included other adventurous options such as pig’s giblets and regular stuff like fish and prawn.

• #01-31 Thunder Tea Rice. Go healthy at this hawker stall—it is one of the very few in existence to give a brown rice option alongside normal white rice. You only pay $0.50 more for the healthy version and both options come with vegetables and a pungent green tea sauce on the side. It’s served up in five to 10 minutes time.

• #01-09 Tomikuwa Japanese Restaurant. Japanese stalls in food courts are commonplace these days, and often offer standard Japanese fare at good prices. After a fast queue of four people, we tried the chicken teriyaki ($5.50), which was great.

• #01-10 Blanco Court Fried Fish. Offering fish soup with noodles or rice and other seafood dishes like sambal prawns, this stall has a good lunch crowd and charges about $3 a serving. The fish was fresh, and fried crispy on the outside yet soft and tasty on the inside.

FOOD REPUBLIC: FANCY FOOD COURT

One of the more “upscale” food courts around, Food Republic at the top of Wisma Atria has little luxuries like benches where you can wait for a table to free up, push carts selling drinks and snacks, and a newsstand. It is well staffed so tables are almost always clean. Old fashioned Chinese tables are also comfortably spaced and the air is well ventilated. You could linger for a while here and not feel that you have to leave immediately after your meal due to the lack of comfort.

Most popular stalls:

• Stall #22 Thye Hong. Over 20 people—yes, you heard us right—were waiting in line for the fried hokkien mee, char kuay teow and oyster omelet that this stall fries up in giant woks. As you can imagine the wait is long, but to speed things up the stall prepares big batches of food at a time. We waited 10 minutes for our hokkien mee, paid $4, and loved every drop.

• Stall #14 Formosa Delight. Quite an assortment of stuff is available here, such as ban mee, fried dumplings, and black pepper chicken with noodles, making it a popular but fast-moving stall. You pay about $4-5 a bowl.

• Stall #07 What You Do Prata. Get decent prata with various fillings, as well as nasi biryani, murtabak and teh halia.

• Fruit juice stall. In addition to the usual fresh fruit and juices, this stall also offers interesting variations such as smoothies, milkshakes and even chocolate fondue for $10!

SUNTEC FOOD FOUNTAIN TERRACE: BIG BOY

This food court is massive—it’s easily one of the biggest around. With so many offices in the vicinity it gets crowded, so in spite of its size it is sometime hard to get a table. One stall (#3) cleverly managed to cordon off an area for itself so its patrons are practically guaranteed a table, while the others share general seating. The stalls we checked out were popular but quick-serving.

Most popular stalls:

• Stall #3 Chutney Café Express. Come here for briyani, prata, samosa, naans and lassis­—we recommend the mango lassi at $2.60.

• Stall #11 Fishball Noodles. However you like your noodles, this stall can do it. Fishball noodles, Teochew dumpling noodles, meatball noodles, mini-wok noodles, laksa, and even abalone noodles are all available here. Our fishball noodles ($3) were yummy, with chili so strong that it numbed our taste buds!

• Stall #22 Chinese Mixed Rice. Popular at lunch time, this stall dishes up the usual rice and variety of dishes. Its specialty is claypot fish head curry (from $15).

• Stall #6 Mini Wok and Steamboat. A variety of rice and noodles with seafood or meat is cooked in small woks (the size of a single serving) or served as dippers for steamboat. We liked our beef hor fun for $4, with tender beef, smooth noodles and tasty gravy.

Well it seems some queues do know a thing or two. Some of the best food is at the end of a line worth waiting for, but in many instances you don’t have to wait for great grub. Our advice is, if you really want to try that famous hawker stall just be kiasu and get there early. Otherwise it’s get in line.

Dealing with identity, female adolescence and sexuality, the series of photographs in the exhibition i like you, too. gives one a nagging sense of disquiet. Never is the entire human form encapsulated in the picture. Instead, various parts of the body are captured in discomforting and riveting snapshots.

This collection of works strikes a rather personal cord with its photographer Aida Dolrahim. “It’s like a record of my personal growth, my gender and desires, and my own awkward nature. I just generally feel uneasy half the time, and it’s not a physical thing. It’s more like an imaginary blunt pencil scratching across your back kind of uneasiness. And I want people who see my works to see and feel that,” Dolrahim says. She adds, “I’m not expecting immediate acceptance or anything, but simply a sort of recognition that works like this exist and that they are on par with works that deal with social issues. It’s a cliché, but I hope art works that are gender-based or of a sexual nature become more accepted.”

i like you, too. is also a milestone in Dolrahim’s artistic career. She has spent more time working on this show than she has on any of her past shows. The exhibition also reflects an evolution towards shooting more staged and controlled pictures, rather than spontaneous ones. As i like you, too. reveals, the most poignant moments may lie in the most uncomfortable situations. Dolrahim quips, “When I was thinking of a title for the exhibition, I was imagining a small, girlish and shy voice timidly saying something. Her voice is like a whisper. She’s saying, ‘… i like you, too.’ She’s scared, yet confident. Almost like there is a shaky strength in her frailness. That was the feeling that I was going for.”