I THOUGHT it would be a good idea this week to lead curious readers into some non-tourism-gazetted areas for a food on foot safari.

YUMMY: Nothing like roti prata and a cup of teh tarik. ST FILE PICTURE

Fact is, some of us are like tourists in our city - point A to B every day and not much in between.

Get on your feet, hop off the bus or train and see a Singapore you don't normally do if you drive or just commute from one spot to another for that daily work and go-home routine.

Beach Road

This 3km to 4km stretch of road has a magical appeal that lets you travel from one world to another.

Begin at the 'heartland' ah pek and auntie end at Golden Mile Complex and its three-room public flats environs and end at the plush bar and billiard hall of Raffles Hotel.

At the foot of Block 2 along Beach Road is a traditional Chinese pastry and cake shop (Sze Thye Cake Shop). It sells old Chinese festival goodies like huat kway, tau sah piah (bean pastry), pink fortune buns and sesame balls.

Browsing in the shop for 10 minutes is like taking a 50-year trip back in time.

Their stuff go well with a nice hot cup of ginger teh tarik further down off the main road at 21, Baghdad St (a sarabat stall).

Of late, I have particularly enjoyed sticking my head into a children's toy museum, which is inside the quaint Grandfather's Collection shop.

It's just outside the national mosque along the pedestrian walkway at Bussorah St (besides Baghdad St).

They sell toys and goodies from an era when bell bottoms, centre-parting and beehive hair-dos were trendy. Funny, but I relate to them. I was told by the owners, you could sit in their cosy backyard for some fresh brewed coffee and play kuti-kuti.

I also recently discovered a familiar sounding shop name that hawks the famous Shanghai xiao long paos (steamed soup dumplings).

This Shanghai Nan Xiang Xiao Loong Pao eatery bears no relation to the famous century-old Nan Xiang in Shanghai (which has a chain outlet at Bugis Parco).

Confusion aside, this little namesake has one of the soupiest xiao long paos I have ever had. The skin was thin enough and was water tight.

Even the fried guo tie versions was oozing with soup with every bite. The minced meat stuffing, alas, was a letdown.

Beach Road may be known for spicy hotpot buffets tucked around Liang Seah St, but that's quite pedestrian compared to a Korean style hotpot buffet (Szechuan mala soup included) that comes with a separate Kobe style convex griller pan (Da Chang Jin at 249 Beach Rd).

Crab, beef, mutton, pork, fish, chicken, offals, prawns... the works, including cooked dishes like spicy beef capsicums and tofu with century egg salad.

I just love sliding the sukiyaki thin beef or pork slices over the pan with just a hint of oil.

Upper Thomson

Much has been said about this turning into another Holland Village-esque lifestyle quarter.

Nah, in my opinion, this once childhood playground of mine should remain as it is - functional, for the middle-class residents there.

The absence of the laid back foreign community buzzing about for cheap beer, free music and sandwiches gives this stretch of Upper Thomson (around the Jalan Todak) area, the space to be itself.

Three of the better roti prata joints are here with The Roti Prata House (246M Upp Thomson Rd - very crispy but has a sweet sensation) and the Casuarina Prata (136 Casuarina Rd - famous for their uber thin and crispy roti tissue) topping the pop prata chart here.

The Sin Ming Roti Prata Faizal and Aziz Curry at Blk 24, Sin Ming Road specialises in the new fangled small 'coin' pratas.

I think one should not miss out on a chance to walk off the ghee in the pratas at Pierce Reservoir.

The place hasn't changed since the '70s.

The view of the forest in stunning and the air is crisp and fresh, and yet, it's only 500m off the main road.

When done, top up with a nice banana chocolate cake at the zen-like designed Awfully Chocolate (4 Jalan Kuras) with kopi-o at the little Semabawang Hills Food Centre right in front.

Next week: Geylang and Kitchener Rd area  Back to Columnists