Evolution of Singapore Hawkers • From Plying the Streets to Hawkerpreneurs

The hawker profession in Singapore went through three distinct stages, from plying the streets to running a hawker centre stall to being an entrepreneur, dubbed hawkerpreneur.

Ah Tee Ko Ko Mee @ Kelantan Lane • Old School Nostalgic Sauce Noodle 亞弟叩叩面

Ko Ko Mee actually isn't a type of noodle dish. It refers to the knocking sound hawkers make when they strike a broad flat strip of bamboo with a bamboo stick. When I was a child in 1960s Singapore, the ko ko sound made by noodle sellers can be heard all day. 

Stall name: Ah Tee Ko Ko Mee 亞弟叩叩面

Address: Blk 27 Jalan Berseh, Gourmet Street coffee shop, Singapore 200027

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Jalan Besar station

Hours: 5:30am - 1:30pm (Sun off)

632 Yishun Chef Kin HK Wanton Mee • Is it Worth the 2 Hour Queue? CLOSED

CLOSED Recently, a wanton mee stall at block 632 in Yishun took the social media world by storm with two hour queues for their authentic Hong Kong style duck egg noodles. Its main selling point is owner chef Kin was formerly with the Crystal Jade chain of restaurants. As a wanton mee lover, I was curious and eager to give it a try.

Stall name: Chef Kin HK Wanton Mee

Address: Blk 632, Yishun Street 61, Singapore 760632

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Khatib station

Hours: 7:00am - 8:00pm

What is Unique about Singapore Hawker Centre Culture?

In 2018, when Singapore submitted its hawker culture for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, murmurs were heard questioning "What is so Unique about Singapore Hawker Culture"? Afterall, all of Singapore's Southeast Asian neighbours have vibrant street hawker cultures. Every countryman or woman can rightfully argue that their own country's hawkers are the best, so why is Singapore jumping the gun on UNESCO recognition? Malaysia even proposed a joint submission.

I shall try to answer that question from my own perspective as a Singaporean who also loves the street food of neighbouring countries.

Can Singapore Hawker Culture Survive?

The future of Singapore's UNESCO recognised hawker culture is sometimes doubted and often debated. There are factors for and against its survival - it is good that the issue is often spotlighted, suggestions voiced, solutions implemented and the public engaged.

As Singaporeans are passionate about their hawker food, everyone has opinions on both sides of the fence. The picture is not all doom and gloom. In fact, I am pretty optimistic.

The Fortune Cookie Restaurant 🥠 Muslim Owned HALAL Chinese - Western Fusion @ Kampong Glam

Today's lunch at The Fortune Cookie at the historic Kampong Glam 🥠 TFC serves interesting Halal Chinese & Western fusion dishes. 

Restaurant name: The Fortune Cookie

Address: 11 Bussorah Street, Singapore 199432 (in Kampong Glam)

Nearest MRT: Bugis station

Tel: +65 9009 7345

Hours: 11:00am - 11:00pm daily

Pang's Hakka Noodles @ Sprout Hub. The Best Hakka Mee in Singapore? 小彭客家面

As chef Benny slurped up his noodles noisily across the table, I can smell the aroma of the blend of lard, shallot oil and juices from sautéed pork which transported me straight to Seremban, home of my favourite Hakka noodles. Thanks to chef Pang, now we can have it right here in Singapore. Better still, chef Pang's version comes with delicious accompanying yong tau foo and soups.

Stall name: Pang's Hakka Noodles 小彭客家面

Address: 102 Henderson Rd, Singapore 159562 (inside Sprout Hub)

Hours: 10:30am - 7:00pm

Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles @ Golden Mile Food Centre 瓊发海南牛肉粉

Went to Golden Mile Food Centre for lunch after my medical appointment. Famous, old school Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles (established 1978) just opened for the day, so I settled for it.

Stall name: Kheng Fatt Hainanese Beef Noodles 瓊发海南牛肉粉

Address: Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, stall #01-89, Singapore 199583

Hours: 11:30am - 7:30pm (Weds off)

HQ Italia Pizza Addiction · Unofficial Embassy of Italy & One of Our Makan Hideouts

You know, all of us have one or a few makan hangouts hideouts which is known among our kakis and not much other people. I share one of these with you - HQ Italia at the roof top of Oxley Bizhub 2 in Kampong Ubi.

