BEST FOOD DISCUSSION - Palatable, Savory, Delicious Food Found In ASEAN

[SBMEDSUP]

Originally Posted by nacho

Any from Toa Payoh?

Search Toa Payoh in this thread surprised plenty.

[HeadLanguage]

Originally Posted by laser434

Very nice, thanks for sharing

[ET]

30 Famous Local Foods To Eat

1. Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶 lit. Meat Bone Tea/ Pork Ribs Soup)

One of the many stories of the invention of Bak Kut Teh is that during the olden days of Singapore, a poor, starving beggar came by a roadside pork noodle store to beg for food. The stall owner was in poverty but wanted to help him.

He boiled some of the leftover pork bones and added whatever cheap spices he had to flavour the soup, including star anise and pepper which created a soup that resembled tea in terms of colour. Thus, pork bone tea was born. Another story claims that it was a tonic invented to ‘reinvigorate’ the Chinese coolies who worked in the Clark Quay area.

Bak Kut Teh has been around in Singapore since we were still a developing country and deserves its recognition as a simple, humble dish. Most of the Bak Kut Teh here are of the pepper variety with mild use of herbs like star anise.

Choose pork rib meat in your soup for a more tender bite. The other variant would be the Klang Bak Kut Teh, a dark and highly flavoured herbal soup originating from Malaysia.

Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh: 7 Keppel Road, #01-05/07, PSA Tanjong Pagar Complex, Singapore 089053 (closed on Mon)
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, Chinatown Point
4.0 Rating
1020 Reviews
Address|
133 New Bridge Road Chinatown Point Chinatown Point #01-04,, Singapore 059413 Singapore
Phone number|
+65 6443 1033
Opening hours|
11:00 AM - 09:00 PM (Today), 11:00 AM - 09:00 PM (Daily)

Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House
4.0 Rating
265 Reviews
Address|
208 Rangoon Road Hong Building Hong Building, Singapore 218453 Singapore
Phone number|
+65 6291 4537
Opening hours|
09:00 AM - 09:00 PM (Today), 09:00 AM - 09:00 PM (Daily)

2. Wanton Mee (云吞面)

This Singapore wanton noodle dish was probably influenced by Hong Kong cuisine, but has become entrenched in our culture over the years. The Singapore version is typically eaten ‘dry’, drenched with some light sweet sauce, slices of pork char siew and wanton dumplings filled with pork, with a small bowl of soup on the side.

Auntie will also ask if you want it spicy or not. The spicy type sees chilli mixed into the noodles, while the non-spicy kids version will have tomato sauce mixed in. The wanton dumplings may be either deep fried or come in the form of soup dumplings.

The Malaysian variant uses a darker-coloured sauce and sweeter tasting mee (noodles).

3. Fried Carrot Cake (菜头粿)

No, this isn’t the Western dessert. This is far from it. The Singapore Fried Carrot Cake is made with eggs, preserved radish (chai poh) and white radish flour cake, which resembles a ‘white carrot’, thus giving rise to the dish name.

This is a Teochew dish popular in both Singapore and Malaysia. Variants include the ‘black’ version, which has sweet sauce (molasses) added, or a crispy version with the cake fried on top of a beaten egg to create a crust and chunks of cake. Most commonly seen in Singapore though is the chopped up version with individual radish cake cubes.
Best Fried Carrot Cake Stalls:

Carrot Cake 菜頭粿 (that’s the literal name of the store): 20 Kensington Park Road, Chomp Chomp Food Centre, Singapore 557269 (closed on alt. Tues)

4. Dim Sum (点心)

Another Hong Kong/ Shanghai-inspired type of cuisine available in Singapore is Dim Sum or ‘Dian Xin’. This is not exactly one dish, but a set of small dishes to be savoured in a group – a typical Chinese dining sharing custom. Popular Dim Sum dishes include BBQ Pork Buns, Xiao Long Bao, Siew Mai, Chee Cheong Fun and many more.

5. Kaya Toast & Soft-Boiled Eggs

The one and only traditional Singaporean breakfast – Kaya Toast with Soft-Boiled Eggs. The traditional bread is an old school rectangular white loaf, toasted on a bread grill, lathered with coconut or egg kaya, then slapped with a thick slice of SCS butter that slowly melts within two slices of warm bread.

This is the classic kaya toast. Variations include using thinly-sliced brown bread, round buns or ‘Jiam Tao Loh Tee’ (like a French baguette).

For the eggs, they’re usually placed in a large hot water metal pot and covered with a plate. Then you time it and take out the eggs when they’re ready (about 7 – 10 minutes depending on how well you like your eggs).

Trying not to scream like a little girl, crack open the eggs with your bare hands onto one of the two plates given and throw the shells onto the remaining plate. Season with pepper and dark/light soya sauce. Dip the kaya toast into the eggy mixture for extra deliciousness!

6. Crabs (Chilli Or Pepper)

The two most famous styles of cooking crabs in Singapore are with a sweet, spicy tomato-ish chilli sauce, or with black pepper sauce. Chilli crabs are usually eaten along with fried mantous (buns), which are dipped in the luscious chilli sauce.

To achieve a delicious texture, the crabs go through a two-step cooking process; they’re first boiled then fried so that the meat doesn’t stick to the shell. Recently, many new popular styles of cooking have surfaced as well, like salted-egg crabs or crab bee hoon.

Long Beach Seafood: Blk 1018 East Coast Parkway, Singapore 449877

7. Laksa

Laksa is a dish created from the merging of Chinese and Malay cuisine, otherwise known as Peranakan culture. There are two main types of Laksa – Curry Laksa and Asam Laksa.

Curry Laksa is more predominant in Singapore, while Asam Laksa is more commonly found in Malaysian regions like Penang. In fact there are loads of variants of Laksa, differing in the type of fish used, broth and even noodles.

Traditional Singapore Curry Laksa uses vermicelli, coconut milk, tau pok (beancurd puffs), fish slices, shrimp and hum (cockles). Due to cost-cutting or taste preference, some stalls might opt out of shrimp and cockles.

A unique Singapore variant known as Katong Laksa features vermicelli that’s been cut into short pieces and is eaten only with a spoon. There is much debate on which establishment is the original Katong Laksa, but most bowls are delicious in their own way.

8. Curry Fish Head

Is it Chinese, Indian or Malay? This is another ambiguous dish which probably has a South Indian origin, but has been heavily influenced by the various ethnicities in Singapore. What I do know, is that it’s delicious.

Either half a head or the whole head of a red snapper is stewed in curry with assorted vegetables like lady’s finger (okra) and brinjal (aubergine). The Indian-style of curry has heavier spices and flavours, while the Chinese-style is lighter and sweeter. Variants include the Assam-style fish head curry, which has an added tinge of sourness from tamarind fruit (assam).

