美食家带路 狮城寻美食
文：谢宋美
去年12月15日，世界金门日大会在吉隆坡万豪大酒店举办，新加坡金门会馆的总务陈笃汉先生带领数十位乡亲到此参与盛会，通过电话及电邮与我联络：「谢小姐，马六甲及吉隆坡有什么地方好吃？」一连介绍数个我们认为不错的食肆给陈先生，话还没讲完，他就说：「吃过了！」心想：遇到美食家了！见面之后，没有架子的陈先生给我们留下深刻的印象。
在新加坡，我们有很多读者，创刊至今还未正式报道当地美食，深感抱歉。虽然我们来自柔佛州，与新加坡只隔一条长堤，然而在吉隆坡落地生根已经接近廿年，对当地路线相当陌生，这次遇到一位对吃这么有研究的美食家，我们抱着姑且一试的心情厚着脸皮要求他介绍狮城美食，平易近人的陈先生竟然一口答应，让我们喜出望外。
趁八月二十日学校假期，我们带着长得比我们高的孩子到邻国，与陈先生约好早上十点半在莱佛士酒店会面。在司机带领之下，我们随着陈先生的车到达桥北路一家马来餐厅享用午餐。陈先生说：「如果太迟来排长龙，可能没位子坐。」陈先生自小经常随父亲到这家餐馆吃饭，食物水准没令我们失望。晚餐则安排到巴西班让一间新开的餐馆用餐，特别之处是这间餐馆由大师级御厨黄清标所有，黄大师亲自下厨，这是我们意想不到的收获。
隔天一早八点，陈先生带我们到加东吃大虾面，鲜甜的汤底令我们一尝难忘。享用过早餐，我们到陈先生位于樟宜的工厂参观，晚上则到他家里拍摄六道食物。
陈先生在百忙中抽空带我们品尝新加坡闻名美食，这几间食肆果然都很有水准，值得向读者推荐。我们很感谢陈先生这两天的安排，尤其是安排到他的家拍摄数道佳肴与共餐，同时接受我们的访问，分享他的成功经验，让我们对一个大企业家的胸怀大志、时间安排、管理及待人处世之道等有所了解。我们对陈先生的厨艺尤其佩服，六年时间能够培养出这么优异的烹饪技巧，再次证明陈先生不但是一名美食家还是一名实践家。
On A Singapore Mini Food Quest
By Catherine Chia
Mr. Tan Tok Han is the Dean Of General Affairs of the Singapore Kim Mui Hoey Kuan. I had my pioneer meeting with him when he and fellow men came to attend an annual meeting of global clan members at Hotel JW Marriot in Kuala Lumpur last December 15. Over a telephone conversation, he wanted to know the best eats in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca. But alas, he has been to each place I tried to recommend. Now, that is one true food gourmet. He is one of our Y3K readers who really tries out all suggested places for food. I met him face to face and found him very pleasant. Belonging to the upper class society does not make him snobbish as he is without a trace of arrogance.
Y3K’s debut issue first hit the streets of Singapore six years ago and readership has been on the steady rise. But till today, we have yet gone in search of Singapore’s best eats or done any in-depth features about their food. My husband and I are from Johor but after residing in Kuala Lumpur for 20 years, we are at a lost when it comes to what’s good across the causeway. I thought of an option. The best-laid plan would be to invite our Singapore reader cum foodie expert, Mr. Tan Tok Han to be our guide around the island. He obliged very willingly and I am very grateful for his help.
Our children tagged along for this trip as they were on a short holiday from study sessions. The appointment was fixed for August 20 at 10:30a.m. He chose an easy landmark, Raffles Hotel. After the meet up, we followed his car driven by his driver to North Bridge Road for lunch at a Malay eatery. That was one busy place as locals flocked there for good food.
Mr.Tan grew up eating food served here as his father simply loved that place. It was definitely an experience for us, trying out a rich Malay meal. Dinner was arranged at a newly opened restaurant in Pasir Panjang. This establishment is owned by the famous chef, Mr. Huang Ching Biao. It is a Chinese restaurant offering some of the best cuisine around town. On the spur of the moment, the boss decided to show us his deft hand with the wok. What an excellent meal we had.
Early next morning at eight a.m., Mr. Tan took us to Katong for breakfast. We had the famous Big Prawn Noodles In Soup. The stock was extremely sweet and I could now understand why locals are willing to travel the length and breadth of this tiny island to satisfy their appetites with this noodle dish. Later that morning, we visited his factory in Changi area and was his home guests for that evening.
He demonstrated his flair in cooking and presented six dishes. All recipes shown has a touch of his homeland grace as being a Kim Mui (this is a sub clan of the Fujian community). We thanked him for playing food guide for the two wonderful days, hosting dinner, sharing home recipes with Y3K readers. Another round of thanks for his generosity in teaching us about company administration, human relationship factors. Many of his life’s events has helped shaped his business and contributed to his achievements. Definitely a businessman with a difference as he is always on the move for foodie trips and yet excels in cooking, a skill picked up six years ago. As a successful entrepreneur, he has his own sense of individual style.
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