Singapore hawker food centers

[LampStack]

I am planning to visit Singapore later in '09 and my research on the internet turned up the following hawker food centers as being worth a try:

- Newton Circus Food Center
- Lau Pa Sat (aka Telok Ayer Market)
- East Coast Lagoon Food Center
- East Coast Seafood Center

I was wondering if any of these are especially worth a try, and are there any others that would be recommended?

Please feel free to correct any mis-information I may have here.

[kluau88]

Newton Cicrus Food Center
East Coast Lagoon Food Center
Tiong Bahru Food Center

[sqforever]

Maxwell Food Centre is a must-has Tian Tian chicken rice, one of the best in SG and is an absolute "die-die must try!"

Another hawker centre in Singapore is the Geylang Serai market. Great local Malay food to try! The current set-up is only temporary as the place is being rebuilt. However, the stalls will probrably move into the new centre by 2009.

Hawker centres are one of the best ways to jump into Singapore makan (eat) culture. However, also try some kopitiams (coffeeshops) for a sampling of local food. There are quite a few along Killiney Road and in the Kampong Glam area. Katong is also well know for its Laksa sellers. Not far from there is Bedok which has 2 great hawker centres to choose from, Bedok Corner (Wonderful Hokkien Mee-fried prawn noodles) and Simpang Bedok.

There's also great curry houses in Little India, specifically for the Uniquely Singaporean dish, fish head curry.

IMHO, although there is some good food to be had at Newton Circus, it caters more to tourists and the prices are usually a bit higher.


There are just too many good places to eat in Singapore......

[KeithMEL]

The one next to the Esplanade is pretty good.

[Nick C]

- Chomp Chomp
- Changi Village

[SQ LPP]

If you want to explore more, you can look up here.
I had been to some of them, but the company makes a different! I remember eating satay and so many stuff at East Coast and I had to run for the airport. I remember having lots of fun including pole dancing just for the gorgeous Italian at the hawker center near Esplanade. I remember having fun eating at the food court (Food Republic) in the new mall a bit far away from Orchard. It was great night and great food.

[jhm]

Like kluau88 said, don't go to Newton which is AFAIK a tourist trap.

[SuperJonJon]

- Chomp Chomp
- Changi Village

These are good recommendations and I second them. Some of my fave foods there:
Chomp Chomp - Grilled Chilli Stingray, hokkein mee, cheng teng
Changi Village - Nasi lemak, wanton noodles.

[SuperJonJon]

Maxwell Food Centre is a must-has Tian Tian chicken rice, one of the best in SG and is an absolute "die-die must try!"

I personally think that particular chicken rice stall is good but over rated.

The fish porridge and slice fish noodles in the middle section are good.


ps. I was just turned away at the fish porridge stall as they were sold out.

[Nick C]

These are good recommendations and I second them. Some of my fave foods there:
Chomp Chomp - Grilled Chilli Stingray, hokkein mee, cheng teng
Changi Village - Nasi lemak, wanton noodles.

The Ipoh Hor Fun with Chicken Cutlets, Beef noodles are not to be missed at Changi V too. I still miss the days where buying 100 packets of Nasi Lemak was the norm

[Nick C]

The one next to the Esplanade is pretty good.

Makansutra Gluttons Bay is overrated. Another tourist trap.

[sqforever]

These are good recommendations and I second them. Some of my fave foods there:
Chomp Chomp - Grilled Chilli Stingray, hokkein mee, cheng teng
Changi Village - Nasi lemak, wanton noodles.

Hmmmm......we'll just have to agree to disagree on the Chicken Rice then

For Nasi Lemak, however, I feel that Changi Village is quite overrated (but not bad either). However, Changi Village now has several Nasi Ayam penyet stalls that are very nice.


My favorite places for Nasi Lemak:

A stall labeled "Nasi Padang" (used to sell it) at Marine Parade Central. The rice isn't watered down with anything, pure lemak flavor. Its more classic Nasi Lemak taste but with the offerings availible of modern Nasi lemak.

Other two faves would be Selera Rasa on adam road or Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak.

[SQFAN]

Makansutra Gluttons Bay is overrated. Another tourist trap.

Eeek ..I am heading to makansutra place on 30th... You mean the whole place is over rated? Besides that, any good stalls which would you recommend? I can eat almost anything (have cast iron stomach).....

[mczlaw]

The Guide

As Michelin is to Paris restaurants, the Makansutra guide is to Singapore street food stalls.

The latest edition, cleverly titled "Makansutra 2009," was published in July 2008. I am reviewing it closely for my upcoming Singapore culinary explorations. It goes dish by dish through Singapore's hawker offerings, rating each outlet from 1 to 3 sets of chopsticks. It then provides a geographical listing of the stalls, sorted by general area (e.g. Central, East, etc.)

I was unable to obtain the guide from any bookseller in the US (including Amazon), but ordered it from Select Books in Singapore. For the serious gastronome, don't leave home without it.

--mcz

[SQ179]

Tampines Round Market & Food Centre @ Block 137, Tampines St. 11
IMO the BEST hawker center in Singapore
Getting there:
Driving: PIE exit 4B Simei Ave (both directions)
or
Bus #34 from Changi Airport, alight at Blk 101, Tampines Ave 2 (less than 5 min walk from here). To get back to Changi Airport, take #34 again, cross the road, from Block 141, Tampines Ave. 2