9. Bak Chor Mee (肉脞面 lit. Minced Meat Noodles)

Colloquially known as ‘Bak Chor Mee‘ 肉脞面, this is a noodle dish with minced pork, liver, meat balls/ fish balls, fish cake slices and a signature vinegary braised sauce that adds some wetness.

Typically, the dish is ordered ‘dry’ to savour the full flavours of the sauce and you can choose between chilli or ketchup, and the type of noodles that you would like. Noodle choices are normally either mee pok (a flat noodle) or mee kia (thin noodle), while some stalls offer bee hoon, mee sua or mee tai mak as well. Variants include an exclusively soup version with homemade noodles that’s famous at Bedok Blk 85.

10. Oyster Omelette (Orh Lua)

Popular in Singapore hawker centres as well as in Taiwan night markets, this is a dish that many foreigners and locals love. Stalls that sell Carrot Cake typically also sell Oyster Omelettes as it’s a similar cooking process that also utilises a common ingredient: Eggs.

Potato starch is usually mixed in when frying the egg and gives a thicker, fuller taste. Variants include a version without the starch, which is priced slightly higher due to more eggs needed instead. A special vinegar chilli is also paired exclusively with Oyster Omelettes in Singapore.

Simon Road Oyster Omelette: 965 Upper Serangoon Road, Mee Sek Coffeeshop, Singapore 534721 (closed on Tue)

Ang Sa Lee Oyster Omelette: 20 Kensington Park Road, Chomp Chomp, Singapore 557269 (closed on alt. Weds)

Ah Hock Fried Oyster Hougang: Blk 90 Whampoa Dr, #01-54, Whampoa Hawker Centre, Singapore 320090 (closed on Weds)

11. Hokkien Prawn Mee

Singapore Hokkien Mee features a combination of fried egg noodles and rice noodles in a rich prawn stock with cubes of fried pork fat, prawns, fish cake and squid. Some vendors add pork strips as well to add more flavour.

This dish was the creation of post-war Hokkien noodle factory workers who would gather along Rochor Road and fry any excess noodles they had. Another version easily confused by the same name is called Hokkien Char Mee, which is covered in a signature thick dark sauce and uses only one type of egg noodles.

12. Satay

Satay is a dish of skewered, turmeric-marinated meat that is grilled on an open fire. It originates from Indonesia but has become a common hawker dish in Singapore. Stalls are not restricted to any race and may be operated by the Chinese, Malays or Indians.

Typical meats include chicken, beef, mutton and even pork which is sold by the Chinese stall owners. Ketupat (rice cake), onions and cucumbers usually accompany Satay. A spicy peanut dip is also provided for the Satay and sides as well.

Haron Satay: 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village, Singapore 468960

13. BBQ Sambal Stingray

In the past, having a fridge/freezer was as rare as winning TOTO (lottery); barbecuing or frying fishes to mask the fishy odour after being left out in the open for days was a popular cooking choice.

Also known as Ikan Bakar (barbecued fish), stingray used to be unpopular but has risen in price since Singaporean Malays figured out that sambal (chilli paste) on top of stingray = delicious. It is traditionally wrapped in banana leaf and barbecued, then a sambal paste made with belachan (dried shrimp paste), spices, shallots and Indian walnuts is smothered generously all over the top. Lime is usually squeezed over the fish right before eating as well.

Star Yong Kwang B.B.Q. Seafood: Blk 127 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Alexandra Village Food Centre, #01-230, Singapore 150127

Chomp Chomp Hai Wei Yuan Seafood Barbecue: 20 Kensington Park Road, Chomp Chomp, Singapore 557269

14. Tau Huay (Dou Hua 豆花)

Tau Huay is a Chinese dessert made with beancurd tofu that is sweetened with sugar syrup. The traditional type is very soft, slightly grainy and soaks in syrup to be eaten together. This Tau Huay can be eaten hot or cold, sometimes with Tang Yuan (glutinous rice balls), grass jelly or soya bean milk added as well.

In recent times, a popular and more gelatinous, jelly-like version of Tau Huay has surfaced and for a period of time, drove Singaporeans to queue like ants to sugar. This version is smoother and can incorporate pretty much any flavour like mango, melon or sesame. The texture is distinct from the traditional types and some camps advocate against it due to unnatural stabilisers used. This version is only eaten cold as heat would break the structure.

Selegie Soya Bean: 990 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534734

15. Ice Kacang (lit. Ice Beans)

A grinding machine is used to produce the mountain of shaved ice on top of a bowl of assorted ingredients like red bean, attap chee (palm seed), agar agar jelly, chendol, grass jelly or any other filling desired.

Evaporated or condensed milk is then drizzled on top, along with red rose syrup and Sarsi syrup to produce the multi-coloured effect. Variations may include drizzling with gula melaka (palm sugar), adding ice cream or other novelty toppings like durian or chocolate syrup.

Annie’s Peanut Ice Kacang: 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-35, Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre Singapore 270020

An Ji Xiang Hua Ice Jelly: Blk 335 Smith Street, #02-183, Chinatown Complex Market, Singapore 050335

[ET]

16. Chwee Kueh (水粿 lit. Water Rice Cake )

Another breakfast dish seen regularly in both Singapore and Johor, most stalls selling Chwee Kueh only open in the morning and close by lunch time. Rice flour and water are mixed together to form the rice cake, then put into little saucers and steamed to produce the typical bowl-like Chwee Kueh shape.

It is topped with chai poh (preserved radish) and chilli. Making Chwee Kueh is a dying trade that the young generation does not want to carry on, so try it before it’s gone forever.

Bedok Chwee Kueh: Blk 207 New Upper Changi Road #01-53, Singapore 460207

17. Durian

Widely regarded by many as the ‘King Of Fruits’ in Southeast Asia and the national fruit of Singapore, our country has even modelled a building after one (The Esplanade). Most foreigners are turned off by the strong ‘pungent’ smell, while locals adore the flesh so much that they turn it into desserts, cakes, tarts and even shakes.

Many expensive and popular varieties of durian have surfaced like D24 or the Mao Shan Wang (猫山王), which are even stronger in fragrance. There is a taste preference for either the more bitter variety or sweeter flesh. Whether you love it or hate it, you can always smell it when it’s in the room, leading to bans in many public areas like on trains and buses.

Wonderful Fruit Enterprise: 147 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387469

Hoe Seng Heng Durian Centre: 49 Sims Ave, Singapore 387413

18. Biryani

Biryani (or Briyani, Biriyani, Biriani and Birani) is a mixed rice dish of Indian Muslim influence made using distinctive long grain rice, usually Basmati rice. A little bit of saffron is added to give the dish its distinct colour. Meats like chicken, mutton, beef or fish is often included.

