International Food Festival 2004

By Han Wei Chou • UrbanWire
email reporter • email story • printer friendly

What's in a name? The organisers of the International Food Festival 2004 probably thought not much. If you were expecting anything exotic, like fried crickets or uncommon Swiss cheeses, you'll be sorely disappointed.

For one, virtually all the 200-odd stalls at Suntec City between Sep 16 to 20 featured local and international fare easily found in Singapore, like satay (marinated barbecued meat on skewers), bah kwa (slices of barbequed pork), sushi (Japanese rice with toppings wrapped with seaweed) and gelato (Italian ice-cream). For some strange reason, oddball exhibitors such as Phillips Securities (an investment firm) and even an insurance company have stalls at the festival!

Visitors to the festival UW spoke to shared our sentiments. One of them, Mrs Mary Lau, a retiree in her late 50s, says, “I came here to try the best food from around the world. I even asked my friends to come along.” She added dejectedly that there was “nothing special at all.”

Another visitor, Mrs Ida Oon, a retired chef in her 60s, added that the food was generally “not that good and not cheap either”. A small bowl of mee siam (a tamarind soupy Malay vermicelli dish) cost $3 at the festival. You could easily get a larger bowl for the same price at your average food court.

Fortunately, there are still some culinary gems at the festival. The Thai Clam Salad ($1 per helping) from Goh Joo Hin Pte Ltd (stall C28) makes a great appetiser. The combination of shredded fresh lettuce, carrots and onions, along with succulent clams drenched in Thai chilli sauce makes this salad a winner.

Also, look out for the Sze Chuan Dan Dan noodles from Select Catering Services Pte Ltd (stall O66), a traditional Chinese noodle dish with a special sweet garlicky sauce. Give it a try at an affordable $3 a bowl.

Another thing to sample is the modified kong ba pau (Chinese buns stuffed with fatty pork) offered at Bunz (stall E68) for $1.90 a piece. Instead of the traditional health-nightmare stuffing, Bunz uses tender chicken patties coated in various types of sauces, including the traditional black sauce, black pepper sauce and chilli crab sauce. Yes, you read it correctly, chilli crab sauce. It really tastes quite good, definitely a must try.

So if you have some time to kill, a belly to fill or are just passing by Suntec City, drop by the festival for some good eats. Just don't expect the world (pun intended) from the event.

Note: UW advises you to bring your own drinks to the event, as those sold there are quite expensive. A small cup of fruit juice sets you back $2.

International Food Festival 2004

Suntec City Exhibition Halls 403-404

From Sep 16 - Sep 20

11am - 10pm daily

Free Admission