Adventurous Foods in Singapore in 1 Day!

Explore the more adventurous foods in Singapore, from durian to fried frog legs, in 1 day! Today, I want to share with you a full day of Singapore food experiences that push you out of your comfort zone. Don’t be intimidated by some of these foods, because these Singapore foods are actually super delicious. Come with me as we learn about Singapore’s evolving food culture while eating our way through some of the more “intimidating” foods!

What We Ate on Our Adventurous Singaporean Food Tour

It’s my second time in Singapore with the Singapore Tourism Board, and today we’re diving into the bold, adventurous side of Singapore’s food scene. From a literal boat ride to a floating restaurant, to herbal turtle soup, to some gloriously stinky fresh durian, we’re tasting all the dishes most visitors don’t even know they should try.

These foods aren’t just ‘dare foods’! They’re a huge part of Singapore’s food culture. I’m excited to be learning about the traditions and evolution of Singapore’s food culture while enjoying this 1 day adventurous Singaporean food tour! If you’re a curious foodie traveller, here is a day tour of Singapore’s weirdest foods for you!

Floating Kalong Seafood Restaurant

We are starting our day of adventurous eating with an actual adventure at Smith Marine Floating Restaurant. This is Singapore’s first floating seafood restaurant built on a modern kalong. To get here, you’ll have to take a short 10 minute boat ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal.

Since the restaurant is built on a fish farm, the seafood here is guaranteed fresh. Oh my goodness, the food here was unreal. So worth being seasick! We ordered all of the bet seafood from fresh chili crab, steamed red snapper, Lala Beehoon, sambal mussels, salted egg yolk squid, and sweet and sour prawns. Every bite tasted extra delicious because we’re literally on the water.

The food was incredibly delicious, but the overall experience was what makes Smith Marine a truly unique meal. From the ride there to seeing their sustainable fishing practices, tradition, food, and sea all come together so beautifully in one spot. Dining here was incredibly fun and educational!

Food Forest Garden High Tea

For a sweet little treat, we went for another adventure: a high tea at 1-Arden, the world’s highest garden-to-table high tea and food forest all the way up on the 51st floor. Honestly, it was such a cool adventure, because not only are the views up here spectacular, I’m also learning so much!

At S$75 per set, the afternoon tea serves enough for 2. Before the tea, we go on a rooftop garden tour, learning how they cultivate so many different herbs, vegetables, and fruits all the way up here. Everything grown here is used throughout their menu to carry out a sustainable garden-to-table experience. We got to taste some of these plants directly from the garden before being seated for our tea experience.

The high tea itself was stunning. Every dish looked like art. There are a total of 5 sweet and 4 savory bites, with everything from mini maki rolls to bite-sized lemon tarts. We sat by the windows overlooking the city skyline, sipping garden infused teas and nibbling on sweet and savory bites. I could literally feel my motion sickness melting away. By the end of the meal, I was refreshed, recharged, and ready to conquer the city all over again. 

Durian and Pandan Roll Cake

We have around a 40 minutes break before dinner. So, we figured we would try this cake that we got yesterday, from Rich and Good. Open since 1997, this nostalgic cake shop is known for their old-school Swiss rolls (S$12), baked fresh daily and in limited batches. Their signatures are the Kaya Swiss Roll and their seasonal Durian Swiss Roll. Today, we got both!

The Kaya Swiss Roll is made with fresh coconut and pure Pandan extract. Then, their homemade Kaya is rolled into the cake. The cake itself is super fluffy and bright green, with a light, gentle flavor.

The Durian Swiss Roll has a very strong smell of durian! It still has the same fluffy cake base, rolled with a layer of cream and a layer of fresh durian on the inside. It is still very creamy and yummy. But, to me trying durian for the first time, it tastes a little oniony and savory. It’s really not my thing. I think I was expecting durian cream, and not chunks.

Between the two, I really prefer the Kaya Swiss Roll. But, If you’re a durian lover, you will probably enjoy the big chunks of fresh fruit in the durian roll. Next time, I want to try their mango flavor since there’s just so much fruit in each cake. They’re a great dessert to take back to enjoy at the hotel after a day of exploring!

