Singapore Hawker Food:
10 of My Favourites

There are many good restaurants in Singapore. But you
can't leave this island without trying Singapore hawker food...

It's something that Singaporeans take for granted: cheap and delicious hawker food at our food centres. We just assume that every other city has similar offerings. Then we start travelling and realise that cheap local food in Singapore is something quite special.

Here's are 10 of my favourite Singapore hawker food:

No. 1 Singapore Hawker Food - Pork Rib Soup (Bak Kut Teh)

A great Bak Kut Teh stall will draw in the crowds, even if it's in an obscure corner of the island. These pork ribs are brewed in a herbal broth which includes pepper and garlic. Here are 2 of my favourite Bak Kut Teh stalls.

No. 2 Singapore Hawker Food - Laksa

A perspiration-inducing dish. Made with spaghetti-like noodles served in a steaming coconut-curry broth. Contains cockles, tao pok (a 'toufu' of sorts), and fish cakes. Topped with fragrant laksa leaves. My favourite stall? The Qi Ji chain of eateries.

No. 3 - Hainanese Chicken Rice
(Some say this is the King of Singapore Hawker Food!)

Just what makes Hainanese Chicken Rice so delicious? Some say it's the way the chicken is cooked. Some say it's the chilli-and-ginger condiment. Yet some say it's the fragrant rice. Heck, just gorge on it! And there're just too many good Chicken Rice stalls in Singapore to name here.

No. 4 - Prawn Noodles

For many prawn noodles sellers, the hard work starts in the unearthly hours of the morning. First, the decapitated heads of prawns are fried in a wok. Then they are boiled in a secret broth to create a tasty soup. The trick is to infuse the prawny flavour into the soup. Must-try: Longhouse Prawn Noodles on Thomson Road.

No. 5 - Beef Noodles

This is not the most famous of Singapore hawker food. Besides, I don't know what goes into the broth. But I don't care. Must-try: Beef Noodles stall at Blk 203 Hougang Street 21.

 

No. 6 - Char Kway Teow
(Fried Soya-flavoured Noodles with Cockles, Eggs, Fish Cake)

This is probably the most sinful of Singapore dishes. High in cholesterol, high in fats and high in everything bad for the heart. But ridiculously high in enjoyment. Put away all inhibitions. Just for once, gorge into this must-try Singapore hawker food. My favourite stall? The one at Broadway Coffee Shop (Blk 644 Hougang Ave 8).

No. 7 - Wan Ton Mee (Noodles with Dumplings & Roast Pork)

There are many varieties of Wan Ton Mee. Some stalls use a sweet 'ketchup-y' base. Others like to add a dark soya sauce. One of the best I've tasted is the Guangdong Wanton Mee Stall at Maxwell Road Food Centre.

No. 8 - Satay (Skewered Meat with Peanut Sauce)

Succulent, juicy marinated meat on a bamboo skewer. Barbecued over a weak flame. Dip this in a fragrant peanut sauce. I can down 30 sticks at one go. Try it for yourself and you'll know why. Where to find many satay stalls at one place? Boon Tat Street (next to Lau Pa Sat). Go in the evenings.

Delicious Singapore hawker food is not restricted to the 'filling' stuff. Here are 2 great desserts you must sample if you plan on visiting Singapore.

No. 9 - Bo Bo Cha Cha (A Truly Enjoyable Singapore Dessert)

Slices of sweet patatoes and yam. A colourful assortment of chewy gummy-bear-like gelatin. Coconut milk and syrup on ground ice. Get your Bo Bo Cha Cha fix at Kopitiam Foodcourt, Basement 2 Mall @ Singapore Airport Terminal 3.

No. 10 - Ice Kacang (Another Great Singapore Dessert)

Red beans. Attap seeds. Herbal jelly. Lots of colourful syrup all over. Ice kacang is another great Singapore dessert to try. Like Bo Bo Cha Cha, this dessert is conveniently found at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Kopitiam Foodcourt.

A Note for Visitors

1. I've called the dishes on this page Singapore Hawker Food.
   
   But we are really a nation of immigrants ;-) So all the food listed above were 'imported' at some point in time. They are probably found in neighbouring countries as well, perhaps even in China.
   
   So if you think that a dish had originated from your village, and not from Singapore, don't be angry with me. Use the form below, and let us know where to find it in your hometown.
   
   
2. I've listed a few locations where you may find these great Singapore dishes. But you don't have to run all over the island to eat them. If you want to try local food in Singapore, but have run out of time, head for the Kopitiam Foodcourt at Basement 2 of Singapore Airport Terminal 3. You'll find a great range of local and regional food here.
   
   Another great spot is the Maxwell Road Food Centre in Chinatown. You just can't go wrong with the stalls at this one.
   
   
3. And don't you dare leave Singapore without trying at least one of these wonderful dishes!
   
   

Readers' Tips

One of our readers was at the Maxwell Road Food Centre recently. He had some really great Wan Ton Noodles, and tells us why this Singapore hawker food stall is worth visiting.

Did you also stumble upon some great hawker food lately? Why not share your tips with us? We'd like to try it for ourselves too.

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