S (Singaporean) no.1: So are you coming with us to dinner tonight?
Me: Where are you guys going?
S no.1: Bedok market. There are some good stuff over there. There’s this famous Yong Tau Foo.
S no.2: I’m gonna eat the chicken wings.
Me: Is it famous?
S no.2: Yea it’s quite famous.
Me: Cos I only eat famous food.
S no.2: It IS famous! Are you going? (asking S no.3)
S no.3: No I’m not. *half whispering to me, shaking his head* It’s really not that famous..
Me: Like B-list celebrity..
Culture note: If you live in Singapore, you’d know by now that people queue for the food stalls and restaurants that have become known by words of mouth, with no advertisement. It can be a stall that’s tucked away in the farthest hawker center or the end of the world, it really doesn’t matter. It can be cooked by uncle in sweaty singlet or German chef, it’s irrelevant. Service may suck bad, waiting and queuing time goes for hours, food tastes so-so, expensive some more, and you gotta eat standing with one foot in the middle of rain at open space field (okay, maybe not the last one). Bottom line is if it’s FAMOUS people will go :)
That’s like in Malaysia too. :) When I took a road trip to Penang with my friends, we went for Famous Mee Goreng, Famous Chendol, Famous Red Bean Biscuit, Famous Nasi Kandar. We missed out on Famous Char Kuey Teow unfortunately. :(
Funniest was the Penang Rd Famous Chendol, there were 2 stalls, one with lots of ppl, one with none. But both had signs saying “Penang Road Famous Chendol”! We bought ours from the one with more ppl, hopefully that’s the right one. ;)
Comment by eeleng — 16 Jul 2007 @ 6:51 pm
I have to try the Nasi Kadar you keep talking about! Next time I go to Penang I’ll definitely ask you about all these famous places in details!
It’s the same here in Singapore. Sometimes near the (original) famous stall, there are one or two who also claim to be the famous one. Kinda cute =b, and deceiving..
Comment by mee — 25 Jul 2007 @ 12:58 am