Herbal Turtle Soup

For the night, we’re diving into a few local supper favorites, starting with soups at Tan Ser Seng Herbal Soup 陳生成. This local spot has been serving turtle herbal soup since 1946 and has become a staple for anyone craving something warm, nourishing, and deeply traditional. We had to start our meal with a round of lime juices (S$2.4) and water chestnut tea (S$2.4) that were super refreshing in the Singapore heat.

For our dinner, we started with a couple of more familiar side dishes, like Ginseng Black Chicken Soup (S$18) and Preserved Radish Omelette (S$12). But, the one that stood out is the yam rice (S$2), cooked with soy sauce, shallots, and chunks of yam. It was so good. I could just eat bowls of this on its own!

Of course, we had to get the clay pot turtle soup (from S$33.90). It’s a little intimidating at first, but it’s so so good. The soup is double boiled with a blend of Chinese herbs. The resulting broth is full of collagen-rich pork broth flavor with layers of umami and subtle earthy undertones. Somehow, The more you drink it, the better it gets. The meat was tender and slightly chewy, like a braised duck or pork. The turtle skin was filled with gelatin with a melt in-you mouth texture like beef tendon. Dom and I ended up having three bowls each because it was that good!

Deep Fried Frog Legs

Next up, we’re at Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow, one of Singapore’s most iconic supper spots. This is actually a Michelin-recommended street food spot, but it’s a definitely a more eat-and-go hawker stall style. They’re well known for familiar dishes, like their coffee pork ribs, Beef Kway Teow, and other old school, affordable zi-char menu items.

Their Beef Kway Teow lives up to their reputation. Silky rice noodle wok fried and drenched in a thick savory brown gravy that is smoky, rich and packed with that perfect wok-hei aroma. The beef was incredibly tender. The noodles were so bouncy and chewy, soaking up every bit of that glossy sauce. Pair a bite with a splash of chili vinegar, and it was honestly chef’s kiss. 

A more intimidating protein that Singapore actually loves is frogs. I’ve had frog before, and honestly it tastes like a cross between chicken and fish, but softer and way more delicate. The deep fried frog legs here were crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. Paired with an ice cold lime juice or beer, this is the perfect late night combo!

Fresh Musang King Durian

We ended the night with something I have always been curious and slightly nervous to try for the first time: fresh durian! When in Singapore, you have to try durian. So, we visited Metro Trading 美羅鮮果. Opening durian is like opening a blind box!

We ordered two different types: Black Thorn and Musang Durian king. I wouldn’t call myself a picky eater, but soft textures kind of just intimidate me. The Black Thorn totally threw me off for some weird reason. Please tell me I’m not the only one, but the stinkiness is really oniony to me, like shallots or garlic. I swear if it was chilled, it might have been a little bit better. It was definitely really bitter, very savory, and not what I was expecting at all!

However, the Musang KingI actually loved. Creamy, rich, and sweet. It was like custard, caramel, and almond all in one bite. Would I order durian on my own again? Probably not. But it was definitely a fun, unforgettable memory that I would never forget! The energy at these stalls were wild. Everyone was laughing, having a great time, chatting, cracking open durian late into the night. Let me just say, this was definitely a Singapore experience highlight for me.

Cold Tofu Dessert

In Asia, Tofu isn’t just a vegetarian option in your dinner dishes. It’s also a great base for an affordable cooling dessert. Here at Rocher Original Bean Curd, they serve traditional tofu pudding, or 豆花, soy milk, and grass jelly drinks as well as small bites like fried dough 油條. Starting out as a little push cart stall in the 1950s, their traditional desserts have been loved by locals for over 50 years.

Even though we already had a day of food, we all had to get our own little bowl of tofu pudding (S$2), plus some fried youtiao (S$1.5) and a soy milk (S$1.5) to share. Their tofu pudding is so silky smooth, and pairs perfectly with a crispy, hot, freshly fried dough stick. This is an 8/10 dessert spot to perfectly round out a night of yummy foods! If you’re out and about after dinner and just want a quick dessert at a super affordable price, this is a great spot!

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