PUBLISHED August 23rd, 2015 04:00 pm | UPDATED March 27th, 2016 01:51 pm
Staycations are a dime a dozen in Singapore; each promising to deliver something unique, yet hardly departing from the formula of buffet breakfasts, chocolate-coated strawberries and late check-outs. When a truly differentiated staycation comes around, you could well have spent the same amount of money holidaying in Bangkok and back.
Even as we kicked into high gear for #simisaialsosg50 in August, one SG50 staycation package caught our eye – at a reasonable price to boot. ‘Be a Clover Wok Star’ doles out the promise that you will leave ‘a bonafide foodie, armed with the know-how to create some of Singapore’s most iconic dishes’. When we experienced it for ourselves, we may not have magically transformed into the next Violet Oon or Eric Teo, but we thoroughly enjoyed what the Hotel Clover Group had painstakingly curated for the package.
While we had the choice of staying at three of Hotel Clover’s properties, we eventually went with the fuss-free Hotel Clover Hong Kong Street, right at the door step of what is shaping up to be one of Singapore’s most coveted dining addresses! The rooms are nothing to shout about – clean, well-anointed and compact. A rooftop dipping pool is great for wading too, if not a little poorly maintained.
It’s when the private limousine arrives in the afternoon when things start to get interesting. We’re whizzed off in style to Cookery Magic, the brainchild of Ruqxana Vasanwala, a firecracker cooking instructor who immediately welcomed us with water in her rustic front porch. As we zigzagged through her home to her leafy backyard equipped with all manner of cooking paraphernalia, she mentally prepped us for the afternoon, ‘If you haven’t hit the gym today, you’d be sweating by the end of the class.’
Before we knew it, we were pounding away to our first home-made rempehs – one for the soup base of a nonya laksa and another for a marinade for satay. Ruqxana let us munch on her gula melaka stash, smell her powdered spices, and indulge us with stories of her past whilst imparting cooking tips. ‘Always sprinkle some salt in the wok before putting the oil in’ is one of the many notes that I have on my ‘Clover Wok Star’ recipe cards.
Besides making one feel at ease with her oozing warmth, Ruqxana also plays to your skill level. Are you the super home cook? Ruqxana will let you run and cook up a storm. Can’t cook to save your life? Ruqxana will be there to catch you, helping you peel garlic or watch the fire as you concentrate on not slicing your finger.
As we skewered our satays and stirred our laksas, we couldn’t help but ponder the commodification of the many local dishes that we hold dear to in Singapore. Sauces and soup bases are increasingly purchased from central suppliers rather than made from scratch; more hawker chains are also emerging, making fried black noodles and wanton mee taste the same from Jurong to Changi. It was also through Ruqxana’s class where we made a pact to cook more often at home to stay connected with our loved ones.
The smell of the caramelization of sugars on our satay had our stomachs rumbling. Ruqxana was very kind to have volunteered to do all the washing, while we sat on her porch whiling the afternoon away over our own gastronomic creations. They couldn’t have been tastier, especially since they came from our own hands!
Find out more on how to partake in this extraordinary experience at Hotel Clover’s website. We hear that dishes rotate often – Chilli Crab, Beef Rendang, Roti Prata and even Ondeh-Ondeh are on the cards! The package also includes complimentary breakfast and wifi at the hotel, and pretty aprons for keepsake! A must-try.
The ‘Be a Clover Wok Star’ Package runs till October 2015. For more information and reservations, please email enquiries@hotelclover.com