https://www.scmp.com/rss/317654/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The casual observer impressed by Singapore’s modern architecture is very likely unaware of the influence upon it of feng shui, or the ancient Chinese art of geomancy. Feng shui, literally meaning wind and water, is a foundation of Chinese metaphysics that examines and aligns invisible forces believed to connect the universe. It affects the design of buildings, the materials used in their construction, and the practice of building them to face in a particular direction – thought to harness the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3082779/how-ancient-art-feng-shui-influenced-modern-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3082779/how-ancient-art-feng-shui-influenced-modern-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2020 04:15:07 +0000 Singapore’s collective efforts in research and technology are helping it cope with a recent rise in Covid-19 infections that have stretched its health care resources. As of April 20, the city had reported just over 8,000 cases – more than any other southeast Asian country, and 11 related deaths. Government initiatives in biotechnology and research kicked into high gear after the first case of the disease caused by the new coronavirus was diagnosed in the city state on January 23. It focused on... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3080716/how-singapore-tech-helping-recent-surge-coronavirus-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3080716/how-singapore-tech-helping-recent-surge-coronavirus-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:30:14 +0000 One of the best ways to connect with a city is through its native food. Macau has a wide range of comforting and delicious snacks and meals to offer, from the hot and tart devil’s curry to a crab salad made with papaya flowers. The cuisine of the former Portuguese colony, on China’s southern coast, has been recognised as one of the world’s first genuine fusion foods. Macanese dishes have been influenced by both traditional Portuguese delicacies and savoury Chinese dishes for centuries. Returned... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3038588/history-macau-10-traditional-fusion-dishes-african-chicken?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3038588/history-macau-10-traditional-fusion-dishes-african-chicken?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Nov 2019 02:30:13 +0000 The highlights of a recent food trip to Sweden and Denmark ranged from vegan hot dogs and vegetarian burgers bought from street stands to several places on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants (W50 Best). Different as they all were, they offered insights into the way Scandinavians prepare and eat their food. The meat of wild game such as deer, elk, reindeer and bear features on menus alongside seafood and pickled and fermented vegetables. Even what is considered fast food is made with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3015175/scandinavia-where-even-fast-food-slow-and-respect-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3015175/scandinavia-where-even-fast-food-slow-and-respect-ingredients?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2019 13:30:12 +0000 Roughly 5 per cent of Chinese people in Singapore report Hakka ancestry. The Hakka, known as ke jia ren, or guest people, in Mandarin, are of Northern Chinese descent and were constantly on the move until they settled across southern China, Malaysia and Singapore. Many Hakka from China’s Dapu County in eastern Guangdong province settled in Singapore and Malaysia and adapted and evolved their cuisine. Hakka cuisine is less well known than Cantonese and Chiu Chow cuisines, both also from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3010263/hakka-cuisine-singapore-where-find-leicha-thunder-tea-rice-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3010263/hakka-cuisine-singapore-where-find-leicha-thunder-tea-rice-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2019 04:30:06 +0000 There is a reason Changi Airport has been ranked the world’s best airport for five years in a row at the Skytrax World Airport Awards: it boasts one of the most efficient, green and pleasant transit experiences a traveller could hope to find. If you have time to spare during a layover then there is plenty to do both in and out of the airport besides duty-free shopping and looking for somewhere to charge your phone. The city centre is just 30 minutes or so away by MRT train, so it is a breeze to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2108716/best-things-do-singapore-layover-airport-jacuzzis-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2108716/best-things-do-singapore-layover-airport-jacuzzis-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Aug 2017 22:45:45 +0000 Singapore’s rich culinary landscape is derived partly from the large Chinese migrant communities that settled there in the late 17th century. The old-school bakeries and confectionery shops are similar to those in Hong Kong; however, they offer a larger selection of baked and steamed goods with colourful Southeast Asian flavours. Unlike the French, who have their boulangeries specialising in bread, and patisseries for desserts, Singapore and Hong Kong’s traditional shops combine both, selling... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2102363/five-traditional-singapore-bakeries-and-coffee-shop-satisfy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2102363/five-traditional-singapore-bakeries-and-coffee-shop-satisfy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jul 2017 00:30:45 +0000 Our tour begins with a cool, fizzy welcome drink. We are asked to identify the herbs it is flavoured with; we taste pandan, lemongrass and blue pea flower. Then begins a two-hour walk through a city neighbourhood during which we are introduced to weeds and plants producing edible flowers, roots or fruit – jackfruit, mango, lychee, several varieties of ginger, banana and papaya trees, the blue pea flowers we tasted earlier, and breadfruit, which actually looks and tastes like bread. There is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2056377/foragers-singapore-how-find-edible-plants-growing-wild-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2056377/foragers-singapore-how-find-edible-plants-growing-wild-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Dec 2016 23:15:45 +0000 Locavore in the Bali artists’ town of Ubud was a hit months after it opened in 2013, and became even more popular when it came in at number 49 on the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. It’s an example of how much the dining scene in Bali has evolved over the past decade or so, with beautiful new dining spots and watering holes that pay homage to the wonderful and diverse local produce that grows lavishly in Indonesia thanks to the country’s favourable climate. As its name suggests,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1947242/3-best-restaurants-ubud-bali-where-arts-spread-studio-plate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1947242/3-best-restaurants-ubud-bali-where-arts-spread-studio-plate?