My Weekend

Singer and songwriter Hanjin Tan cooks and watches movies and television shows to unwind.
Singer and songwriter Hanjin Tan cooks and watches movies and television shows to unwind. PHOTO: HANJIN TAN

Hong Kong-based Singaporean singer-songwriter Hanjin Tan, 40, will perform alongside the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) at its annual Mother's Day Concert on May 7 at the SCO Concert Hall.

Tan lives in an apartment in the Central district in Hong Kong with his wife, a Hong Konger who helps to manage his career.

Besides performing at the Mother's Day concert, what do you plan to do in Singapore on this trip?

Hang out with my paternal grandmother and talk with her about the same topics over and over again. That's a top priority.

Other than that, I want to catch up on sleep and have long talks with my family and friends here.

What do you do for leisure?

Watch a lot of movies and television shows. I have been watching shows on Netflix as it is convenient. I like Narcos, Marco Polo and old documentaries.

Cooking and eating is another favourite activity. I cook only comfort food and it's always the same thing: either chicken or pork and cabbage wok- or pan-fried with olive oil, salt and pepper. All this delicious monotony goes with a bowl of rice.

Which restaurants in Hong Kong are on your list?

Cha chaan tang (traditional Hong Kong cafe) Wan Yee in the Universal Trade Centre in the Central district. It serves good local fare and it is cheaper than many of the other eateries in the area.

I eat the same thing every time - deep-fried chicken with ginger - and I ask for fake scallops made of flour to be added. It's yummy.

Actor Bowie Lam recently took me to Sup 1, a Japanese-French-Western restaurant in High Street in the Western District - it was fantastic.

It serves sushi and sashimi alongside French roast chicken and Spanish pork knuckle. It has a wonderful selection of wine too.

If you could go anywhere for a short getaway, where would it be?

I don't like quick getaways as they are too rushed - there isn't much time to relax. It has to be at least a four-night stay.

I wouldn't mind returning to Osaka in Japan as it's like Tokyo, but less crowded, or Kolkata and Mumbai in India.

Complete this sentence: A perfect weekend would be...

Relaxing in a room in the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay and watching Indonesian television shows, even though I don't understand the dialogue most of the time.

It's not the prettiest resort, but the service is top-notch. I stay there every time I go to Bali.

Or it could be just having a house party - by that, I mean eating a home-cooked dinner in front of the television.

Gurveen Kaur

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 29, 2016, with the headline My Weekend. Subscribe