U had Food with Makansutra (UFM)

Makansutra's food safari held on 1st June was simply a knock out!
Touring on the graveyard shift, it was a supper safari for UFM 100.3 listeners – a first in many ways. It was Makansutra’s FIRST supper outing and a FIRST with a radio station and participants had a real treat having KF Seetoh and Anna Lim co-hosting.

Within a day when Singapore was taken off the World Health Organisation’s list of Sars-affected countries and Singaporeans were stepping out from recluse again, Makansutra’s UFM Supper Safari was indeed significant. Life goes on! We gotta eat!!

The station’s promo for the event started about a week earlier. The phone lines were jammed. “I’m calling in to enquire about the food tour. Any vacancies?” With spaces limited to 25 participants, you’ll understand why the calls came in an instant when the announcement came over the airwaves. As a matter of fact the places were filled up in a span of 2 hours. That’s the epitome of enthusiasm!

It was this same zeal that saw most of the participants troop down to Newton Hawker Centre on 31st May at 11.30pm punctually, in anticipation for the start of the event. As per the norm these days, the participants had to go through the Sars protocol and have their temperatures taken.

The tour started at 12 midnight sharp and the stage was set for a memorable event. To set the mood, both hosts were in their pyjamas. Seeing Seetoh so often in his bright, flashy attire, it was refreshing to see him in a set of ‘made in China’ cotton jammies. At that instant, everyone knew that that was going to be a night to remember in a long, long while. Why wouldn’t it be with Seetoh at the helm? With his funny antics and little anecdotes, Seetoh had everyone’s attention through the wee hours of the morning.

Anna had her moments too. Her cheekiness, ever so often sneaked under her poised and polished persona. In her perfect conversational Mandarin, she exchanged jibes and ‘digs’ with Seetoh, much to the delight of the participants.

The menu for the safari was indeed a feast for the eyes and palate – something to entice different taste buds. Our first stop was the southern estate of Bukit Merah to savour one of the tastiest Yong Tau Foo soups in Singapore. The extra zing comes in the topping of green cut chilli padi on the soup. The participants were all spiced up and gearing for more.

We then headed to westwards towards Redhill Market for another supper favourite - Fried Carrot Cake. Very well fried homemade recipe that got the participants, puckering their lips with each bite. Even Seetoh and Anna had some fun posing for some shots while enjoying their chai tow kueh.

What is a tour, without a bit of travelling? We headed to the western end of Singapore (Boon Lay) for Nasi Lemak by the gang from Haji Maksah Barkat Chahya Food Stall. This was the highlight of the morning. The aroma of the steamed coconut rice emanated the air as the group got off the bus. As we approached the stall, the alluring scent of ayam goreng (Fried Chicken) whetted our appetites. The welcoming party surprised us all. The stall owner, Sam and his helpers were all dressed for the occasion. Decked in Black Polo T-shirts with the Makansutra logo, they reinforced the rating and popularity of the stall’s signature nasi lemak.

It was two thumbs up for the nasi lemak! With every dip of the chilli ‘rempah’, everyone was asking for more. Some liked it generously mixed with the rice, others liked it just spread over the other ingredients like the egg or fried chicken.

Thereafter, it was time for some rest for our stuffed tummies as we rode back down to Jalan Besar. Swee Choon Restaurant is famous for their freshly hand-made baos as well as the dining experience in the back lanes behind. However, to our surprise, we were treated to an air-conditioned dining area instead, with tables specially prepared for our arrival. Each participant had a big bak bao (filled with minced pork, a piece of chicken, egg and half a black mushroom. Mmmm… That’s not all. We got a taste of the Fried Mee Suah too! Before long, some participants were ordering take-aways to share their “finds” with their families.

By the final stop, some participants were exclaiming that they’ve never felt so tired from eating. We had a sample of the durian chee cheong fun from Jia Peng Porridge House along Geylang Road. Topped with chopped peanuts, it was like eating warm muah chee.

All good things must come an end. After a four hour event, the participants had to bid their fond adieus to the stall owners as well as the two hosts. But, the memory of the food safari would remain with them for a long time to come.