Top 10 Singapore lifestyle happenings of 2016

In another big year for food and shopping, Singapore saw food delivery apps becoming popular, frenzies over Michelin-starred hawker stalls, foodies flocking to themed cafes and clubbers mourning the closure of Zouk’s 20-year-old venue on Jiak Kim Street.

Before we raise a toast to the new year, let’s look back at the biggest lifestyle happenings of 2016.

10. First Japanese onsen in Singapore

Is Singapore slowly becoming the land of the rising sun? In the first half of the year, Singapore’s very first authentic Japanese onsen, Yunomori Onsen and Spa, opened in Kallang Wave Mall, featuring 11 pools spread over 16,000 square feet. Visitors can choose from an array of beautiful yutakas (casual kimonos) to wear in between pool and sauna sessions. Otherwise patrons are expected to experience the communal baths in the buff – though disposable underwear is an option for those who are too shy.

9. Kailijumei lipsticks

These mesmerising flower jelly lipsticks by China’s Kailijumei unsurprisingly became an online sensation because of their sheer beauty. Just how do you add real dried flowers to a lipstick? And how can a transparent lipstick colour your lips? The popularity of the lipsticks spawned fakes, notably made in Thailand.

8. Victoria’s Secret flagship store opening

While Victoria’s Secret announced in January that it would open a flagship store in Singapore, fans of the exquisite lingerie brand had to wait until November before they were finally able to shop at the new store and feel like angels. The two-storey outlet located on the ground floor of Mandarin Gallery is the only branch that offers the complete assortment from the brand, including their bras.

7. Egg tart craze

Whether the craze was about the light and fluffy cheese tarts from Taiwan’s BAKE or the creamy and flaky egg tarts from Hong Kong’s Tai Cheong Bakery, Singaporeans were seen queueing for these decadent and addictive sweet treats all year long. And who could forget the endless stream of Instagram photos of foodies posing, triumphant, with their precious loot acquired after a long wait?

Thanks to this trend, we’re also seeing other household bakeries such as Prima Deli hopping onto the tart-wagon and producing their very own range of cheese tarts, while BreadTalk outlets are selling out their salted egg yolk tarts almost daily.

6. Chun Cui He drink craze

Singapore’s love for milk teas continued this year when Taiwan’s popular Chun Cui He drink arrived on the shelves of 7-Eleven convenience stores island-wide. As there were very limited stocks made available in each outlet, the bottles ended up being sold out within hours every day and management had to restrict purchases to a maximum of six bottles per customer.

However, the hype died down after the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) issued a recall of the brand’s milk teas due to a non-permitted additive. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

5. Zouk (Jiak Kim Street) closure

Many clubbers would agree that it was the end of an era for Singapore’s nightlife scene when Zouk closed its iconic, 20-year-old venue on Jiak Kim Street in December. With many Singaporeans having partied there through their youth, social media was flooded with throwback photos hashtagged #RememberingJiakKim in the lead up to the opening of the club’s new venue at Clarke Quay.

4. Food delivery apps

The emergence this year of popular food delivery apps such as FoodPanda and Deliveroo gave a new meaning to the term “fast food nation”. Such apps enabled busy Singaporeans to have a variety of food – including hawker foods – delivered to their doorstep, lessening the need to rely on fast food chains such as McDonald’s for convenient eats.

Jumping on the trend was UberEats, who entered the market within the second quarter of the year, focusing on delivering food to offices within the central business district and Orchard Road. With no minimum order, local working professionals can even have a single cupcake delivered to their desk.

3. Michelin-starred hawker foods

Singaporeans started seeing their beloved hawker food in a different light after two hawker stalls – Tai Hwa Pork Noodle and Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle – were each awarded a Michelin star this year.

The prestigious culinary award led Chan Hon Meng, owner of Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, to open a restaurant called Hawker Chan, welcoming customers in an air-conditioned space, complete with high-tech ordering systems.

This year also saw the “atas-ification” (atas is Singlish for high-class) of the humble nasi lemak after the new hipster bistro Coconut Club started selling the coconut rice and sambal dish for a cool $12.80 a plate.

2. Themed cafes

Themed cafes were all the rage in Singapore this year as we welcomed a Hello Kitty cafe at Changi Airport, a Gudetama cafe at Suntec City Mall, a Friends cafe called Central Perk on Magazine Road and even a Pokemon pop-up cafe at Bugis Junction during the initial Pokemon Go craze.

Last but not least, the Japan Rail Cafe, inspired by Japan’s railway stations, opened in December at Tanjong Pagar Centre. It includes a retail space where customers can purchase, among other things, railway tickets to most parts of Japan.

1. Japanese food invasion

With Singapore’s undying love for all things Japanese, it is no surprise that an overwhelming number of Japanese supermarkets and restaurants opened in the city-state this year, just as the two countries celebrated 50 years of bilateral ties.

Some of the notable openings would be Japan Food Town’s 16-eatery food hall on the fourth level of Wisma Atria’s shopping centre. Japan lovers can feast on fresh fish from Tsukiji, sink their teeth into the highest grade of Matsusaka beef and enjoy the finest sake, all in one place.

Let’s not forget the opening of Isetan’s Japanese supermarket at Shaw House, selling vegetables imported directly from Japanese farms.