ShoreTrips says...

The residential neighborhood of Katong is a colorful oasis in a city filled with towering skyscrapers. Bursting with vibrant shop houses, quaint stores, and many eateries, Katong is the perfect place to discover Singapore's melting pot of flavors. Bring your appetite, you're in for a gustatory adventure!

With early beginnings as a coconut plantation, Katong has evolved into a hip and vibrant neighborhood and is now Singapore’s foodie enclave. On this 3-hour exploration, you’ll discover Katong's multi-culturalism, visiting Indian, Malay, Peranakan, and Chinese shops, trying a myriad of dishes that represent Singapore’s many cultures.

Your culinary adventure begins with a sampling of different flavors of curry puffs, an Indian specialty. While munching your puffs, you'll hear about the history of the shop before taking a stroll down East Coast Road to see the colorful shophouses and Peranakan architecture for which Katong is so famous.

Chicken and rice, one of Singapore's national dishes, will be a delicious surprise, as this simple dish has been elevated to new heights. The shop you'll visit is one of Singapore’s most famous and has appeared on many TV shows with celebrity chefs.

Your next experience is watching the Bak Kwa chefs prepare their version of pork jerky, marinated in fish sauce, honey, soy, and chili and barbequed before your eyes. You'll find these savory-sweet tidbits so enticing you'll want to take some home for family and friends.

The Singapore Hawker culture was created after WWII when all street traders were required to sell their goods in one place. Locals flocked there for many of their meals for years. While Hawker culture is on the decline, we'll discover how one visionary hawker is attempting to keep the tradition alive.

Next stop, the famous Joo Chiat Road, where the street is bursting with small local restaurants, each selling their own unique style of food.

You'll follow the lead of every taxi driver in town when you step inside a prata shop and watch Abdul the Prata Flipper as he flips your own personal Indian pancakes, before devouring them with a side of fish or vegetable curry sauce.

Moving on, you’ll make your way to a lively Hindu temple. The haunting melody of the priest's chants, the smell of the incense, and the sight of locals coming together always makes for a great memory. Get a chance to see how food and religion mix during a visit to the temple kitchen.

We've saved the best for last! Katong is the birthplace of one of Singapore's national dishes, Katong Laksa. Every food stall in town has its own version of this coconut based, shrimp noodle soup, but we’ll sample this Michelin-recognized dish at the same stall where chef Gordon Ramsay attempted (and failed) to beat our chef at his own game.

And of course, no meal is complete without dessert. Sample Bak Chang sticky rice dumplings, a Singapore favorite, along with Blue Pea Flowered tea.

Katong is not a touristy destination and you'll love the opportunity to sit alongside the locals for a real taste of Singapore.