We were in Singapore again last week for another conference.

We didn't exactly plan to, but we found ourselves eating at lots of chain places. Which are really not to be scorned, as it turns out.

Ya Kun, of course, is a longstanding favourite, and given that I proudly live in Malaysia, it's probably unpatriotic of me to say this... but Ya Kun make the BEST kaya toast.

TCC always has an innovative menu. Their layered lattes are definitely worth trying. I'm kind of into layered drinks at the moment...



But pushing beyond these tried and tested favourites, we found lots of interesting stuff at other chains.

Sakae Sushi do nice conveyor-belt sushi, and interesting lemon drinks with suckable jelly (soft jelly in drinks is a contemporary food trend that I'm very much in favour of). They also have table-side computer games to keep Nigel amused.

We are not generally into burgers. But Mos Burger's "unagi rice burger" is definitely worth making an exception for. Unagi is eel. They charcoal-grill it, top it with kabayaki sauce and crisp seaweed, and slap it between two rice patties. Excellent. They also do the most delectable strawberry soda, with nice little bits of strawberry to chase round the icebergs in your glass.

I've seen Mr Bean on many an occasion, but never tried their stuff. It turns out their signature soya milk is, not surprisingly, excellent, especially when drunk with a fat little Mr Bean pancake.

At the Cold Stone Creamery you really need to try the Apple Pie concoction. This is French vanilla ice cream, all mixed up with cinnamon, Graham cracker pie crust, real bits of apple, and caramel. Very nice indeed.

But the old classics are still going strong in Singapore. The chicken rice served beneath the delicate ironwork arches at the beautifully restored Lau Pa Sat foodcourt is one such.



And the pao from the 24-hour Kopitiam near the Innotel (especially the char siu and the custard varieties) were really very fine specimens of their kind.

As always, the old and the new live side by side in Singapore. The old foodcourt and the new finance houses. The impressive Marina Bay area (really lovely for an evening stroll or a Sunday afternoon visit to the ArtScience Museum) and the colonial buildings just across the water. The sleek, ever-evolving city and the age-old customs it still celebrates. The sharp, slick lines of the architecture and the soft tropical air....











Truly I will never tire of Singapore. It's a splendid place to spend time.