A stroll along Orchard Road seems a great idea, but Singapore's oppressive heat and humidity soon leave you wilted. Scrap the jaunt and dive into one of these establishments, all within five minutes of Orange Grove Road, Tanglin Shopping Centre and the Traders Hotel area.
Isle Cafe
Tanglin Shopping Centre, 19 Tanglin Road
The Isle Cafe, fringed by Mohammed's carpet shop and Kenko's shoulder massage, is one of those inexplicably busy holes in the wall, permanently rammed to the gills with locals. Promising No Pork, No Lard (and no frills), the Isle dishes up hearty portions of prawn mee for S$3 ($15), fishball noodles (S$2.50), mee sian (a sour broth filled with noodles and egg (S$2.50), and the local favourite, laksa (S$3). Freshly squeezed juices are a bargain at S$2. Don't pitch up later than 6.30pm because the Isle closes at dusk.
Esmirada
Orchard Hotel, 442 Orchard Road
Directly opposite the Manchester United bar and disco - but don't let that put you off - is the Esmirada, a Mediterranean restaurant serving Greek, French, Italian and Spanish dishes. A resident of the same spot for more than a decade, the Esmirada does a good fisherman's soup, known as kakavia, filled with scrumptious seafood (S$9.25) and creamy desserts. There's also a canopied outdoor section.