Street eats
The first nasi lemak picture I ever loved was a failure. It was past midnight, under the harsh fluorescent stall light buzzing overhead, and I had shot the plate straight down the way everyone tells you to. When I looked at it later, everything had melted into one flat surface. The rice, the sambal, the…
I’ll be honest, the first bowl that landed in front of me looked a bit sad. Pale noodles, not much going on, and I nearly worried I’d made a wrong call. Then I tossed it, and the whole thing transformed. That’s the trick with Orchard Bak Chor Mee. The sauce hides at the bottom, so…
I’ve spent many nights exploring Orchard Plaza’s vibrant late-night food scene, capturing the warm, honest atmosphere that emerges after most of the city sleeps. Over the years, I’ve sampled nearly every supper spot in this slightly worn but charming building. Some places came and went, but three have remained my go-to late-night haunts, plus one…
I almost didn’t see the entrance the first time. Tucked along Robertson Quay at 30 Robertson Quay, #01-15 Riverside View, Shunjuu Izakaya is a Japanese restaurant in Singapore serving an exciting menu of Japanese cuisine. It hides behind a curtain of charcoal smoke and warm lantern light. Then I caught the smell of grilling pork…
If you want to understand Singapore izakaya chefs, or photograph them honestly, you have to stop seeing these places as only casual drinking spots. This guide walks through how to observe, respect, and capture the people who keep Singapore’s izakaya scene alive long after the office towers go dark. Discover the smoky rhythm and masterful…
I walked into The Public Izakaya 2.5 Nitengo on a Friday around 10:15 PM, right as the after-work drinks crowd in Tanjong Pagar was hitting its peak. Walking into a packed room with a proper camera always gives me a wave of anxiety. I worry about looking intrusive or annoying the diners trying to settle…
The first time I visited Geylang for supper after dark, I was a wide-eyed tourist chasing a recommendation for the best beef kway teow. I got off at the MRT and walked into a vibrant, chaotic world of neon signs, sizzling woks, and streets humming with an energy unique to Geylang food culture. It was…
My first time taking a camera to Geylang at night was a lesson in humility. I had this grand idea of capturing the “gritty authenticity” of a late-night supper. I stood over a bubbling pot of eminent frog porridge at a spot on Lorong 9, camera raised high, trying to frame the perfect shot. I…
What Food Crawls at Night Taught Me People tell me all the time why I, a woman, feel so comfortable going out into Singapore’s bustling streets. To be frank, I hadn’t always been this “brave”, as they say. Growing up, my family had always warned me about the dangers of the nightlife, especially in a…
The shutters pull down on the retail shops by ten. In the basement corridors of Singapore’s quiet malls, the bright overhead lights drop to a low hum. The evening rush fades, leaving behind a sparse, deliberate crowd. An office worker loosens his tie, staring at a glowing menu board. A nurse carrying a canvas tote…