Restaurant name: HQ Italia Pizza Addiction

Address: Oxley Bizhub 2, 62 Ubi Rd 1, #11-19, Singapore 408734

Tel: 9383 2649

Nearest MRT: Tai Seng station

Hours: 11:30am - 9:30pm (Sun off)

Guan Hoe Soon Peranakan Restaurant @ Joo Chiat Place. Singapore's Oldest Nyonya Restaurant

Established in 1953, Guan Hoe Soon is one of the oldest and most famous Peranakan restaurants in Singapore, so was I extremely excited about going there for lunch.

Restaurant name: Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant

Address: 200 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427764

Tel: +65 6344 2761

Hours: 11:00am - 3:00pm | 5:30pm - 9:00pm

Lao Huang Hakka Niang Tou Fu. Yong Tau Foo Stuffed with Porky Goodness @ North Bridge Road Food Centre

Stumbled upon Lao Huang Hakka Niang Tou Fu stall at North Bridge Road hawker centre and was excited to see that they use pork fillings for their yong tau foo. They also have Hakka style noodles, so yeah, this will be my brekky this morning 😄

Stall name: Lao Huang Hakka Niang Tou Fu 老黄客家酿豆腐

Address: North Bridge Road Market & Food Centre, 861 North Bridge Rd, #01-108, Singapore 198783

Tel: 9652 0395 (Jimmy)

Hours: 7:30am - 1:00pm (Thurs, Fri, Mon off)

Rong Ji Chicken Rice • Porridge 🐔 Longstanding Easties' Favourite @ Dunman Food Centre

As a chicken and porridge lover, I was very excited when I stumbled upon Rong Ji Chicken Rice & Porridge while stalking Dunman Food Centre. So, I quickly joined the line of five people (at 10am on a Monday).

Stall name: Rong Ji Chicken Rice • Porridge 榮記鶏飯 • 粥

Address: Stall #02-13, Dunman Food Centre, 271 Onan Road, Singapore 424768

Hours: 6:00am - 3:00pm (Weds off)

Geylang Serai Chee Kong. Much Loved Cheng Tng in the Malay Heartland of Singapore

You know, the first time I tasted Geylang Serai Chee Kong's cheng tng, it was free of charge 😄 I was sharing a table with a Malay uncle and naturally, we had an unker to unker talk about what to eat. He went to buy cheng tng, and belanja (Malay for treat) me one 😄 The kampong spirit is alive and well in Geylang Serai 💪 

Pakcik was one of Geylang Serai Chee Kong's many life long fans. Now, they added this Chinese unker.

Stall name: Geylang Serai Chee Kong Cheng Tng 清汤

Address: 1 Geylang Serai, #02-149 Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre, Singapore 402001

Hours: 10:00am - 4:00pm (Mon off)

Kansas City Style Smoked BBQ Feast by Chef Jimmy of Smoke House by Esseplore

I have always wanted to try the much acclaimed cooking of smoked BBQ meats maestro, chef Jimmy Cheang. Now that chef Jimmy joined Esseplore, we can order his smoked meats online and have it delivered to enjoy in the comfort of our own homes. We just had a selection of Kansas City style smoked BBQ feast and loved it.

History of Pasar Geylang Serai Market • Enduring Heart of Malay Life & Culture in Singapore

Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre is a hawker centre with one of the longest history in Singapore. Its roots go back to the 1920s, starting life as a street market and then a makeshift hawker shelter in Geylang Serai.

Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre

Address: 1 Geylang Serai, Singapore 402001

Memories of Taman Serasi Food Centre. Roti John Central of Singapore

Taman Serasi Food Centre was opened in 1975 and demolished in 2001. It was relatively small with just 18 food stalls but it was well loved and fondly remembered by many people.

Canchita Peruvian Cuisine @ Dempsey Hill. Menu & Food Review

Today's lunch at Canchita Peruvian Cuisine at Dempsey Hill.

