A Day Out in... Telok Ayer

You’ll be spoilt for choice of where to eat in this charming nabe. Here’s how to nom away the day.

- Pinky Chng + Joshua Tan

Ding Dong

Ding Dong answers the bell with inventive Southeast Asian cuisine, marrying unlikely flavours together with its bold fusion fare. Consider dishes like Red Snapper and Clams in Green Curry or Ding Dong Scotch Eggs, and Durian Alaska for dessert. (115 Amoy St., #01-02, 069935, www.dingdong.com.sg)

Pagi Sore

Pagi Sore had a humble beginning as a tiny nasi padang (Malay mixed rice) stall, and it remains true to serving authentic Indonesian fare in its much bigger, yet equally homey restaurant today. The waft of Indonesian spices reaches you before the dish does, and it’ll taste as good as it smells. Must-tries: the Ayam Bali (Balinese-style grilled chicken, shown) and Tahu Telor (towering tofu omelette). (88/90 Telok Ayer St., Far East Square, #01-01, 048470, www.pagi-sore.com)

Finder Facts

• Telok Ayer means “bay water” in Malay and refers to its location by the coast, prior to Singapore’s urban development and land reclamation. Sir Stamford Raffles assigned this area to the Chinese community, and it became one of the first streets in Chinatown.

• Today, many of the shophouses in Telok Ayer have been gazetted by the government’s conservation plan. While skyscrapers have popped up here and there, these shophouses form a unique architectural feature of Singapore’s central business district.