If you have visitors/guests with you, where do you ensure you always go to give them a real taste of home?

EH Hawker centers, of course. I often bring them to the double-storey market in Chinatown. There are some great stalls in the hawker center itself as well as in the market, located in the basement. The hustle and bustle of a busy hawker center is also something I love and want guests to see; it is a place where people from different communities come to eat.

Naked Finn is another establishment on my must-try list. I got to know its owner, Ken Loon, a few years ago, and I admire his insane passion and knowledge in sourcing the most pristine seafood for his dishes. He used to do this Teochew fish soup, using the best fish bones to create the broth. It tasted so clean and pure; knowing Ken, he probably experimented on this recipe until he achieved the desired results. 

See also: Hawkers’ Street Opens in Orchard—Here’s What You Need to Try

What are your favourite heritage dishes and where are some of the places you go to find them?
EH I grew up eating kway chap at Guan Kee Kway Chap, which is just below my grandma’s HDB block at Toa Payoh Lorong 8; that is how I’ve come to love offals in all forms. When I am home, I still visit the hawker place with my grandma to enjoy its signature dish and its fiery chilii sauce—which is always on point.

Do you have a favourite café in Singapore? 
EH I don’t usually frequent cafes in Singapore when I am home, as I would much rather hang out at hawker centers or kopitiams to get my caffeine or food fix. But one of my favourite ice cream cafes is The Apiary. They don't compete with other hipster cafes by creating crazy flavour combinations; instead, they focus on classic flavours made with the best ingredients.  

Do you have a favourite bar that you need to visit when you’re in Singapore? What drink do you often order and why?
EH Junior and No Sleep Club—the vibe and the drinks here are amazing. No Sleep Club does an excellent version of Bloody Mary, with the addition of lemongrass and other aromatics. It makes the drink lighter and more complex than the tomato juice-based version. They also have a fermented apple and hay highball that I love.

I haven’t been back to Junior since they moved to a new space along Ann Siang. But I remember the original Junior was a tequila bar and they brought back all these amazing tequilas and mescals from all over Mexico. The best Margaritas I’ve had thus far has been at Junior.

Where do you like to meet up with old friends for food and drinks?
EH I really like going to Kok Sen to meet up in a small or large group. Cold beers and some really delicious tze char food, what is not to love? Then, we usually head to No Sleep Club down the road for drinks after the meal. Wine RVLT is also a great place—casual, loud and always fun. They run a really ambitious food program and have a great selection of wines. 

Is there anywhere else that you never miss visiting when you are back?
EH Golden Mile Thien Kee for steamboat. I have been going there with my grandparents and family since I was a child, and it's often the first dinner spot we head to when I land in Singapore. They have a really tasty chicken broth, delicious chicken rice, pork satay, deep-fried baby squid and an extremely delicious chilli and ginger sauce that goes well with everything.

See also: A Humble History of Hotpot, and 4 of the Best Hotpot Restaurants in Singapore

What do you always take back home with you when you leave Singapore?
EH Gula melaka. It is not overly sweet, yet has all these tones of caramelisation, acidity and depth of flavour. 

As I love eating something sweet for breakfast, I take jars of kaya back to Austria and have it on my toast with a generous spread of butter. I also take home two or three whole pandan cakes from Bengawan Solo.

I recently discovered local distillery, Compendium. They work with ingredients that are most familiar to South East Asia and make distills that showcase Singapore and the landscape. They have bottles of ondeh ondeh soju and dark rum made from Malaysian molasses, which I love to use in cocktails.

Where do you go to find authentic flavours of home in Austria?
EH It’s pretty much non-existent here in Austria. Jakob and I run a Singaporean pop-up in Europe called Hoon’s Chinese where we cook dishes that are close to our hearts and bellies. We decide what goes on the menu depending on what we can get our hands on ingredients-wise, and so I usually get my fill of nasi lemak, or rendang, or chicken rice when we prepare and run those pop-ups. 

See also: A Taste of Home: Noma’s Head Chef Kenneth Foong on Where to Eat and Drink in Singapore