Singapore to Perth

After a whistle stop time in Singapore (I didn’t get half the things done I would have liked, but I was only there for three days and kept hearing about other things I should do, so it was pretty packed anyway!) I am now in Perth. My last night in Singapore was fun – I went to Raffles for dinner! Dressed up in my posh frock, I got a taxi there as it was raining and tried to look as if I belonged as I walked through the door. I probably failed miserably, but the people at the entrance to the Grill were politeness itself, so if I looked an oik off the street, they certainly didn’t show it! I was ushered to my seat – in the window, laid with enormous silver cutlery, linen napkins, silver candle lamp, pink rose and plate you could bathe a small dog in…

Overwhelemed by all this, I put the plum in my mouth (they all had one…) and looked at the menu. Supressing a gulp, I see that 6 courses is a little over £100… Not including drinks… I check with the waiter that the 3 course option is available, and go for that! I feel cheap.
;)
However, there’s no point wasting 6 courses on someone with a stomach the size of a pea, so I select three courses from the 6 course menu and begin:

Gin and tonic

Mineral water

Bread roll

Amuse-bouche (I come unstuck at this point as it’s beef tartare and beetroot gazpacho - :P )

I leave the beef but thoroughly enjoy the intense flavour of the gazpacho.
Clearly chef is concerned that I’ve not enjoyed the beef, so a second amuse bouche arrives – tomato gazpacho with eggplant caviare… Yum!

First course: Chargrilled Foie gras – I feel a pang of guilt for the duck, but the dish is so delicate, light, almost eggy, with a touch of duck flavour, and melts in the mouth so that I am happy the poor bird didn’t suffer in vain. There is a bewildering array of vegetables there too – all of which complement the duck in different ways. A work of art.

An attentive waiter refills my water and the second dish arrives, on a platter, with two waiters – one carrying it, one more senior to serve. I’ve never had pig’s trotter before… I could tell it was beautifully done, the flavour and texture were both perfect. Sadly I decide that I don’t really like the texture of pig’s trotters, but thoroughly enjoy the rest, though the flavours are again wonderful.

Pre-dessert: light mousse, mandarins and a sliver of fruit salad snap. Light as a cloud and tastes divine.

Dessert: Pear with white chocolate ice cream. Simple, you might think – not so, the best pear in the world! And not just because it was the most expensive!

Followed by chocolate biscuits, and two incredibly choclately chocolates. I am stuffed.

The chef comes out to say hello – not something I expected; I am slightly gobsmacked and lose my tongue for a moment; before complementing him – he is freshly arrived from France and plans to stay here for a while –hooray!

I am encouraged to stay as long as I like, and nothing so crass as the bill is suggested, though a small transaction occurs, after which the waiter kindly and courteously takes my photo and I meander delicately out into the damp, fresh-smelling courtyard.
Where I am randomly and humourously assaulted by the perfect antidote to Raffles’ elitist air. An Aussie Naval chap on his way home. He and his mate (Daniel and Luke) take me for a Singapore Sling! They insist on paying, and are both friendly, chatty, sweet and a little drunk. They have another Sling, I decline, but the barman has clearly taken a shine to us for he pours the remnants of the Sling he has made into my empty glass.
This happens again later in the evening, by which time the three of us are getting on cheerfully – we swap emails and the guys decide to write in my notebook… I shall scrutinise it later. ;)

The following day – no hangover – hooray! I decide to go to the zoo with my remaining few hours and spend a few, slightly maudlin as I don’t want to leave, hours wandering around the zoo. It is merely a zoo, but a very nice one, and the animals seem happy, which is important. On my way there though, I was given a magical mysetery detour by my taxi driver, and we went to an out of town shopping farm, which he obviously loved, which was full of fish farms and things. You can have a fish spa – where they come and nibble you delicately! I also saw lots of dragonfish (amazing creatures, but at £1000 a go, I’ll stick with goldfish!). They are all tagged for ID purposes and have price tags in excess of £3000 for the older ones… One belonged to Chow Yun Fat!

FLight was unremarkable, though the chap I sat next to, Merlin, had already been away for 7 months and was thinking of working for a couple more years to continue funding his globe-trotting. I'm going around once - he seemed determined to spiral around as many times as possible via everywhere! Cool... Not for me though - I'd miss ENgland too much, despite the weather!

Anyway, I’m going to stop wittering and go and explore Perth some more! Sunshine – hooray!

;)