The main lure about eating in Singapore: It's a cheap-eats paradise. You will find hawker centers almost on every street corner. What are they? An outdoor carnival of food, really: Often under a canopy of some kind, you will find 20 and more individual food stalls, where you can buy a filling meal for the equivalent of US$2.00. Hawker centers abound in the glitzy tourist areas as well as in every HDB (housing development board) housing complex. Don't overlook food courts. Food courts are located indoors--often in the basement of shopping malls--and they can be just slightly higher in price. This is the real Singapore: At these food centers locals rub shoulders with ex pats and tourists; rich and poor alike happily dip their faces into steaming, fragrant dishes. You will find an abundance of foods, ranging from Cantonese, Hokkien, Peranakan, Indian, Thai, even Japanese and Korean. Please note: This food is often very oily and very rich. If you want more low-fat offerings, soups such as fish ball soup and tom yam (Thai, and very spicy) can fit the bill. And every food court/hawker center has a stall where you can buy wonderful fruits.
Some of the local foods you should know about:
Nasi goreng: The Indonesian term for "fried rice." The rice is cooked with various ingredients including shrimp or other shellfish, meat, eggs--you name it. Often it comes with garlic, cucumber, peanuts ...
Mee goreng: Similar to the above, but made with noodles.
Fried carrot cake: so bad for you, and so good. It's really made of huge radishes, onions, and some fish sauce. It is then--fried to death. Fried carrot cake has the consistency of home fries, so if you're missing New Jersey diner breakfast food, it's a great, comforting substitute!
Char kway teow: Fried noodles with almost any combination of vegetables, sea food, and meat. It comes with a dark sauce, consisting of fish sauce and soy sauce. It's often accompanied by sambal, a spicy chili sauce.
Chicken rice: Plain food, and very comforting: Sliced chicken (sometimes served lukewarm) that has been boiled; mildly flavored with ginger and onions. Served with rice, and, usually, soup. Just good comfort food.
Curried fish head: Yes, you can get a fish head--eyeballs and all--cooked in a spicy curry sauce. (The rest of the fish comes along.) Very spicy. I'm told the fish cheeks are the best part. Have to admit, I haven't explored it.
Pepper crab: Crabs served in a fragrant sauce consisting of oyster sauce, pepper (lots of it), soy sauce, garlic, ginger. A must-try when you're in Singapore.
Ice kachong: Definitely an acquired taste! It’s like a snow cone on drugs: Start with a HUGE pile of ice. Add different kinds of multi-colored, viscous sweet sauces—some red, some green . . . add to that jellied candied stuff, corn (yes, corn), and condensed milk. Somehow add to the bottom of this mess some red beans (Chinese consider red beans and corn to be dessert) and lychee. Give it to victim. It’s fantastic. By the time you’re finishing, the final dregs look like dirty icy sludge. But it tastes great.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING FANCIER . . .
Clark Quay and Boat Quay: Facing each other across the Singapore River, these two areas are major tourist lures, chock full of restaurants, pubs, and night clubs. Just ask a cab to take you to Clark Quay. Walk along and check out the tons of restaurants (ranging from Italian, Indian, Chinese, Thai . . .) The down side: Restaurant employees will practically tug at your arm, demanding you stop and eat there. (Haven’t they learned this technique never works for most visitors?) Cross the bridge and check out Boat Quay. Boat Quay underwent a hideously expensive renovation; purple platic abounds. Frankly, I think it’s hideous, but the area is quite lively, and has more bars, restaurants, and the like. There is even a bungee-jumping area! Riverside Point: On the Clark Quay side of the river. A charming spot, with overpriced but fun restaurants. Have a margarita at the Café Iguana and watch the world go by.
Chijmes. A lovely area, next to City Hall MRT. Chijmes used to be a convent, and the space has been renovated to accommodate upscale shops and (usually) Western restaurants. While the space is lovely, every restaurant I have tried has had mediocre food and overpriced food. BUT the atmosphere is so pretty—little white twinkly lights abound—so have a drink and relax.
East Coast. A suburban part of Singapore, the East Coast is famous for its seafood restaurants. Ask a cabbie to take you to the East Coast Seafood Centre, where you will find eight or so restaurants, right on the water. It's very pleasant, and of course you can sit outside by the water. Have fun. Do try the chilli crab here.
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