DINING OUT UNDER THE STARS

IN SEARCH OF MAKAN - FROM BEACH ROAD TO CLARKE QUAY TO KTM

Mazy, Burnie, Emma and Zac received no mercy whenever they stayed with us for their summer holidays. They would be extracted and vacuumed till the last drop of their energy is left when they leave the house for outings. We would bring them out and and they would only get to lay their heads on the pillow at 3 or 4 am. So where on earth do you think in Singapore can we offer them all these family nightouts till the graveyard hours?

It was another nite out again for the foursome. We started by having light dinner at Beach Road where Nasi Penyet, Dry Beefsteak and Satay were the top choice for chewing and swallowing. Without fail I would order the freshest sugar cane juice in town from my favourite stall. It used to be manned by the present owner's parents, but after their death, the son who used to give a helping hand in his younger days had taken over. No compromise in quality though business had changed hands. This chap is guaranteed of one loyal customer from Yishun.

Fearing that our shirts and blouses would be bloodied by the thumping and whacking of the gruesome red coloured Soup Tulang for its bone marrow, we ordered two packets of $10/- of the bone to be brought home for tomorrow's breakfast. Call it strategic planning for my lazy bones - so that I did not have to wake up early to prepare breakfast the next day, since the Mamak had prepared for us.

Clarke Quay, compromising of five blocks of restored warehouses where you can shop, eat and be entertained by the riverside, was the next spot we went. Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second governor, Clarke Quay had been the commercial centre, where an unending stream of lighters would transport their goods upriver to the warehouses and godowns. It's an alternative way of mainstream shopping and nite-out experiences for you can find second-hand antique shops and dining at alfresco restaurants with an array of cuisine options under the stars. Clarke Quay gets more crowded and noisier as the moon takes centre stage in the sky. The pubs and night spots vibrate the place with evergreen music to the top charts that are hitting the radio stations. With the new makeover ,this place is now also drawing new flock of crowds - yuppies, families and business associates.

We chose a restaurant, formerly called Whampoa's Ice House, which belonged to Hoo Ah Kay, an early immigrant from Whampoa, China who imported ice from Boston in the mid-1800s before ice-making facilities were available in Singapore. That was how the Chinese and European merchants brought their own architectural styles to the area. Thinking that this place is tucked away from the main traffic flow we got a table for us enjoy our conversation more. But we were dead wrong! Blood curdling screams sliced through the night, jolting us from our seats. Were we surrounded by vampires or Van Helsing and such creatures of the night?

With our Sherlock Holmes's magnifying glass, we snooped and sourced for what had distracted us from our moonlight chat. Target spotted! The culprits or screamers were getting their dose of adrenaline rush with the G-Max Reverse Bungee which was just beside the Whampoa's Ice House! Designed and developed in New Zealand eight years ago, the G-Max is Singapore’s first extreme ride. It involves up to three people being seated in a specially designed open air steel reinforced capsule, attached by US-approved bungee cords to two towers. The cords are tightened and then released, catapulting the capsule up to 60m in the air at speeds of 200kph. The faint and weak hearted were screaming throughout the 5 minutes ride.

Past midnight, some wise guy mentioned having supper at KTM - the hawker stalls at Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Before I could say, "Yes, let's go", everyone had flown into the cars with jaws hanging loose waiting for food to go in. Entry to the KTM carpark was $2/-. Stalls used to line the stretch of roads inside the premise but they were gone now because of the din created that annoyed the nearby residents.

Only the stalls operated by KTM were opened when we reached there at 1am. Most of us ordered the nasi lemak while the youngsters opted for Ramly Burger. The nasi lemak was just average while the side order had seen better state of its days. What a disappoint it had been for us to keep our eyes opened for the trip but to be greeted by the sorry looking state of the dishes.

Emma was tricked into believing that we had crossed the border into Malaysia because all the signboards found were in Malay. She only found the truth when she checked with the hawker where she was before we headed for home. It was another night of fun with the family.