To a sushi party last night, at Bobo's new gaff. (That's him on the left with Fräulein Julia, mugging their favorite movie.) I've always complained that Italian food is perhaps the most conservative I've ever come across. And I've heard the usual explanation: when something is perfect, why tinker?...

Advised to go to Bintang Walk in search of good local cuisine, last night we ended up at a covered food hall about the size of a football field, though not as wide. Down each long side were booths that each seemed to specialise in a limited repertoire of dishes. We approached Kee Yuan's Seafood and asked the man what he had. He pointed to a glass tank clacking with crabs and in a couple of minutes the deal was done. Seafood noodles and steamed crab. We sat down at a table, bolted to the floor, on chairs bolted to the floor. Our host arranged for someone else from way down the food hall to bring cold beers, and we waited.