Exploring the Food in Singapore

In my visits to Singapore, one of the things I like the most is the food. It is true what they say that Singaporeans love to eat. Of course we wonder why true blue Singaporeans remain thin and  fit despite their love for eating. Hmmm. they might know something I don't. just kiddin. 

But the food choices here are endless. And to be truthful, quite intimidating. Singapore’s multi-cultural diversity is reflected in the variety of local cuisine it has to offer,
from Chinese to Malay, Indian to Peranakan.

In my recent visit to this vibrant city, I had the pleasure of staying at my cousin's pad at the Punggol area. There was this quaint "kopi tiam" a block away from the their building which sells the best coffee to go. I love the thick, black coffee mixed with milk. It has the robust taste of freshly brewed  coffee with just the right sweetness, perfect for my taste. And it amuses me that this "coffee to go" comes in a plastic -yes literally - bags with a string for easy handling and a straw. :) Think about ingenuity!

Kopi is a Malay word for "coffee" while Tiam is a Hokkien word for "shop". So in retrospect, this hawker stall is a mini-coffee shop. And in this beverage station where I also buy my coffee, they sell all sorts of  drinks you can think of. Most hawker stalls in Singapore have a separate stall selling only beverage so make sure you figure out where this particular stall is located so you don't go choking on the feast of food you order from a different hawker stall.

Speaking of hawker stalls, there is a strip at the Esplanade that are filled with stalls of food perfect for tourists and locals alike where they serve a variety of food. 

We even found this proudly Pinoy food stall offering lechon and other Filipino delicacies. So if you live in Singapore and suddenly have this craving for Pinoy food, I'm sure you won't be so homesick after you get your fill from this stall.

Then in our walks to the bridge near Esplanade  we happen to pass by this man selling a sandwich type of ice cream. The ice cream here is sandwiched in between two wafers, popularly called "potong" or cut ice cream in Singapore, it has a variety of flavors to choose from. There are the usual chocolate, strawberry, bubble gum and yet there are the red bean, yam and honeydew flavors. I wasn't brave enough to try the unusual flavors sadly, but the mint and the chocolate was fine. Although I still prefer our sorbetero/dirty ice cream version here. :)

While in Smith St. or the Food Street at Chinatown, we had the pleasure of sinking our teeth into these yummy fares. Starting off with this Prawn Rolls, which I particularly love...

Barbecued Chicken Wings with really spicy sweet sauce...

and the Crispy Squid which I couldn't get enough of.. 

the row of restaurants and hawker stalls in Smith St.

Of course, food in Singapore wouldn't be complete without having the satay. Satay is a skewered meat  grilled or barbecued in charcoal or wood which gives off a smoky flavor, served with thick peanut based sauce. There is a place in the Lion city where there is a selection of satay dishes to choose from. This is the Lau Pa Sat Satay or popularly called "Satay Street" by the locals. So if you want your fill of this kebab, this is the place to go in Singapore.

 Are you a local or a PR (permanent resident) of Singapore? Share your favorite delicacy/place to eat with us through the comments box below.. :)