Restaurant name: CANCHITA Peruvian Cuisine

Address: Dempsey Road, 9A 9B, Singapore 247698

Tel: +65 6232 7895

Hours: 12:00 noon - 2:30pm | 6:00pm - 10:30pm (Mon off |  Sat & Sun 11:30am - 10:30pm)

Sofi Cafe @ The Scarlet Hotel. I was Surprised by how Delicious Keto Dishes can be

This was my first keto meal and I was mighty impressed. I mean, I found it much tastier than expected.

Restaurant name: Sofi Cafe + Pizza

Address: 33 Erskine Rd, The Scarlet Hotel, Ground Floor & Rooftop, Singapore 069333

Tel: +65 6222 0879

Hours: 8:30am - 10:30pm

KL Pork Noodle by Old Village @ Peking Room Kopitiam in Tanglin Halt 老村庄

Singapore foodie social media was recently abuzz with a new stall named Old Village serving Kuala Lumpur style pork noodle at Peking Room coffee shop in Tanglin Halt. As I love KL pork noodle but had no chance to taste it in Malaysia for the past two years, I was excited to try it as soon as possible.

Stall name: Old Village 老村庄

Address: 49 Tanglin Halt Road, #01-265, Singapore 142049 (inside Peking Room coffee shop)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Commonwealth station

Tel: +65 9388 5288

Hours: 8:30am - 3:00pm (Tues off)

Fine British Cuisine @ JAAN by Kirk Westaway in Hotel Swissôtel The Stamford

Today, we had lunch at JAAN by Kirk Westaway in Hotel Swissôtel The Stamford. We enjoyed the exquisite dishes, warm service, comfortable environment, stunning views of Singapore and great company.

Restaurant name: JAAN by Kirk Westaway

Address: 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882 (located at level 70 in Hotel Swissôtel The Stamford)

Nearest MRT: At City Hall station

Tel: +65 6431 6156

Hours: 11:45am - 14:30pm | 18:30pm - 22:30pm

Golden Mile Chili Mee 🌶 Chung Cheng Chili Prawn Noodles Stall #01-59 崇正辣椒面

Was running errands near the Golden Mile Food Centre area, I opted for the famous chili mee by Chung Cheng Chilli Prawn Noodles for lunch today. Though I never developed a craving for the spicy noodle dish, it is a nice option I enjoy occasionally for its comforting old school flavours, especially when the queue isn't too long 🌶

Stall name: Chung Cheng Chilli Prawn Noodles 崇正辣椒面

Address: Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, #01-59, Singapore 199583

Hours:10:00am - 8:00pm (Tues off)

Yakiniku 👍 Like!! Fast Food Style Japanese BBQ for One and All @ VivoCity. Menu & Food Review

Our lunch today was at the Yakiniku 👍 Like!! outlet at VivoCity. Tasty, Quick, Value - We enjoyed ourselves as the food was fresh, delicious, served quickly once we put in our orders, environment was clean and comfortable, prices were competitive and company was great!

Stall name: Yakiniku 👍 Like!!

Address: VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk, #02-60, Singapore 098585

Nearest MRT: At Harbourfront station

Hours: 11:00am - 9:30pm

Swatow Seafood Teochew Restaurant @ Toa Payoh Central 汕头海鲜

Today, we met at Swatow Seafood Restaurant for lunch. We enjoyed the food and like the vibes here, and agreed that we will be back to try their other dishes.

Restaurant name: Swatow Seafood 汕头海鲜

Address: 181 Lor 4 Toa Payoh, #02-602, Singapore 310181

Nearest MRT: 8 - 10 minutes walk from Toa Payoh station

Tel: +65 6363 1717

Hours: 8:00am - 10:00pm

Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Noodles Since 1983 @ Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre

Yam Mee Teochew Fishball is a highly rated fishball stall featured in most viral lists of best fishball noodle stalls in Singapore. It is one of the stalls that sport a constant queue at Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre.

