Hello world!

Hi everyone! Just a brief introduction - I'm Lorraine and I hail from Sunny Singapore. Since 2004, I have made Melbourne, Australia my home. When I first moved to Australia, I noticed that it was very hard to attain information on Top 10 or even Top 5 lists of anything in Australia; so I have since decided to start this blog hoping to fill this gap.

And since I've just returned from my yearly pilgrimage to Singapore, I would like to start this first entry dedicated to the Top Singapore restaurants in Melbourne, Australia.

TOP 5 SINGAPORE RESTAURANTS IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

1. The Old Raffles Place
70 Johnston St Collingwood, (03) 9417 4450

Regulars come here for some hearty signature dishes - the spicy chilli mud crab, the succulent Hainanese chicken rice, the sweet rojak (Singaporean salad) & the Singapore hawker-style hokkien mee with generous portions of plump prawns! And you'll know why when you try it. Authentic and flavoursome, you get to savour a little bit of Singapore each time you're at The Old Raffles Place.

* Pls note that you need to call & pre-order the chilli crab here as you will not find it in the menu.

2. Singapore Chom Chom
188 Bourke Street, Melbourne, (03) 9663 3778

I like the bar chor mee (vinegar minced pork mushroom noodles) here, which offers a little bit of ZING with each bite. Add red cut chilli or sambal chilli for a more fiery kick! The mouth-watering har mee (dry prawn noodles) are served with a side of rich prawn broth with chilli oil - you can tell that many a prawn shell has been cooked for hours in the delectable sweet broth. It is also here that you can find traditional Singaporean treats like Chwee Kueh - "water rice cakes" with diced preserved radish bits & chilli. It is reminiscent of the original iconic "Singapore Chomp Chomp" hawker centre - an al fresco food court offering a smorgasboard of local Singapore fare.

3. Hawker's Cafe
213 Russell Street, Melbourne, (03) 9662 1867
752 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, (03) 9818 6121

There are only a few dishes you should order, the rest isn't earth-shattering. May I suggest the Hainanese chicken rice (order half a chicken which comes with steamed chicken rice, cucumber strips, chicken soup and garlic chilli sauce for $12). Or the authentic char kway teow - fried noodles in dark soy, bean shoots, "lup cheong" - chinese sausage & fishcake. The bak kut teh - herbal pork bone soup comes with a bowl of steamed rice & chinese donuts for you to "dunk" them into the hot scrumptious soup. Avoid ordering the har mee here as I think it is not as gratifying & loaded as the one at Singapore Chom Chom.

4. Tastes of Singapore
162 Clayton Rd, Clayton, (03) 9544 7865

The mee rebus & mee siam are not unlike the ones you find in a Singapore hawker centre. With slices of hard boiled eggs, tofu pieces, red hot sambal chilli & fried shallots, the mee siam brings a uniquely hot & sour flavour that allows you to sample a "taste of Singapore". Or how about the heartwarming teh tarik, frothy tea that's been "pulled" together. The open kitchen gives you a chance to watch the "uncle " toiling away in the kitchen demonstrating his cookery skills.

5. Jimmy's Place Singapore Cafe
35 Drysdale Rd Warrandyte, (03) 9844 4974

Malaysians may beg to differ but there are some close similarities between Singaporean & Malaysian cuisine. So I shall dedicate the next entry to the Top Malaysian restaurants in Melbourne. Also, please feel free to drop me a comment. Till next time! :)