When it comes to Chinatown, it covers a wide range of areas, including Dapo, South Bridge Road, San Bridge Road, Sago Lane, Smith Road, Tang Po Road, Penta Street and Morse Street.

Zhou Sen was very curious about the name Chinatown, so he asked Xiao Zhao for advice, and Xiao Zhao introduced the origin of the name.

It is said that a century ago, the river swelled and flooded the neighbouring streets, and residents carried the water away in ox carts, hence the name "Chinatown".

"For more than 100 years, Chinatown has been silently accompanying the Singapore River here, it has walked for a long time, witnessed the growth of Singapore, I also have a lot of feelings for this place, I remember when I was a child, my father often took me here to see, many of the restaurants here are opened by Chinese, or maintain the traditional Chinese culture, the New Year here is particularly lively. ”

"Every year during the Lunar New Year, Chinatown will be lit up with lights, the night lights are bright, the activities are colorful, the fireworks are gorgeous, the gorgeous and charming lanterns will decorate Chinatown into an amusement park, people like to come here to play, the Chinese are particularly united, especially like to be lively, especially in the New Year, put on Tang costumes, hang red lanterns, put up lanterns, look red, very festive. ”

"Although the Chinese are in a foreign country, they are still very traditional in their bones, and they still retain some traditional culture. ”

"At the Waterfront Park, Singaporeans flock to the Singapore Riverfront and Marina Bay to celebrate the Lunar New Year, enjoy cultural performances from around the world, and watch a variety of fireworks displays. ”

"We didn't come at the right time, and although it's not the New Year, we can still see some traces of cultural traditions. ”

Zhou Sen followed Xiao Zhao to see several restaurants, there are some restaurants here that are still very good, they are all Chinese-opened restaurants, popular, and there are many types of dishes, Xiao Zhao took Zhou Sen to eat pot pork knuckles, pork knuckles are difficult to stew until rotten, and the chef needs to be patient and stew slowly over low heat.

The skin of the pork knuckle is still a little crunchy, and the meat inside is already very rotten, and it is also very flavorful and delicious.

Steamed sea fish fillet with garlic is a dish recommended by the store, the fish is very fresh and tender, and it really inherits the characteristics of Cantonese cuisine with fresh raw materials and light and delicious taste.

"It's really delicious, it seems that everywhere you go, the people take food as the sky!" Zhou Sen smiled.

Xiao Zhao also smiled, "Yes, people like to eat, they will be in a good mood when they see food, it is very popular here, we Chinese have deep feelings for Chinatown, and there are still a lot of Chinese folk customs and some food traditions that can be reflected here!"

"A modern city, but still retaining the charm of Chinatown, Chinatown shows its unique side. ”

There are traditional Chinese food, traditional Chinese daily necessities, old-style pharmacies, pawnshops, barber shops, temples, and the most representative Tianfu Palace is also here.

Chinatown is also a very Chinese commercial store, there are many hawker stalls here, selling everything you need, very complete.

Xiao Zhao focused on introducing a few special snacks to Zhou Sen.

"Bone and meat tea, is a very distinctive snack in Singapore, in the early days by the Chinese who crossed the sea to Nanyang to make a living, the flavor is well-known at home and abroad, the bak kut tea is divided into Singapore's Hainan pie and Malaysia's Fujian pie, Hainan bak kut tea is heavier peppery, Fujian bak kut tea is heavier medicinal flavor. ”

"There are a lot of Chinese Chaoshan and Fujianese who come to Singapore, so these Chinese bring the special snacks and dishes of their hometown, as well as some eating habits. ”

"Oh!" Zhou Sen nodded, "I really don't know much, let's hear more from you!"

Xiao Zhao smiled and asked Zhou Sen to taste it while slowly speaking.

"Legend has it that when the Chinese first came to Nanyang to start a business, the living conditions were very poor, because they did not adapt to the hot and humid climate, many people suffered from rheumatism, in order to cure the disease and dispel the cold, the sages used a variety of medicinal materials, including angelica, wolfberry, codonopsis, etc. to cook medicine. ”

Later, people specially adjusted the ingredients for brewing tea, and after continuous improvement, it became one of the famous local delicacies. ”

"Oh, when you say this, I also remember, I have also eaten some snacks in the annex before, and it is true that some medicinal herbs Buddha are put into the soup to stew and eat, saying that this way to eat nourishment, I have also eaten some, it is still very delicious, because there are some medicinal herbs, there is a medicinal taste in the soup, which can regulate the effect of qi and qi. ”

Xiao Zhao nodded, "This also has something to do with the history of Chinese coming to Singapore, when Chinese medicine practitioners improved the tea drinking in southern Fujian and Chaoshan, and used locally produced pepper, plus angelica, Chuanxiong, cinnamon, licorice and other ingredients to make bak kut tea bags, so that they can stew pork ribs and serve them with white rice or oiled rice before leaving for work in the morning to increase their physical strength." ”

"These medicinal materials are relatively affordable, and many Chinese workers can afford them, because their medicinal ingredients can strengthen the body and are loved by Chinese workers, so they have been passed down to the present day and have become a well-known delicacy. ”

"It's eaten in food stalls, not in high-end hotels, Singapore is closer to Malaysia, and the food culture will influence each other, just like Thailand and Cambodia are relatively close, and their food culture is relatively similar. ”

Zhou Sen nodded, "I have interviewed both Thailand and Cambodia, and there are many dishes that are similar, but the taste of Thailand is different from the taste of Cambodia, and there are some dishes in Thailand that are more spicy. ”

Xiao Zhao nodded, "In Malaysia, whether it is a high-end hotel, a trendy delicatessen, or a specially designed roadside food, the dining form is very exquisite, for example, eating skewers, and attaching a plate of peanut chili sauce, rice balls, cucumbers and onions when setting the table. ”

"They also like to eat skewers, which can also be seen in my country, and it is often seen in some night food stalls in South Korea, but the taste will be slightly different. ”

"Malaysian bak kut teh, bak kut tea is mixed with herbs and spices such as angelica, wolfberry, polygonatum japonica, codonopsis, cinnamon, ox notoginseng, rehman, American ginseng, licorice, Chuanxiong, star anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, garlic and pepper, and simmered for many hours. ”

"Pioneered by overseas Chinese from Fujian, Malaysia, it is popular in Southeast Asia, so it can also be seen in Thailand and Cambodia, with slightly different tastes, and bak kut teh in Malaysia and Singapore is still more common, especially among Chinese, and this snack is used as a signature snack. ”