Venture beyond the mainstream commercial hub of Odori's Tanuki Koji 1-6 and you'll wind up in TK7, the older, original part of the covered walkway. This is the raw, unpolished section, which might not be as new and shiny as its add-ons but has all the character to make up for it. Make it down here and you'll find some hidden gems that simply wouldn't fit in further up the road. Singapore Kopitiam is one of those gems. Walking past at night, you won't be able to miss the place, with people sitting outside and the chatter from inside creating an enticing buzz.
The first time I visited Singapore Kopitiam was late on a Saturday night with some friends. We were hungry and eager for something other than ramen or sushi. Something new, exciting and fun. After ruling out Thai and Chinese, we heard the calls of Singapore. We stepped inside and immediately knew that we had made the right call.
Singapore Kopitiam, at least on a Saturday, is loud, lively and rather eccentric. Just the sort of atmosphere our night was in need of. Red lanterns and paper dragons decorate the ceiling like stars, fooling you into thinking you're out at one of Singapore's many late night hawker centers. Every inch of wall is covered with posters of Tiger beer, Singapore's lager of choice, and other odes to the small island nation. Even the bathrooms have character, with colorful spunky posters and floor length mirrors creating one rad lavatory experience.
But of course, what people really come to Singapore Kopitiam for is the food. To indulge in something entirely different to what is normal and common in Japanese cuisine. To treat their tastebuds to new flavors and ingredients.
Both of my parents were born and raised in Singapore and despite having lived in Australia for over 25 years now, Singaporean cuisine makes a regular appearance at our dining table. I've visited Singapore more times than I can count and have become well acquainted with its food and flavors. Needless to say, as excited as I was about trying the food at Singapore Kopitiam, I was also slightly nervous!
As I told my friends at the table, Singaporean food is fusion food. It has elements of Malay, Indian and Chinese cuisines all creatively woven together to make dishes so delicious that you'll probably have a food addiction after devouring them.
Singapore Kopitiam's menu was pretty good. It has many local favorites - Mee goreng, hokkien mee, Hainanese chicken rice, satay and laksa (although they were out when I tried to order it...More incentive to return!). We ordered a range of different noodle dishes, with the Hong Kong noodles and hokkien mee the crown favorites. Serving sizes were a little on the small side considering the slightly steep price tag at around ¥700-900 per dish. But that's just me comparing things to Singapore where you pay $3 and get a mountain of food.
Food in Singapore is a celebration of cultural diversity and a tribute to the many different people that call Singapore home. Perhaps that's why Singapore Kopitiam has been so well received. It represents more than just a foreign food establishment. It stands for diversity, acceptance, fusion and multiculturalism. Head on over to Singapore Kopitiam and get a little taste of the culinary culture that Sapporo has to offer.
