Freshly awakened from our refreshing nap, we make our way out into the streets of Chinatown where it is now only sprinkling. We don’t have far to walk, and here in Chinatown, the buildings are still very colonial with lots and lots of porticos, so you never really have to walk far without cover. It’s only about 3 blocks to the Hawker’s market, and only really one long block uncovered.
We make our way into the market and through the three wide aisles of stalls. There are still a lot of closed stalls, which surprises us on a Saturday night. In a way, though, it’s good – because there are still so many choices that it makes decision making difficult. Ed sort of wants seafood, but decides he’s a little afraid of exactly what the type of fish is in the “sliced fish” dishes. No real description of what kind of fish. I sort of want satays, but the one place we see them has a minimum of 10 order – I’m not that hungry. And everything comes with rice, which we don’t want. The famous Singapore Hainan chicken dish, which so many stalls have, looks great but is loaded with rice. The half chicken might be an option – you can probably pick out the exact one you’d like since most stalls have them hanging in the display window above the chopping block.
But, we end up settling on a stall that has duck and mixed meat dishes – with noodles. A nicer compromise from rice. We want to order the mixed duck and the mixed meat plates – but apparently they’ve run out of something, coz one of the guys there tells us we can have the a regular meat and regular duck plate. Ok – we’re good, whatever you say!
Ed goes to get a beer – which ends up being 7 SPD for a big bottle – expensive in the scheme of things, but cheaper than in the bars. I stay and wait for the food, talking to the chef/owner who wants to know where we are from and tells me we are a long way from home. Yes, sir, we are indeed. He prepares our meal by taking down the last duck hanging on his hooks above the chopping block. Then deftly chopping up the breast and leg meat to place it beautifully on the plate. Then he takes my pork and does the same. As he’s handing it to me he says he’s made a “straw.” I look at him quizzically, and he explains he’s given me the slices with the small ones on the end because he knows my husband will take some slices to try – from the end of the “straw” and this way, I’ll still get the big pieces of pork, while Ed will get the small ones. Pretty cute.
We were a little concerned about seating because the place was pretty full when we arrived. But we luck out and find a table right outside the food stall. We can watch our guy chop and make plates as we dig into our food. And oh my, what a feast. The pork is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. We have no idea what cut this is, it’s almost like a combination pork belly and chop. Whatever it is, it is scrumptious. Ed’s duck is awesome as well. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, tender and flavorful as can be. Oh, and the best part? All this food only cost 7 SPD. That’s like $5 USD. Crazy.
We sit at our little table and soak up the atmosphere and the food. Our stall guy keeps watching us, asking us how the food is, giving us the thumbs up sign. He’s great and sweet and we love how he’s paying attention to us. Maybe because we’re the only non-Asian people in the whole market? Probably 300 or more Asians and us. Maybe because we have our own chopsticks? Who knows, but he’s constantly checking on us.
After a little bit, he turns his light off, guess he’s done for the night. No more duck, so no more sales. He and his partner start to clean and package things up, then start chatting with a local guy who is obviously a regular, hauling about 6 plastic bags full of food purchases. As he’s chatting, the stall guy sees I’ve finished the meat, but not the noodles, so he wants to know if I don’t like it. I tell him it was excellent, but I’m full. He beckons me over, and tells me to bring my plate. I’m thinking he’s going to give me a take home box, which I’ll take to be nice, but leave at the hotel. But no – he’s not giving me take home – he’s giving me a whole duck leg/quarter! He tells me it’s for me – but that Ed can have it too because Ed has to grow strong (he pantomimes most of this). How sweet! I take his offering over to the table and we dig in. This is so good!
You can’t eat it with the utensils or the chopsticks, so we use our fingers to pick apart the tender meat and split the crispy skin between the two of us. The one thing I’d forgotten was kleenex for napkins, so I had sacrificed my white handkerchief to use as a napkin. But never fear, the stall guy sees this and hands over two paper towels. These guys are just wonderful. After we’re all done, they come over to chat and we hang out a bit talking about their work (they are closed on Sunday, his family day, when he’ll go jogging and play with the kids), Trump (a subject everyone wants to talk about) and just general travel stuff.
We finally let them go back to cleaning up so they can go home, and we head back up to the hotel, full and happy. We snap a picture that sort of tells the story of Singapore – the juxtaposition of old and new…
…then head up to the room to hang out, watch a movie and settle in for the night. Tomorrow…the start of our next great adventure aboard the Celebrity Constellation.
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