Spices used are also heavy in flavour like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and bay leaves. The resulting rice grains are usually very dry and can be accompanied by curry or chutney.

19. Nasi Lemak (lit. Coconut Rice)

Nasi Lemak is a very versatile dish and what was once a breakfast item, is now eaten during lunch and dinner too. Traditionally wrapped in banana leaves, Nasi Lemak is a deeply-rooted Malay coconut rice dish.

The rice is steamed with coconut cream to give it a sweet fragrance. A typical Nasi Lemak set comes with Ikan Bilis (fried anchovies), peanuts, egg and sambal (chilli paste). A good sambal is arguably the mark of a good Nasi Lemak.

Nasi Lemak is so popular in Singapore, the other races have adopted this dish in their own variations and offer a wide selection of additional ingredients like fried chicken drumsticks, luncheon meat and sotong (cuttlefish) balls.

Ponggol Nasi Lemak: 965 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534721 (closed on Thur)

20. Mee Siam

Popular among the Muslim community as well as the Chinese, Mee Siam has been absorbed into Singapore’s Nonya culture. Mee Siam means “Siamese noodles” and is vermicelli soaked in a sweet and spicy gravy flavoured by tamarind (assam), dried shrimp and Tau Cheo (fermented bean paste). It usually comes with a boiled egg, beansprouts, tau pok (beancurd puff) and is garnished with chives.

Dju Dju Indonesian Food: Blk 304 Serangoon Ave 2, #01-14, Singapore 550304 (closed on Mon)

Wak Limah Stall: 320 Shunfu Road, #02-15, Shunfu Food Centre Singapore 570320

21. Mee Rebus

In the past, mobile hawkers would sell Mee Rebus by the roadside using a pole with a basket hanging at each end – one basket would hold the ingredients and the other contained a stove and boiling hot water.

Mee Rebus is a noodle dish that uses yellow egg noodles like the type in Hokkien Prawn Mee, with a brown, sweet peanut-ty gravy. Compared to Mee Siam, the Mee Rebus gravy is much thicker and viscous, lacking in the sour assam taste. The gravy is made from potatoes (the starch makes it thicker), curry powder, peanuts, dried shrimp and salted soy beans.

Afandi Hawa & Family Mee Rebus: Blk 14 Haig Road, #01-21, Haig Road Food Centre Singapore 430014 (closed on Wed & Thur)

Inspirasi Stall: Blk 207 New Upper Changi Road, #01-11, Bedok Town Centre Market and Food Centre, Singapore 460207 (closed on Thur)

Selera Kita: Blk 58 New Upper Changi Road, #01-182, Block 58 Market and Food Centre, Singapore 461058

22. Roti Prata

Yet another cross-cultural dish that has been popularly adopted by Singaporeans is the Roti Prata. Roti Prata is of Indian origin, has a Malay name, and is eaten by the Chinese! That’s what Singapore racial harmony is all about.

A fried flour-based pancake, popular Roti Prata variants include adding cheese, eggs, mushroom, onions or even chocolates and strawberries to the batter. The dough is tossed, flipped and stretched multiple times into a large thin layer before folding the edges inwards.

Some outlets also stretch the dough so thin that it turns crispy when fried on the metal pan. These are called ‘paper’ or ’tissue’ prata. Prata is served with fish or chicken curry while some people like myself like to sprinkle sugar onto it.

Thasevi Famous Jalan Kayu Prata Restaurant: 237 & 239 Jalan Kayu, Singapore 799461

Casuarina Curry Restaurant: 138 Casuarina Rd, Singapore 579526

23. Fish Head/Sliced Fish Bee Hoon Soup

What originally started as Fish Head Bee Hoon in the 1920s has slowly advanced to using fish slices or chunks of fish meat in this age of abundance. In the past, meat was scarce and food sellers had to maximise every part of the fish including the head.

The fish head was fried to mask the fishy odour after a few days, as back then refrigeration wasn’t as accessible. These days, boiled fish slices are now an available option.

The Fish Bee Hoon Soup broth is made from fish or pork bones that have been boiled for several hours, and some stalls might add evaporated milk for a fuller taste. Variants include adding XO cognac or brandy.

Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon Restaurant: Blk 19A Dover Crescent #01-05, Dover Coffee Hub, Singapore 131019

Bao Gong XO Fish Head Bee Hoon: Blk 713 Clementi West Street 2 #01-115, Singapore 120713

Jin Hua Fish Head Bee Hoon: 1 Kadayanallur St, Maxwell Road Hawker Centre, Singapore 069184 (closed on Thur)

24. Rojak (lit. Mixture)

Singapore Chinese/Malay Rojak is a mixture of of you tiao (dough fritters), bean sprouts, tau pok (beancurd puffs), radish, pineapple, cucumber and roasted peanuts. Everything is then all mixed together with a sweet-savoury black, fermented prawn paste sauce. Chilli is optional.

The ingredients in Chinese/Malay Rojak is quite standard. The other distinctive variant is the Indian version. Indian Rojak allows you to pick what ingredients are added and usually doesn’t include you tiao. Red gravy made with potato and spices is used in Indian Rojak instead. It is also tossed in peanut sauce.

Al Mahboob Indian Rojak: Blk 506, Tampines Ave 4, #01-361, Singapore 520506 (closed on alt. Wed)

Toa Payoh Rojak: Blk 51 Old Airport Road, #01-108, Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051 (closed on Sun)

Hoover Rojak: 90 Whampoa Drive, #01-06 Whampoa Food Centre, Singapore 320090

25. Chicken Rice

More accurately known as Hainanese Chicken Rice, this is one of Singapore’s most well-known and celebrated dishes. No coffee shop in Singapore is complete without a Chicken Rice stall.

The whole chicken is steeped in sub-boiling pork and chicken bone stock to absorb the flavours and cook. Some shops will also dip the bird in ice after cooking to create a jelly-like finish on the chicken’s skin.

Variations also include roasting the chicken which is called ‘black chicken’ (pictured), in contrast to the ‘white chicken’. The stalls with better service will de-bone the chicken for you.

The rice used in Chicken Rice is cooked with chicken stock, ginger, garlic and occasionally pandan leaves for added fragrance. Chilli sauce made with garlic and red chilli is served with Chicken Rice, and the dish sometimes comes topped with sweet dark soy sauce and heaped spoons of chopped ginger.

