Celebrity chow with local pop rockers Electrico

SINGAPORE - Their music has been compared to that of US acts like R.E.M. and Fountains Of Wayne.

But M found out over supper with local band Electrico that the trio are quintessentially Singaporean, especially when it comes to their love for makan.

The topic of how long one should wait for a meal came up as the three down-to-earth lads wolfed down pizza, buffalo wings and meatballs at Tony's Pizza on River Valley Road.

"Koka Wanton Mee at North Bridge Road Market is fantastic," remarked bassist Desmond Goh, 38.

"You don't have to queue but you definitely have to wait because the stall is so busy with orders.

"The longest my wife and I waited is one hour! I'm glad to - the soup and noodles are top-notch," he added.

The longest frontman-guitarist Dave Tan has ever waited for food is half an hour.

Said the 39-year-old: "It was at Soon Huat Pig's Organ Soup at Serangoon Garden Market.

"The soup, tau pok (beancurd puff) and kiam chye (salted vegetables) with a bowl of rice? Best in the whole wide world," he gushed.

But drummer William Lim, 37, does not have similar patience.

"I cannot wait lah. I'm always in a hurry, rushing from one place to another to teach drums."

Electrico are gearing up for their upcoming gig at the Substation, Love at The Sub, on Oct 19.

Instead of purchasing tickets, the audience will get to decide how much they wish to pay for the performance, which will start at 6pm.

All proceeds will go to The Substation's fund to renovate its gallery space.

Although the men promise to play "a mix of old and new tunes", their popular National Day Parade theme song for 2009 won't be on the song list that day.

"It's always flattering to hear different covers of What Do You See?, but it has received sufficient exposure," explained Tan.

"We hope our gig can be a road-test for never-before-released material," he said.

Who is the biggest foodie among you?

DAVE: We all are. I might eat more than them, as you can tell from my size. (Laughs.) Either that or my metabolic rate is just the lowest.

What are food items you'd never tire of eating?

DAVE: My all-time favourite is Japanese food. I've been to Japan several times and I love the food; tonkatsu (pork cutlet), sushi, sashimi, curries, and udon. Everything. Even the snacks in their 7-Eleven stores are nice!

DESMOND: I love the Hainanese chicken rice stall at Golden Mile Food Centre). For a long time, I'd go there every Saturday. The meat is boneless and succulent, and the rice is fragrant. To me, it beats popular chains like Boon Tong Kee and Tian Tian hands down.

DAVE: Founder Bak Kut Teh Restaurant deserves an honourable mention. Great spare ribs.

DESMOND: Lau Ah Tee Bak Kut Teh near Boon Keng is amazing too. You can order other dishes there, like steamed fish.

Where do you take your wives for a romantic meal?

DAVE: I prefer to cook at home for my wife. It's true love on a plate, straight from me, not from any other guy. (Laughs.) I'm still experimenting, doing many pasta dishes. That's where most people start.I do onion and bacon pasta pretty well. I'm going to attempt beef wellington for my wife very soon, as that's her request. I just made a spinach and scrambled egg wrap with yoghurt topping for breakfast.

DESMOND: As for me, I don't cook, my wife does.

DAVE: Why are you so traditional? (Laughs.)

DESMOND: I'm like most guys right? Anyway, my wife and I are not into romantic dining. Once in a while, we go to Pizzeria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands and Margarita's at Dempsey. But we don't like fine dining. You know, the sort with one big plate and a tiny morsel in the middle.

Any memorable overseas food encounters?

WILLIAM: When the band did our Australian tour in 2010, I got to try so many different types of meat. That blew me away.

DESMOND: Yes, there was kangaroo meat. It's not very nice, a little gamey. Personally, I really enjoyed dining at Banyan Tree Hotel in Bangkok with my wife.

DAVE: On my last trip to Tokyo, my wife and I ate at this famous tonkatsu restaurant, Butagumi, which serves the best pork cutlet I've ever tasted. The fat just melts in your mouth like butter.

keeyunt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on October 8, 2014.
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