Some of you guys may be wondering where we get all our great eating spots
from... and if you've read our articles, you'll have noticed the many references
made to this book in particular. I guess it's time to divulge the secret kung-fu
manual of the Yummie! pugilists - the Makansutra! (Disclaimer: lots of our
reviews are of sites listed in this book, but this duplication simply goes to show how
comprehensive this book is in mirroring so many of our favourite eating spots!)This
book is published by Makansutra publishing and (amazingly) seems to be written,
researched, published, copyrighted, art directed and photographed mostly by one person: KF
Seetoh. At least that's what it seems from the inside cover. The editor is Lim
Moh Cher, and there are a whole bunch of contributors, which the editor calls
"makanmatas". I don't understand what this means, perhaps "mata"
(which I've been taught from young) means "policeman". This makes the
bunch of 15 or so contributors the food police? The book claims that "for every
item recommended, at least three of our makanmatas have to confer, and second the
choice". That is the closest I've seen eating come to being a science.
This handy-sized book contains hundreds of eating spots all over Singapore, and fits
neatly into a glovebox. It's just a little bulky to stick into your pocket, but I
guess if you're mad enough you could always try. The eating spots are mostly hawker
food, including zhi-cha (chinese cooked food) and some mid-priced eateries, listed by food
type. They have a rating system based on the number of chopsticks, with two
chopsticks equals one bowl, up to a maximum best rating of three bowls or six chopsticks.
It may sound confusing here, but you'll figure it out once you read it.
The good things about the book are that they include detailed addresses about each
eating spot, including the opening hours and off days. Little comments recommend
what to order once you get there. The other feature which is really handy is the
breakdown by location, for example "Central/City" or "Geylang/Kallang"
which helps you find the best eating spots nearest to you with relative ease. I also
found this book particularly useful because it allowed me to track down some of my
ex-favourite stalls which have shifted location and didn't tell me (e.g. the Whitley Road
under-the-flyover Prawn Mee is now at Old Airport Road).
Also included are a few articles about food which I haven't found time to read simply
because it serves its first purpose too well: finding food!
This book has been reviewed by the newspapers and also on the radio, and has had
generally favourable comments so far. I for one think it's fantastic. The
newspaper reviews said that there were some wrong opening times printed, but I've yet to
come across any gross mistakes, and I've been using it for nearly three months now.
The food ratings are pretty reliable from what we've eaten, and most of our
favourite eating places are listed, probably meaning that they didn't miss much out.
I bought my copy from Wisma Atria MPH, at twelve bucks if I remember correctly.
That's not expensive. It was however the second last copy but that being
three months ago, I'm pretty sure they have new stocks in.
In closing let me just say that no eating fanatic should be without this guide.
Buy it today and nobody paid me anything to say this though you're most welcome to.
-Yuen Ho
