Last night, I decided to check what the Gluttons by the Bay is all about. One of my office mates recommended this place and I was told that I should go there at night.
Gluttons is a catchy name for a food place because it feels like this is a place that serves a lot of good food. Or it could also sound like a place where there is a lot of variety when it comes to the cuisine that is being offered. It seems that I was right about my assumptions.
This is the view from the entrance, you can already feel the vibe of this place from here. I can smell the food and I can hear the chattering of the goers. I thought that aren't any tables left even though it was already around 8:00 in the evening.
So, this place is like a food court. The difference is that it's an outdoor dining setup. This is great because the weather here in Singapore feels so warm even at night. If there's a roof over these tables then it would feel stuffy and humid because of the grilling that's happening on the side of the food stalls.
Before I order anything from any of the stalls, I scout each stall and see what kind of food they are offering. I took photos of the stalls that caught my attention so that I could compare and select based on the photos; I think that it's a faster and more efficient way for me to make a decision.
The three stalls that caught my eye are Bakuteh, Chinese-style Mee, and Malay food.
🐷Bakuteh food stall
🦐Chinese-style Mee
🦞Malay food
In the end, I settle for the Chinese-style Cha Kway Teow. To be honest, I didn't check any of the reviews about these stalls so I didn't have any idea of what I was selecting. I chose the Cha Kway Teow because it's been a while since I ate this dish and the one who makes the food is an old Uncle who seems to be very experienced with it.
Sometimes you can already tell if the food is going to be good depending on how you perceive the one who makes it.
Here's my order, Cha Kway Teow!
"Cha" or "Char" literally means partially burned or blackened surface. The black bits that you here are not ground peppermint, those are the Cha or Char. I may have ground peppermint but it doesn't have that strong peppermint flavor to it. There's bitterness to it that for me is tolerable. I think it adds to the flavor of the dish. Similar to how the char on the barbeque gives off flavor and aroma to the food.
Let me break down the elements in this dish.
The shrimp are cooked perfectly. It's tender and it tastes clean. You can already tell that it was prepared by an experienced chef from the way it looks. The flesh is still translucent and plump.
I like the combination of 2 types of noodles and the bean sprouts. It's the texture of these different ingredients that make this bite delicious!
One of the elements of this dish that I like, is the Chinese sausage. They are also rare in this plate. You can only have 1 or 2 thin slices of it in one plate because it's quite expensive.
Lastly, the cockles. I think this ingredient is responsible for the creamy seafood flavor of this dish. It has the same texture as any shell food or small type of clams but it tastes differently.
Overall, the dish tastes as good as it can get. I have no bad comments about this dish and the serving is just right for the S$5.50 that I paid for it. This is considered a small serving and I already felt full after finishing the meal.
🎪The place.
Aside from the food, I think the vibe of this place is what gives me the excitement to dine here. It's a happy place with all of the nice food and drinks available here. It's a place where you can bring your family and friends to enjoy a delicious meal together.
I can also say that it's a perfect place for locals and tourists alike who are looking for an accessible place to experience the cuisine that this city has to offer.
I'm coming back here to try the other types of cuisine in this food place. See you!
Here's the location of Makansutra Gluttons Bay
🚖 8 Raffles Ave., #01-15 Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802
Here's my Pinmapple.
