Non-Stop Eating In Singapore

If you are planning a trip to Singapore, be prepared to eat – a lot! It may be a tiny country but it is BIG on food. Singapore is also what I would describe as ‘an Asian city for beginners’. It’s clean, English speaking and most things run very efficiently and on time. It is also a great city to travel with children and plenty to do with them too. But, there is no ignoring the Singaporean’s status as a nation of foodies and we were subjected to non-stop eating in Singapore.

Perhaps it is their lack of historical landmarks, countryside and general edginess which makes them so fiercely proud of their food. Whatever the reason, it is well founded. Singapore’s multicultural make-up with influences from neighbouring Malaysia to China, Indonesia and the West, creates a delicious fusion of tastes. If, like us, you know some of the locals, they will do their best to fill your bellies with as many different foods from the region as they can… chilli crab, laksa, chicken rice, the list goes on…  

In fact, they take great delight in watching you taste what is in front of you and how ‘adventurous’ you are at experiencing with new foods. Be prepared to be open-minded and go with it – even if it is trying a cured, black ‘century egg’ which stinks of sulphur (actually not as bad as it sounds).

The best thing is the food in Singapore is so CHEAP! Particularly if you eat the local fare at Hawker markets (a collection of food stalls) or food halls at shopping malls. No wonder the Singaporeans eat out all the time! To recreate the same food at home would take a wide variety of herbs and spices as well as the rest of the food ingredients and a lot of time.

Despite the majority of Singaporeans being very slim, they can certainly put a lot away! Even my husband’s huge appetite was put to the test as everything we did centred around food.

On the day we arrived we were whisked off for Chicken Rice. When I informed my hubby this was what were were having, he tried to protest.
“Well, I’ll see what’s on the menu first.”
I shook my head. He didn’t quite get it. “No. That’s the only thing on the menu,” I replied. Their specialities are such that although some places only serve variations of one dish, they do it very well (and when you have to queue to get in, you know you are in the right place)!

And so it went on, later that evening we went to the outskirts of town, to a place rarely visited by tourists. Even my friend who lives in the city had trouble finding it. Hidden away in the shadow of a tall residential building, in amongst some garages, there suddenly appeared a large, austere eating area, spilling out onto the pavement emitting sweet, spicy flavours into the air.

The menu was written on a huge chalkboard and all of my friend’s family and their foodie friends relished the opportunity to get us to to sample everything on it. The ‘lazy Susan’ in the middle of the table was in constant rotation with food and several ‘bring your own’ bottles getting supped.

Children are very welcome in restaurants in Singapore – even at night. Mrs T slept in her buggy most of the time when we went out in the evening and nobody batted an eyelid about it – even when we visited an upmarket steak restaurant.

The food marathon went on for four days, in restaurants, hawker markets and food courts in shopping malls. We even went to a Popiah party. Barely knowing the host, my friend insisted we had to try this delicacy. It is  essentially an Asian burrito – a wheat or rice flour wrap which you can fill with all sorts of different foods but the main ingredient is a cold chicken casserole which you spoon in, followed by accompaniments such as prawns, garlic, sausage and chilli sauce.

Then there was all you can eat sushi, carrot cake – NOT the sweet dessert we all know – but a type of floury omelette with white radishes and, if you are having it ‘black’, sweet soy sauce (actually rather nice!). The famous Laksa (spicy noodle soup), Char Kway Teow (greasy but delicious noodles with all sorts of stuff that’s bad for you), Roti Prata (flat bread usually served with curry sauce), Suimai (prawn) dumplings and to  finish off, cooling desserts like  ice Kachang – crushed ice with red beans and jellies.

Mrs T, then 18 months old, was game for most things, tucking into and thoroughly enjoying noodle soup, wontons, Char Sui Buns, stir fry noodle dishes. I steered clear of giving her anything too spicy but I was very impressed with her palate and my Singapore friend Gen, who is her godmother, gave her the seal of approval.

In between all this eating, we did partake in lots of other activities and Mrs T had a fantastic time, but there was no doubt we came back from Asia with our trousers feeling far tighter and our bellies a little sick from the quantity of food consumed and its rich spiciness. Although it was all delicious, we rather enjoyed getting back on some blander food on our return and eating just the three meals a day!