Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Blasphemous as it sounds, Laksa got into Lonely Planet’s Best Foods, but it’s not the Singapore version.

Rather, it’s the Malaysian version.

Yumz- I mean, what the hell is that shit? 

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But now, don’t jump at their throats yet, because while Singapore lost out in the Laksa category, we did achieve a spot in the top 20s. So all’s cool. Somewhat.

Wait, what’s that? The dish in question? Well…

Read on to find out more.

One of the world’s “most incredible meals”

According to Lonely Planet, the creamy noodle dish was included in the Lonely Planet’s new guidebook Ultimate Eatlist, a “ranked list of the top 500 foodie experiences from all over the world”. And it’s not just any number either.

Curry Laksa is actually ranked near the pinnacle, coming in second only to pitxos in San Sebastian, Spain.

In an excerpt from the book on the website, readers were nose-guided to the “fantastic little hawker centres tucked into the shadows of towering skyscrapers” in KL for their taste of curry laksa.

“It’s an only-in-Malaysia experience,” the passage read.

Wait, what!?

WHY? Isn’t laksa a Singapore dish? Ever since I was young, I learned how to spell laksa before Singapore. I know sushi belongs to Canada and tom yam belongs to Brazil, but laksa belongs to Malaysia?

Additionally, the book recommended that travellers hit up Madras Lane and “pick the (stall) with the longest queue”, before coming back the next day to sample the neighbouring stall’s version.

Not saying that it hurts us. But it hurts us. Doesn’t Singapore Laksa count for anything?! Our laksa also curry laksa mah why liddat!?

Apologise, dammit. Apologise to all the hardworking Laksa stall owners in Singapore. Or wait, actually…

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How on Earth does this whole evaluation even work?

Sure, curry laksa might be really exotic and stuff, with its spices and specially polished curry leaves and Michelin-starred beansprouts, but let’s face it; laksa’s hardly more extravagant than some fish eyes in a dish, is it?

“The process began with surveying all the food-obsessed writers, bloggers and staff connected with Lonely Planet, asking them to vote for the tastiest and authentic gastronomic experiences they’ve encountered on their extensive travels,” wrote Lonely Planet’s AnneMarie McCarthy.

“Once complete, the huge list was brought before our own expert food editors who enlisted the help of chef Adam Liaw and food blogger Leyla Kazim to definitely rank the entries.”

That still doesn’t explain how laksa beat out caviar though.

“The entries were evaluated according to the taste, its cultural importance and the special atmosphere of the location,” McCarthy added.

Oh, I guess that makes sense then.

ANYWAY

I bet you’re wondering. Which Singaporean dish made it into the list? Well, it’s definitely not Laksa, that much is clear. Is it chicken rice then, you wonder.

Well, nope. Instead, it’s Chili Crab, a dish renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay showed he could do better, so many years ago.

Oh, the irony.

Achieving no. 17 on the list, I would say that it’s a pretty honorable feat, and one we should appreciate. But then I remember that this is Singapore we’re living in and not our neighbours, so maybe no.17 isn’t all that honorable after all.

Anyway, let’s quit moping over spilt laksa, and check out the top 20 rendition of the whole list:

LONELY PLANET’S TOP 20 FOODIE ADVENTURES

1. Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain

2. Curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

3. Sushi in Tokyo, Japan

4. Beef brisket in Texas, USA

5. Som tum in Bangkok, Thailand

6. Smørrebrød in Copenhagen, Denmark

7. Crayfish in Kaikoura, New Zealand

8. Bibimbap in Seoul, South Korea

9. Pizza margherita in Naples, Italy

10. Dim sum in Hong Kong

11. Ceviche in Peru

12. Pastéis de nata in Lisbon, Portugal

13. Oysters in Freycinet, Australia

14. Cheese experiences in France

15. Jerk chicken in Jamaica

16. Lamb tagine in Marrakech, Morocco

17. Chilli crab in Singapore (YAYAYAYAYA!!!!!!)

18. Moules frites in Brussels, Belgium

19. Peking duck in Beijing

20. Pho on the Hau River, Vietnam

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It’s okay, there’s always next year

Don’t be disheartened, local Laksa stall owners. Despite what they say, your Laksa’s still the best. So don’t feel like your Malaysian neighbours did a number on you, because they didn’t.

As such, keep working, keep trying to perfect that recipe, and hopefully, hopefully, we can regain our throne next year.

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