Stall name: Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Noodles 炎成潮州鱼丸面

Address: Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre, 209 Hougang Street 21, 01-35, Singapore 530209

MRT station: Doorstep of Kovan station (Exit C)

Hours: 7:00am - 9:00pm (Mon off)

Fei Zhai (Fat Boy) Pork Rib Prawn Noodle @ Pepys Road Pasir Panjang 肥仔排骨蝦麵

Fat Boy Prawn Noodle at Pepys Road in Pasir Panjang enjoy cult status among its loyal fans. It's an old school kind of prawn mee.

Stall name: Fei Zhai Pork Rib Prawn Noodles 肥仔排骨蝦麵

Address: 114 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118539

Nearest MRT: 5 minute walk from Pasir Panjang station

Hours: 5:00am - 1:00am (closed at 11am on Sat & off on Sun)

Umami Chefs by Esseplore. Tasty, Healthy, Convenient Ready-to-Heat Meals Delivered

I had a major operation and was recuperating at home for the last two months - hence, haven't been able to venture out for good food hunting 😔 I also had to eat a low fat, low sugar, low salt, high nutrition diet to help in my recovery.

Buddy Jimmy asked if I would like to try some ready-to-heat delivery meals from Umami Chefs by Esseplore. So, I tried several dishes during my rest at home. The best tasting meals are always fresh out of the kitchen but if that is not possible, convenient ready-to-heat meals from Umami Chefs by Esseplore are good alternatives.

Song Heng Fishball Noodle @ Ang Mo Kio 628 Market. My Favourite Things Here are Pork Slices, Al Dente Noodles & Excellent Sauce

Saw buddy Aaron recommending on Facebook, Song Heng Fishball Minced Pork Noodle in Ang Mo Kio 628 food centre. As a fan of fishball noodles and Aaron's recommendations, I went to AMK 628 food centre this morning to check out Song Heng. The fishballs were nice (no fish dumplings) but the best things here for me were their al dente noodles, flavourful sauce and deliciously sweet pork slices.

Stall name: Song Heng Fishball Minced Meat Noodle 松兴魚圓肉脞面

Address: 628 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, #01-75, Singapore 560628

Hours: 5:30am - 12:30pm (Tues off)

History of Chinese Cuisine in Singapore. How Three Waves of Chinese Migration Shaped Singapore Hawker Culture

Chinese make up 75% of Singapore's population, hence Chinese dishes form the majority of Singapore hawker cuisine. But, you will not find anything like Singapore Chinese cuisine in China. I mean you can't go to any place in China and find the same hyper diversity of Chinese food that we take for granted in Singapore.

Tea & Dine Chin Lee @ Canberra Plaza. Popular Teochew Restaurant Opens in Singapore's North

As a fan of Chin Lee's traditional Teochew cuisine, I am excited that they opened a branch at the spanking new Canberra Plaza. So, I checked in at Tea & Dine Chin Lee at the first opportunity. This is a nice place for dim sum, tea and Teochew dishes for folks living or working in the north (Yishun, Sembawang, Admiralty, Marsiling and Woodlands). (This was my first time dining out since my heart bypass 6 weeks ago.)

Restaurant name: Tea & Dine Chin Lee

Address: Canberra Plaza, 133 Canberra View, #02-01/03, Singapore 750133

Nearest MRT: At the doorstep of Canberra station

Tel: +65 6908 5454 / 5554

Hours: 11:30am - 2:30pm | 5:30pm - 9:45pm (11:30am - 10:00pm on Sat & Sun)

History of Indonesian Cuisine in Singapore Hawker Culture

Singapore hawker culture is the proverbial melting pot of cuisines from north, south, east, west, all directions around our sunny island. From our immediate south and west, Indonesians have long contributed their culinary heritage to our rich hawker culture.

To appreciate the history of Indonesian cuisine in Singapore, we start with the history of Indonesia and Indonesian immigration.

Noodle is your Lunch · History of Pad Thai

Pad Thai is synonymous with Thai cuisine (along with Tom Yum soup, Som Tam green papaya salad). So, it may surprise some people that Pad Thai is not an old dish in Thailand and its current status as the Thai culinary icon is a recent phenomenon. And, even Thais couldn't agree how that came about 🤔