12 Insider Spots in Singapore

EAT

For a humble lunch, you'll find me at (1) Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken (Stall 10-11, 1 Kadayanallur St.) in the bustling Maxwell Food Centre. Almost every hawker around the city sells it, but it's worth the lines to get it at this stall. When I'm in the mood for spicy Indonesianstyle curry, I head to (2) Yanti Nasi Padang (45 Keong Saik Rd.; +65 6324 9268) and order their killer rendang. A trip to Singapore isn't complete without a fancy meal and for that I recommend (3) Tippling Club (38 Tanjong Pagar Rd.). The food is modern and eclectic but always good, and the laid-back vibe really fits my style.

Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken. Nicky Loh/Getty Images.

SHOP

I like to shop for knickknacks in the vibrant (4) Little India. When I go to that area to hunt for treasures, I normally don't have a specific destination and just let myself get lost in the alleyways and in shophouses that seem out of the ordinary. You'll see my collection of oddities displayed in my restaurants and hotels.

Vibrant Little India. Manfred Gottschalk/Getty Images.

DO

I'm a family man now and my schedule doesn't leave me much free time, but I try to get away from work and enjoy the parks with my son on the weekends. I like to take him to the (5) Botanic Gardens (1 Cluny Rd.) or (6) Gardens by the Bay (18 Marina Gardens Dr.). Otherwise, you'll find me wandering around my two favorite neighborhoods: (7) Kampong Glam, with its refurbished shophouses and multiculti charm, and (8) Tiong Bahru, a hipster enclave outside of the city center.

Supertree Grove at night. Courtesy of Garden by the Bay.

STAY

(9) Stay Unlisted Collection, my company, has hotels around the city. Each one has a different vibe. (10) Wanderlust Hotel (2 Dickson Rd.) is a retro gem near Little India and (11) New Majestic Hotel (31–37 Bukit Pasoh Rd.) showcases work by top Singaporean designers. Apart from my own places, I like (12) Parkroyal on Pickering (3 Upper Pickering St.). I love the way that they incorporate strong architecture and design elements into the hotel.

Wanderlust's quirky touches. Courtesy of Wanderlust Hotel.