There are an estimated 13,000 hawker stalls in Singapore. 13,000!! That means if you ate at a different stall each day, it would take you 35 years to eat through them all. There is no one definition for Singaporean food. It’s more of a mix of different cultures, with influences from its neighbors, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, and India. The cuisine is so diverse that you are bound to find something you like. These are all of the foods we ate while in Singapore that you need to try:
1. Char Kuay Teow
These are flat noodles, stir-fried in high heat, usually with shrimp, chives, and bean sprouts, and belacan (shrimp paste). It was always my go-to dish when eating at Malaysian restaurants at home in NYC. I only wish I ate it more while in Singapore
2. Hainanese Chicken Rice
This is considered one of the national dishes of Singapore, but you’ll find it everywhere throughout Southeast Asia. It is poached chicken, served with seasoned rice cooked with chicken fat, with a side of ginger chili sauce, and usually some cucumbers
3. Chili Crab
Mud crabs stir-fried in a thick tomato and chili-based sauce. You can’t forget the mantao (steamed buns) to soak up all the sauce. I am typically not a steamed bun kind of gal, but it is a good vehicle for the sauce. Most of the chili crab spots with great reviews are further out and you would need to take a cab there. So we settled for a more centrally-located one, JUMBO Seafood. I’ve heard of spots scamming people with their prices, so just be careful out there. The cost is usually $x SGD per KG, so each crab will cost you $50 to $70 USD
4. Soya Sauce Chicken Rice
Perhaps the most famous one is Hawker Chan, which used to have a Michelin star (which it lost in 2021)
5. Bak Kut Teh
This translates to “meat bone tea”. It’s an herbal soup that’s cooked usually with pork bones and various spices. The soup is supposed to be good for your skin and joints
6. Kaya Toast
A popular breakfast item, this is toast served with butter and kaya (coconut jam) with soft-boiled egg. The jammy-ness of the eggs makes a perfect dip for the toast and balances out the sweetness of the kaya
7. Satay
Although sate originates from Indonesia, it has made its way to Singapore and is popular at the hawker stalls for a late night snack. The skewered meats can be anything from chicken to beef to mutton
8. Laksa
A spicy coconut broth served with thick noodles, and usually chicken, prawns or fish. I tried it at a lounge in Changi Airport, and it was actually pretty decent. I didn’t end up ordering it while in Singapore because the hot and spicy broth was a bit much for me, especially in non-air conditioned humid weather
9. Bak Chor Mee
Egg noodles with minced pork, sliced pork, meatballs, pig’s liver, and crispy lard. So basically, a pork lover’s dream. We went to the famous Michelin-starred Hill Street Tai Hwa. You can get the dish wet (in broth) or dry. We ordered the broth version but regretted it after we saw all of the locals getting the dry version. Nonetheless, it was still delicious
10. Hokkien Mee
Stir-fried egg noodles with egg, prawn, squid, fish cake and pork
11. Wantan Mee
Egg noodles and wontons in a hot broth
12. Fish Balls
We specifically had fish balls with rice noodles in broth. While not specific to Singapore, you can’t pass on the dish here. They make the balls fresh and it has the perfect bouncy texture to it
13. Hot Pot/BBQ
Hot pot and BBQ just hits different in Asia, so I had to add this in. It’s a lot cheaper for AYCE. We paid about $30 USD per person. Plus, the ingredients taste better (fresh pork paste, anyone?) and you get more variety
14. Belacan/Sambal
Belacan is actually from Malaysia, and sambal from Indonesia, but both are a variation of a chili shrimp paste commonly used in Singapore, especially served on the side of some stir-fried noodles
15. Fresh Fruit Juices
With its tropical climate, it’s no wonder that there is an abundance of tropical fruit. Because of this, this makes fruit juices extremely cheap (and delicious)! It’s refreshing and must needed to stave off the humidity and heat
16. Singapore Sling
This cocktail was in fact invented in Singapore, at the Raffles hotel. It’s consisted of gin, cherry liqueur, Bénédictine liqueur, bitters, Cointreau, grenadine, fresh lime juice, snd pineapple juice. It is said to have been created sometime between 1899 and 1915 when it was unacceptable for women to drink alcohol in public. So the bartender invented this drink because it looked like a fruit drink
17. Tiger Beer
This pilsner was first introduced in 1932. Goes great with chili crab (or anything)!
18. Teh Tarek
Pulled tea that’s prepared by pouring it back and forth from one container to another, which creates a frothy head
19. McDonald’s
I didn’t really see any outstanding menu items but they had something called the McPepper, which is double beef patties dipped in a black pepper sauce, with sautéed onions on their classic bun. The sauce was a little salty, but I did like the chili garlic sauce packet they served it with
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