Singapore Restaurants and Dining

Singaporeans tend to greet one another with the expression: ‘Have you eaten yet’ - a quirky reflection of their consummate food obsession. It is an around-the-clock activity which cuts across all barriers. It is said that the Singapore foodie would comb the island in search of that heavenly bowl of noodles or go on durian expeditions. The Annual Singapore Food Festival is a testament to this passion.

With such a rich multicultural heritage, it is no wonder that the variety of cuisines, restaurants, cafes and eateries is mind boggling to say the least. Years ago, the variety would have been confined to the main racial cuisines – Chinese, Indian, Malay, Peranakan, Eurasian and a smattering of traditional British fare in a nod towards the colonial masters. Nowadays, with a growing cosmopolitan influence through tourists and new immigrants, the range has expanded to include Italian, Spanish, Lebanese, Turkish, Nepalese, Vietnamese, Thai and more.

Perhaps the best introduction to Singapore’s dining scene are the local coffee shop or kopi tiam in the vernacular, and food centres – open air and indoor. In the old days, itinerant hawkers would ply the streets selling cooked-on-the-spot dishes. With urbanization, these hawkers are now assembled together in hawker or food centres. Visitors can wander around these stalls and watch the dishes being prepared. Heavily regulated for sanitation and hygiene, the food centres offer a quick, colourful insight into the eating culture of the country which is influenced by the various ethnic backgrounds. Dishes are reasonably priced and choices are plentiful, which makes it ideal for groups to sample different items.

Popular local hawker or street fare would include Laksa, noodles cooked in spicy coconut broth; Char Kway Teow, fried broad rice noodles in sweet black sauce; Hainanese chicken rice, tender boiled chicken served with fragrant rice cooked in its broth ; satay, marinated skewered meat eaten with a spicy peanut gravy; Roti Prata, fluffy Indian pancake-like bread; Chilli crab, crab cooked in a thick chilli gravy and more.