I may not even be 20 yet, but I'm certainly old enough to have experienced lots of things that are now consigned to the history books.
And being the glutton that I am, I thought I'd compile a listicle of foodie memories that I particularly treasure from my early years.
Let's get into it, shall we?
#1 KFC @ Kallang had free flow of soft drinks
I used to have horse-riding therapy at the Riding for the Disabled Association (Singapore), and after the sessions my parents and I would often go to the KFC branch near the National Stadium for dinner. That outlet was unique because it was housed in a standalone building of its own, with an attached open-air carpark and drive-through counter. But the best part was it had free flow soft drinks! It doesn't have that anymore though. Nowadays, finding a food joint offering free flow soft drinks makes me want to dance a little jig because it's so rare!
#2 Hans @ Pickering Street
Although I didn't eat at the recently defunct flagship store of the Hans Cafe franchise very much, it still holds good memories for me. Their Hainanese pork chop and curry chicken were the stuff of dreams, and strolling around the area and seeing how conservation shophouses and modern glass structures meshed together into a harmonious explosion of aesthetic wonder provided such a great complement to the whole ambiance.
#3 Mussel Guys @ VivoCity
When I was in primary and secondary school, which by the way was an extremely long time ago, VivoCity was my favourite post-exam hangout spot. On a couple of occasions, my father took me to eat at this small casual-dining restaurant called The Mussel Guys. The food there was comforting and I remember they had a killer rendang dish, as well as a lip-smacking lobster bisque. Sitting in front of the full-height glass windows, enjoying the view of Sentosa without having to go outside into the afternoon sun... That's my definition of a perfectly relaxing day out.
#4 Farms
Going even further back, to my time in kindergarten, I recall going on a field trip to the local farms around the vicinity of Lim Chu Kang. We visited the quail farm and Hay Dairies goat farm. At the quail farm, I sampled some quails' eggs and a herbal quail soup that was so delicious I went back for seconds (there was more than enough because my classmates all recoiled at the taste of the soup). And at Hay Dairies I began my love affair with goats' milk that continues until today (I benefited again from the squeamishness of my peers as I got to claim all their unwanted milk). Unfortunately, the quail farm was closed to the public after the emergence of bird flu, and I will soon no longer be able to buy local goats' milk, due to the government's utterly heinous, loathsome and despicable plan to bulldoze all the farms to make way for more housing to accommodate foreigners we don't actually need, and more training grounds for their beloved white-elephant excuse for an armed forces. (drops mic, steps off soapbox)
#5 Buffets had fewer strings attached
It seems very common now for buffet restaurants to impose all sorts of terms and conditions such as time limits. I even saw an advertisement on Facebook the other day in which a Japanese buffet restaurant touted its special offer for our 52nd National Day, boasting free flow alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages... for the first 52 minutes of your meal. How corny is that! Back when I was a kid, a buffet was a buffet. Pay one price, sit there and stuff your face until nothing else can go in. Why do you have to go and make things so complicated? (Avril Lavigne, 2002)
The sad truth of the F&B scene in Singapore is that small operators come and go and even the big companies have to tighten their belts every now and then in response to high rentals and labour costs. So uncovering a little gem of a foodie paradise in your neighbourhood can sometimes prove to be a dangerous game. Who knows whether the place will survive a few months down the road? It's quite likely that it'll close down after a short while, leaving you tearfully distraught and questioning the meaning of your existence in this world.
On the flip side, there's always ample opportunity for new entrants to the market, or even for old friends to make their triumphant returns. I'm too young to have eaten at A&W before they left Singapore, but now they're coming back I'll get to try it!
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