CHAMPAGNE AND SAN PELLEGRINO AT IGGY'S

THE PLANE WAS SLIGHTLY DELAYED, hence my finely-honed plan to get to the hotel, check in, then have a leisurely shower and change was completely skedaddled. On top of that, clever clogs here decided to take the MRT to Chinatown, where my hotel was. Which was not a bad thing to do seeing as it cost only SD1.90 (well SD2.90 actually but you get SD1 refund at the end of your journey) instead of the usual SD40-50 if I had gone by cab.

But I had to wait 8 mins to get the MRT out of Changi airport only to get off at the wrong stop for the inter-change so had to wait another 6 mins. That delayed me again, and when I got out at Outram Stop the walk was a good 10-15 mins. So when I got to the hotel and checked in, it was already 6.40pm. The single receptionist took ages to handle the other person's query so by the time I got to my room I had exactly 10 mins to get ready. So much for the leisurely prep!

What made the evening particularly enjoyable was the fact that LAURENT PERRIER the famous French champagne house was sponsoring the drinks, so apart from the bubbles from the San Pellegrino (although there is also still) the bubbly flowed freely pretty well all night long.

Yes, I was in Singapore once more, to do a few things. All to do with food of course. That night was the get-together of the prestigious San Pellegrino Asian Judges Panel, of which yours truly is one. So there I was hobnobbing with some 40 of the best: journalists, restaurateurs, food writers and whatnots, at Iggy's, one of the top restaurants in Asia, with no less than Iggy himself there.

The food is very interesting, sort of fusion cum molecular, as you can see from some of the photos and descriptions, starting with an Amuse Bouche of uni, cauliflower, chocolate and foie gras to Egg with White Truffle Powder. The Blackmore Wagyu was delicious. It requires a lot of research and testing to come up with the matching and pairing of these very different foods, and now I know why Iggy's has such a good reputation. However, there's rather a lot of washing up to do, I thought. But then you know what a Philistine I am.

What a night to remember, and thank you San Pellegrino!