To beat Singapore’s unrelenting tropical heat, you can stay indoors with the fan and air conditioning on full blast, give yourself a wipe down with a cold towel, go for a swim or just try to think cool thoughts. But as a nation of food lovers, wouldn’t it be better to eat your way to more comfortable temperatures? Here are six delicious foods and drinks to help you cool down on a hot day. Look out for the special deals for SAFRA members!
1. Cooling Tea
It may seem counter-intuitive, but it has been said that having a hot drink on a warm day can actually cool you down, so you may want to resist the temptation of icy bubble tea and pair your lunch with a hot tea instead.
Renew Deli at SAFRA Tampines offers variety of organic teas, which you can enjoy alongside their menu of healthy snacks including Avocado Wholegrain Toast, Quinoa Kaya Butter Toast and Wholegrain Corn Chips with Avocado Dip.
If you prefer sipping on your brews at home, The Tea Crafters carries a variety of delicious blends, like Rose Lychee and JasMint Blossoms with peppermint and spearmint that will hit all the cooling minty notes.
Get a free Long Black or Wellness Tea at Renew Deli at SAFRA Tampines with a minimum spend of $10 using your NS55 credits! (valid from 1 Jul 2022 to 30 Jun 2023).
SAFRA members also enjoy 10% off at Renew Deli and 15% off storewide at The Tea Crafters. For more info, go to www.safra.sg/amenities-offerings/renew-deli and www.safra.sg/promotions/safra-and-servicemen-11b/the-tea-crafters
Renew Deli: SAFRA Tampines, 1A Tampines Street 92, #01-15, Singapore 528882: Tel: 6784 0934
2. Cold Noodles
On sweltering days, a bowl of cold savoury noodles can be a godsend. Choices include Chinese cold sesame noodles from Ding Tele, Korean naengmyeon and spicy bibim guksu from Noodle Star K, and the ever-popular Japanese zaru soba. Even on a swanky date, you can keep cool with chilled pastas, like Rubato’s indulgent truffle oil-infused angel hair pasta with Hokkaido scallop sashimi.
For something a little different, Hana Restaurant has the very Instagram-able Flying Truffle Somen and Flying Cha Soba served with cold sauces. Or try Afuri’s flavourful tsukemen with chashu pork, lava egg and chilled yuzu soy dipping sauce – the perfect alternative to ramen!
SAFRA members and 11B holders enjoy 10% off Afuri’s a la carte menu. For more info, go to www.safra.sg/promotions/safra-and-servicemen-11b/Afuri
Ding Tele: 949 Upper Serangoon Rd, Singapore 534713; Tel: 6282 4380
Noodle Star K: 58 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088479; Tel: 6224 6061
Hana Restaurant: 583 Orchard Road, Forum The Shopping Mall, #01-17, Singapore 238884; Tel: 6737 5525
Afuri Ramen is at Funan Mall and VivoCity.
3. Shaved Ice
Our quest for respite from the unabating heat has been written in our culinary history in the form of icy local desserts such as Ice Kacang, Cheng Tng and Chendol. These simple sweet treats are still staples in hawker centres but with a lot more variations. Jin Jin Hot/Cold Dessert at ABC Food Centre and Market, for example, serves a Durian Mango Ice and an aptly named Mount Fuji that is a towering bowl of shaved ice covered in red bean paste and matcha powder.
If the hot weather is keeping you up at night, head to Sweet Hut Dessert for some traditional desserts, like Honeydew Sago and Mango Pomelo Sago in an Instagram-worthy shophouse that opens until 3am. For more jazzed up treats, Roji Monster serves googly-eyed Taiwanese-style shaved ice in flavours like Uji Matcha and Black Sesame, while Oh My Mango Dessert Bar offers Korean bingsu in Thai-inspired flavours, like Mango Sticky Rice Ice Cream and Thai Milk Tea.
4. Ice Cream Sandwich
A slab of ice cream “kiap-ed” in a slice of rainbow-coloured bread or between two crispy wafers makes up the humble Singaporean ice cream sandwich. Get your fix from friendly ice cream cart uncles, like Uncle Chieng in front of Ngee Ann City and Uncle Jimmy at Lavender MRT station.
For a fancier sandwich, The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. makes soft, chewy cookies to hold their frozen treat. Flavours include Double Chocolate with dark chocolate ice cream and chocolate cookies, and Toasted Marshmallow with hand-toasted marshmallow ice cream and brown sugar cookies. For true indulgence, Dopa Dopa Creamery sandwiches two scoops of artisan gelato in a flaky, buttery croissant.
The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. products are available at major supermarkets and online.
Dopa Dopa Creamery: 29 South Bridge Rd, #01-01, Singapore 058665; Tel: 6535 3539
5. Coconut Shake
It seems we’ve all gone loco for coco and the trend isn’t going away anytime soon. Thought to be the healthier alternative to brown sugar-laden bubble tea, coconut shakes are surprisingly creamy and refreshing at the same time. It’s a bonus that coconut is thought to be cooling in traditional Chinese medicine.
Mr Coconut is one of the pioneers of the craze and their original shake remains the go-to for many thirsty Singaporeans. Another homegrown brand Fruce cleverly combines this new fad with another long-time local favourite, the avocado shake. In addition to the Avocado Coconut shake, they also offer other tropical flavours, like Pandan Coconut and Taro Coconut.
If you simply must have tapioca pearls in your drink, My Little Coconut’s Red Ruby and Chendol coconut shakes include water chestnut bits and green pandan jelly to give you something to chew on.
Mr Coconut is at various locations including Far East Plaza, Paya Lebar Quarter, Raffles City and Junction 8.
Fruce is at Wisma Atria and Nex.
6. Sashimi
From the supermarket to family-friendly Japanese chain eateries to hotel buffet spreads to upscale seafood restaurants, sashimi seems to always be on the menu. It comes as no surprise that this cold dish is a Singaporean favourite.
Traditionally, sashimi is enjoyed as is, with high-grade raw seafood skilfully sliced and served with wasabi and soy sauce. Beloved no-frills joint The Sushi Bar does just that – simple, fresh and oh-so-delicious.
But it’s choices galore at newcomer Ohayo Mama San. Their Salmon Obsession Platter is a must-have for salmon sashimi addicts with over a dozen creative pairings, including salmon with snow crab. For more variety, the Bocconcini di Buffala al Sashimi features scallops, sea bass and different cuts of salmon and tuna.
Want more dining articles like this, and other lifestyle content right in your inbox? Sign up for the eNSman Newsletter – you don’t need to be a SAFRA member to subscribe – and never miss another story!
