Asia Pacific Food Expo 2004

The Asia Pacific Food Expo is one of those event that combines the two greatest passion of Singaporeans: eating and shopping. Being averse to crowded places, I have never attended such food events till today. On a whim, my Mom wanted to go take a look and being the dutiful daughter, I decided to accompany her. Besides, it was a weekday, the crowd could not be that bad.

The event was held at Singapore Expo, an exhibition complex. The 10,000 square metre exhibition hall had rows and rows of stalls selling all kinds of food from the Asia Pacific region. 

There was a corner set up with plastic tables and chairs for people to stuff their faces eat the food.

Half an hour into our eating and shopping spree, we realised that 2 pairs of hands were not enough to carry all the food items.  So we bought a collapsible shopping cart thus freeing our hands to buy some more. The shopping cart was in my opinion the best buy of the day and it had only cost SGD10.   

The exhibition got really crowded around 2pm. There were throngs of people everywhere sampling and buying food. I was starting to feel dizzy and suffocated and had long given up taking photographs as I could not even get near the stalls. I ended up standing guard by the shopping cart and away from the crowd while my gung ho mother pressed on in pursuit of more food.

Mom had outdone herself this time. We went home with a full stomach, a car boot full of food and hair smelling of barbeque pork (ventilation was not too good inside the hall). Here are some of the more notable loot food:   

A Taiwanese speciality: crab stuffed with glutinous rice 

The stall we bought this from call it Macau fried noodles. It is a noodle pancake topped with mayonnaise and pork floss. It is just too Okonomiyaki like to be authentic Macau. 

A famous Teo Chew dessert called "Orr Ni" made of mashed yams cooked in a sweet sauce with gingko nuts. In the good old days, this dish was served hot covered with a layer of melted lard. They use healthier vegetable oil nowdays but the dish is still tooth achingly sweet. 

Then there are all the sauces and biscuits and frozen food and instant mixes. I will need some time to try them out to see if they are any good.

Last but not least, Hello Kitty cakes in a pink Hello Kitty box. Yes I am a sucker for packaging but I have zero will power when it comes to Hello Kitty mechandise.

So I survived a Singapore food event. It is quite a feat for me. Not easy to battle the aunties and grandmas for samples and that last packet of sausage, you know. The next time there is such an event, I think I will attend, armed with a bigger shopping cart with my Mom in tow. Not on a weekend though, I am still not brave enough for that.

Comments

[spots]

WOW. That's quite a lot your mom bought! I personally hate crowds too and can imagine the numbers thronging the event! See that you bought Klang Bak Kut Teh spices... good choice! I jus posted something on Bak Kut Teh too... it's one of my favourite dishes :P

[fish fish]

Hi ST, I do agree with u, the Macau fried noodle looks more like a Japanese Okonomiyaki to me. How was the taste?

[ST]

Hi spots, you have not seen my mom at her best yet :)I have just tested the Klang Bak Kut Teh, will be blogging about it soon.

fish fish, I manage to get only 1 bite of that fried noodle :( It tasted like a modanyaki with pork floss topping, I liked it.

[husky9]

wah................envy.....singapore food expo looks so good

[ST]

Hi Husky, this is the Asia Pacific Food Expo. The Singapore Food Expo is held around May or June each year. Singaporeans love food expos :)

[pinkcocoa]

hiya ST
So you are a hello kitty fan too! The hello kitty cakes just looked so gorgeous. What type of cake was it? I bet it must be a little hard to have to eat such cute cake, huh?

[ST]

Hee, you can consider me a Hello Kitty fan. The cakes are butter cakes covered with butter cream. I ate the cake the next day, I guess I adore butter more than Hello Kitty *blush*

[Theo Ipea]

It's cheaP, not cheaT, but nice site.

From a fellow food lover...