A great food experience if you’re visiting Singapore is to eat from a banana leaf. Don’t worry about a plastic or china plate. A banana leaf is how we enjoy our curry here.
In little India there are hundreds of great Indian restaurants. But one name is the most famous of the all. Banana Leaf Apolo opened in 1974. It claims to be the first restaurant in Singapore to use banana leaves as plates. Whilst this is a common practise around south Asia it is not so common in Singapore.
When you visit Apolo one of the things you must order is the fish head curry. This is a must try dish here in Singapore. A phrase you might hear a lot is “die die must try”. It means, don’t die without trying this.
Back in the early days the fish head would be left by the kitchens of the wealthy. The poorer people would not let it go to waste. They knew it contained some of the best meat and also great flavours for stocks. Fish head curry has now become a dish for even the most wealthy.
Once you have finished your curry it is important that you know the correct banana leaf etiquette. If you have enjoyed your meal please fold the top half of the leaf down towards the bottom half. This tells the chef that you are well fed and happy. (It can also hide any food you couldn’t eat).
You can find the original Banana Leaf Apolo at 54 Racecourse road.
Bizzare Singabites fact: The first plane to land in Singapore landed on what is now Racecourse road.
If you want to know the best places to eat in Singapore go to www.singabites.com