Boon Tong Kee: 401 Balestier Road, Singapore 329801

Ming Kee Chicken Rice & Porridge: 511 Bishan Street 13, Singapore 570511 (closed on alt. Tues)

Tian Tian Chicken Rice: 1 Kadayanallur St, #01-10, Maxwell Road Hawker Centre, Singapore 069184 (closed on Mon)

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant: 101 Thomson Road, #01-08, United Square, Singapore 307591

26. Duck Rice

Sometimes Chicken Rice stalls will sell Duck Rice as well, but the real good ducks are in specialised Duck Rice-only shops. The common version of Duck Rice, influenced by roast meats in Hong Kong, uses plain white rice with ruby red roasted duck, and is drizzled with braised sauce.

The other Teochew version uses braised yam rice and braised duck meat, along with some tau pok (beancurd puffs), eggs and peanuts on the side. Teochews just love braised sauce. Both are equally yummy and have distinct taste profiles.

Lian Kee Braised Duck: 49 Sims Place, Sims Vista Market and Food Centre, Singapore 380049

Sia Kee Duck Rice: 659 Geylang Rd, Lorong 35, Singapore 389589

Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck: Blk 116, Lorong 2 Toa Payoh #01-62, Singapore 310116

27. Char Kway Teow (lit. Fried Rice Cake Strips)

Char Kway Teow is another signature Singapore noodle dish made with flat rice noodles (河粉) with sweet dark sauce. Stir-fried with egg, pork lard, Chinese sausages and fish cake, Char Kway Teow was intentionally made to be loaded in fats because labourers in the past needed a cheap source of energy, and what better way than to get that from one fatty meal.

Cockles are also usually added, as there was plenty of it in Singapore’s port island. A Penang Char Kway Teow variation exists as well, using chives and prawns and lacks the sweetness that is distinctive of Singapore-style Char Kway Teow.

Hill Street Char Kway Teow: Blk 16 Bedok South Road, #01-187, Bedok South Road Market & Food Centre, Singapore 460016

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee: Blk 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-17, Hong Lim Food Centre, Singapore 510531

No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow: 70 Zion Road, Zion Riverside Food Centre, #01-17, Singapore 247792 (closed on alt. Mon)

Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow: Blk 20 Ghim Moh Road, #01-12, Ghim Moh Market And Food Centre, Singapore 270020

28. Curry Puff

A Curry Puff is a small baked pie enclosed with either short crust or puff pastry, the former being the more traditional option in Singapore. A common local snack, the filling is usually made with curry gravy, chicken, potato and egg. Other variants include fillings with yam, sardines, otak (grilled fish cake) or even durian.

Tip Top Curry Puff: Blk 722 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, #01-2843, Singapore 560722

1A Curry Puff: 391 Orchard Road #B2-07-3-3, Takashimaya S.C, Singapore 238873 (there are five outlets in SG)

Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff: 49A Serangoon Gardens Way, Serangoon Garden Market, Singapore 555945 (closed on Mon)

29. Fish Head Steamboat

Being an island port, Singapore used to have many fishermen who would bring their fresh unsold catch to be sold as dishes instead. Teochew Fish Head Steamboat is another result of our geographic situation.

The soup typically contains a controlled mix of fried yam, sour plums, fried fish bones and vegetables which add flavour to the soup. Raw fish slices are added in later. Grouper, red snapper or pomfret are the usual choices available in Fish Head Steamboat.

Old school steamboat places still use hot charcoal as a heat source, which apparently adds more flavour as compared to just using an electric or fire stove. Be warned – good and popular Fish Head Steamboats in Singapore have fervent customers queuing for more than an hour regardless of how nonchalant the restaurant service is.

Nan Hwa Chong Fishboat: 808/812/814/816 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198779

Tian Wai Tian Fish Head Steamboat: 1383 Serangoon Road, Singapore 328254

Whampoa Keng Fishhead Steamboat: 556 Balestier Road, Singapore 97694451

30. Popiah

And finally, the last dish on this list to eat in Singapore before you die: Popiah. The Teochews call it 薄餅仔 (thin wafer) or 薄餅 in Mandarin, which in the Teochew dialect reads as ‘Bo-BEE-ah’, thus resulting in the English name Popiah.

The round Popiah skin is a thin paper-like wheat crepe that encases all the ingredients. A sweet sauce called hoisin is lathered onto the laid-out flat skin before fillings are added. Ingredients within a Popiah typically include small prawns, boiled eggs, Chinese sausage, lettuce, bean sprouts and primarily filled with cooked carrot and turnip strips.

Glory Catering: 139 East Coast Road, Singapore 428829 (closed on Sun)

Jit It Thai San Popiah 日益太山薄饼: Blk 449 Clementi Avenue 3, Singapore 120449

Qi Ji: Several outlets all over Singapore

Miow Sin Popiah & Carrot Cake: 380 Jalan Besar, #01-04, Lavender Food Square, Singapore 209000 (closed on alt. Wed)

Ann Chin Popiah: Blk 335, Chinatown Complex Market, Smith Street #02-112, Singapore 050335 (closed on Thurs)

[Kruptic]

Wonderful share bro ET

[macroflint]

Originally Posted by ET

30. Popiah

And finally, the last dish on this list to eat in Singapore before you die: Popiah. The Teochews call it 薄餅仔 (thin wafer) or 薄餅 in Mandarin, which in the Teochew dialect reads as ‘Bo-BEE-ah’, thus resulting in the English name Popiah.

The round Popiah skin is a thin paper-like wheat crepe that encases all the ingredients. A sweet sauce called hoisin is lathered onto the laid-out flat skin before fillings are added. Ingredients within a Popiah typically include small prawns, boiled eggs, Chinese sausage, lettuce, bean sprouts and primarily filled with cooked carrot and turnip strips.

Glory Catering: 139 East Coast Road, Singapore 428829 (closed on Sun)

Jit It Thai San Popiah 日益太山薄饼: Blk 449 Clementi Avenue 3, Singapore 120449

Qi Ji: Several outlets all over Singapore

Miow Sin Popiah & Carrot Cake: 380 Jalan Besar, #01-04, Lavender Food Square, Singapore 209000 (closed on alt. Wed)

Ann Chin Popiah: Blk 335, Chinatown Complex Market, Smith Street #02-112, Singapore 050335 (closed on Thurs)

Going to try all these stalls. Thanks bro

[ET]

Originally Posted by Kruptic

Wonderful share bro ET

Originally Posted by macroflint

Going to try all these stalls. Thanks bro

Thanks hope you all like what I had posted

[SBMEDSUP]

Thanks ET.

Next time split multiple posts so we can quote your post.

Quote entire post kena zapped.

[RicoRock]

Originally Posted by ET

Thanks hope you all like what I had posted

Sure, thanks for sharing so many good food!

[Hanster]

Love popiah and BbQ stingray!

