East Eats West

Best Peking Duck restaurant (in Singapore)

Picture: I am not sure if the duck is from China, but the cook is! 

Peking duck has become a bit of an obsession of mine since I had it for the first time in Beijing, ages ago. After having eaten many fatty ducks of varying quality in various countries I came to the conclusion that the best crispy duck can be had at Min Jiang Restaurant in Singapore. When it comes to the crispiness of the skin, the tenderness of the meat and presentation, this al fresco restaurant is the port of call for any duck-lover! Only the mainland Chinese staff is sometimes a bit slow in understanding English. 

Best business class

Singapore Airlines's business class on the A380 was recently voted, again, as the best in the world. I can wholeheartedly agree! For example, when was the last time you saw a stewardess kneeling to store a guest's belonging beneath the seat? Or guiding a passenger to the next empty toilet? Singapore Airline's recipe is easy: combine excellent service by hyper-attentive staffs with spacious seats, mouth-watering food and mind-boggling entertainment choices (I loved the Ministry of Sound chill-out radio program on the Bose noise-reduction headset). Flying has never been better!

PS: The super-size A380 actually feels no different to normal-sized planes, only that it is quieter.

Picture: Service beyond comparison, Singapore Airlines Business Class.

  

Korea beats Singapore

Picture: Sometimes not even restaurants are as clean as the toilets in Singapore (Singapore Airport)!

Singapore can be proud of what it has achieved since its independence from Malaysia. It has every right to be proud of its efficient government, the cleanliness of the city, the harmony between races and religions and its ever-growing infrastructure. A crown jewel of Singapore is its sparkling airport with its airy design, amazing facilities (pool, gym, cinema, you name it) and business lounges. However, last year Seoul's airport was voted as the best airport in the world and that left Singaporeans fuming. A taxi driver told a friend what a shame it is and that Singapore is trying very hard to surpass Seoul. Without knowing Seoul airport I cannot make any judgements but I know that if toilets are a test for quality, Singapore with its meticulously clean toilets is on the road to sucess! 
 

Declining service standards in Singapore?

Picture: The reception at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The Singaporean board of tourism is encouraging good service levels in retailing through mystery shoppers and a ranking system similar to the hygiene rating of restaurants. Officials now fret that service standards are decreasing due to an influx of workers without basic English skills (like the Chinese speaking staff at the Min Jiang Restaurant). I wonder if Mandarin is surpassing English as the predominant language?  

The future of luxury retailing in Singapore

Picture: No, not Las Vegas but Gucci in Singapore.

Singapore is ever changing and so is Orchard Road, the main shopping street. What struck me, next to the fact that there is now another shopping mall (sic.), are the brand-new shops by Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu. The shops are big, bold, golden and brash and feature a bouncer and a waiting-line (at least during sales). And the shoppers seem to love it! Bottega Venetta in contrast, the high quality leather goods brand, has a much subdued shop and lacks the excitement and crowds of more bling-bling brands. In contrast to Europe there is no recession in Singapore and the shopping experience is a testimony to it.