Singapore and Bangkok

For most of my trip so far, I’ve been focused on seeing the sites, with food as fuel, not focus. That was flipped on its head in Singapore and Bangkok. In these two cities, I lived to eat. I am very fortunate to have landed reservations at two Michelin 3-Star restaurants: Zen and Gaggan. They could not have been more different, but neither disappointed.

Zen was like a beautiful, well orchestrated symphony. I went for lunch and had a fabulous table next to the window, so my photos are particularly good. So many delicious dishes, but the opening bites of little tarts might be my favorites. Or the “French Toast” - grilled brioche topped with a generous portion of shaved black truffle. Yum.

Zen was not only a Michelin recommendation, but also a friend who lives in Singapore. We had lunch at his house my first full day in Singapore, and it was great to catch up after 10 years. I met his wife, 9-month-old son, and very cute dog, but mostly we talked about life for 2 hours one-on-one. After a couple weeks solo, it was really nice to see a familiar face.

I also went to Atlas Bar based on multiple recommendations. As a gin fan, it did not disappoint. After a big meal at Zen and walking through Gardens by the Bay, a martini with french fries and a bowl of olives was a perfect dinner-snack.

If Zen was a symphony, Gaggan was a rock concert. 14 seats at a counter, a song (and beverage) paired with each dish, and staff that engaged the group with some “team building” games. Top that off with singalongs and amazing food, and you have my fabulous Christmas Eve experience. A stand-out dish was the green curry molded to look like a brain, with chili oil drizzled on top, that turned neon in the blacklight. Also, you literally licked the last plate clean of the sugar-coated gels shaped as a sunflower.

Finally, I can not post about Bangkok without mentioning pad thai. I went to a recommended OG pad thai restaurant for lunch on Christmas Day. Served as a noodle-filled omelet with shrimp, I am going to have a hard time going back to the American pad thai with the fried egg already mixed in.

Because I needed something to do between meals, I visited the sites in Bangkok: Emerald Buddha, Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Railway Market, and Floating Market. Easily got my 10K steps in every day.

Flying with the swans on Swan Lake in Singapore Botanical Gardens

Susan BloombergDecember 28, 2025