[ExchangePorn]

Very good share bro ET, you must be a food guru

[ET]

55 Must-Eat Famous SINGAPORE FOOD


1 Bak Chor Mee
Bak Chor Mee is quite a uniquely-Singapore hawker dish, typically of dry noodles with minced pork, pork balls and braised mushroom tossed in a vingary-sauce. The soup version has gotten quite popular as well.

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles 大华猪肉粿条面 at Crawford Lane is well-known as it is one of the 2 hawker stalls in Singapore awarded THE MICHELIN STAR.

It is commonly known as the best Teochew style Bak Chor Mee aka minced pork noodles in Singapore.

Here’s the magic: Al dente springy noodles tossed in a savoury vinegary sauce, filled with tender pork and liver slices, minced pork, dumplings, and a sprinkling of fried sole fish.

Each bowl is priced at $5 – $10.

The queue is crazy though, and can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours as many tourists would have made this part of their itinerary. Please be ready for the heat if you intend to join in the line.


2 Bak Kut Teh
Talk about Singapore’s most iconic dishes, and Bak Kut Teh or Pork Rib Soup will come to mind.

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (with main outlet at New Bridge Road) is one of the most known brands around, in fact the only Bak Kut Teh shop in Singapore awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

There are generally three main styles of Bak Kut Teh in Singapore – the dark, soy sauce Hokkien soup base; the less commonly seen herbal Cantonese style; and the peppery garlicy Teochew style.

Song Fa specialises in the Teochew-style heritage soup.

Its features include fall-off-the-bone tender ribs, and soup that is lighter in colour and aromatic. Served piping hot, the soup displays its trademark clarity and spicy-peppery flavour.


3 Ban Mian
Ban Mian is considered a fairly simple dish, of handmade noodles (usually rolled over a pasta maker), cooked in soup typically, and added with ingredients such as minced pork, anchovies, mushrooms and spinach.

There are You Mian and Mee Hoon Kway fans – one’s thinner, while the other is squarish and flat. The dry versions are gaining popularity as well.

China Whampoa Home Made Noodles at Whampoa Food Centre make their noodles within the stall in little batches, with a range of delicious ingredients like fish slices, clams, abalone or prawns.

It is then added to the light and clear broth with mani cai to give it a tangible sweetness.


4 Cendol
After CNN named “Chendol in Singapore” as one of the 50 world’s best desserts, there was an uproar on social media about the dessert’s origin.

Cendol (or “Chendol”) is a sweet iced dessert known for its mixture of ingredients from the signature green rice flour jelly, to coconut milk and palm sugar (Gula Melaka).

Some add in other ingredients such as red bean, sweet corn and attap chee.

Jin Jin Hot / Cold Dessert at ABC Brickworks Food Centre serves up a version of ‘Power Chendol’.

The Gula Melaka was thick, flavourful and mildly sticky, almost like glue sticking on top of the mini-hill. The gooey and heavy palm sugar imparted an intense and rich flavour.


5 Char Kway Teow
Char Kway Teow which is essentially stir-fried noodles with rice noodles, is one of those local hawker dishes that I appreciate more as I get older.

You never get the same type of Char Kway Teow between stalls. And as most owners (typically older uncles of a certain age) fry them plate by plate, you may not even get that same taste even as you go back to the same stall.

Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee at Hong Lim Food Centre serves up a semi-wet, eggy version with soft texture, and lots of cockles added.

Hawker Ng Chin Chye (who took over the stall from his father) fries every plate individually, squeezing an exact 42 squeezes of a special mixture made of soy sauce and fish sauce.


6 Chicken Rice
A quintessential local Singapore dish. The Hainanese Chicken Rice is made up of poached chicken and fluffy rice (typically cooked with chicken stock), served with cucumber, minced garlic, chilli sauce and dark sauce.

The most famous Chicken Rice stall in Singapore is probably Tian Tian Chicken Rice Maxwell Food Centre, though it is probably seeing more tourists than locals in its queue nowadays.

The late Anthony Bourdain once mentioned that the chicken rice was so fragrant and delicious that it could be eaten on its own. Gordon Ramsey ‘lost’ a hawker challenge here.


7 Chilli Crab
Chilli Crab can be said to be one of Singapore’s most representative dishes, and I like dipping deep fried mantou into that gooey spicy-sweet-orange sauce.

This is also the kind of food that can get our hands dirty, with lots of laughter from sharing stories around the round table.

You cannot talk about Chilli Crabs without a mention of Roland Restaurant at Marine Parade, known to be the creator of the iconic Chilli Crabs and mecca for crab devotees.

Of course, some other restaurants also do lay claim on that honours, but probably none has “The Year 1956 – Founder Of Chilli Crab” printed on the menu.

Compared to most Singaporean seafood restaurants, their chili sauce was more red than orange, and its savoury taste mildly spicy and slightly sweet. Very delicious.


8 Chwee Kueh
The Teochew dish of Chwee Kueh comprises of steamed rice cake topped with preserved radish known as chai poh, and served with chilli sauce.

Many Singaporeans would agree that Jian Bo at Tiong Bahru Food Centre offers one of the best chwee kuehs around, a simple dish of smooth and soft steamed rice cakes topped with oily preserved radish.

This is actually what I eat regularly since I was a child. Simple, yet so very satisfying and nostalgic.

Other favourites include Bedok Chwee Kueh and Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh.


9 Claypot Rice
Traditional Claypot Rice requires the rice to be cooked within the pot itself, with appropriate control of the fire. Stalls which uses charcoal, would require customers to wait at least 30 to 45 minutes for the rice to be cooked (Tip: always call to reserve first).

New Lucky Claypot Rice at Holland Drive is known to serve one of the best Claypot Rice renditions arouns.

The signatures at New Lucky Claypot Rice include the Claypot “Wu Wei” Rice for two pax ($10/$15), 3 pax ($15/$20), 4 pax at ($20/$25). The “Wu Wei” rice includes a mix of both chicken and Chinese sausages.

The waiting time is estimated to be between 20 to 30 minutes for off-peak periods, and 45 to 90 minutes for peak period.


10 Curry Chicken Noodles
Just how did poached chicken and curry come together again? While Singapore is the land of Hainanese Chicken Rice, the other much over-looked dish is Curry Chicken Noodles.

If you are looking for Curry Chicken Noodles, your best bet is at Hong Lim Food Centre.

There is Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee downstairs – said to be the original, and oh that chilli sauce; and Ah Heng Chicken Curry Bee Hoon Mee which now comes with a Michelin recommendation.

A bowl comes with bee hoon (rice noodles) or yellow-noodles in a laksa-resembling curry broth, topped with ingredients like chunks of potato, spongy tau pok (fried bean curd), slices of fish cake, bean sprouts, and the main protein of Hainanese chicken.