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2016 05:01:17 +0000 Having to stay in the kitchen of Ultraviolet in Shanghai while chef Paul Pairet and his team cook for a table full of guests – all chefs who have between them a total of 25 Michelin stars – might make it seem like I’ve been relegated to second class status. But I’m philosophical about it; after all, anyone who plans far enough in advance can book a place at the 10-seat “immersive dining” restaurant, but not everyone gets to witness what goes on behind the scenes. The 10 guests have met in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1909283/dinner-theatre-behind-scenes-ultraviolet-shanghai-immersive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1909283/dinner-theatre-behind-scenes-ultraviolet-shanghai-immersive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:00:00 +0000 My lifelong mission is to promote and preserve Macanese cuisine and culture. I am very careful not to hurt the feelings of chefs and owners of restaurants, so it's really very hard for me to pick the best places in town where I go out for Macanese food. I eat at home very often and the best meals take place over large get-togethers. For dining options, Macau has no secrets. Everybody knows where to go and where to eat depends on your preference and your budget. African chicken is very popular... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1832056/favourite-restaurants-macanese-gastronomic-association-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1832056/favourite-restaurants-macanese-gastronomic-association-president?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:16:26 +0000 Although Hello Kitty has been around since 1974, the cartoon character is the muse for all types of trends throughout the world. Hello Kitty Obrigado Macau officially opened in May, after a six-month soft-opening period. This kiosk serves mini Hokkaido milk egg tarts (10 patacas per tart, 56 for six tarts, 108 for 12), with a smooth egg custard filling with a rich texture, a perfectly burnt top crust and crisp pastry. There are treats such as pork jerky in the shape of Hello Kitty (48 patacas),... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1834206/hello-kitty-obrigado-macau-gives-local-delicacies-feline-twist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1834206/hello-kitty-obrigado-macau-gives-local-delicacies-feline-twist?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:16:26 +0000 Communal Table's philosophy says it all. "The idea of Communal Table is simple: a table large enough to share your thoughts, ideas and happiness over coffee and food with friends and strangers. This idea influences our store design and the way we make our coffee and food. We believe good coffee and food taste even better when shared with friends over good conversation." The interior of the Macau restaurant has a simple and chic industrial design: solid cement floors, wooden tables and all forms... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1834205/restaurant-review-communal-table-macau-good-food-and-company?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1834205/restaurant-review-communal-table-macau-good-food-and-company?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:16:26 +0000 Buddy Candy Store: This psychedelic sweet shop is tucked away in the corner of an alley just a stone's throw from the Ruins of St Paul's, alongside some hipster fashion boutiques. Buddy Candy Store sells candies in all shapes, sizes and colours, including its bestselling giant gummy bears imported from the US, weighing up to 2.2kg. What usually strikes first-time visitors is the ethereal colourful floating glass balloons that run through the ceiling of the entire shop. All the goodies are... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1832052/inside-track-five-places-where-macau-people-go-shop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1832052/inside-track-five-places-where-macau-people-go-shop?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:15:30 +0000 Tomorrow evening the annual Cha Gordo meal, a celebration of Macanese food and traditions, will take place at a masquerade ball at the D. José da Costa Nunes school. "There you can feel and sense a little bit of the nostalgia of the old days - and what the Cha Gordo means for us," says Luis Machado, the president of the organisers, the Confraria Gastronomia Macaense. Cha Gordo is Portuguese for "fat tea" and was a regular gourmand affair for big Macanese families celebrating Catholic holidays... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1761799/cha-gordo-macaus-fat-tea-celebration-macanese-cuisine-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1761799/cha-gordo-macaus-fat-tea-celebration-macanese-cuisine-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2015 22:16:27 +0000 It has taken just a handful of enthusiasts and a couple of years to change the habits of coffee drinkers in Macau. Once they could find happiness in a cup brewed in a sock at a cha chaan teng, or in a Portuguese-style espresso. But today's caffeine lovers show the same reverence for origin, processing and preparation as hip Hongkongers. A city whose inhabitants once viewed coffee as fast and cheap - something which only existed to fill their daily caffeine fix - now has its fair share of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1710813/macaus-love-speciality-coffee-set-rival-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/1710813/macaus-love-speciality-coffee-set-rival-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2015 22:30:45 +0000 "Here we are at the first noodle shop my mum opened — we've been here since 1954. We've opened four other branches in Macau over the years," says Yip Zhao-men, who runs the Estabelecimento de Comidas Chu Kei. The shop was named after Yip's mother, and they still use her wonton recipe, which consists of minced pork, shiitake mushrooms and fresh shrimp. Their signature dish is the sam bo, or "three treasures" in Cantonese. It's a bowl of piping hot pork- and fish-bone-based bouillon that comes... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1690080/restaurant-review-estabelecimento-de-comidas-chu-kei-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/48-hours/article/1690080/restaurant-review-estabelecimento-de-comidas-chu-kei-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2015 15:42:25 +0000