You never know true torture until you are drunk, in a foreign country, oceans away from the familiar broths and sauce of your hometown’s street food. What I learnt from my Singaporean ass moving all the way from the sweltering humidity and heat of cosmopolitan Singapore to the complete opposite of peaceful, cold Scotland, where drunk food is cheesy chips and gravy and the occasional pizza, is that Singapore food is the best type of food. Scottish drunk food definitely hits the spot, but I often desperately crave the comfort of sautéed mushrooms drizzled with vinegar and soy sauce in Bak Chor Mee, or the bursting warmth of pork broth in Xiao Long Bao.
Without further ado, let me give you a loose guide to the types of food drunk Singaporeans stumble towards, and hopefully make a convincing case for you to fly over to Southeast Asia and visit the Little Red Dot, where we have the b e s t drunk food (Sorry @ rest of the world!)
1. Bak Chor Mee
Translated to ‘minced pork noodles’, this dish is so much more than those three simple words. It is an oily goddess that dishes out joy and happiness. Having several variations depending on where you go to, the base of this dish is thin, egg noddles covered in a sour, spicy sauce made with vinegar, chilli, and soy sauce, and topped with steamed minced pork, mushrooms, meatballs, and chives. Some hawkers also like to add wanton dumplings and fried fish or pork skin into the mix.
The eating of Bak Chor Mee is often accompanied with silence, punctured with the occasional slurps and burps, as you and your friends are too busy lavishing every scoop of this wonder. Hence, this is the perfect post-club supper as the oils and spice soak up the alcohol from your system, sobering you up gradually whilst giving you the opportunity to disconnect from the wild night you’ve just had.
Where to go:
Meng’s Kitchen
246B Upper Thomson Road Singapore 574370
Open 9.30am – 4.30am
2. Lobster Ramen
Lobster ramen as a drunk supper meal recently shot to fame as Zouk, one of Singapore’s largest clubs, shifted to the party central of Clarke Quay, which has a plethora of different clubs and an even more impressive range of bars and restaurants. The lobster ramen from Ramen Keisuke Lobster King toys with elements of French lobster bisque and traditional ramen, fusing the two different culinary styles to form a delicious harmony of thick, flavourful lobster broth made with roe and rock lobster shells. Topped with the well-known and loved ramen condiments of seaweed, onsen egg, black fungus, and lots and lots of beansprouts, this provides an amazing end to your night.
Where to go:
Ramen Keisuke Lobster King
Clarke Quay – 3C River Valley Road
The Cannery, #01-07
Singapore 170922
Open 6pm – 5am
3. Bak Kut Teh
A classic drunk to-go, Bak Kut Teh, or ‘pork rib tea/soup’, is a Chinese herbal soup dish, filled to the brim with mushrooms, goji berries, pork ribs, and tau pok (a spongy cross between tofu and bean curd). The peppery essence of the soup compliments the usual side-dishes of rice, pickled vegetables, and intestines, which can be dipped in cut red chilli and dark sauce.
Like Ramen Keisuke Lobster King, the giant Bak Kut Teh restaurant in Clarke Quay is a beacon of relief for party-goers and late-night supper eaters alike. Although, some people (with sober friends) would opt to take a drive to Havelock Road, or to one of the many Bak Kut Teh restaurants open, to satisfy their cravings.
Where to go:
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
11 New Bridge Road, #01-01 Singapore 059383
Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh
593 Havelock Road
4. Dim Sum
The more expensive option of the lot, dim sum is a fail-safe alternative for indecisive eaters who want to eat everything. Unlike the other types of cuisine in this list, the small bite-sized portions of steamed dumplings and kueh (dessert or cakes) allow you to dip many hands in many honey pots.
Many dim sum restaurants also have other types of food on the menu, ranging from the traditional Teochew-style porridge, which contains century egg and minced pork, to unique ones like Swee Choon’s fried mee sua, which is fried vermicelli soaked in braised sauce. No matter the occasion, having dim sum creates a sense of community that gives a comforting and homely sober up.
Where to go:
Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant
191 Jalan Besar
Singapore 20882
5. Indomie
Home is where the indomie is! Despite the amazing variety of supper food available in the small island of Singapore, sometimes the best option is the packet (or 2) of indomie, which is a type of instant noodle by Indofood and has sparked a bounty of variations. This dish is extremely popular due to its minimal effort and maximum tastiness, and is usually enjoyed on its own, but some home chefs prefer to garnish it with a masterful fried egg!
The best part about indomie is that it has made its way across continents to ya ol’ Scotland, and can be found in supermarkets like Tesco and Aldi. So sit back, unbutton your pants, and watch the sun rise while slurping the salty goodness of a little piece of home.