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11 Curry Puff
Those deep-fried (some baked) pastries with curried fillings, potatoes and chicken make such as comforting, semi-filling treat. I start with both ends of the crimping, then go towards the centre.

For travellers, you may find the Curry Puff similar to the British Cornish pastry.

The popular ones in Singapore include Old Chang Kee, Polar and A1, but some indie hawker stalls also make very delicious ones with varying styles – though they are fast disappearing.

The fillings made of zesty curried potatoes, chicken chunks, slices of boiled eggs and spices, make it a comforting treat.


12 Duck Rice
You will mainly find two types of Duck Rice in Singapore, the Teochew style which has a simple prep with a light gravy, and the fancier Hokkien style, which has heavy sauce and may or may not have yam rice to add richness to the dish.

Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap stall at Chinatown Complex Food Centrehelmed by Melvin Chew and his mum gives a modern twist to our familiar local hawker dish.

Having a braised duck with golden lava egg is something that you don’t usually find on the menu card, but you can enjoy this ingenious concoction at this stall.

The Duck Rice Bento is priced at $8, and has a generous serving size. This platter includes yam rice rolled in the shape of balls, braised duck cooked till tender, offals, bean curd, a variety of pickled vegetables and Japanese style lava eggs with runny yolk.

The succulent duck slices is the true winner of this dish, bursting with flavor in every mouthful. You can also get braised duck and pig’s organ porridge starting at $3.


13 Durian and Durian Puffs
Described to “taste like heaven, but smell like hell” – Durian is many Singaporean’s favourite fruit.

Goodwood Park Hotel’s Durian Puffs are some of the best known, and a must-have even for non-durian lover like myself.

The puff looks like a profiterole with light mousse-y durian flesh, is dainty, and fits into one mouthful.


14 Fish Beehoon Soup
Sliced Fish Soup Bee Hoon or Fish Head Bee Hoon, is served hot usually with thick white vermicelli in a cloudy, milky soup. Customers can order sliced fish, deep fried dish, or a mixture of both (some stalls call it the “yuan yang”).

Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon at Whampoa Food Centre offers choices of Sliced Fish Bee Hoon, Sliced Fish Soup, Fish Porridge, Seafood Soup and Special Tom Yum Soup, all priced inexpensively at $4.50 per bowl.

The Clear Fish Soup ($4.50) comes with a generous slices of fresh fish (5-6 thick slices) in a beautifully clear broth that is mildly sweet and salty at the same time.

The subtle saltiness comes from the added fried flat fish/snakehead fish. The meat from the fish’s head is cooked well, firm enough to pick up with chopsticks but not rubbery.


15 Fish Head Curry
Muthu’s Curry at Race Course Road has a long history of over 40 years, and has emerged as an icon serving hearty South Indian fare.

Having their Fish Head Curry with rich gravy blended with aromatic spices plus a glass of Mango Lassi can be an unforgettable eating experience.


16 Fishball Noodles
There are many Fishball Noodle stalls in Singapore, though it is getting hard to find hand-made fishballs already due to commercialisation.

They are typically served with mee kia, mee pok – which I feel goes better, to kway teow.

There are possibly a few reasons why Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodles at Amoy Street Food Centre got in the radar.

It offers a slightly different take of Fishball Noodles and Bak Chor Mee; and son Gilbert was voted “Most Handsome Hawker” and has a nickname of “Hawker Hunk”.

An order consists of a bowl of soup, with your preferred noodle in a separate bowl – tossed in the signature chili sauce.

The medium-sized fishballs are made from fresh saury fish, bought fresh daily from the market at 3am, and have a soft, bouncy texture.


17 Fried Carrot Cake
For foreigners reading this, this is a savoury carrot cake, unless the sliced cakes you are more familiar with.

Also known as “Chai Tow Kway“ it is a dish of stir-fried cubes of radish cake, commonly available in white and black versions – added with dark sweet sauce.

The owners from Heng still steam their own Carrot Cake, which is getting more unusual in Singapore as many stalls simply get supplies from the factory.

Typically, I find that ‘homemade’ carrot cakes have a more wobbly texture with less generic taste – sometimes you can feel those strips of radish.

I personally preferred Heng’s Black version, with flavourful sweet-savoury taste of the dark soy sauce.


18 Hainanese Curry Rice
Hainanese Curry Rice is such a uniquely Singapore food, one can see some colonial, Chinese and Malay influence. You probably don’t think this anywhere else.

Messy and gooey, not photogenic, usually brownish in one aerial – yet tasting all together lip-smacking.

Singapore’s top choices for Hainanese curry rice include Loo’s Hainanese curry rice at Eng Hoon, No Name at Bt Ho Swee Beo Crescent, Feng Kee at Pasir Panjang and Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry Rice at Jalan Besar.

For a Hainanese curry rice novice, order the most basic classic dishes of Deep Fried Pork Chop, Curry Chicken, Kong Bak (pork belly) and Chap Chye. Other dishes should include Assam Fish, Steamed Meat Balls, Fried Eggs, Sambal Sotong and Deep Fried Prawn Fritters.


19 Hokkien Mee
Hokkien Mee 福建炒蝦麵 is admittedly one of my favourite local hawker food, and I know of people who enjoy ta-paoing (takeaway) this dish.

The dish typically consist of yellow noodles and rice vermicelli stir-fried with slices of prawn, squid, pork belly, egg and pork lard. It is often served with sambal sauce and lime for that added citrusy flavour.

Some of the key components at ‘judging’ a dish of Hokkien Mee include the wok-hei, consistency (too wet or dry), and flavours of the stock.

Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Mee at ABC Food Centre is run by the second generation hawker Mr Toh Seng Wang, nearing 70, often wearing goggles cooking up a storm behind his large wok.

The plate of noodles comes with a sizeable amount of toppings including prawns and pieces of pork belly.

The noodles cooked in prawn stock is considered moist, though I won’t say it is wet, brimming with umami flavours, with good wok-hei.


20 Ice Cream Sandwich
So when a BuzzFeed listicle dissed the Singapore Ice Cream Sandwich in a listicle, Singaporeans were outraged and were quick to ‘defend’ one of our favourite growing up food.

We used to find the ice cream man all around, but they have been dwindling in numbers and your best bet is at Orchard Road stretch and Waterloo area during noon time.

They go around serving old-school blocks of ice cream – in flavours such as red bean, durian and chocolate, wrapped within rainbow-colour soft bread or biscuit wafers.

Simple joys costing just $1 or $1.20 – depending on where you are.

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21 Kaya Toast
Kaya Toast, Kopi and Soft-Boiled Eggs have become the quintessential breakfast food for many Singaporeans.

