DISCLAIMER: Because of my bloggerbridge.com profile and the fact that I was traveling to Singapore, I was invited to experience a bitemojo food tour for free in exchange for social media reviews and images.
What is bitemojo?
Bitemojo, according to the website, is the first app in the world that offers self-guided, culturally immersive food tours in some of the most exciting cities in the world. The tours take the user on a journey through the given community’s vital history, identifying key points of interest along the route to the tasty bites of local cuisine.
bitemojo website homepage
For me, it was the chance to experience a city’s culture, one neighborhood at a time, and one that I might have easily missed or dismissed.
What are the bitemojo cities?
Taste the Universe is their advertising strategy, and yes, they do have tours in some amazing cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, and Rome to name a few cities that I’ve visited in the past.
Nonetheless, there are a few other exotic locations that I’m interested in as well, such as Bangkok, Ljubljana and Tel Aviv.
It all starts with the app.
Through the app on your smartphone, you choose the date, time, and pace of your tour as you require or desire. No need to wait for a group or change plans for anyone else and if the owners or staff have time for a picture and a chat then so be it; feel free to engage them as most want to tell their story.
On each tour, there are usually 5 to 7 tasty bites (for your snacking pleasure) and between 10-15 hidden gems (points of interest) for around $25-$35USD.
So what did I choose?
I took the Kampong Glam Tour. It was not what I was expecting but it was an opportunity to learn about the life in and around the Sultan Palace and Mosque that includes a diverse palate of Malay, Indonesian, Turkish, Arab, Indian and more.
View of the Sultan Mosque through an Arch on the Kampong Glam Tour in Singapore with the bitemojo app
- 1st restaurant: Pita Bakery. Yuri, born in Tajikistan but raised in Israel, is one of the owners and the first thing he said to me was “I’m glad I shaved my head today,” with a big laugh as he pointed to my DSLR. He graciously posed for a picture and chatted about how he came to Singapore. The bite was Pita and Hummus. Even though I visited well after the lunch crowd, the Hummus was creamy and flavorful, and the Pita was that fresh-baked soft goodness; a yummy snack.
Yuri, part owner of the Pita Bakery in Singapore poses during my Kampong Glam Tour with the bitemojo app
On the Kampong Glam Tour with the bitemojo app: Pita and Hummus from the Pita Bakery in Singapore
- 2nd restaurant: Ratu Lemper. Aliya, from Jakarta Indonesia, is the owner and her shop was quite busy during lunchtime so I waited. She had a smile for everyone even in the midst of an afternoon crush of people and a large delivery order; she even had a sincere smile for me when she patiently explained “Your American spices are not like ours. I will give you the Ayam Lemper (it is low heat) but try the Beef Satay first.” She was absolutely correct; it took my tongue 3-hours to recover from one bite of the Ayam Lemper (fruity-sticky rice patties with a mouth-watering chicken filling rolled up in a banana-leaf then steamed), but the Beef Satay was delicious!
Aliya, owner of Ratu Lemper in Singapore, poses with me during my Kampong Glam Tour with the bitemojo app
On the Kampong Glam Tour with the bitemojo app: spicy Ayam Lemper from the Ratu Lemper in Singapore
- 3rd restaurant: Istanbul Turkish Restaurant. The bite was Sigara Boregi; a delightful deep-fried pastry rolled with Feta Cheese and Spinach Stuffing. The owner nor the manager were available to chat, so I just enjoyed people watching from a sidewalk table instead.
Collage of the Istanbul Turkish Restaurant on my Kampong Glam Tour in Singapore with the bitemojo app
I also visited a few shops and saw some interesting graffiti and wall art down colorful narrow streets that I would’ve missed had they not been part of the hidden gems.
View of the Sultan Mosque from Bussorah Street on the Kampong Glam Tour in Singapore with the bitemojo app
Hidden gems on the Kampong Glam neighborhood tour in Singapore with the bitemojo app
What’s the verdict?
The best parts of bitemojo, besides the food, are that after you purchase a tour: (1) you have 6 months to redeem your bites; (2) you can consume all the bites in one day or extend them over a few days, a week, a month, or anytime within the 6-month period; and (3) you can stop your tour – even after 1 bite – and claim the remaining bites in another city!
Due to time constraints, I stopped my bitemojo tour in Singapore with 3 remaining bites and truly wish there were more cities to explore. However, since there are only two bitemojo cities on my 6-month SE Asia tour, I will either claim the remaining bites in Bangkok next month or when I return to Singapore in March 2019. You’ll just have to stay tuned for my next bitemojo adventure!
Follow me on Instagram or Twitter as @DaniLew_1 to see where I end up next…
Heading to Singapore soon so this post is timely. I love street food and all types of spicy and savory. Will check out the bitemojo app too.
Sue, that’s awesome; enjoy Singapore, the food and the app!
. This looks fun! Ill check it out!
It was fun, Laureen, and yes you should give it a go!
Have you ever gotten sick from food or drink in any of your travels?
Fortunately Eric, only once; it was a sandwich I got at Dallas-Ft Worth airport. Thankfully, I was able to take care of it before I got on the airplane.
Experience traveling tells me to watch where and what the locals eat but even that is not 100% guaranteed; I’ve been lucky and Blessed.