Here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada we are fortunate to have a very fine Singaporean restaurant. The restaurant is called Singapore Baba, and is located two blocks east of Macleod Trail just off 50th Ave on 1st Street SW. Daniel and Winnie Quek moved here from Singapore about five years ago and, when the job that Daniel had come over here for disappeared in the oil patch crash of the mid-80s, they fell back on plan B and opened the restaurant.
Unfortunately the restaurant is not in a good location. It is in an industrial area, off the main drag, but it was what they could afford. Winnie owned and ran several fine restaurants in Singapore, so they are not new to the business.
Their "spring rolls" are truly unique and really wonderful. They are made up of crushed shrimp and slivered vegetables, wrapped in an amazingly thin tofu wrapper. Unlike spring/egg rolls found in a typical North American restaurant, these are not deep fried, but are actually baked. They are served with Winnie's own chili sauce.
Another favourite of mine is beef rengdang (sp?) I've never tasted beef so tender and tasty. Of course they also serve chicken, pork and beef satay, with Winnie's own peanut sauce. A spectacular dish, and again one of my favourites, is their Singapore Crab. This is a crab that has been cooked in a wonderful hot chili sauce. Winnie also does prawns this way as well.
I've also had a sticky rice, surrounding a small piece of tuna and wrapped in a banana leaf.
There are many other wonderful dishes prepared in this truly unique restaurant. If there is interest, I'll be happy to post a more complete description of them.
FredCalgary, Canada