Ya Kun Kaya Toast is probably THE shop that started the entire wave of local kopi toast chains. Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, one of its most original shops is at Far East Square.

After they started franchising in 2000, Ya Kun never looked back.

Many Singaporeans and tourists love their thin, brown crispy grilled bread, spread with homemade kaya comprising of coconut milk, sugar, eggs and fragrant pandan.


22 Kopi (Nanyang style)
Kopitiam is a common part of Singapore, where a typical drink stall would sell coffee (kopi), tea (teh), milo and other soft drinks, along with breakfast items such as kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs.

This has become our way of life.

There are Killiney Shops around, but I guess the best place to serve Killiney-style kopi is really at Killiney Road itself (a short walk from Somerset MRT).

Our Nanyang-style coffee is indeed a class of its own.


23 Kway Chap
Kway Chap is a two-part Teochew dish consisting of braised pig’s innards, and slippery broad rice noodles.

Blanco Court Food Centre Kwap Chap at Old Airport Food Centre offers sets for or 1 or 2 persons, and you can order an add-on if you like additional ingredients or innards.

The favourite part in the entire plate was the intestines, cut in large bite-size pieces, are spongy tender yet not springy. Interesting to note that the stall does not offer small intestines.

The other highlight was the kway itself, broad yet thin and slippery smooth.

The fragrant soy sauce broth was mildly sweet and herbal, complemented by the aroma of fried shallots.


24 Laksa
The spicy coconut milk-based Laksa is probably one of Singapore’s most popular dish among tourists, and many end up buying packs of Prima Deli noodles back home.

Laksa is typically flavoured with coconut milk and dried shrimp, and topped with ingredients like cockles, prawns, fishcake and sprinkling of laksa leaves.

The famous brand is the “Katong Laksa”, though there are several different naming and branches due to family-splits and copycat versions. For the authentic version, you are supposed to eat the Laksa only with a spoon – no chopsticks or fork given.

Sungei Road Laksa is the other famous shop, selling Laksa cooked over charcoal, with deliciously light and coconutty gravy.


25 Lor Mee
Lor Mee 卤面, the Hokkien-based gooey-gravy hawker food with thick-flat yellow noodles may not be everybody’s kind of dish.

Some say starchy, filling, and somewhat plain. But find a good bowl, and it can be a comforting and satisfying treat.

Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee at Old Airport Road Food Centre is often lauded for its Lor Mee done right.

The sauce, a key element in a good Lor Mee, was quite unlike any others I had before – thick and flavourful as it was prepared with five-spice and other seasonings.

The balance of being vinegary and spicy was done just right.


26 Mala Xiang Guo
What? Mala Xiang Guo?

This dish might not have been included a couple of years ago, but now you would spot a Mala Xiang Guo stall in almost every hawker centre, even food courts and coffee shop.

For the uninitiated, the dish consists of a variety of picked ingredients (such as sliced meats, spam, mushroom, vegetables to instant noodles) wok-fried in high heat together with tongue-numbing sauce.

Be careful with picking too much without considering, or it would be a very expensive meal.

Customers can usually pick from ”Xiao La” (little spicy), ”Zhong La” (medium spicy), to ”Da La” (very spicy).

While “Mala” has always been known for its Sichuan and Chong Qing origin, this particular dish did take up in Singapore in quite a big way.

One of the most popular stalls credited for making this famous, is Ri Ri Hong Mala Xiang Guo at People’s Park Food Centre.


27 Mee Rebus
Mee Rebus typically with yellow noodles in a spicy potato-based gravy, hard-boiled eggs and tau-pok.

Hawker stalls that serve good Mee Rebus include Yunos N Family (Ang Mo Kio Central), Inspirasi (Bedok Interchange), and Rahim Muslim Food (Ang Mo Kio Ave 8).

The Mee Rebus from Lina’s Café (Jalan Pisang) is a must-try, cooked using the “Special Fatimah Ahmah original recipe since the 1970s” (which is from Lina’s mother), priced very affordably for a café setting.

Though it seemed like a simple fare, the Mee Rebus was hearty and tasty, with a mildly sweet and thick gravy, garnished with a hard-boiled egg, spring onions, bean sprouts, and fried shallots.


28 Mee Siam
Mee Siam which means “Siamese noodle” in Malay, is a dish of thin rice vermicelli, originating from Southeast Asia and probably adapted from Thai flavours

Jia Xiang Mee Siam at Redhill Food Centre has been serving up Mee Siam for more than 50 years, the owner having learnt the recipe from her mother. Don’t be fooled by the faded signboard, because it is the food that really matters.

You get a myriad of ingredients spread atop the orange bee hoon such as hard boiled eggs, tau pork, tiny fried croutons, a thin piece eggs, fried ikan billis, and finished with a dollop of chilli.

Once you taste the gravy, you know where the magic is – the right proportion of sourness with that zing. Very addictive.


29 Mee Soto
Mee Soto is a spicy Indonesian-style noodle soup dish – “soto” refer to Indonesian soup.

Wedang’s Bee Hoon Soto Ayam, a Javanese-influenced dish of rice vermicelli with a deep fried begedil (potato cake), shredded chicken in yellow spicy chicken stock, was pleasingly tasty.

Its soup base came across as being balanced, cloudy yet not overly rich, spicy but manageable. It is not as salty as some of the Mee Soto I have come across.

You can add some sambal kicap, which is a black sweet-spicy sauce to a portion of the soup to add some kick.


30 Mutton Soup
Do the young even drink Mutton Soup nowadays? But we don’t even see many of such stalls around nowadays.

Mutton Soup seems to be popular food for the older generation, as
Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang at Bukit Merah View Food Centre attracts a long line of taxi driver uncles and workers during lunch time.

The stalls serves up a variety, from mutton meat, balls, tendon, tripe to even brain, all priced affordable at $5, $6, $7 or $8.

The Mutton Soup came across very pleasant, flavourful with slight aromatic herbal taste that didn’t overpower (compared to some other soups which could be just one-dimensional herbal or peppery)

The meats and parts came across as tender and soft, had slight gamey taste, best savoured with a dip of the tangy chilli (similar to what you get from a beef noodle stall).

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31 Nasi Biryani
Take a walk around Singapore’s Little India, and you would realise how multi-culturally rich and colourful our little city is.

Other than Mustafa Centre, perhaps you can make your way to Bismillah Biryani.

This restaurant located at 50A Dunlop Street serves up Dum Biryani and other authentically cooked Pakistani and North Indian cuisine.

The humble eatery has also been praised by the Lonely Planet for having “the best biryani and kebabs this side of the Bay of Bengal”.

