Are You Out There — Travel
Too Much, but Not Enough: A Diary on Singapore Street Food
Perhaps you awake one morning or afternoon (I won’t judge) and have the craving for spicy noodles with something that was killed the same day. Or maybe you crave something sweet for breakfast that won’t force you to lay deadweight in your hotel bedroom all day.
Singapore is the destination for you, my friend.
The escape to a hawker center can be a mesmerizing experience. With the blend of smells, languages, and foods, you should feel you’re in the right place. Walking past stalls and hearing the sizzle of the scorching hot woks with noodles being soaked in oil, drumming up more artery clog for the next customer can make even the most dedicated nihilist excited.
Some of my favorite foods thus far are char kway teow (Singapore classic), wonton noodles, biryani, prawn noodles, chicken curry, chicken rice, and my new favorite breakfast here, peanut pancakes. You truly haven’t lived until you try at least a couple of these foods.
What advice would I have for someone coming to Singapore hoping to embark on a food extravaganza? I encourage you to keep a distance from the high-end restaurants and instead direct your attention to hawkers and small street restaurants. Why? It captures the true essence of Singaporean street food.
You need to be yelled at by a grandma and grandpa in a language you can’t understand and buy a meal that was made in front of you. To me, this methodical process is an art form; a complex one. Every movement, every cut, every meal is done the same way with absolute perfection, nothing short.
Walk through the sauna-like weather of Singapore, wait in line at a stall for thirty minutes or more, get a Tiger beer or lime juice, and enjoy.
