The One with the Singaporean Breakfast

I have never been to Singapore. I've always wanted to try to get there alone - for the sheer need to see what the heck the fuss was about but I never tried. I've heard of clothing sales, how cheap Bath and Body Work is in that place and all other gadgets and electronic devices. I have heard of the great IT migration where all IT folks seem to want to leave the Philippines and move there for greener pastures. I have also heard how fashion, banking and finance seem to be taking off in that place. I guess this year, I'll have more reasons to go.

One of them is this quaint little place...

Ya Kun Kaya Toast - Since 1944!!! 

What is amazing about this place is how small but packed with deliciousness it is! I can't believe that toast can taste so damned appetizing!

So to demonstrate what a true-blue Singaporean breakfast is, I had Candy and Jessie bring me there. Candy was based in Singapore for some time as an Instructional Designer, while Jessie had taken several trips there for training. I just wanted to experience what coffee, tea and delicious things they had there...

Candy taking a bite of her Kaya toast. 

Jessie + Coffee = Common Sight 

So let me show you what's on their menu.

This is a full breakfast meal. 

Forget breakfast steaks, or hotdogs, chili or even bacon. It's thinly sliced bread with some oozing butter and Kaya toast. So what the heck is Kaya? It's coconut jam and some eggs. What makes it super special and aromatically great is the addition of pandan. It's not too sweet and too sticky so the taste is just perfect for breakfast. Kaya toast is simply slicing bread in half, butter on one side and Kaya on the other side and lightly toasting it on your oven toaster or a sandwich maker (think your panini maker now has use, eh?!).

The taste is just amazing paired with some soft-boiled, runny eggs. It takes some magic to recreate these eggs in your own kitchen. I tried once and I ended up with some hard-boiled eggs. I tried poaching some (ala Eggs Benedict) and failed miserably, cos I ended up with some Eggs Benedict instead. The real magic is in what you put in the eggs. Soy sauce, salt and pepper is given to you for you to mix and match to your taste. I tried it with the usual suspects - salt and pepper. Pouring some soy sauce in eggs seemed a little too odd for me.

Supposedly, to eat like a local, you're supposed to dip your Kaya toast on the runny eggs. I tried it and it was pretty fabulous. I ate it separately though. I guess I haven't imbibed the culture of Singapore just yet.

The counter where the server pours coffee at a height to "pull" the coffee. 

The coffee served was piping hot and super aromatic. I'm guessing that the consistency was different too, since the coffee was poured from a height of 3 feet or so (as far as I can estimate), supposedly making the flavors so much more powerful. I had tea latte which tasted so delicious and so yummy, I could have it everyday in lieu of coffee (did I just really say that?!)

Obviously, we can't have enough of this... 

Did I mention how much more delicious things can get? Kaya is available by the jar! So you can actually recreate this in your own kitchen!

The lesson of this story? Forget protein, sometimes carbs can make you super happy - and super full too!

Ya Kun Kaya is originally located in Singapore. You can check out their website here. The Ya Kun Kaya Toast outlet visited by *meg* is located in Robinson's Place, Manila.

Candy is a blogger just like me. She defines life and love on a regular basis. Check it out.
All pictures were taken using a Sony DSC Camera.