The basmati rice was flavourful, as the meat was cooked together with it rather than separately, additionally coated with strong spices.


32 Nasi Lemak
Nasi lemak, the Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in creamy coconut milk and pandan leaf, is one of Singaporean’s favourite dishes.

Add some crispy chicken wings, deep-fried fish, otah otah, fried ikan bilis and peanuts, eggs and cucumber slices for a more indulgent treat.

Not forgetting the much-need sambal chilli sauce for that oomph.

There are two famous stalls at Adam Road Food Centre – Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak and No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak.

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak attributes its popularity to the family recipe that emphasizes on the 4 key ingredients: basmati rice, sambal chilli, chicken wing and otah otah.

The winning element to me was the Sambal Chilli, specially cooked with both Indian and Japanese chillies.


33 Nasi Padang
For those who are unfamiliar, Nasi Padang consists of steamed rice served with various choices of pre-cooked dishes, typically with a window display with rows of stacked food.

There are usually 2 types of serving in a Nasi Padang restaurant – ‘pesan’ (ordering) and ‘hidang’ (serve) method.

Hjh Maimunah Restaurant at Jalan Pisang is quite a well-known Nasi Padang eatery serving up more than 40 dishes.

This belongs to the ‘pesan’ way when diners choose the food they want from the window display, which will then be shifted to an individual plate of rice, or served in small dishes which is better for sharing.

Individual or sharing (‘hidang’ style) – your choice, so tell the server beforehand.

The signature dishes here include the Juicy Sundanese Grilled Chicken, Lemak Siput (a type of shellfish called needle snails cooked in spicy coconut gravy), Beef Rendang (braised beef cooked in coconut milk and spices) and variety of Barbecued Fish.

You can also order ala-carte dishes such as Sambal Goreng (stir fry with vegetables), Tahu Telur (bean curd omelette with spicy sauce), Sotong Hitam (squid cooked in squid ink) and Sup Buntut (oxtail soup).


34 Nonya Kueh
From Ang Ku Kueh (to celebrate births), Kueh Salat, Sago Kueh, Kueh Lapis, to the ‘trending’ Ondeh Ondeh, every Nonya Kueh is a piece of culture, story, and hard work.

One of my favourite places to get Nonya Kueh is from HarriAnn. The stall which is at Tiong Bahru Food Centre, was founded by couple Harry and Ann who learnt traditional Nonya Kueh making from Harry’s mother.

Harry’s mother Mdm Chia had to raise the family single-handedly. Other than its glutinous rice (which tastes almost like what my grandma used to make), I think our foreign friends should try our local version of the ‘rainbow cake’, the Nonya-style Rainbow Lapis.


35 Orh Luak aka Oyster Omelette
Oyster Omelette 蠔煎, commonly called ”Orh Luak” consist of starch (typically potato starch), egg batter and small oysters fried today, usually enhanced with a spicy chilli sauce with lime.

The Singapore style is quite different from say the Taiwanese version – which is starchier and has a sweet-sauce poured over.

However, this is not a hawker dish that everyone loves, as it can be heavy and greasy.

Some of the notable stalls to get it from include Ang Sa Lee (Chomp Chomp Food Centre), 85 Bedok North Fried Oyster (Fengshan Food Centre), Heng 興 (Newton Food Centre), and Ah Chuan Fried Oyster Omelette (Toa Payoh Lor 7), and Huat Heng Fried Oyster (Whampoa Drive Food Centre)Huat Heng Fried Oyster (Whampoa Drive Food Centre).


36 Pandan Cake
Some friends overseas always get me to ‘tompang’ a few of Bengawan Solo’s pandan chiffon cakes when I travel, especially to Hong Kong.

On a usual day, I get just one slice, and enjoy the pillowy soft goodness, humming that famous song in my head, “Bengawan Solo, Riwayatmu ini…”

Mandopop singer JJ Lin brought this cake to a Chinese variety show to share with other celebs, and made the cake even more popular than ever for our overseas friends.


37 Peranakan Food
Peranakan food holds a special place in my heart, and I would always recommend in for our foreign friends to give it a try.

This is heritage cuisine combining Chinese ingredients with Indonesian and Malaysian spices and cooking techniques, with taste profile that can be that is tangy, aromatic, and spicy ie an explosion in your mouth.

Iconic Peranakan dishes include Babi Buah Keluak, Babi Pongteh, Chap Chye, Itek Tim, Otak-Otak- and Pie Tee.

Candlenut at Dempsey is the only Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant in the world; Violet Oon’s restaurants have been getting increasingly popular; while Blue Ginger and
True Blue Cuisine provide a more traditional take.


38 Pig’s Organ Soup
Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup at Tiong Bahru Food Centre began in 1955 by a pioneer hawker named Koh Kee with a secret recipe and a push cart.

Now, his son and grandson run the business.

The Pig’s Organ Soup ($4.00, $5.00) comes with that special soup along with cut pieces of pig organs, such as pig liver, tripe, intestines, as well as pork belly and pork balls, lean meat.

The special element about this stall is their soup is a natural sweetness from the pig bones imparted to the stock, accentuated with slight saltiness from the vegetables.

Aside from the signature Pig’s Organ Soup, the stall serves Glutinous Rice with Stuffed Chestnuts Wrapped in Pig Intestine, another specialty.


39 Popiah
Those who grew up in Singapore will be quite familiar with Popiah – a Fujianese/Teochew-style fresh spring roll wrapped with radish and carrot fillings.

Getting Popiah at the Ann Chin Popiah 安珍 is not just about the dish, but a whole experience. You get to see the friendly staff preparing everything from scratch every day, including the popiah skin.

They are quite fast in the wrapping, so you probably wouldn’t have to wait that long.

Ann Chin Popiah charges $1.60 per Popiah roll, and also include other varieties such as Kueh Pie Tee ($3 for 4 pieces), Yam Roll ($1.60), Deep Fried Spring Roll ($1.60), Curry Spring Roll ($1.60).

The best parts to me are the juicy turnips and crunchy bits, balanced by the light and sweet sauce wrapped in smooth and silky skin. Tasted fresh and moist in every bite. There is no pork and lard used in this stall.


40 Porridge
Porridge or Congee, called ”chog” in Cantonese, is a Chinese rice porridge dish added with ingredients such as meat, fish, eggs, peanuts and even seafood.

A smooth, delicious bowl of congee is the perfect food that warms the belly.

Ah Chiang’s Porridge at Tiong Bahru has been my regular favourite since the good-old days.

While it may look simple and plain, it has a creamy consistency with fresh ingredients. Add some soy sauce, pepper and cut chilies, and you have got yourself a delightful bowl. Tip: There are some side dishes of Fried Wantons and Dou-$$$$ which you can get.