A swift intro to S'pore food

1 WELCOME TO NEW YORK

We welcome her to Singapore by welcoming her to a famous New York institution, Clinton St Baking Company & Restaurant (31 Purvis Street). Nothing like home to ease yourself into a new city, right? 


2 BLANK SPACE

People always mistake the lyrics "long list of ex-lovers" for "Starbucks lovers". Even Taylor Swift has acknowledged it.

The Starbucks at 37 Rochester Road is the prettiest one in Singapore - it is like dining in your own caffeinated bungalow.

And since the famous red Starbucks Christmas cups have just made their return, it is doubly festive.

But will they get her name right on the cup though? Maybe they might write Becky on the cup instead (Swifties will know what I am talking about).

3 STYLE

There is no lack of stylish drinking spaces in Singapore. From looking like a boudoir (the Vagabond Bar at the new Hotel Vagabond, 39 Syed Alwi Road) to urban (Manhattan at the Regent Hotel) to chic (Anti:Dote, Fairmont Singapore).

4 OUT OF THE WOODS

Swift may want to drink coconut water in Pulau Ubin if she wants the woods, but a better option is Shelter in the Woods (22 Greenwood Avenue). This rustic European restaurant is located in a quiet chi chi residential area, so there won't be any fear that her fans would invade the area.

5 ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS STAY

We have so many great dessert cafes now and you'll just want to eat and eat and stay all day. Try Mad About Sucre (27 Teo Hong Road) for the most sophisticated desserts or Karafuru (8 Jalan Klapa) for the prettiest plate.

6 SHAKE IT OFF

Let's give this all-American girl a taste of her own fast food - McDonald's - but with a local twist: the seaweed shaker fries.

We are crazy about them, so it is likely she could feel the same. And she can shake off the calories later by dancing on stage.

7 I WISH YOU WOULD

I wish you would eat a durian, Taylor. After all, I never could. But if she did, I may reconsider.

Forget the Geylang ones, head to Combat Durian (249 Balestier Road) or Ah Seng Durian (Block 150A, Ghim Moh Temporary Market).

It'll make her trip memorable and she could be the fruit's most famous ambassador.

8 BAD BLOOD

Bad Blood is Swift at her crankiest, so maybe the cat lady would enjoy something feline. The Company of Cats (6B Mosque Street) is the place to put her in a better mood. There are lots of cute cats there - all rescued - and profits go to charity.

The food is quite good and she can walk around Chinatown to get a couple of Singapore's "A Fine City" T-shirts as souvenirs.

9 WILDEST DREAMS

Horses were prominently featured in the video for this song, suggesting that Swift might be keen to be near them. Well, at Riders Cafe (51 Fairways Drive), the horses are no longer there, but they are in a stable.

Or she might want to venture to Bollywood Veggies (100 Neo Tiew Road) for a farm experience.

10 HOW YOU GET THE GIRL

The best pick-up bars outside of Geylang or Orchard Towers is anywhere with a Ladies' Night.

If you want a pick of the men instead, head to The Black Swan (19 Cecil Street).

11 THIS LOVE

Since the song starts off with her singing about clear blue water and high tides, we must send her to Sentosa and our beaches for a visit. To catch a view of the Marina Bay skyline, The Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill (#01-01 One Fullerton) is her best bet.

12 I KNOW PLACES

A trip to Singapore is not complete without a visit to a hawker centre. So Swift should hop on the MRT and head to Bedok and check out the hawker stalls there - the lontong is divine - or go further to Tampines Round Market (Block 137A, Tampines Street 11).

And she has to make her way to the Jalan Besar enclave. It has blossomed to become the It place - just right for music's It girl. AEIOU (111 King George's Avenue), with its rustic decor, interesting knick-knacks and its great menu (she must try the avocado coffee), she can brag she has eaten at the best places in Singapore.

13 CLEAN

When Swift is in Singapore and you want to show her clean, just take her to any hawker centre and zoom in on the stall certified A. Confirm clean.

The pop star will be in Singapore this weekend for her massively popular The 1989 World Tour.

Since she will be spending at least three nights here, we decided she should get to know Singapore a little better.

So The New Paper's resident foodie, Yeoh Wee Teck, has come up with #The1989SGFoodTour - a list of restaurants, bars and hawker centres to check out based on the songs from her record-breaking album that was released last year.